Bringing This Rare Shelby Truck Back To Life Meant Reckoning With The Death Of A Son

We love cars. That’s why you’re reading this website, and why I’m writing for it. But more than that, we love stories. It’s not just about engines and horsepower and noisy exhausts, it’s about how these machines weave themselves into the fabric of our lives. Even the humblest car can mean a lot; maybe it’s the car someone learned to drive in, or the truck that carried them to a new beginning far from home. In the case of this 1989 Dodge Shelby Dakota, it’s prized in the broader car world for what’s under the hood. But for its former owners, it was cherished for the place it held in their hearts.

Nathan Roe is a Hoosier, and a life-long car fan at that. “I’ve always enjoyed the older vehicles, being able to tinker without hooking it up to a computer,” he explains. Like so many enthusiasts, his passion has a strong family connection. “My Dad and I went to car shows on the weekends to enjoy what people were actually building, not just buying,” says Roe. After helping his father restore cars for years, he bought his own first car at 17, repairing and customizing it into an expression of his own automotive personality.

Roe has a particular fondness for Dodge trucks, having collected a number of Dodge Dakota Convertibles over the years. But beyond that, he longed to add a Shelby Dakota to his collection. Dodge took the short-wheelbase two-door Dakota, and gave it to Shelby. The All-American performance house eschewed the Dakota’s humble V6, instead dropping in a 5.2-liter V8 for more grunt. 175 horsepower and 270 foot-pounds of torque might not sound like much today, but at the time, it was the fastest pickup bar none. Oh, and it was 1989, so it came with a rad set of wheels and an excellent sticker pack to boot. Meanwhile, numbered plaques on the body reminded owners they had something special, with just 1,500 ever built. The original sales brochure showed the truck in the best possible light. It was a machine, poised and potent, with the tough, steely aesthetic that would have made this thing the perfect hero car for an 80s action film.

With so few examples in the wild, Roe might have been waiting a long time to find one. In the end, it was a meeting of likeminded enthusiasts that led him to his dream truck. At a gas station with his Dakota convertible, he got chatting to a fellow in a nicely-presented 1975 Corvette. While talking cars, the Corvette owner mentioned a Shelby Dakota he knew of that had been sitting for some time. Roe passed his number along. A month went by, and he got a call. Would he like to come and look at the truck and have a chat?

As it turned out, the Shelby belonged to a couple. More accurately, it had belonged to the couple’s son. “Her son bought the truck off the showroom floor when he got out of the Army,” explains Roe. “He drove it around and enjoyed it, but he got very sick and passed away.” With the tragic loss of their son, the couple had held on to the truck in their garage for several decades. It had served as a connection to their lost child. “They kept the truck in memory of him,” says Roe.

With just 24,000 miles on the clock, the truck was barely broken in. Still, as it sat, the truck had become buried in the bits and pieces that garages inevitably fill up with over time. “They said it hasn’t been driven since 1992,” Roe explains. “The guy told me he would start it every once in a while, but hasn’t done that in roughly 10 years now.” They talked for hours, with Roe showing the couple photos of his own vehicles that he’d collected and restored over the years. “They are getting older, and wanted [the truck] to go to someone that will enjoy the truck and keep it in good shape,” he explained. After he shared his stories of what his cars meant to him, the couple decided to sell the truck to its new caretaker. They negotiated a price and Roe made payments for the truck, picking it up in December last year.

Parting with a cherished vehicle can be difficult at the best of times. Even if we’re just moving on to something new, it can be bittersweet saying goodbye to a stout and worthy chariot that carried us through life’s adventures. In this case, there were obvious strong emotions at play. “It meant a lot to them… she was very emotional when I went to pick it up,” says Roe. “The truck was their memorial of their son.”

“My plan is to keep it as original as possible, to preserve Carroll Shelby’s creation,” Roe says. He’s taking it slow, eager not to damage anything by being rash. With the engine not having started in years, it’s important to take care. “I want do a little prep on priming the oil and making sure the bearings and piston rings have oil before parts start to move,” he explains. Overall, though, the truck looks fantastic as it stands. The stickers and trim are all present, and having spent decades indoors has kept the paint in great condition. It looks set to become a beautiful example of Shelby’s pioneering sports truck.

When it comes to offloading an old commuter, sometimes we’re just happy to get some walking around money in our pocket. We’re not thinking about where the car’s going or what it will get up to next. Conversely, when a vehicle has played a major role in our lives, we naturally care more about it’s future.

It’s clear that the couple who held this truck for so long were in no way looking for a quick sale. The truck mattered to their son, and so the vehicle mattered to them. Roe listened, and understood. As a car lover himself, he knew how strong those bonds can be. It was through this genuine love of cars that he became a steward for this Shelby in the next phase of its life. It’s a story of heartbreak and loss, but it’s also wonderful to see this beloved Shelby going on to a warm and happy home.

Image credits: Nathan Roe