perfect truck for a high school kid

[1985c20]

this is my 1985 silverado c20 got it when i was 14 and im now 17 its got the 5.7 small rebuild on the motor wich was done before i owned the truck, its got the edelbrock 600cfm performance series carb on it 2 1/2 true duel exhaust all the way back its got a little better cam my uncle who owned it before me keeps saying its only 2 degrees more then the stock i have no idea what that meens but im still learning, heres some pics of where i am so far ill be uploading more as soon as i can but for now heres the old pics of when i first painted it, it now has a different grill do to my stupidty and t boning some lady at 10mph

[grayharville]

welcome to the site, I respect the kids that drive old trucks to school, I drove my 70 every day of the week, rain or shine. Just turned 19 myself.

Is it standard or auto?

[dmartin1]

right on man. i drove a 1978 shortbed fleetside all my years of highschool ( graduating in a few weeks ) and loved every day going to and from school cruising it. i am known for that truck. power to the old chevys.

i drove it with pride while the other kids were driving dads new car. but that truck was MINE,and will outlast there cars! haha

[grayharville]

That was my thing, Id come by the front of the school in first gear, foot to the floor, letting the straight pipes sing. Everyone knew when I got to school. lol

[N2TRUX]

Welcome to the forum 1985c20. Thanks for sharing your pics with us.

[1985c20]

ha thanks guys its auto but im converting it to manual probably converting it to that 700r4 dont know what geers to put in back though r there an other trannys that will bolt right up to my 5.7 that have more gears?

[grayharville]

You could do a nv4500 5 speed, or the 700r4 automatic. It would be easiest to swap the gears in the rearend
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[GM-power]

Right on! In a few weeks im going to get my 78 GMC, and hopefully get my license in a month in a half. I always loved these trucks and am happy to finally have one!
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[86c20]

ok kids a 700 is an auto not stick. now with that said. i have an 86 c20 that i have been driving every day for the most part from when i got it in late 05 all though high school and then collage and she has yet to miss a beat. i have pulled more pushed more and hauled more then most would with a one ton or bigger. mine is a sm 465 with 3.42 gears i just toke it to new hamshire and did 70-75mph up there and got 20 mpg and 80-85 on the way back and got 14.45 mpg so she will still do just as good as some of the new ****. this summer i will be geting the parts to fix the body and do i few custom things to her. i like these so much i have a 1980 c30 flat bed wreacker and a 85 k30 6.2 that i just got. later, mike

[grayharville]

I established the 700r as being an auto, and how the hell did you get 20mpg? My 84 lwb with a 305/700r/3.08 got 14.3 no matter how I drove it.
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[1985c20]

Ya as u can see dont know trannys at all. Ok so that nv4500 is 5 speed manual k thats exactly what i was looking for whats a good gear ratio for dif if i had that? Also will that just bolt right up?
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[86c20]

if you get the chevy nv4500 it should bolt up. and as far as rear gears you need to ask your self what am i going to be doing most of the time? light trailers i would say a 3.73 hevy trailers i would say a 4.10 and up. highway and town 3.73 is going to be fun but cast in fuel 3.42 are a good split and 3.08 are all highway.

gary i get 14.5 all the time in stop and go where i live top speed is 45. but on the highway she does really well and i am not a conseritive driver at all. 190 miles / 13.14 = 14.45 at 80-85 70-75 did 200 miles / 10g = 20mpg. now my truck is a stock how i got her. she has a 200hp crate 350 the sm465 and the 3.42gears and my tires are bfg ta 235 75 16 i think. they are the stock size what ever that is. will will try and find the gear site i use but with the way it works out if i recall right its in the 2000-2500 rpm rang for 70-75 wich is also right in the power sweet spot. this is not a one time thing either all through collage i ran intersate 95 for 40 miles each way and got the same results to. later, mike

[grayharville]

nv4500 would be great. get the hydraulic clutch setup from an 85 and up square body, I think youll have to use the slave cylinder from an 88-98 (what a nv4500 comes in)

with the overdrive trans, a 3.73 gear would be great. Unless you're doing alot of heavy pullin, then go with 4.10s as 86c20 said.

[1985c20]

So that tranny is in what 3/4 to one ton trucks 88 and up?
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[Reziel_1983]

I drove my truck to high school every day and now I drive it to college every day. I was also known for owning that truck. Some of the little ricer kids would try to race me in their dodge neons with fart cannons, lol.

[grayharville]

88-98 3/4 and 1 ton chevys, some had the sm465 4 speed, and some had the nv4500 5 speed. A quick look at the shifter is the easiest way to tell the difference.

Yeah reziel I drove my 70 to high school, 355 small block, cammed, 2.02 valved heads with a double pumper and 3.73s, idiots in their daddys diesel would try to race me, Id walk off and leave them without having to shift out of 2nd LOL

[gettmoneyy7]

yea man its nice. i got my 82 about 2 years ago and been driving it to school everyday. Im now 18 and have a 86 shortbed to that im currently doing a frame off build on..

[cmax87v3500]

ive driven an 86 or 87 chevrolet or gmc since ive had my drivers license i love them! first the 86 blazer for the first couple a years in high school, then the 86 k30 my third, and now my 87 v3500 my senior year and still for college.

[1985c20]

heres some more pics of el motor

[grayharville]

El motor looks buenos!
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[1985c20]

took out the smog pumps yesturday in the middle of a storm i was half way in the garage, im not going to lie very mad was going to put long tube headers on my truck that i got from my uncle sweeet as bees knees right forgot master muffler just cut out that flange they connected to withought asking me now i need to buy headers only problem is idk what their called. is it shortys or medium leangths that connect to that first flange on my exhaust ill try to upload pics but im sure u guys know ure stuff

[NCTyphoonKid]

Not a bad looking truck you have. I used to drive my K5 to school but after seeing the idiots in the parking lot at my school I got a beater to drive and wouldn't care if it got hit.

[1985c20]

Ya ppl are stupid at my school they sont know how to drive ive avoided so many accidents in the parking lot alone
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[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Hey welcome to the best boards around. Always cool to see younger people getting hooked on driving and owning older real trucks haha Sounds like a fun project. If your going to do the 5 speed swap do some research cause the '88 and up trucks had nv3500 and nv4500s as options I believe. My '88 has the crappier one it it. Had no major issues with it yet but if your going to do all the work to do the swap I would look for the better one and do it right the first time. Back in H.S. I used to have an '81 K5 Blazer with a 6" lift and 35"s and a 400SB. Everybody knew me in it and all the teachers hated it haha!

[gettmoneyy7]

I agree with you on that one. This girl backed into me on my way to school right down the street from the school lol mind you she goes to the same school as me.. Then a couple months later another kid ran into the side of me before i even got out of the school gates luckly only leaving a little dent
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