New Heavy Chevy!

camperdave wrote:
I grew up in a 1980 Sierra Classic that hauled us on many vacations with a 6 pac camper on it. Awesome truck. It was a 2wd, 350ci TH400 and sounded so mean. I loved driving that thing in high school, when my dad sold it I was devastated. But by then I was married with young kids in car seats and couldn't justify a single cab.

I’m 100% certain I would go broke towing or hauling anything with this truck!
It has a drinking problem!
I need to get the right speedo gear for it so the speed o meter is at least close to correct and then check mileage. Gut feeling after about 8 tanks of gas through it is that mileage is somewhere between very poor and an abomination.
Honestly expected a bit better, I think, even with 4.10s and big tires.
Couple things might be inordinately against it. I’m sure the front wheel bearings need serviced or replaced. And it has an Edelbrock carb, while I’m not a super saavy hot rod gasser person, couple guys in the know swear that Edelbrocks, while they work fine out of the box and are reliable, tend to suck more fuel and not provide the power that even a well tuned Quadra junk does or an appropriate Holley.

But that’s not a project for now.
Got fuel system cleaned up, fluids changed, it’s driving high n tight. Just itching to tear into it and do the bodywork/paint/interior. But that will require it going out of commission non op start to finish because it’s time consuming enough even if you do it in the right order, once only, with no wasted moves.

ssthrd wrote:
My first truck was a 76 GMC half ton 2wd with a 454 and Turbo 400. I don't know what it had for a rear end, but the 1-2 shift came at 45mph. 50 after a beverage or two if left it in 1st and let it shift itself. Left a patch in second. Lol. The GVW was over 6000 lbs so it had no smog gear. From brand new, I had to put a quart of oil in it every 400 miles. No smoke, and it gave me 100,000 before I traded it in. Racer/mechanic friend told me I had a good one because it was built a bit on the loose side, and using a bit of oil was nothing to worry about. The tranny was bullit proof!

Loved that truck. Thanks for the memory.

I’m not sure if this one drinks oil. Runs good, no blue smoke and no leaks, but I added about 1.5 qts after only a couple hundred miles although I don’t recall the oil level when I bought it. 1500miles on last oil change based on sticker on windshield. Wouldn’t be surprised if it does. Recall as a kid (cause I remember things like this, lol) Dads 74 camper special 454 used oil......for many years. Engine still ran fine when sold just completely rusted away.

^Sweet lookin dually!
Pretty sure the square body GMs are second only to 70s-93 Dodges for the longest running body/chassis style.

I had this 85 GMC duallie for 5 yrs. Sold it 6 yrs ago. I had a 454 bored and stroked to 489", cowl induction hood, headers, 4spd w/Gear Vendor OD, and 4.56 gears. Was an Az. truck with an all original paint job. It even came with a sheet listing all the paint codes







In the mid 70's I also had a 75 Chevy 4wd, and a 76 Chevy crew cab. I kept the crew cab for 11 tears

I grew up in a 1980 Sierra Classic that hauled us on many vacations with a 6 pac camper on it. Awesome truck. It was a 2wd, 350ci TH400 and sounded so mean. I loved driving that thing in high school, when my dad sold it I was devastated. But by then I was married with young kids in car seats and couldn't justify a single cab.

New drag link make old truck drive like new! (sorta)
Everything else looks tight in the steering system. Steering stabilizer is ancient though, gonna see if it's still doing it's job. Rag joint looks tight as well, but supposedly a Jeep Cherokee steering shaft is tighter than even the best rag joint.
Hoping that a stabilizer and better tires will make 'er as good as new.
Really stoked that the steering box appears to have zero slop in it as well.

Best part is it's one of the seemingly few times that parts are available, reasonably priced for quality parts AND the old one came off with relatively little effort!

^ Yeah they're pretty straight and clean for sure!
Not common on an old fixer upper. Original as well, not beer can re-pops.
Pretty sure I've answered my own question. Having straightened a few newer, much lighter bumpers, I dont think these will move without extraordinary effort which could honestly bend the mounts or even front frame horns.

Grit dog wrote:
Whadaya think the chances are of twisting that old heavy metal rear bumper straight? I know it'll take a pull pot and some serious force. Truck had the camper tie down buttons in the rear bumper and musta got a little western once with a camper. That left side in the pic is twisted up about 1/2".

My OCD wants to fix it. Same with front bumper, just a tad bent up. Looks like it took on a concrete bollard or boulder and won the fight, but it's just a bit twisted. Bumpers are waaaay too nice to even consider replacing!

I cannot believe that you would actually drive a truck with a bumper that mangled ??? That is embarrassing :B

* IF * you try to repair it, you stand a chance of wrinkling that chrome, once that happens, it is all over... I would leave it.. OR..park it, put a come along on it, and everyday put another click of tension on it to try and twist it back up...

With that said, I still would not touch it... for a truck of that age, it makes it look * experienced *

Cleaned up a few things.
Have some leftover 90s Dodge paint, light driftwood. It also makes a very nice argent color. Headlight buckets had been painted blue then black and looked tacky.
Sanded and re-finished them. And got an OE front air dam.

Well, it’s actually a GMC.
Sierra Classic. There was a couple clues that I thought someone maybe just repurposed GMC parts, but removed the tailgate trim panel and GMC......
Then my wife said the insurance came back as a GMC and I looked closer at the rpo codes and it has the Sierra classic pkg.