Why did you buy a squarebody?

[Redcap]

My '76 cost the princely sum of $200 for a 3/4ton 4x4 with a good trans and useable (NP203...ick) transfercase. Stuffed a free motor (thanks to my buddy Rob) into it and it is an ugly, yet perfectly serviceable truck for about $550 total, after title transfer.

[karl]

Because they are good looking trucks and plentiful. And i couldnt afford a nice 57 Chevy big window short step.

[USSkoval]

Because I grew up when they were in their heyday (you know, new or not very old) and I always loved the look of them. I have owned them because that's just what I wanted, not really because they were a good price or anything (although I think they were).

[78 Chevyrado]

They look good. Easy to fix, cheap to keep (except for gas, but some of these do better than new trucks on that point). I dont' like the looks of the older fords and I just don't like dodge in general....

[KQQL IT]

Dad had a 78 short step bought new. Seems like the only truck to have. P:s We still have dads stepper.

[Mr79C10]

CUZ SQUARE BODIES ARE COOL!

that and the fact that I walked into a great deal at the time. Always been a huge fan of the square body.

[PRattenbury]

My parents bought a 78 4x4 shortbed stepper in 79. They had that truck for 20 years. It still ran great when they got rid of it, but the cancer was finally doing it in. Massachusetts is hard on all vehicles. But these trucks are awful for rust. Between those two factors, it never had a chance. I've had a few of them over the years, and they were always easy to keep running. Parts were always plentiful. This 80 I have now is the worst one I've ever had. It's costing me a lot to get it roadworthy. But I know once it's there it'll serve me well for years to come.

[mooseknuckles]

I have been a huge fan of squarebody's (or any chevy truck) since I first saw one when I was a kid. My grandpa had a '66, my uncles had a few '75- '78, and my dad (a die hard ford guy) even had a '69 for dump runs. About 20 years ago I saw a buddy of mine putting a lowering kit on a '85 c10 for a friend of his, and ever since then I've wanted one. Fast forward a few years and I heard a buddy talking about a truck down the road from his house for sale, so I went to look at it and wanted it, but the owner had promised it to someone else and wouldn't budge. So that ended my search for awhile and I got involved in looking to buy a used ATV. I got tired of looking at junk or no way of picking one up if I did buy something, so I came across an add for a '86 chev in the local paper and went an had a look at it, and bought it then and there.

[shimp]

My reasons is because it was what was availible at the time.

I've owned:

1984 C10
1984 GMC 1500 (?)
1989 Suburban
1986 Suburban x 3
1976 C10

More but that's enough to list, you get the idea, they are cheap easy, fun, fixer-uppers and make excellent trucks for work or just getting grocery's either way. Also owned about 5 1988-1999 Chevy trucks as well. I usually sell them after a while, fixing them up, people give you decent money for them. Never spent too much fixing one up, mostly just little things and TLC and then drive them for a while, then sell them, then buy a different one. Chevy cars too.

[powerdriver 1958]

Hello My Name is Dave and I'm a Square Body Nut!!

The 1st one was bought because is was cheap and from that point on I bought because they just seemed like an old friend.Company I work for bought then 6 to 8 at a time so they were and are what I feel comfortable in.

2,4 and 5 are still here,There were more but no pics of them.

[chevymotocross]

- Parts are plentiful
- Easy to customize
- Lots of trim options (custom, silverado, cheyenne, scottsdale, etc)
- Different front ends to choose from so it doesn't stay boring: (round lights, square lights, dual square lights, the newer 91 style grille).
- EFI last year of production (was a plus for me)
- Decent gas mileage if equipped right (overdrive, TBI, engine choice)
- An awesome simple look
Interior layout is IMO best of the era compared to Ford and Dodge

I had a 78 f150 before this chevy. Another nice strong, simple design. Parts are more scarce for the same era Ford/Dodge. If you are into the lowering scene, Chevy's IMO are easier to drop. I never liked the Ford I-Beam.

Not sure about the 80's Fords, but I know on my 78, not many of the electrical had plug/play connectors.... I.E. Taillight harnesses. One thing that bugged me because the Ford seemed to be an electrical gremlin as far as lighting was concerned.

Really, all the old big 3 trucks of the 70'/80's were cool, but Chevy's have the best looking body style and interiors IMO and more to offer as far as customizing.

[jonessmc87]

my dad had a 75 c30 with a 350 and the sm465 that he bought with "wedding present" money in 1980. He used it in the woods to haul firewood and built a nice wooden rack body for it. When i was little he acquired a 77 k30 dump truck that caught fire. So the whole process started when i was 7 or so but we stripped the mason dump and restored the frame. Built a new wooden rackbody on the dump frame and built a .060 over 454. Swapped the cab from the c30 over and out came my favorite truck in the world. We finished putting it together in 2000 so its been together for 10 years and its still fairly clean for a work truck. It plows our road all winter and hauls firewood whenever we need it to. It is the definition of a workhorse and it only gets driven a thousand miles or so a year but when it does it gets worked. I drive it a lot whenever i'm home from school and its funny to line up next to some idiot ricer at a stoplight and beat him, because they never expect something that looks like this to be that quick. the 454 and 4.56s help that as long as you dont miss the 2-3 shift. I learned to drive a manual trans on it. I had to wait until i was strong enough to push the clutch down all the way haha.




she has no problem pushing that 10 foot western blade.




now i have my own square body 4wd with a big block

[Leedogg]

I don't own one yet- But for the past year- I've been dying for a crew cab dually. Never really considered the squares, as I've had my 92 Silvy since 1995. After it got totalled(we rebuilt it), I got into F-body's owned a 93 Camaro, and still have a 96TA that is more drag car than street car at this point. Then I just got a 04 Silvy last year...and I hate the way it tows(had a 01 F-250 diesel- it spoiled me). So I need a tow vehicle, but don't want to spend a pile of cash....I end up searching 80's crew cab dually's- found this site, and the crew cab thread. As soon as I saw one laid out on bags- I knew that I WILL have one. Future CC Dually owner, right here.LOL

[sandorjoben]

I bought mine for way too much money(at least I feel that way now) and should've looked it over alot more thoroughly as it needs a tonne more work than the seller said it would for a safety. I picked my 87 V15 4x4 up because I've always liked the squarebody style, and the mechanicals are fairly uncomplicated, unfortunately there's a mess of bodywork it needs(Rad support, cab mounts, inner rockers and driverside floor pan) and I need a vehicle to go to work with so I likely won't be able to keep it and will go back to dreaming about owning one for the time being, provided I can sell or trade this one.

Dave

[V30 mongo]

In 1988 got a new V30. Did not want the "new" truck with the chain drive transfer case and the independent front suspension. It does not have all the "computer command electronic bull****". Still have it today. Will keep "fixing it" until I die. When GM makes a real truck again and I am still alive they will see me.

[355bullet]

I own three. 1986 step and fleet side. And a 1978 silevrado longbed.
Growing up my my had a 1974 stepside 2wd. then in 85 sold it for a (mild used)1984 4x4 silvarado (no longer owns). Since then been hooked. My brother owns a 1985 fleetside short bed and Jimmy.

[burger]

Squarebodies remind me of being a kid in the 80's. Seemed like everyone had one as a work truck.

[grayharville]

My dad has always owned one. he got a 78 chevy for graduation, and has always owned one since ive been around, duallys. blazers.suburbans, everything. He bought my first square for me when i was 14, a 84 3/4 ton, 800 dollars. Later on I sold it, bought a stepside, sold that, bought a diesel 1 ton, sold, then finally bought my latest truck, named Duke. I bought from the original owner, he gave me a wonderful deal if I promised to sell it back to him after i "fix it up", he said. I plan on going to college next year, and will probably sell it bck to him for what i have in it.
84 GMC LWB 350/700r4/3.08 gears, power everything and original paint!

[West Texas Z]

Originally Posted by 355bullet

[motornut]

bought a 78 sub 400$ for the great running 350 ,(350 removed 305 put in)drove it till to rusty,(not safe for dog in back)(bought a 87 sub 4x4 for camping,winter weather and removed the second row seats and kept the 3rd row.Was geat space with a 100 lbs husky/shep mix dog running around the truck.i brought a full size bbq camping,with the seat removed it slid in behind the drivers seat UPRIGHT.Good thing too with the fireban on there was no campfires allowed.Oh and i just got a new Chiwawa dog <<<<<<<<<<see pic born july 20

[Hulk Will Smash]

A '77 C20 crew cab saved my life in college. I had a streak of bad luck where I got hit by an S10 while driving my Triumph GT6 and totalled it. So I was driving our farm/work truck for a while until I found another car. About two months after the Triumph wreck, a guy blew a stop sign in a box van and I hit him going roughly sixty miles an hour in the C20. I was fine, the C20 and box van weren't. I've always had a soft spot for the big trucks since...

[87 V20 Scottsdale]

I grew up around these trucks. I was born in '84 and my Grandpa and my Dad always had one. Grandpa had a '79, and an '85 before he switched to the newer body. He gave his '88 to me and I still have it. Dad had a '75 and an '86. Every truck that has been in my family has been a Chevy, which would make me a third generation square body owner. I've wanted one since I was little, never thought of owning anything else, and will always have one.

[joe1982]

because of this song and video, it was actually scenes from a movie about a driver who had a rodded out truck so he could escape from the cops when he needed to. My dad used to play this song all the time..haha

http://www.lostigresdelnorte.com/english/

[BigBlocksRule]

First vehicle was a '74 Ford with 3 on the tree, no A/C, armstrong power steering, yada yada. No Fords since then.
Second was a '77 Cheyenne long bed. That truck got me in love with Chevy trucks and nothing has changed.
My favorite body style is the '88 - '98 (blaspheme!!!), but I got back into square body trucks when I started looking for a 4wd for mountain trails, etc. Jeeps are underbuilt and overpriced, so I started looking for a K-5. Found a straight '77 and now have a straight '78 short stepper to go with it.
As others have said, parts are cheap, trucks are simple and easy to work on and truck guys are drawn to 'em like moths to a flame. I know most like the later years of squarebodys, but I really like the body lines/molding on the front of the earlier ones better.
My son's first truck was an '85 shortwide rattletrap rustbucket that we eventually sold and he moved on to other cars, but I give him credit for getting me back into the square stuff. I have a buddy with a lot of square body stuff, we're trying to put a frame/cab/clip/bed together for my son's next birthday, it's gonna be a project for both of us.

[pseudopimp]

thanks for the los tigres link. i love that music, maybe growing up in the southwest or what ever i like it. if my truck doesn't get looks, a gringo listening to them will!