in the early 2000s. That popularity, plus the relative rarity of the design, has raised the prices substantially in recent years, making them unattainable for most builders. The 1960–1966 has picked up steam as of late, but it’s still not as popular as the 1967–1972. Previous generations of Chevy trucks are becoming more difficult to find, and if you want a 1947–1955, good luck; Old Navy bought and sold a ton of them years ago, and now people want upward of five grand for something without floors.
That leaves the 1973–1987s. Tons of these trucks are out there in every incarnation possible. Yes, the earlier years are harder to find (and therefore more desirable to some), but they’re still affordable. You can find these trucks for a song, and if you’re willing to put in the work, they’re worth something in the end.
More important, these trucks are fun. You can find them with low mileage, believe it or not, as well as big engines. There’s nothing wrong with a 454-powered standard-cab short-bed Silverado in my book, and because most are pre-fuel injection, carburetor junkies can have their fun tuning them to death. If you want a truck from the 1970s, this one almost bookends the era, and it does the same for the 1980s.
Before I bought my 1981, I started looking for one of these trucks, and I came across a 1980s-era Suburban. It was white, with four-wheel drive and a few other accessories, and it looked familiar. Could it possibly be the same truck that my family drove West in 1987? Maybe. But alas, the owner sold it before I could find out.
Someday I’ll own a Martha as my mom did, and maybe it will have the same issue with the windshield wipers. If not, maybe I’ll “fix” it until it does.
The best restoration project begins with a solid foundation, and that means a solid body. These trucks have very little rust and need very little mechanical work. Trucks in this condition are more difficult to find and highly sought after. On the other hand, if you start with a truck that needs substantial restoration and bodywork, you are going to spend much more for the restoration. In other words, you get what you pay for.
Before you embark on a restoration project, carefully evaluate the condition of the truck and assess the time, expense, and parts required to bring it to original condition. Some trucks are far too rusty and in such poor condition that a restoration is just too costly. In that case, a better option is to sell the truck and find one in better condition for restoration. Chapter 2 discusses how you come up with the total cost for a restoration.
For some, this truck is complete with a great patina and reliable engine. But if the ultimate goal is to return the truck to showroom condition, this truck needs bodywork and a new paint job.
Many trucks with various power-trains, trim levels, and cab and box sizes are available on the market, so you have lots of options. However, be conscientious and careful when shopping for one. You should be able to prescreen some trucks and ask the owners specific questions to reveal the condition, equipment package, trim level, and other information. Be prepared that the owner does not understand or know everything about the truck he or she owns. Some owners say they’re short beds, but they are actually long beds, customized with no hope of restoration. Some owners feel that their trucks are worth six figures because that’s what the TV tells them. This whole process is going to be a fun experience.
This chapter is all about figuring out the truck that best fits your needs and what you want in your next project. I start with the basics about a truck, including some analysis of the vehicle identification number (VIN), and I break down the body styles and years so that you know what you’re looking for and can narrow it down. This also helps you identify the fakes from the real deals.
Whatever truck you find, it is going to be a big commitment to restore it, both to your pocketbook and your time. Make sure that you take those extra few days, months, or even years to find what you want in a condition that you’re prepared to work with. Otherwise, you waste your time on a project that eats up your cash.
The Gas Tank/NBC Issue
The first model year of the generation, 1973, introduced a ton of changes compared to the previous 1967–1972 trucks. The first change, and one that became the most controversial, came to the gas tank. In previous years, the gas tank was located behind the bench seat. As time wore on, rubber seals leaked and the interior eventually developed a noxious smell, which became hazardous.
To solve that problem, Chevrolet beefed up the frame rails and mounted the gas tank(s) on the outside of the frame. Now the gas filler door(s) sat on the outside of the bed. In addition, General Motors wanted to increase the fuel capacity to 40 gallons for marketing purposes, which required mounting a second tank on the opposite side of the truck.
This was fine until November 17, 1992. Dateline, an NBC program, premiered its “Waiting to Explode” episode, which was an hour-long investigation into the 1973–1991 Chevrolet trucks, including how the gas tank exploded when hit in a low-speed side-impact collision. According to the Dateline video (which you can easily find online), the tanks ruptured at speeds as low as 33 mph, causing them to burst into a fiery explosion, potentially killing everyone inside.
Obviously, this was not good news for General Motors. The 1973–1987/1991 trucks were, at this point, a done deal, and they had moved on to the new C/K product line. Millions of these trucks were on the road, and if the company had to compensate owners, it could cost millions and possibly bankrupt the company.
However, after the taping, one of the firefighters on the scene of the NBC demonstration contacted General Motors to report what happened. General Motors started its own investigation as a result, hiring Failure Analysis Associates (FaAA). What it found was that smoke was visible from the gas tank six frames before the actual impact of the second car. Acting on a tip received from someone involved in the Dateline program and after combing through 22 yards in an Indiana wrecking yard, they found the trucks used in the episode.
The results were damning. General Motors discovered that the producers of the program had placed remote-controlled model rocket engines inside the trucks’ gas tanks. Just before the impact occurred, the producers triggered the rockets, causing the tanks to ignite and explode. Furthermore, the speed that Dateline quoted, 30 mph, was not what they actually showed on the screen. In fact, the car was traveling at 40 mph at the time of impact. When General Motors techs found the trucks used in the test, they X-rayed the tanks and determined that there were no holes at all.
As a result, General Motors sued NBC for defamation and libel on February 8, 1993, and put on a two-hour demonstration for the press explaining why the Dateline presentation was not possible, and that the public was not in danger. NBC settled the lawsuit by the end of the week, and Jane Pauley, co-anchor of Dateline, apologized publicly on the program for the error.
This is not to say that these trucks never exploded from a side impact, just that the way NBC performed the investigation was faulty. There have been several lawsuits over the years about the issue, and, as of a report in 1993 (decided just days prior to General Motors suing NBC), more than 200 people had died in full-size Chevrolet and GMC trucks of that era. At that point, six lawsuits had gone to trial: General Motors won half of them.
Today,
