We all remember Dale Earnhardt for different reasons: whether it was his enigmatic black 3 car, his no-holds-barred personality, or his seven Winston Cup wins, the man has certainly left an impressionable mark upon racing history. His love of the NASCAR driver’s life was all-consuming, and the man was no stranger to merchandising and sponsors.

Would you extend three fingers or one to the driver of this car? Photo: Mecum
Amidst all the other gimmicks and commercials, however, we like to think he jumped at the chance to have his name stamped all over a spiffy set of consumer vehicles back in the early ’90s. That decision spawned a limited production of Chevy Luminas, which was the basis of the stock car Earnhardt–and several others–used for a number of years.
Done up in the iconic black paint job reflective of the BF Goodwrench scheme that came along in 1988, this Lumina affects (outwardly, at least) much of what you would expect to find on a car worthy of bearing the Intimidator’s name. This car is 1 of 25 made in the Earnhardt-owned Chevy dealership in Newton, North Carolina, and will cross the stage at the September 4-7 Mecum auction in Dallas.
While not as spiffy as some of its siblings–those being the 1993 versions which came plastered with Earnhardt’s sponsors–your appetite for decals should be satisfied with the ostentatious “Earnhardt” on top of the windshield, “Goodwrench” on the front quarter panels, and signature and number on the rear quarter panels and bumper.
In the engine bay, there lies a 3.1L LHO Multi-Port FI motor. Nowhere near as powerful as its 3.4L cousin used in “higher-end” Z34 productions, but certainly better than a IL4, wouldn’t you say? Still, it’s odd that Earnhardt wouldn’t demand V8s placed in all of these cars.
The interior looks well-kept, for whatever that’s worth–the fuchsia palette is off-putting and bizarre–and a low mileage count of 2900 should add value to this vehicle. We don’t think this car is a pacesetter by any stretch, but it should find a home, provided the crowd is eager to own a FWD novelty item.
What do you think? Will this Lumina intimidate the crowd at Dallas? Or will it start up the cricket band? Share your two cents below.