How rare is my truck

[Jordan7.4]

 

Hows it going. I’m looking for opinions from people that know this era of truck very well. I have a 1989 GMC Sierra sle k3500 190xxxmiles. Power windows and locks. Tbi 454 Fourth gen I think. It’s not an SS. That package was only offered on c/k1500s I think. It’s got 1 ton rear (ifs). Muncie 4spd with granny low. The main thing is that it’s a non dually regular cab with a 8ft bed. Since I bought the truck I cannot find one like it. Most 3500s I see are crew cabs. And the single cabs are most diesels or 5.7s. Most are also automatic trans and the ones that are manual are 5spds. Also I rarely see gmt400 platform trucks with 4 square headlights like mine. Also my orange side markers go from top to bottom like the k3500s with single headlights. Not like the traditional gmt 400 where there’s a break halfway down. Anyone know how rare my truck is? Front end is currently off because my camshaft took a shit so I’m replacing that, flat tappet lifters, timing chain and gears, timing covers gasket, intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets. Just making it reliable. Paid 2k 1 year and 15k miles ago

Edited February 3, 2020 by GPGuy

[m&jtrans]

You mentioned rear independent suspension??? Are you sure??

Blue Mule

[Jordan7.4]

22 minutes ago, m&jtrans said:

You mentioned rear independent suspension??? Are you sure??

Blue Mule
 

One ton full floating rear axle. And one ton independent front suspension

[m&jtrans]

One ton full floating rear axle. And one ton independent front suspension

That's better. Not a rare truck at all. 454 yes. 4 speed no that's been changed out. Factory is 5 spd. The rest of the things you noted seem to be stock. Including the headlight/grille assembly. That shows that it's a higher trim level...pw,pl... means better truck.

Blue Mule

[Jordan7.4]

39 minutes ago, m&jtrans said:

That's better. Not a rare truck at all. 454 yes. 4 speed no that's been changed out. Factory is 5 spd. The rest of the things you noted seem to be stock. Including the headlight/grille assembly. That shows that it's a higher trim level...pw,pl... means better truck.

Blue Mule
 

How do you know the trans isn’t stock. I know for a fact it was offered for my truck and year and package

[m&jtrans]

98% of the manual shift gmt400 trucks come with the 5 spd man trans especially the 4x4 models.
As to your truck in particular... the options you listed and the appearance of the truck say 5 spd. Now if it was rubber floors with manual windows n locks no tilt or cruise then I could see the 4 spd being in it.
Unless there's more to the story I'll stand by the 5 spd option.

Blue Mule

[Pighuntingpuppy]

Most of the people here reporting are correct. Your truck is NOT rare. Bear in mind that this truck had a 14 year run. 1988 to 2002(Granted these were only 2500 and 3500 trucks). The 4 speed transmission was an "economy" transmission. Now while possible it may have been equipped with it from the factory, the odds are greater that its not the original. The floor is the dead giveaway with this. Cheaper truck...rubber mats and 4 speed trans. More expensive truck...carpet and 5 speed trans. 

 

Now you want to go on about the front head lights and grille. Attached is a pic of my 1988. Now...the headlights were ORIGINALLY the single sealed beam bulb. These lights in my opinion suck noodles. So, the 4 sealed beam bulbs WERE options only on the 1988 and 1989 trucks. This is why you dont see many of them. 2 model years makes them a hard to find option. The grille....means beans. ANYONE who has ever taken off that plastic grille knows 2 things. One....they are extremely easy to remove. Two....they are extremely easy to break when that lower valance on the bottom of the grille decides to hang up on the bumper. So...If you notice...the grille on my truck is the same as yours. GMC grille on a Chevrolet. If you are not the original owner, everything you think you know....means nothing. If the glove box still has the RPO sticker, you can better prove your case on what options you have. 

 

This truck I have...I have owned since 2002. I bought it cheap with a blown #7 piston. Originally, the truck was a 305 cu. in. with a TH400 behind it on a 10 bolt rear end with 3.08 gears. Why this configuration....I dont know. Originally, it had the rubber matting floor with no AC(had a Northern cold weather package meaning no AC and smaller radiator). I replaced the engine with a 350. After I moved to the Southwest, cash for clunkers brought in a plethora of these vehicles. So I took a rear slider window, a class 4 hitch, gave my truck AC. This made me completely re do the entire interior of my truck. New carpet, seats, dash, door panels and head liner. I also decided to give my truck OD. So I got a 700R4 trans. I was thinking of giving the truck a LS rear diff, but these trucks didnt have 5 lug rear ends with 3.73  or higher rear ends. 

 

Now, the truck is getting another major surgery. It is going SAS. Ford Dana 50 front, Sterling 10.5 rear with a NV4500 GM manual trans and a Borg Warner 44-70 transfer case. The interior will be changed again to 2 bucket seats and a custom fiberglass center console. In 20 years when I am dead and gone, if this truck doesnt end up in a junkyard, some kid will think what the driveline is, will actually be what the truck came with. When in fact, it wont be. Your truck is 31 years old. Unless you are the original owner, you are merely speculating at this point at what is what. 

 

How rare are the GMT400 trucks? Not rare at all. If you are gonna play the 2 out of X amount of so many made during a certain year....sure...you could deem it "rare". But in all actuality, its not. Since I am unable to find any production numbers....common sense should give you this....Lets say at minimum, 100K trucks a year....14 years.....1.4 MILLION on the road. This mentality is like the old school VW bug owners. They think they are incredibly rare and worth more than they are worth. In the end....20 MILLION were made and the vehicle is just a massed produced heap. Dont get me wrong....I love my GMT400. I even had 2. One was stolen in Vegas. But I understand that at the end of the day.....its a massed produced heap. Parts are everywhere. They are cheap and anyone can fix these things back to running order in no time. This tells you that the vehicle is NOT rare at all. 

 

If you want a rare GMT400....the 454SS trucks would be the rare version. The SS 454 pickup was the performance truck produced by Chevrolet from 1990 through 1993. This truck inspired the birth of the Ford Lightning in 1993. The SS 454 was a rather rare truck, as only 16,953 were produced in three years. This was copied and pasted from Google asking how many 454SS trucks were made. 

 

I apologize if I seemed harsh. This is not my intention. I merely wish to post factual information. Facts dont really care what your feelings or emotions are.  Facts are facts. 

[91 Shortbed Chevy]

The truck may not be rare. However, finding one that isn't completely used up with 300000 miles on it and major rust is rare. These are great work trucks and most get (or got) used as intended. I hope to someday find one in decent shape to use as a daily driver. It is cool that you are saving this one. Good luck!

[Pighuntingpuppy]

8 hours ago, 91 Shortbed Chevy said:

The truck may not be rare. However, finding one that isn't completely used up with 300000 miles on it and major rust is rare. These are great work trucks and most get (or got) used as intended. I hope to someday find one in decent shape to use as a daily driver. It is cool that you are saving this one. Good luck!

Those trucks are literally all over the place. Especially here in the American southwest. 

 

https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/d/albuquerque-1994-chevy-x4-65-turbo/7071703007.html

 

https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/d/corrales-2001-chevy-2500-service-truck/7062129272.html

 

https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/d/albuquerque-2000-chevy-k-3500-utility/7059520769.html

 

https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/d/los-lunas-1996-chevy-work-truck-2500hd/7056165505.html

 

https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/d/albuquerque-chevy/7071581939.html

 

https://santafe.craigslist.org/cto/d/espanola-1991-gmc-sierra-1500-sle-4x4/7057266416.html

 

https://santafe.craigslist.org/cto/d/santa-fe-1997-chevy-cheyenne-4x4/7066074064.html

 

https://lascruces.craigslist.org/cto/d/las-cruces-94-chevy-1500/7059828286.html

 

https://showlow.craigslist.org/cto/d/concho-94-cheverolet-4x4/7073670430.html

 

https://clovis.craigslist.org/cto/d/clovis-1993-chevrolet-silverado-1500-z71/7060247017.html

 

This was seriously under 5 minutes of research of the local Craigslist in my area. By no means used up. By no means rusted out. Definitely not one over 300,000 miles.  I am sure each of these trucks has something going on. But then again, they are 20-30 year old trucks. I dont mean to get in a pissing match. But my comments stand as correct. These arent rare trucks and they are everywhere. How much you want to spend dictates the quality of truck you get. 

[91 Shortbed Chevy]

30 minutes ago, Pighuntingpuppy said:

I dont mean to get in a pissing match.

Well haha it kind of looks like it. I guess I should have been specific and said in Indiana where I live. Good luck finding any 20-30 year old anything around here that was used as a year-round vehicle that isn't rusty. Sorry to have not been 100% factual with my post.

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I post facts. Most of the time, people dont like to hear facts. It can often be misinterpreted as being met with resistance. My black truck....the one you see in the picture of my first post is a NY truck. Bought in 2002. It has some rust but not as much as you would expect. The cab corner is the only spot gone on the truck. The frame, the brake lines, and fuel lines are all original to the truck. And if you want a good vehicle, prepare to leave the state. I have left my state for a motorcycle(Vmax) a couple cars I flipped and a 1999 Buick Riviera Silver Arrow. My flip vehicles were known to have problems. The Riv and Max, were cheap awesome priced vehicles the owners had no clue on what they had. So I jumped and moved quickly on them. And in the end, thats the secret to getting a really nice truck. 

 

I recently purchased a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD with 164,000 miles on it. The person I got if from was eager to sell. But thought the truck was alot more than what it really was worth. The truck developed a misfire. So he parked the truck. The truck sat for 18 months. During this time, the town got on his case about abandoned vehicles in the yard. So he posted the truck for sale. The vehicle had extensive rodent damage through out the wiring harness and HVAC system. Oil leaks, tires, jacked up interior, and a bunch of small nuances that would nickle and dime people to death. I offered him $500 for the truck. Told him sure he could get more for parting it out. But he would need to invest the time to take it apart and get rid of the parts. He sold me the truck for $500. About $800 later and over 20 hours, I got the truck clean, running and driveable. Bear in mind, this truck isnt ready for driving or sale yet. But with that $800, I turned a $500 truck into a $4000 truck. With more work and money, I can turn this truck into an $8000 truck. The deals are out there. Gotta be diligent and fast to get them. 

 

Regardless of where you live.....if you are willing to travel, you will find excellent vehicles in the condition and price range you are looking for. If you are unwilling, then there is no one to blame but yourself for the rusted out piles of garbage in your corner of the world. And I like to stress, I am not trying to get into a pissing match. I am forthright and upfront. I tend to be direct with my verbiage. If you are ever in the market to move on an out of state truck and see something in my corner of the world, I would definitely help you attain it. 

[ArcticFoxCJ]

@Pighuntingpuppy,

 

For what it's worth from another n00b on the site...  I thought your posts were very useful.  I've got a '98 K2500 that had belonged to my buddy as a work vehicle until he decided it was used up and was gonna junk it... right about the same time I'd bought a house and needed a beater for runs to Home Depot or  the landfill.  He gave me the truck about a year and a half ago, and I have the luxury of knowing the person who has owned it for most of its life.  The downside is that he originally got it from CarMax so even though info from him is fairly reliable... it can't be 100%.  It's going to need some TLC and I plan to really fix it up nice as a project with my son, but your post reminded me I have to be careful not to take anything for granted.  My buddy also loved to tinker, and half the work I'm doing to fix the truck up is hitting the reset button on a few of his modifications for work.  (Like this Saturday, we're removing the aftermarket custom dump.)

[BDubb]

I think I have a rare bird in regard to the factory color on my 1991 C1500. Color code is WE5822 on the Glovebox, which was only available in 1972 (According to my Googling). Any idea how this truck could've been painted that color at the time?

[Super 8]

BDubb, is this your color?

[BDubb]

Not quite....

 

I have talked to the GM Heritage Center and I purchased the original invoice. I am guessing you could order whatever color you wanted to back then as long as you paid a couple hundred bucks. This one was ordered by Camp Customs & Vans I. Riverside, CA.