Didn't GM have a strike in a lot of their plants right around the time they were changing over to the 800s? I seem to recall news stories about this. Also, on "King of the Hill, their season opener was about Hank wanting to get a new truck. Chevrolet had an ad before the show started with the new 99 pickup ( this was fall 98, probably September). IIRC it was a white truck, and they had a scene in the show that echoed the ad; same truck but animated. Looked really cool!
The storyline of the episode is that Hank feels like his old faithful truck is worn out, and he wants a new one. I think that they have it that he sees the Chevy ad and that's what the scene I mentioned was, him thinking about the new trucks. Hank's wife Peggy is trying to please him and enters this middle age ladies beauty pageant; the prize is a new Chevy pickup, white like the one in the ad.
Long story a little shorter, she doesn't win, and he ends up getting the old truck repainted....white. It had been red. I want to say when the episode was reaired later in the season, part of the truck scenes were edited out. But this was 20+ years ago so I might not be right about that. If someone has seen this since I have, please post up .....
Also my dad had a good friend then who was on the list for a new 99 C1500 RCSB. He ended up with a 98 (or maybe a 99 Classic if they had it on that style-- I know it was a 400 truck). It was silver, and he color matched the door handles and mirrors, and I think he might have put aftermarket wheels on it too. Only recall seeing it the one time, when he brought it by the house to show it off. He lived on the other side of Houston so we didn't see him much. After my dad passed we found out that this guy was dead as well. Who knows what became of the truck; he didn't keep vehicles forever like we did. But I do remember him talking about the GM strike and that's why he settled on the older model (they probably gave him a sweet deal on it too, this dude was an accountant and very tight).
Sorry to kinda jack your thread with my reminiscences..... but you do have a very nice truck! I love the stories everyone has on their vehicles ( and you can tell I like telling mine LOL). Thanks!