Dana Dague of Palapa Boy Racing is well-known in the off-road community for bringing back to life many vintage race cars from the glory era which may be gone by but not forgotten. One of these classics is an early 90s factory-supported race truck driven by Frank “Scoop” Vessels for the Nissan off-road racing program.

Designed and constructed by Bill Savage and TMAG, this truck was commissioned to compete against Toyota and Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee Ivan "Ironman" Stewart. Nissan invested over one million dollars in the truck program and technology development with the goal to beat Toyota and change the world of off-road racing.

Perhaps a bit ahead of its time, the vintage Nissan racer has many moving parts with a complex all-wheel drivetrain and a tricked-out suspension system. Notably, BFGoodrich designed and developed their legendary 37" race-spec tire around this very truck.

Part of Dague's restoration formula is using STEEL-IT^® stainless steel coating. Dana states that Palapa Boy Racing uses STEEL-IT exclusively to protect the entire chassis and all suspension components. "This is a thirty-year-old truck and you cannot tell it is thirty years old because STEEL-IT keeps it looking brand new. Besides this one, we have sixteen vintage trucks. We try to showcase the workmanship, to cover them up with powder coating or liquid paint, to me, is not right. You got to show the metal. STEEL-IT shows the metal!"

STEEL-IT wishes Dana Dague and Palapa Boy Racing the best of luck at the NORRA 500 Rally. Starting on Friday, October 8 and continuing through Saturday, October 9, desert racers will pilot their vehicles through a challenging course totaling 500 miles of dirt, showcasing the best of Baja, including mountains, beaches and desert trails.