First cruise night... loving my truck. A few pics...

[KMK454]

Well, I never thought it would happen, but one week and 2 full detailing sessions later, I'm completely loving a truck. With an automatic transmission, no less. What has happened to me?

But it's true, old Chevy trucks are awesome, and I'm officially hooked.

I detailed the truck and took it to a Saturday night "cruise-in" at a local Sonic. There were many cars that came and went all night...

Surprisingly, this old 78 Silverado got a lot of attention. The coolest part was how everyone would come up to me and share an experience they had with a 73 - 87 truck. One guy came up to me and said how much he hated my truck because his dad had a black 80 Silverado on the farm, so my truck brings back memories of hard weekends working the fields. I also received my third offer in just one week on the truck! Crazy.

I think most people liked the fact that it was so original. Here are a few snapshots, sorry for the darkness. I didn't have my camera out all night, so I only photographed a few of the rides:

71 C10, Studebaker, Model A, Solstice, Silverado:


Corvair Pickup:


71 C10, 350:


Have to do something about that rusty pipe:


So far the truck has been great. My only issues are a horn that won't work and sometimes the engine gets fuel starved and dies (usually when the tank is very low or I brake heavily on hills). I think that is due mostly to the small 12 gallon tank that splashes about. When it is low and the road is bumpy, I can watch the fuel needle move back and forth.

Also, I suspect I have an exhaust leak between the header and the block. Not sure how serious of a problem this is... and I think my AC Compressor needs some work (there was some splatter on the front fender by it suggesting it loses fluid when turned on). Hard to tell in the winter though...

[bigblock73]

Kurt, sweet pics...and the truck look stellar!

By the way, you have a 16 gallon tank, not 12. I think a tune up is in order.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by KMK454

.... The coolest part was how everyone would come up to me and share an experience they had with a 73 - 87 truck. One guy came up to me and said how much he hated my truck because his dad had a black 80 Silverado on the farm, so my truck brings back memories of hard weekends working the fields......

Expect that to happen a lot. I call my truck a "way back" machine, because it takes everyone "way back" to their youth. It doesn't matter what age or even ethnic group, there seems to have been an old Chevy truck just like that in there life. It was owned by their Grandfather, Dad, or Uncle Bob, and it was just like that one only red. The stories are priceless. Enjoy the ride...

[87 STEPPER]

Yeah people are always tring to buy my truck but they want it for freeAnd then i just at them.

And i never get tired of hearing all of the My(insert family member here) had one just like this when i was a kid story's.

And everyone loves to hear man you have a nice truck!

You really need to get a set of rally wheels and a rear bumper on her and you'll be set.

[84 400]

Kurt that can happen ha ha ha. I too also get the stories not so much at car shows but when filling up at the gas station. "Oh i had a truck just like that, or my grandfather had one of them trucks..." It is cool hearing people remoniss about them. My truck is also very popular with the local "want to be rapper kids" kids. I don't know how else to discribe them but i get alot of "Yeah man is this Ride yours" I always say "yes sir that is my truck" and then 9 times out of ten i get the "so what kinda system you got?" to this i say simply the sb 400 through flowmasters. Anyone who thinks an old ex work truck is cool is cool in my book. When driving her back from Texas i got alot of thumbs up from guys. Some old timers sitting on a porch in Hope, stood up and hollered "Is that for sale?" to which i smiled and said no. For my trucks vintage it gets alotta looks at shows were as the similar camaros and the like don't get too many looks. I don't know why but i can guess that most 80's gm vehicals are not to popular with the crowds yet, well not like the 60's any ways

It really gets me how much every one can relate to these seemingly plain jane trucks. Fom my femal neghbor who says it is the "boxyest" car she has ever seen but likes it. To an older guy who was glad to see a person my age into small blocks and not 4 bangers. HAve fun with your gem and enjoy it. Also doesn't it have a non stock exhaust?? on a truck as nice as yours i would go full stainless in the stock locations because once you put on duals, then will come headers, and before you know it your truck will look alot like N2's. Which i gotta say is one of the nicest i have seen but i think your truck is just too dang original for that and plus the original aspect is what makes yours so special.

[84slopwaggin]

Say 84 400 that was a nice post except for the GHETTO part and you spelled ARKANSAS wrong. Keep enjoying the comments and continue to educate those that don't know the joy of owning one of these trucks.

[68Stepbed]

Welcome to the club. My 86 only has 57,000 original miles with original paint. My favorite with the 86 is "Who painted that truck?" To which I like to say "GM". That always gets their attention. My 86 doesn't get near the attention my 68 used to get, but it still get's alot.

Fun, ain't it?

[84 400]

Originally Posted by 84slopwaggin

Say 84 400 that was a nice post except for the GHETTO part and you spelled ARKANSAS wrong. Keep enjoying the comments and continue to educate those that don't know the joy of owning one of these trucks.

Sorry about that man i have never been that good at spelling names or much less anything. As for the "ghetto" thing, I am trying to discribe the kids around me that dress like those rapper guys on the TV and think they are street thugs. You know the kids that wear all the long gold chains and what not. I am not trying to insult any one i just could not find a better word at the time and that is why i put it in " " indicating that these kids are not really as bad off as they want you to think. I did say that i thought mostly any one who likes an old boxy chevy to be cool. Again i did not mean to affend you that is just the best way i could think to discribe these kids.

again Kurt, very nice truck you got !!!

[Ironclad454]

My favorite story is shortly after I bought my truck I was coming out of Walmart and to my amazement some punk was leaning against my truck talking to some skanky looking chick like he was king kong himself. As i got closer I hear the kid talk about 'his truck' and how fast it was. I just walked up put the key in the door and told the kid get the F*@% off my truck, started it up and drove away.

Then I had a guy come into my previous place of employment asking who's black truck was sitting out back. Well the salesmen told him that it belonged to me and brought him in the back of the warehouse to talk to me. He told me he had a 74 similar to my truck that his daughter loved and wanted to buy her an 'old' chevy truck so she would leave his alone. I simply smiled and told him "its not for sale".

I too love the thumbs up and Nice trucks that I get, along with the looks it gets. And KMK454 that is probably the nicest all original truck of this vintage that I have ever seen.

[84slopwaggin]

No biggie 84 400. The term Inner City Kids sounds more appropriate.That Corvair truck looks cool. It would be even more cool if it had big and skinnies.