| El Diablo | |
|---|---|
 El Diablo circa 2015 | |
|
Owner |
FELD Entertainment |
|
Driver |
Lupe Soza |
|
Body Style |
Custom 3D Devil |
|
Engine |
540ci Merlin |
|
Transmission |
Coan 2-speed |
|
Tires |
66" Terra |
|
Debut |
2013 |
|
Discontinuation |
2016 |
El Diablo was a custom bodied monster truck owned by FELD Entertainment, which was last driven by Lupe Soza and toured across the U.S. and Latin America. The truck competed in three Young Guns Shootout events.
History
- 2012 - The truck is named "El Diablo" for the Latin American name a truck contest by Monster Jam.
- 2013 - The truck debuts with a classic Chevy body driven by JP Ruggiero. This incarnation was run on the Grave Digger #18 chassis.
- 2014 - The truck debuts the 3D "devil" body and a new chassis.
- 2016 - Lupe Soza takes over driving duties from JP Ruggiero and debuts an all new chassis for the truck. The truck completes it's first in competition backflip in Anaheim, CA.
- April 2016 - The truck is run as an orange El Toro Loco for two weeks, with Becky McDonough driving.
- October 2016 - Lee O'Donnell runs the truck at it's final show in Glendale, AZ.
- 2017 - The chassis becomes the new Wonder Woman truck. The body is heavily modified for the new truck as well. Soza and the truck officially retires.
Trivia
- The name El Diablo came from a contest to decide what the new Hispanic monster truck would be called. The other names in the contest were "El Luchador" (The Fighter) and "Rayo Veloz" (Fast Laser).
- At pit party displays, the truck was always hung from a crane, to display the design on the "roof" of the truck.
- Due to it's relatively short wheel base the truck was famous for performing spectacular sky wheelies.
- Oddly, the truck has not gotten a Hot Wheels toy release, despite now running for 4 years, and other trucks like Pirate's Curse and New Earth Authority (N.E.A Police) getting toys the same year they debut. There actually are several completed prototypes, and finished products of both variations of El Diablo as Hot Wheels toys. However, it was never released, and never mass produced, due to a focus group of both children and adults saying the toy was too scary looking, and that they did not like the name.
- The truck shared many odd similarities with Radical Rescue. Aside from both trucks being the only Chevy Cameo themed trucks made by Monster Jam, both red ones at that, both trucks were run on former Grave Digger chassis.
Gallery
2013 Original render, using Radical Rescue as the base
Ditto
El Diablo 2013
El Diablo late 2013. Notice the color difference of the flames
2014 Original render
Hanging from a crane
At its final show in Glendale, 2016
El Diablo ATV
El Diablo Speedster