Grave Digger 2 (Nicknamed Sound Digger) is the second Grave Digger chassis built and driven by Dennis Anderson from 1989-1994. The truck was the first Grave Digger to use a 1950 Chevrolet panel van body, which all subsequent Grave Digger trucks have been modeled after. (The first Grave Digger was built using the body of a 1951 Ford pickup and later switched to a 1951 Ford panel van body).
History[]
According to Anderson, Grave Digger 2 started out life as a repairman's vehicle for a company called Clearview Television in North Carolina, which he found behind someone's barn. It sat on his property for a while, before he rebuilt it into Grave Digger 2. The truck is best known for Anderson's wild driving style during the TNT era, leading to many repairs, including the total replacement of its original steel body with a fiberglass replica.
In 1990, a severe crash would result in which the frame would supposedly snap in half, resulting in the truck's withdrawal from the TNT series which according to TNT themselves, however, the frame never actually broke and it was TNT's explanation for why Dennis Anderson left the series, which was in order to be able to run shows out west. The truck would run out west and finished out the year with USA Motorsports and USHRA. Les Anderson would pilot the truck until around February of 1991 when Grave Digger 5 was completed.
In mid 1991, Grave Digger 5 was built with an all-new frame utilizing some of Grave Digger 2's parts, including the fiberglass body, but this was indeed a separate chassis from Grave Digger 2, despite the common misconception that they are the same. The reason for 5 being built was to replace a beaten and worn out 2, which was also too heavy to be competitive and it was easier to just build a new frame using parts from 2, as well as the drivetrain.
Grave Digger 2 would run the bronze rims from Grave Digger 1 until the end of March 1989, and the gray rims would debut in April 1989.
Grave Digger 2 made the team's United States Hot Rod Association debut in Philadelphia around the fall of 1990.
Towards the end of its life, Grave Digger 2 was driven by Les Anderson.
"Sound Digger"[]
In 1994, parts from this truck, including running gear and the original steel body, were reused to build a special truck to perform a charity stunt where Dennis drove across the water of Currituck Sound in Currituck, North Carolina. He drove for 7.5 miles, traveling from Popular Branch to the Whalehead Club Mansion in Corolla. After this, the chassis was retired to display at Digger's Dungeon.
In 2016, Dennis's son Adam Anderson restored Grave Digger 2 to working order, using as many original parts as possible. The restored truck is currently on display at Digger's Dungeon.
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