Famous Trucks: Sonny Hooper’s 1977 GMC K15 Sierra Classic from Hooper

The Film: Hooper

1978’s Hooper, born from the mind of Hollywood stuntman turned director Hal Needham, is one of several collaborations between Burt Reynolds and himself. Alongside Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run, and Stroker Ace, Hooper pays homage to the vital yet often under-appreciated stuntmen and women behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic action sequences. 

The film follows Sonny Hooper (Reynolds), a stuntman nearing the end of his career due to physical and emotional strain. Hooper’s love interest, Gwen Doyle (Field), is the daughter of an aging, bruised, and battered stuntman Jocko. After some persuasion, Doyle convinces Hooper to call his career quits after his current job as stunt coordinator for the action film The Spy Who Laughed at Danger, starring Adam West. 

Hooper and his coworker—fellow stuntman Delmore "Ski" Shidski—soon begin a friendly rivalry to outdo one another’s stunts, leading to progressively more dangerous attempts. When approaching the final stunt, which consists of the two men leaping 325 feet across a gorge in a modified, rocket-powered Pontiac Trans Am, a mechanical issue arises, prompting the men to choose between potential death and their legacy.

The Truck: 1977 GMC K15 Sierra Classic

In the film, Sonny Hooper’s personal vehicle is his 1977 GMC K15 Sierra Classic, sporting a Poly Red paint job, hand-painted pinstripes, and a unique engraved wooden tailgate panel. The truck shows up in one of the film’s most memorable sequences, in which Sonny whips the pickup in a J-turn and pilots the pickup in reverse down the highway. 

After being stopped by an officer and ticketed, Sonny clips one end of a steel cable to the officer’s belt loop while the other end remains tied to a wooden post. As Hooper peels out, once again in reverse, the officer begins to pursue, only to be forcefully yanked from his motorcycle.

Build Your Own Hooper-Inspired Truck

While not as commonly replicated as Bandit’s second-generation Pontiac Trans Am, the GMC Stepside from Hooper is an undeniably radical ride. From its Poly Red paint job to its custom tailgate panel, the truck oozes 70s charm and style—any Burt Reynolds fan would happily house a replica in their garage. In this section, we’re showcasing exactly how to build your own. 

Follow along for a comprehensive build guide to replicate Sonny’s iconic GMC pickup.

Platform

Before we begin, we’ll need a platform to start our build. While the screen-used pickup is a 1977 GMC K15 (four-wheel-drive) short bed step side, any square-body Chevy or GMC (1973–1987) in similar trimmings will do. Minor model year changes, like grilles, headlights, and bumpers, are easy retrofits, allowing any model year to resemble the screen-used truck. 

Body

The screen-used pickup sports a Poly Red paint job—a factory GM color. White, hand-painted pinstripes adorn the body in true 70s style, while a unique engraved wooden tailgate panel adds a custom touch to the otherwise stock body.

Wheels and Tires

Sonny Hooper’s truck sports classic triangle-hole white steel wheels—similar to the Rugged Ridge® Black D Window Wheels—wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler tires. However, we’d recommend a similarly styled aluminum wheel for a modern construction and lower weight. Products like the Black Rhino White Solid Wheels or Black Rhino White Axle Wheels feature vintage styling and a similar white finish paired with modern cast aluminum constructions. 

Wrap your choice of wheels in a 33-in. off-road tire, like the Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ P3, for a rugged setup that’ll perform equally well on the street as in the dirt.

Suspension

While the screen-used pickup appears to sport its factory ride height, that’s not to say upgrades aren’t in order. Consider ditching the worn factory dampers and improving ride quality with Superlift’s Shadow Series shocks, enhancing off and on-road performance and overall comfort.

Roll Bar and Auxiliary Lighting

One of Sonny’s truck’s most standout features is its uber-seventies tubular roll bar. The chrome-plated single-hoop roll bar, similar to the Go Rhino Bed Bar, offers classic styling and provisions to mount dual rectangular halogen lights, like the Rugged Ridge 7" Rectangular Off-Road Lights.

Other Features

Lastly, consider replicating the truck’s unique wooden tailgate panel, hand-carved with the “Stunt Gladiators Hollywood” seal and leaves. The “STUNT” license plate is a nice touch as well. 

With the accessories on this list ordered, you’ll be well on your way to piloting a replica of Burt Reynolds' GMC K15 from Hooper.

As always, we offer all the parts and know-how to piece together this build and countless others at RealTruck®. For additional information, check out the rest of our articles on RealSource, and don’t hesitate to contact the experts.