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Roadgoing Boxless Chevy Colorado Spotted In Michigan

While many car enthusiasts find joy in modifying their vehicle to their unique tastes, sometimes these “improvements” can go a little too far. This ideal can be seen in a first-gen Chevy Colorado that was recently spotted in Michigan, where everything behind the cabin has simply been removed.

For whatever reason, the rear section of this Colorado’s frame has been omitted, meaning that the drive wheels and truck bed are nowhere to be found. Interestingly, this leads us to believe that this particular unit was once equipped with 4WD, and is now powered exclusively by the front wheels after some mechanical modifications.

As for how this DIY Colorado fares on the open ride, it would likely be a fear-inducing experience at high speeds on the interstate, given the small rear wheels and bluntly cut ladder frame aft of the cab. The rear axle is supported by a couple of springs and shock absorbers for some ride quality. A lockable box is hanging from said cab of the Colorado, giving this half-truck a minimum of storage capability. It’s worth noting that this truck appears to be registered and titled in Michigan, indicating that enforcement of vehicle conformity laws may be a little on the lax side in The Great Lake State.

Photo of bedless Chevy Colorado.

The first-generation Chevy Colorado was sold in North America through the 2004 to 2012 model years in a variety of trim levels along with Regular Cab, Extended Cab and Crew Cab configurations. The first two were matched to a 6-foot 1-inch bed – which our feature truck used to have – while the latter made do with a 5-foot 1-inch bed.

Early variants offered the choice between the 2.8L I4 LK5 engine that developed 175 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, and the 3.5L I5 L52 engine producing 220 horsepower and 225 pound-feet. Later model years upgraded to the 2.9L I4 LLV engine with 185 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque and the 3.7L I5 LLR engine with 242 horsepower and 242 pound-feet. The 5.3L V8 LH8 engine developing 300 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque was also available near the end of the first generation pickup’s production run.

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As a typical Florida Man, Trey is a certified GM nutjob who's obsessed with anything and everything Corvette-related.

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Comments

  1. The first generation Colorado was a great simple truck. I’m still driving my 2011 Colorado with that unique 5-cylinder engine. I was eager to buy the 2nd Generation, but I never liked it. So I’m still using my faithful naturally-aspirated, 4WD truck.

    Reply
  2. I have a 1st generation 2005 Colorado Xtreme with 60,000 miles on it and enjoy the simplicity of the vehicle.I bought it brand new. It does what I need it to do, gets great gas mileage, looks like new still and it’s paid for. I plan on driving it for another 19 years.
    The Colorado in the article is beyond sketchy. I can’t believe that something like this is even a canidate for a DMV lisence. You would think that if an emergency stop was needed that it might flip over on itself being it only has brakes on the front end with none on the other. Really sketchy.

    Reply
    1. Clearly you don’t live in Michigan… First off, Michigan doesn’t even have a DMV. Second off, Michigan does not require any sort of emission of vehicle safety inspections. The only inspections I believe are for home-built vehicles or trailers, requiring a new VIN plate. As this is a modified existing vehicle, no such inspection would have been red-flagged. Local law-enforcement officers probably have a differnt take on this thing though, especially with the undersized bias-ply trailer-only tires not being DOT rated for motor vehicles…

      Reply
  3. I have a 2007 Colorado and she’s still going strong. Almost at the magical 100,000 mile mark. Still looks like new and I have never had a problem out of her. The best little truck out there.

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    1. With a little care, it’ll likely go 250k mi

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  4. Maybe it’s the result of a divorce settlement? The husband got the other half.

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  5. Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should

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  6. Somebody in Michigan please report EUP 1495 license plate to the authorities. This thing is a death trap with no rear brakes and end-over-end flipping potential. Oh, and where is the fuel tank?

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    1. Hopefully the fuel tank is NOT in the rear tool box! Maybe it is electrified and the box contains the batteries?

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    2. In the box?

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  7. I’d rather ride in Roadkill’s “Stubby Bob”! This Frankenstein looks much worse for basic stability. Lol!!!😂😂😂

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  8. Perhaps the fuel tank is in the rear-mounted tool box?

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  9. Death trap

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  10. Those are trailer tires and wheels on the back – they’re not rated for use on a vehicle!

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  11. What’s incomprehensible here: the man tried to make the maintenance of the car as easy as possible by sawing off the rear part!!!
    Remember YOUR tariffs, gentlemen, billionaires from the States! Not everyone has that many “bucks” for maintenance! Well, and, apparently, this man is an ardent supporter of front-wheel drive technology! One can also assume…
    So, he simply sawed off the “ass”, installed two rubber rollers, and a plastic box for junk (apparently he lives alone). That’s all.

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    1. I would bet it was a junkyard find (or just sitting on the side of the road, if you’ve ever lived in Michigan and know how these kinds of things change hands). So either the rear/bed was crunched and someone wanted to put the front end back in service, or someone else hacked the back off to make a trailer and the front half was just sitting there, unused.

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  12. Do you feel this vehicle is safe for highway travel?

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  13. It depends on a lot… …!
    In particular, on what kind of people are around… …!

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  14. And besides, I didn’t mean any “checks” or anything like that!
    I meant the tastes of a particular car owner. And in this case, his financial situation appears to be in very bad shape! Which probably made him saw off half the car!
    That’s all, gentlemen!

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  15. I understand where it is going, first it was a SUV sports utility van craze, now we are seeing things like this, soon this will be the next craze. WHEN are gorgeous cars coming back.

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  16. Excellent way to earn a Darwin Award.

    Hopefully it doesn’t take someone innocent in the process.

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  17. idiot!

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    1. ROGER!!!!! ONLY – WITHOUT HANDS: I WILL FIX EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!

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    2. Prob rear-ended, totaled by insurance, and rebuilt by the owner! Ingenious Out-Of-The-‘Box’-Not-Needed thinking!

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  18. GM compact pickup mule.

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  19. It’s a GMC Canyon according to the plate, and somehow it still has a clean title with “no accident records” according to the government-run and highly inaccurate NMVTIS.

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  20. No this is redickles, and I don’t see this as safe.

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  21. Oh come on folks; You have heard of the “Smart” car haven’t you? This is it’s sibling the Smart Truck.

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  22. Should do that to mine 07 76000 frame rotted so bad broke in half gm should be proud of that .

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  23. These trucks are very prone to the rear frame rusting out.

    Reply

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