should i trade?

[3r!c84]

i got offered to trade my 84 c10 for a 1990 454ss

should i do it?

[SBTork]

I say no. You built yours, keep it. Plus it's your first vehicle, a lot of us would give anything to have our first back.

In the end it's all up to you, what do you want?

[cableguy0]

It all depends what your looking for. I wouldnt make the trade. The stock 454 in those trucks is a complete and total dog. it will do good burnouts but other than that dont expect much in the way of performance. Your truck looks pretty straight I wouldnt mess with it.

[baclay9]

I wouldn't. But I have never liked the 454 ss.

[dan76]

Don't.....

[RandyP]

Those SS's were not that good. Lots of areas for problems to arise, and not very "super" when it came to performance.

[3r!c84]

Originally Posted by cableguy0

It all depends what your looking for. I wouldnt make the trade. The stock 454 in those trucks is a complete and total dog. it will do good burnouts but other than that dont expect much in the way of performance. Your truck looks pretty straight I wouldnt mess with it.

its been converted to carb. alum intake and besides that i think its stock..i gotta tallk to the guy more

and i dont know what i want.i like both body styles but i like the 80-87 more
somthing to think about.....

[cableguy0]

If your truck is straight and not rotted. Its not a good swap. The engine is still gonna be a dog even with intake and carb. The heads are cam are smog trash that really arent performance oriented.

[3r!c84]

im mean my truck isnt perfect.both cab corners are going. it needs a drivers door(big side dent) needs paint.

[Trick76]

does your truck have a built motor??

How many 1984 shortbeds were produced, and how many 454ss'??
Something to think about.

With little cam and head work that 454 will be a handfull. If its clean I would do it.

[SBTork]

I like the 454SS trucks a lot, but think about these few things.

Your a younger guy who DD's his old truck. I am sure that your '84 does not get the best mileage but cut it in half driving that 454. Also, I'd lean a little closer towards the 454SS but the fact that it's carbed is a little bit of a let down. TBI is not all that much better, but in DD form it would be better for mileage and driveability. Yes the 454SS would probably have a higher resale value in the future, but it's not all original either. I think it would be worth more all original but who knows. I understand your truck needs some bodywork and paint but a new or junkyard door would be cheap and cab corners are almost free, aside from the labor of putting them on. You've lowered your truck and done all sorts of work to it yourself, I am sure you could do cab corners and maybe even paint it if you could find a place to do it. Also, how nice is the 454SS? It looks nice, but I would have never known your truck needs cab corners until you told me. Pictures hide a lot.

I say if you have to think about it this much, enough to post on here, you don't really want it.

[westofb]

Sounds like too me that you want to trade and came here to have the guys talk you out of it! If that is what you want go for it, the 454 trucks were dogs...if I remember correctly a 90 truck with a 350 was quicker.

[gchemist]

Don't do it!!


I would not trade my truck. Reason #1 - I would smoke that truck easily.

[thepenguin99]

Truck for truck with both trucks in the same condition, the 454ss is worth more than your 84. That being said, it is really a matter of what you want. Like mentioned above the gen 5 454 is pretty much the red headed stepchild of the 454 world.

[68Timber]

I've always loved the 454SS. It's not a fast truck, I think it only had 230 hp or so. Even so, it's a sweet factory Chevy hot-rod truck with a big block and that one looks mostly stock. I'd be all over it.

Except...

I can't help but wonder if something is wrong with it.

[bigwheel15]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

I've always loved the 454SS. It's not a fast truck, I think it only had 230 hp or so. Even so, it's a sweet factory Chevy hot-rod truck with a big block and that one looks mostly stock. I'd be all over it.

Except...

I can't help but wonder if something is wrong with it.

Exactly what I was gonna write. Before doing the trade (if you do) id go over that ss VERY well.

[68Timber]

Originally Posted by bigwheel15

Exactly what I was gonna write. Before doing the trade (if you do) id go over that ss VERY well.

Yeah, look it over double time and get it checked out by your mechanic. If the SS is what it appears to be it's easily worth twice what yours would bring. But if you want to mod it, keep what you have. The 454SS will fetch a premium price as long as it's stock or very nearly so.

[ont_guy_38]

Your truck looks good for sure but you say it needs cab corners and a door which isn't bad . if you have a bad ass motor in there i would not trade but if yours is just stock I wouldn't think twice about trading but that's me . I know the 454SS isn't no powerhouse but i have always had a thing for one .

[b454rat]

I hear those 454ss's were dogs all the time. I had an 89 1 ton that I SAS'd and had 36s with 3.73s, and then later with 40s and still 3.73s, that truck would **** and git. These trucks can't be that much of a dog. And it wouldn't take much to get more out of it.

The way I look at it, how many 80s trucks are out there, and how many 90 SS's are out there?? Yes 90 was the first year for them so there is many, but still think there is more of the 80s than of any year 454 SS.

I would do it, and see if the guy has the fuel injection stuff for it. If not, it's not really that hard to locate or reinstall. I would do it in a heartbeat, 1st truck or not.

[USSkoval]

Originally Posted by westofb

...if I remember correctly a 90 truck with a 350 was quicker.

Would you like to rethink that statement?


For everyone saying those trucks are dogs, put a little more thought into it. Yeah, it doesn't make as much power as a '70 Chevelle, but neither did most anything else in '90. So eat it

To the OP, first truck aside, it would not be a bad trade. But since you say it's been converted to carb, it's hard to say what else has or hasn't been hacked. And it's not your first truck, lol.

...Now if it were a stock '91 with a 4L80E, it might be different advice.

[3r!c84]

yeah i was just thinking that.what else could be hacked up.. and what trannys did they come with ? th400?

[cableguy0]

the 454ss truck made something like 230hp and had a th400. I dont care what year were talking about 230hp from a big block is not impressive.

[USSkoval]

Originally Posted by cableguy0

the 454ss truck made something like 230hp and had a th400. I dont care what year were talking about 230hp from a big block is not impressive.

So what? Going by your thinking, it is not worthwhile to own anything from the 80's or early 90's because of power numbers that are not impressive

[Tony@AirRideTech]

I would.... 454SS is a more rare sought after piece... you can build a new short wide with no pedigree and rebuild what you had. No brainer.... if the quality of trucks is equal, do it.

[larrystone]

I think the 1990 454SS was TH400 and 3.73 axle = 11mph