Squarebody handling vs 88-98 trucks?

[Jeepwm69]

I have an 83 GMC and a 95 GMC, both bone stock.

The 95 drives 100x's better than the 83.

83 has 37K on it, 95 has 52K on it, both bought new, and I started driving the 83 in the late 80's, and the 95 since it was purchased, so it's not like the 83 was worn out and the 95 was new.

The 88-98 is just a much better driving/handling truck.

[cadillac_al]

Originally Posted by Jeepwm69

I have an 83 GMC and a 95 GMC, both bone stock.

The 95 drives 100x's better than the 83.

83 has 37K on it, 95 has 52K on it, both bought new, and I started driving the 83 in the late 80's, and the 95 since it was purchased, so it's not like the 83 was worn out and the 95 was new.

The 88-98 is just a much better driving/handling truck.

Are we talking 2wd or 4wd? I don't notice a great difference in 2wd's but with 4wd's it's like night and day. I'm still hanging on to my solid axles for a few more years.

[Jeepwm69]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Are we talking 2wd or 4wd? I don't notice a great difference in 2wd's but with 4wd's it's like night and day. I'm still hanging on to my solid axles for a few more years.

Both are 2wd.

83 is a 305, SM465. Currently has about 37K on it. Dad let it sit out so it needs paint and a dashpad, but mechanically it's a 37K truck.

95 is a 350 auto. Clean truck.

Both were bought new by the family. My grandad owned the pontiac/buick/gmc dealership here from the late 40's till the early 90's.

The 83 drives like an old truck. The 95 drives like a car. Just completely different feel.

Both are much better than my Jeep CJ's. I like solid axles in a 4wd.

[WyattTX]

I feel silly for asking, but what is wrong with your '57 frame? If you want modern items like a newer engine, better axles, power steering, AC etc. That can all be fabbed and retrofitted on to an old frame, I'd go that route, before I started butchering newer frames.

[WyattTX]

Never fooled with a gmt400, but my '85 square has never felt too much worse than a modern truck. It's quite comfortable in fact. The best handling truck I ever drove was a 2005 GMC yukon xl. That one felt like a car, though that was a gmt800, not a gmt400.