Any daily drivers?

[Puglia10]

Just curious if anyone daily-drives their square body. And if so, how far is your commute? 5 miles down a back road is obviously different than 30 miles away.

In the market for a "new" truck but I love these old ones...everyone thinks Im crazy to have it as more than just a toy...thoughts?

[Mattchu60]

I daily drive mine, around 20-40 miles round trip but have gone 200 miles in a day before on it. I have a k10/k20 (its a mix of both).

Plus - easy to work on and parts are easy to get. They look cool and are cheap to buy.

Negative - not as comfortable as a newer truck. Louder all around (wind noise, noise through the cab, road noise, etc).

My main beef is the ride quality, rides like a truck designed 40 years ago (because it was - 1973 was first year). Small bumps are felt and it does get old after a while. Been trying to figure out a way to improve the ride. Mines a k10, so a c10 may be better.

[Malo83]

My 83 has been my DD since day 1, bought it new in June 83, I commute 5 miles everyday, she has 230K original miles on her

[Keith Seymore]

Mine was a daily driver for just shy of 30 years and a quarter million miles. Typical commute was between 15 and 30 miles one way.

The truck rode and drove like new; it was the most comfortable vehicle I owned, in terms of steering effort, brake feel and seat height. 4.3L V6, overdrive manual trans; PS/PB.

Retired (the truck; not me) last November.

K

[Gotenntitans]

My Dad's 87 GMC. He drives it regularly and had made thousands of trips to a local lake about 10 miles out of town. He thought about giving it to my son last year, but just couldn't let "Blue Boy" go.


This photo was taken about two weeks ago after one of Dad's outings. man those crappie are fun to catch! GTT

[1970pelle]

That's what I have my truck for daily running around, some weekend cruising.


Ken

[Gregski]

"You're crazy to have it as more than just a toy!"

~ Everyone, jk

[Jake Wade]

I drive mine every day, 26 miles round trip for work. I love these old trucks but, I do wish it was more comfortable, didn't ride so rough, and less noisy in the cabin.

I put about 12,000 miles a year on mine.

[GM-power]

I daily drove mine for a few years. I loved it! But dang I sure was paying the oil companies alot haha. I wouldn't be afraid to again but I just use it for joy rides and switch it out with the daily.

[ElGracho]

I daily drive my 85. About 50 miles a day. The 2006 4.8 Vortec makes it much nicer. I've been upgrading my interior slowly to fix wind leaks. I really need to get the seat recovered and install my carpet kit and headliner...

[Jeramy]

Drive mine every day. My daily trip is 30 miles each way. Plus any weekend running unless hauling the family to church, then we take the wife's car.

[Dead Parrot]

My 75 isn't a daily driver but it is a frequent driver. I don't worry about long trips. Used it a couple years ago to pick up a surplus military trailer located about 80 miles away.

Two things I did that greatly improved the ride and handling:
1: Took it to a decent mechanic shop and had them give the front end a complete check out and overhaul. The trick is to tell them you plan on keeping the truck for many years as opposed to letting them think you want a 'fix it cheap' option. After that, it drove like a much newer truck.
2: Replaced the bench seat with a aftermarket bucket seat. Hadn't realized just how bouncy my bench seat was.

[Mattchu60]

Which buckets did you buy to replace your bench with? Been considering this for a while myself.

[Front Range]

Originally Posted by Puglia10

Just curious if anyone daily-drives their square body.

In the market for a "new" truck but I love these old ones...everyone thinks Im crazy to have it as more than just a toy...thoughts?

Daily drove from 2000 to 2014 until the flexplate cracked. Sitting outside was rough on the body too. In the middle of an R&R to bring it back up to speed.

Great trucks, they've lasted a long time already. Not nearly as comfortable as a new truck but a lot cheaper to fix when something breaks.

[Dead Parrot]

Originally Posted by Mattchu60

Which buckets did you buy to replace your bench with? Been considering this for a while myself.

Saw a set at the state fair from a local vendor called Mr Pickup. They had a guy that made them in their shop. Last time I was in Mr Pickup, they said he had retired. Don't know if Mr Pickup survived the new highway that was built over their location. The guy did a good job, they are 18 years old and still no fabric holes or other failures. Center console converts to a jump seat with storage under the seat.

[Malo83]

Originally Posted by Gotenntitans

My Dad's 87 GMC. He drives it regularly and had made thousands of trips to a local lake about 10 miles out of town. He thought about giving it to my son last year, but just couldn't let "Blue Boy" go.


This photo was taken about two weeks ago after one of Dad's outings. man those crappie are fun to catch! GTT

Gtt, tell Dad to hang on to that beauty, my two daughters have dibs on mine, they are VERY VOCAL when they get word of someone wanting to buy it
I brought my first daughter home from the hospital when she was born in the truck, told my wife when that time comes she will get first dibs

[cjthompson]

Drove my 87 r1500 for about 8 years as a daily driver. First few years to high school and then commuted about 120 miles on the weekends to college after that. Id drive it anywhere today too. Would probably still drive it daily, but got dumb and bought a newer truck after school. They have their draw backs, but I love these trucks. I'd say buy it and try it. If you don't like it, sell it.

[100%Chevy]

I drive my old 78,C-10 everywhere!
Been doing it for over 15 years.
It has a 250 six,3 speed on the column with a/c,power steering and a good am/fm radio.
What else do you need!
Mike.

[Alex V.]

Originally Posted by Puglia10

Just curious if anyone daily-drives their square body. And if so, how far is your commute? 5 miles down a back road is obviously different than 30 miles away.

In the market for a "new" truck but I love these old ones...everyone thinks Im crazy to have it as more than just a toy...thoughts?

Those people just can't relate and have a different set of priorities. I DD my '85 whenever wifey needs the Cruze, which is most days since I changed jobs in March. Average 120 or so miles a week, unless I run down to my in-laws' to borrow a mower (80 mi. round trip) or need to take my FIL to an equipment auction (180 mile day) because his 1500HD is in the shop like I did in the last 2 weeks. I look for excuses to pull/haul with it - I'm supposed to do about 250 mi. next week fetching an 80's Ford E150 with a friend. With 121K on the clock, I'm not afraid of some miles. Yes, it's a straight, solid truck that I try to keep that way, but I can't justify keeping it if I can't use it when I need to and I my only hesitation is long trips because the transmission has been leaking and giving me little feedbacks for the past 10,000 miles that say it should be rebuilt before I have complete confidence in it. Anything is going to let you down eventually - if you're patient in purchasing one and don't buy a bucket of somebody else's amateur fixes and abuse it'll serve you as well as anything.

[Alex V.]

Originally Posted by Puglia10

Just curious if anyone daily-drives their square body. And if so, how far is your commute? 5 miles down a back road is obviously different than 30 miles away.

In the market for a "new" truck but I love these old ones...everyone thinks Im crazy to have it as more than just a toy...thoughts?

Those people just can't relate and have a different set of priorities. I DD my '85 whenever wifey needs the Cruze, which is most days since I changed jobs in March. Average 120 or so miles a week, unless I run down to my in-laws' to borrow a mower (80 mi. round trip) or need to take my FIL to an equipment auction (180 mile day) because his 1500HD is in the shop like I did in the last 2 weeks. I look for excuses to pull/haul with it - I'm supposed to do about 250 mi. next week fetching an 80's Ford E150 with a friend. With 121K on the clock, I'm not afraid of some miles. Yes, it's a straight, solid truck that I try to keep that way, but I can't justify keeping it if I can't use it when I need to and I my only hesitation is long trips because the transmission has been leaking and giving me little feedbacks for the past 10,000 miles that say it should be rebuilt before I have complete confidence in it. Anything is going to let you down eventually - if you're patient in purchasing one and don't buy a bucket of somebody else's amateur fixes and abuse it'll serve you as well as anything.

[tucsonjwt]

I have used my old squares as daily drivers in the past, but I think a reality check is in order.

These are old vehicles (like 30 years old or more.) If you want any old vehicle to be reliable you should expect to spend money on repairs. Even if you have a nice looking old truck, it doesn't mean that is is reliable.

You should expect to replace the following, if not recently replaced on the vehicle: brakes, shocks, front end steering components, battery, alternator, starter, tires, a/c compressor and servicing, HVAC controls, power window motors/regulators, etc.

I have found that electrical problems were my biggest issues. It may be because I live in the hot desert southwest, but most wiring was dried out and electrical connectors were deteriorated and not making good contact.

If you are serious about driving an old square, I would look for an unmolested rust free truck from the desert southwest and have it shipped to you so that you can restore it to good operating condition. You can get a new GM Goodwrench new engine for under $2K and a rebuilt transmission can be had for less than that. If you are going to put money into an old truck you should start with a rust free truck.

[Alex V.]

Ah, yes, of course, if you don't flat out restore it right off the bat there'll be a continual list of things it needs, but can be taken care of on weekends or when the other car is free.

[grancuda]

Got my '74 SWB Stepside for daily driving 70 miles a day & for the weekends going on trips with the family, put 400 miles going to KC 2 weeks ago. My wife will use it this fall to take my son to/from school, it will give the '80 Power Wagon a break. I just need to get the motor in my '67 Barracuda so she can start driving it.

Ours is the stripped model, manual brakes, manual steering not even a dome light or cig lighter. 350 w/EQ heads, Comp Cam, Bowtie high rise steel intake, headers, 3 speed manual & 3.73 in a 12 bolt.

[v30crewcab]

I drive mine all the time, but its not your ordinary stock square! Just went to texas 2 weeks ago. 2250 miles round trip. towing two vehicles on the way home, a 94 accord, and a 87 suburban diesel.
Is it reliable? yes, but its not stock, and I tinker with it alot, tweaking or upgrading. I'm not scared to take it anywhere though.

[68longhorn]

My 86swb is my daily. I drive 12 miles each way to my current job. Previous job was 24 each way. Its been mine since August 2008 and has 185xxx miles on it. All original but lowered a little and LED lights. Im also not afraid to drive it anywhere. Just got back from a 150 mile each way drive getting almost 18 mpg