Famous Trucks: Cordell Walker’s Ram 1500 and Sierra K1500 from Walker, Texas Ranger

Some TV and film vehicles are larger than life, like Marty McFly’s black Toyota SR5 or the A-Team’s souped-up GMC van. However, some feature a sleek, understated appearance, deriving their legendary status not from their styling, but from the characters behind the wheel. Such is the case with Cordell Walker’s Ram 1500 and GMC Sierra K1500 trucks, as seen in the hit law enforcement drama, Walker, Texas Ranger. 

In this segment of RealTruck®’s Famous Trucks series, where we highlight the legendary rigs on the silver screen, we’re taking a look at the trucks piloted by Chuck Norris throughout the series. From what they are and how they’re modified to how they contribute to the series, learn more about these classic American pickups—and how to build a Walker, Texas Ranger-inspired build of your own. 

Walker, Texas Ranger aired from 1993 to 2001, spanning eight seasons. The series followed the adventure of Cordell Walker (Chuck Norris) — a modern-day Ranger who used his cunning, instinct, and no-nonsense approach to law enforcement to protect the innocent and lock up evildoers. 

Set in Dallas, Texas, the series features everything there is to love about ‘90s action shows—high-octane action, gripping crime drama, and unforgettable (albeit goofy) martial arts sequences. In the series, Walker’s trucks weren’t just props—they were often at the center of chase sequences and action. 

During the first seasons of the series, Walker piloted a 1992 GMC Sierra K1500. The classic GMT-400 GMC pickup truck fit the rough-and-tough character well, with its muscular styling and legendary reliability. If there were an issue, you could count on Cordell Walker to show up with his trusty, four-wheeled steed. 

With its chrome bumpers, rugged grille guard, and classic short-bed, extended-cab configuration, the GMC pickup brought some grounded realism to the show, between Norris’ high-flying kicks and over-the-top brawls. 

By the mid-’90s, Cordell transitioned from the tried and true GMC to the fresh (at the time) second-gen Dodge Ram 1500—a 1995 model, to be exact. With Dodge’s characteristic semi-truck-inspired front end, swooping flared fenders, and aggressive stance, the menacing dark-gray Ram was the ultimate upgrade for the grizzled Ranger. 

This pickup remained through the later seasons, often seen transporting Walker to and from crime scenes. Over time, this truck became synonymous with the character, making it one of the most instantly recognizable pickups in TV history. 

Considering the everlasting legacy of Cordell’s late-series pickup—the Ram 1500—it’s only fair that this is the pickup we focus on for our “build your own” tribute truck section. Here, we outline the main features and upgrades you’ll need to build a similarly styled truck that pays homage to the one driven by Chuck Norris. 

To build a Walker, Texas Ranger-inspired truck, we’ll need to start with a second-gen Ram 1500 pickup, offered from 1994 to 2002. While these trucks all look similar on the surface, changes in bumper design and interior can be a downfall to die-hard fans. For maximum screen accuracy, consider a 1994 to 1997 model, which all feature the same pre-facelift interior and exterior trims. 

The ideal configuration for the truck is an extended-cab, short-bed, 4WD model that matches the screen-used truck. A 2500 truck may also be suitable for the build, but keep in mind slight variances in ride height and lug count. 

Cordell Walker’s truck maintained a largely stock appearance, including a factory gray paint job (KS7 Dark Silver Metallic), chrome bumpers, and chrome wheels. Keeping the truck relatively stock and understated helps maintain the illusion and preserve the original truck's character. 

The screen used truck sat on chrome-clad stock wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires, giving it a practical and utilitarian appearance. If you’d like to upgrade from the stock setup, which is likely tarnished and flaking, consider timeless polished bullet-hole wheels and modern all-terrain tires for the perfect balance of looks and performance. 

Consider a setup like Pro Comp Polished 69 wheels and Toyo Open Country A/T III tires. 

Walker’s Ram sits at factory height, so keeping your tribute at or near stock clearance is the best way to make it look screen accurate. However, upgrading the shocks is an effective way to improve ride quality and capability without altering the truck’s silhouette. Consider outfitting your tribute build with new suspension bushings, sway bar links, ball joints, and Superlift shocks to make it ride better than new. 

No Walker, Texas Ranger-inspired truck is complete without the iconic, Texas-style front-end guard and rectangular off-road lights. The screen-used truck sports a traditional polished bull bar with rectangular halogen lights, which you’ll find a similar appearance to in RealTruck’s accessories. Products like the Black Horse stainless sport bull bar and Rugged Ridge 7” rectangular off-road lights provide similar aesthetics, easy installation, and rugged looks. 

In addition to the rugged styling of the bull bar, the screen-used truck also features a polished tubular roll bar, aligning perfectly with the ‘90s truck scene. While tracking down the exact screen-used part may be difficult, RealTruck’s own Go Rhino manufactures a sleek, traditional-styled roll bar that’ll perfectly match the overall styling and vibe of our tribute truck. 

Rounding out the exterior of this tribute build is a set of polished nerf bars—a practical addition that also boosts aesthetics. With traditional monotube styling and a highly reflective polished finish, Ionic 3" stainless nerf bars are the perfect product for our build. 

With these upgrades installed, you’ll be well on your way to recreating Cordell Walker’s iconic pickup from Walker, Texas Ranger. Whether you’re paying homage to one of TV’s most iconic lawmen or merely love the looks of a second-gen Ram pickup, this build is for you. 

As always, RealTruck offers all the parts and know-how to bring this build, and countless others, to life. For more tribute truck build guides and iconic vehicle features, check out our other Famous Trucks and Famous Jeeps features on RealSource™.