@@84montecarlonazi I kind of agree. I have a Lexus GS awd and noticed that the ABS takes longer to stop in the snow than the parking brake :lol:. People drive like maniacs with all those features and still end up in bad accidents.
4:00 good to know that despite being impossible to start these things in the winter, I could use it to light a local tavern beer sign if needed. Excellent!
My father bought a grey '77 3/4 ton 4x4 Scottsdale with the 350 and 4 speed. I got it from him. I loved that truck. The only reason I got rid of it was because it rotted away to the point that the cab mounts were shot and the clutch wouldn't engage. Someday, I'll pick one up just like it, just for the trip down memory lane.
My 78 K 20 HD was auto trans with manual hubs. 350 gas four barrel. Dual aluminized exhaust. Scottsdale trim in frost white. Built in Fremont California. Diesel V -8 was available that year. Bought her brand new off lot for around $7,000. Interest rate at that time was an unbelievable14%. Gas was around 30cents a gallon.
The days when you could actually do a tune up yourself. The days when you could repair the car yourself. The days when the American worker did not mortgage their house for a car. The days when the car didn't talk back to you. The days when people drove with their hands on the steering wheel instead of bullshitting on the phone with the other. The days when most of the car was built with metal instead of plastic. The days when it didn't cost you 60 bucks to replace a burnt out headlight. The days when people actually turned their head to see how they are backing up, they didn't need a camera. The days when people actual knew how to read a paper map. The days when people knew how to check the air pressure in their tires instead of a computer telling you . The days when a car came with a normal spare tire. The days when a dashboard didn't look like a instrument panel on a 747 aircraft. The days when you didn't have to pay to put air into your tires. The days when a service station attendant spoke english that you can understand. And finally, the days when you can turn on the car radio and not hear the phrase DOT COM every 30 seconds from worthless advertiser's selling crap or asking for money for a charity while their CEO's have a unlimited personal expense account. If all what I said is not the truth then I don't know what is. Please feel free to add any additional comments, Thank you.
Darrell Scott yeah I thought that comment would raise people’s blood pressure.That was my intent,I don’t no who’s idea it was to call that vehicle a blazer but it’s not even close.whats sad is it probably cost 40 thousand dollars,back in the day you could probably buy 2 real blazers for that much.
My grandfather owned a 79 Chevy (dark blue) and I owned a 78 ford (white). Both were 4 wheel drive. My ford had dual tanks and cost me a little over $40 bucks to fill up both tanks. Those old war horses hold a special place in the heart of all truck owners who appreciated what a truck was supposed to be. I remember popping the hood and sitting inside the under carriage when we had to do tune ups, change the oil, ect. Always preferred an actual front rear end vs these independent CV joints we have today. Man, those were days and I was just to young and dumb to know it.
I love these old square bodies so much I have a blazer and a Suburban from this era. Both start and drive everytime no issues. There's enough room under the hood that 2 men can sit on each inner fender and work on them. Everything is simple to get to, easy to see. There aren't a million sensors to go bad. I have driven them hundreds of miles in one day with no issues. Plenty of room to sleep in the back while camping. REAL solid axle, tough, 4 wheel drive! Not this computer controlled, wimpy tiny axle, all wheel drive crap. There's a shift lever attached to the transfer case and you know you are in 4x4. Not some push button crap that fails. Not an electronic controled transfer case and axle hubs that fails. The gauges are all over 40 years old and still work. Not like the 2003 chevy I had, which had the gauge cluster fail twice. The square body chevy trucks were the best, toughest trucks GM ever built, hands down. GM made this style all the way up til 91, why? Because they were simple, tough, reliable, and had nice creature comforts. Why mess with a good thing? And they were the best looking trucks they ever made, but that's personal taste I guess.
Hey don’t knock the 03, my 02 I bought brand new still has original alternator belt etc etc etc, my gauge cluster went out when it was still under warranty but hasn’t went out since, my truck still looks new with zero rust! My truck is still old school compared to a 2022! My trucks 20 years old now!
@@jimmycline4778 How in the world did your gauge cluster fail when it was still under warranty? Usually, the opposite happens! Congrats on maintaining the same rig for 20+ years. That's something to be proud of.
God,I am going to catch hell. The square body is a good truck,no thanks to GMs penny watching it could have been a great truck 73 to 80 had hood bending issues, the 73 up half ton 2 wheel drives went to rubber a-arm bushings , an aluminum standard bellhousing, that was prone to cracking under severe clutch chatter or hard use. The doors were prone to cracking at the upper hinges. Now to the great things, very comfortable cab and good seating,best power steering,great handling,best factory air , 14 bolt GM axles Dana front axles on 4x4s,the thm400,the turbo 350,the SMS 465 And in my opinion a very good looking truck,big fan of the C-20s,two wheel drives.
The first CHEVY truck I ever owned was a 1980 C-10 with a 250 inline 6. I burned up 2 transmissions in that truck and it just kept going. What a workhorse! I sold it in 1995. I should have kept it.
The 1975 Sierra I owned in the 90's had 350K on the original 250 straight 6 and didn't even need to add oil between changes. Saw it driving around town hauling junk for years after I sold it. Doubt they make an engine that reliable and durable today.
Live Wire yeah I have a 66 to the motor is fresh from the 80s my dad had a brand new crate 350 put in here and didn’t drive it much it probably only has like 5000 miles max on it but she fires right up we’re gonna restore it’s soon fix all the rust and all
@@231mac I think the OP's point is that his '68 still has breaker point ignition, as opposed to the HEI electronic ignition used from '75 up. Same drivetrain, sure, but different ignition and even some different carburetors.
Adjusted for inflation, that's about $21,000 in nowadays cash. Imagine being able to buy a new truck for only $21,000! Nowadays a new truck is gonna cost you well over $30,000 even $40-50,000. What happened?!?!
@@mworld2611 ikr, the dealership was asking 6000 my dad asked what the difference was if he paid cash, they said 5000 , so he went to the bank borrowed the money and got it.
My dad bought a '75 GMC Sierra Classic, top of the line (all it didn't have was power windows and locks)(GMC equivalent to the Silverado). I think he paid a little over $5K for it. Three years later, got a '78; GMC Sierra, base model, for the same price. In '81 we got another GMC Sierra, it was around $8-9K and was less truck(305 instead of 350). All half ton long bed, 2wd. I miss those trucks....
I always wanted a r-20 square body slope hood with a throttle body 5.7.I couldn't think of better late 80s truck to own, white,dog dish hub caps,3.07 ratio 14 bolt full floater,ac, good fuel mileage,an engine capable of over 400,000 miles. What more could you ask for? Wish I had a time machine.
I remember when my Parents owned a 1979 Silverado 30 Dually Camper Special. They bought the truck in 1980 and had it until they traded it in on an 1985 Silverado 10. The Dually was Black and Silver two tone with dual fuel tanks , Dual exhaust and had the 454 V8 Automatic Transmission. That was one tuff truck and they used it to pull a 32.5 foot fifth wheel camper. The half ton had the 305 V8 Automatic Transmission dual fuel tanks and full power and was silver with a black stripe. This was a daily driver that pulled a boat. Both of these Chevrolet trucks were damn good trucks and they didn't cost No where near what they cost today and if you had to work on them you could not like the trucks Today !
Yeah you are correct. In the process of getting the heater working on a '67 & the wiring & everything is pretty much the same. Nothing better than looking out over the hood of a 67-72 or seeing it in your rear view.
I had a 77 K5 in the early 2000's. Great for camping but sucked off-road with open diffs. I spent more time digging it out than driving it. For a guy in my early 20's the ability to put a full mattress in the back made for some great memories with um, friends. 😎
It should be noted. These new vehicles were very tight! No rattles! No squeaks! Very quiet with windows up! Molded plastic dashes were cool! However.....even back then,.....people compared them to the 60’s and 50’s trucks and thought they weren’t heavy duty enough! But every auto part store had bolt on up grades! So customizable trucks became HUGE! And because most of the parts stayed the same! Low riders to monster trucks were born! From the same truck model! Most common up grade? 2” lift kit. Fog lights. Brush bar. Bigger tires were available. Oh and a big chrome air cleaner! Quality chrome valve covers! Bright yellow pug wires! Painted motor!
In 1978 I just got an apprentice job as a commercial Diver with an outfit in Fl, we had as a work truck a 77 CrewCab K30 I remember driving that thing and getting a hard on, my daily driver at the time was a 72 Datsun 510 and I loved it but that truck!!
The last gen GM pickups had some square body styling cues. The new GM pickups’ styling look almost as if the designers were inspired by orca whales and origami.
A Ford F-150 with internet access 2014-15 the front end design i guess it wasn’t rounded like those trucks but the front end had the same design basically
I owned a 78GMC High Sierra 3/4 4x4. It was silver with burgundy in the middle. It had a 350 with a 4speed manual trans, boy was it a nice truck I miss it. This was 25years ago when I owned it. I don’t care much for the new GMCs.
These were the trucks for what they were designed for, robust, reliable and without all that as they are today. And the drivers of these trucks were farmers, workers, cowboys, forest workers, etc. Today, men who would like to drive and ladies with full make-up use them to go to the hairdresser or to show what they supposedly have.
my dad got a brand new 2005 Colorado, in 2005. lol, had 9 miles on it.......2 years ago he sold it for 3500 bucks and it had 290,000 miles on it.....the guy is still driving it to work every day about 40 miles per day, hauling wood and tools to job site.....it was the z-71 4x4 3.5, 5 cyl......changed the U Joints, water pump, altinator, and batterie at 230,000 miles. And that All that was done...DAM Truck was a Beast.....Change Your Oil Every 3000 Miles goes a long ways....
I'm still driving my 78 Chevy K-10 Cheyenne 4x4 Stepside I bought new while in high school. She is still running strong 44 years later. When I die my son can have it. I bought it for off road and not for driving only on the street like most people do now a days. At 4:50 my truck looked just like that Stepside even the same color.
I drive my 1978 full time 4x4! Just had a new rear box put on! Winter driver as well! Rural area. Works just fine! Plug in heater for the -20 degree days! Fine heater! 350 running strong! Had a fella say! It’s got no lock outs,..it’s not a 4x4! How do you explain the pumpkin? Drive shaft? Oh....yea. He said. I guess it is! Funny huh? I also have a 1970 K5 and an orange white topped 72 GMC 2 wheel. I find the chevys easy to work on....and parts are out there! Not terrible expensive! Even today! Of course I don’t have far to go.....so gas mileage ain’t nothing! Bout 10 miles to the gallon. Plus or minus letting run in the winter! I like a warm truck!
My father sold a house to the local Chevy dealer and a brand new 1 ton Siverado from the factory was part of the deal. Silver and maroon as shown.Said yes to every option except floor mats (?) $13800 full retail on the sticker. Beautiful truck, chicks really dug it! Worked great on the farm. Problems: Full time 4x4 would not come out of lock about half the time. Wore out tires and was a spectacle in a parking lot. Also, out of the factory a small piece of ring gear was missing on the flywheel. This would leave the driver stranded when this area lined up with the starter Bendix. Took many months for the mechanics to troubleshoot leaving one to wonder "will it start this time." Got 8 mpg, up hill or down, towing a trailer or empty, city or highway. Bought a 77 Datsun p/u so we had something we could afford to drive. To me this is about the time hard working trucks started turning into inefficient soccer mom commuters. Also when Detroit stopped innovating and lost sight of what the consumer wants and needs. Having said all that the truck is still licensed and driving in my home town. Rusty, cab not square on the frame and lock out hubs added!
Back then, trucks were for working and hauling. Now, they are a status symbol. Nobody hauls anything in their truck for fear of scratching the paint. The ones that are 4 wheel drive are loaded with tens of thousands of dollars worth of accessories and they never go off-road.
My parents bought a 77 suburban big 454 , fully loaded . It was a special order for pulling a trailer. They spent a little over $12,000.00 they waited 5 months for delivery. Those were the good Olds Days.
Interesting that they actually demonstrate using the trucks off-road, and in some cases not even gently. No GM pickup of modern times could negotiate any of the rougher ground shown here. Modern commercials might show trucks going 30 or 40 mph "off road", but always on terrain that is virtually as smooth as pavement. One thing though, was that even if their frames were plenty "strong enough" back then, they were not very resistant to twisting action. Look at how much the joint between the cargo box and cab gets misaligned when the truck crawls out of that creek bed, and in several other situations.
the cap is also mounted on 4 inch rubber.... and is able to move both up and down a LOT of that isnt frame twist.... but simply the cab mounts doing their job
@@andyharman3022 Hahahaha I work in a truck plant. Sorry Andy. That's just not true. Toasters have stronger steel than the built-in-Mexico truck frames we have today.
@@lightspeed4596 Yes, it's true. I'm an automotive engineer that used to work at GM. Torsional and beaming stiffness are multiple times more than the old open-section chassis.
These trucks are worth more now than when sold new. New trucks today are worth half as new just driving them off the lot. In 45 years today's trucks wont be worth their weight in scrap metal.
I ordered a new '78 Cutlass which was similar to the Malibu. The build quality was horrible. I spent the first six months of ownership going back to the dealer to fix problems. Ended up fixing some of the issues myself. And despite what they are saying about corrosion protection my Cutlass rotted out quickly. But I guess every vehicle at that time had lousy rust protection.
my first (14.5 years old, ~2010...just got my permit) vehicle was a 500 dollar 77 chevy k10 silveraudo was told it had a 305...... turned out to have the factory original 400 small block, th400 trans, and full time 4 wheel drive i still am driving it in the winter at 25 years old montana doesnt salt their roads..... so its only got a few rust spots
I just looked these numbers up. As a boy I walked to school by a GM car lot every day, the new chevy custom deluxe trucks K20 in 1977 was about$6,000 I remember. The average salary was about $13,500; today I saw a number that the average new truck price is $41,000 and the average salary is 52,000. But we know that most trucks we see that are new are north of $60,000.
The MSRP is much higher today, but the actual value of these vehicles is the same, if you take my meaning. Inflation and outsourcing and greed has driven up the price, not intrinsic value.
I bet trucks working on the Alaska pipeline held up just fine. Rust was from road salt more than anything else. And yes, living in road-salt country myself, I remember about a two- or three-year period where these trucks were at their worst, in terms of being rust-prone. The doors would rust through, right up to the windows, sometimes in only three years' time.
Only part on my 77 is the passenger door has a little rust and one of the floor support beams on driver side. I'd like to get the frame straitened. I got rear ended a few years ago. It drives straight but the bed is kinda close to the cab. It is bent,I had it checked at a body shop. They wouldn't work on it,cuz its 42 years old. I use it for dump runs & hauling my boat mostly.
New chevys today have to much electronics on them. Do not need a big screen tv for a radio. Just want stereo, heating air. Power seats windows. Do not need the the rest. Straight axle as an option. Put the Four wheel shifter back in the floor.
My Daddy worked at the Chevrolet Dealership ,Automatic Transmission. Mechanic He ordered his 74 K5 Blazer w/ safari top us 4 boys went WILD OVER it we now operate his Transmission shop in RRNC.
@First Last 😪 He sold it and brought a 77 K5. fukn Lime Green the UGLIEST ONE IN TOWN WE& even MOMA was mad as hell. But snow storm hit and so did it. And a brand new BLACK /W/ GOLD PIN STRIPES WAS GREAT. THAT BLAZER STAYED UNTIL 1990 😀
Notice not a peep about horsepower. Love the old wagon but I could not go back to carburetors and engines wheezing to make 170 hp. Add a hellcat engine 8hp75 trans and a built rear end
I was 10 in 1977. I remember the Scottsdale & Cheyenne trucks but the Silverado was the only trim level still being made which these trucks looked better than the new Silverado trucks now days. This body style of the Chevrolet truck & Suburban as the Blazer had this body design up until 1987 same with the GMC trucks, Suburban & Jimmy which now days they get redesigned more often.
and they are "vacuum pulse locked" AKA the first time you take it off road.... the plastic vacuum lines will break.... and you will have to jump out and lock the hubs in manually anyway
Nice bonus video of the 78 Malibu.... I'd like to also see videos of the Malibus competition(Ford Granada, Mercury Monarch,Plymouth Fury,Dodge Monaco etc.)...
The 78 malibus look advanced for its time. My dad had a 2000 malibu, grey. I wanna ride all malibu from first to now. But the 2000 malibu was my childhood car.
Approximately $5 grand in 1977 and 78.......about $19,500 in today's dollars 2020 base model Malibu $22,970.00 2020 base model Silverado $25,395.00 Adding all the safety features and other improvements since then, prices are about the same per inflation since 1977.......now having $25K in 1977 it would have the buying power of $106K.....New truck and a New house!
Where are you going to get a new truck AND a new house for $106K? In my area (Harris County Texas) average price for a single family home is about $190K, depending on the neighborhood. My house was just over $100K in 2005 when it was purchased. A new truck will run you somewhere between $20,000 for the stripper model to $50,000 and up for the fancier ones.
@@earnharvick I thought you were saying that $25K in 1977 dollars is equivalent to $106K in 2020 dollars. You are correct that a dollar went a lot farther in 1977. Sadly, the cost of living has skyrocketed but wages haven't kept up. My neighbor has been a sheet metal worker since around 1979. He says that in 1979, he was making $15 per hour. He bought a brand new GMC truck the same year. That truck cost him around $5,000. Today, a 2020 GMC truck with the same features costs about $30,000 and he only makes about $10 per hour doing sheet metal work.
if those trucks were still manufactured today. id totally buy one.
With no safety features? How did people even drive those?
@@alb12345672 real driver's don't need safety features just be careful pay attention drive slow
@@alb12345672 You open the door, get in, turn the key and drive away. Thats how.
@@84montecarlonazi I kind of agree. I have a Lexus GS awd and noticed that the ABS takes longer to stop in the snow than the parking brake :lol:. People drive like maniacs with all those features and still end up in bad accidents.
I totally own 10 of them... far from new though...
4:00 good to know that despite being impossible to start these things in the winter, I could use it to light a local tavern beer sign if needed. Excellent!
My father bought a grey '77 3/4 ton 4x4 Scottsdale with the 350 and 4 speed. I got it from him. I loved that truck. The only reason I got rid of it was because it rotted away to the point that the cab mounts were shot and the clutch wouldn't engage. Someday, I'll pick one up just like it, just for the trip down memory lane.
My 78 K 20 HD was auto trans with manual hubs. 350 gas four barrel. Dual aluminized exhaust.
Scottsdale trim in frost white. Built in Fremont California. Diesel V -8 was available that year.
Bought her brand new off lot for around $7,000. Interest rate at that time was an unbelievable14%.
Gas was around 30cents a gallon.
The days when you could actually do a tune up yourself.
The days when you could repair the car yourself.
The days when the American worker did not mortgage their house for a car.
The days when the car didn't talk back to you.
The days when people drove with their hands on the steering wheel instead of bullshitting on the phone with the other.
The days when most of the car was built with metal instead of plastic.
The days when it didn't cost you 60 bucks to replace a burnt out headlight.
The days when people actually turned their head to see how they are backing up, they didn't need a camera.
The days when people actual knew how to read a paper map.
The days when people knew how to check the air pressure in their tires instead of a computer telling you .
The days when a car came with a normal spare tire.
The days when a dashboard didn't look like a instrument panel on a 747 aircraft.
The days when you didn't have to pay to put air into your tires.
The days when a service station attendant spoke english that you can understand.
And finally, the days when you can turn on the car radio and not hear the phrase DOT COM every 30 seconds from worthless advertiser's selling crap or asking for money for a charity while their CEO's have a unlimited personal expense account.
If all what I said is not the truth then I don't know what is.
Please feel free to add any additional comments, Thank you.
J Polar the days when you could shift your own gears.
@@myintegruns12s51......Yes, a 3 on a tree...I still drive my 75 nova with one. The old lady hates it . She can stick with her 2017 piece of shit.
I don’t know about you but I’m a poor boy and still fix my own shit
Or when GM build real cars and pickups, not plastic tiny cars
Lol. To funny but yet so so true. Well said.
Back in the day before throw away vehicles. I miss the blazer.
Darrell Scott you don’t have to miss the blazers,Chevy just came out with a new version of the blazer.
Aaron Lang that isn’t a blazer. That is blasphemy.
@@johndeere8594 new Blazer is a joke when compared to the old Blazer same with the new Cherokee
Darrell Scott yeah I thought that comment would raise people’s blood pressure.That was my intent,I don’t no who’s idea it was to call that vehicle a blazer but it’s not even close.whats sad is it probably cost 40 thousand dollars,back in the day you could probably buy 2 real blazers for that much.
@@johndeere8594 LOL The only thing that pile of plastic has in common with the old Blazers is the name.
My grandfather owned a 79 Chevy (dark blue) and I owned a 78 ford (white). Both were 4 wheel drive. My ford had dual tanks and cost me a little over $40 bucks to fill up both tanks. Those old war horses hold a special place in the heart of all truck owners who appreciated what a truck was supposed to be. I remember popping the hood and sitting inside the under carriage when we had to do tune ups, change the oil, ect. Always preferred an actual front rear end vs these independent CV joints we have today. Man, those were days and I was just to young and dumb to know it.
I love these old square bodies so much I have a blazer and a Suburban from this era. Both start and drive everytime no issues. There's enough room under the hood that 2 men can sit on each inner fender and work on them. Everything is simple to get to, easy to see. There aren't a million sensors to go bad.
I have driven them hundreds of miles in one day with no issues. Plenty of room to sleep in the back while camping. REAL solid axle, tough, 4 wheel drive! Not this computer controlled, wimpy tiny axle, all wheel drive crap. There's a shift lever attached to the transfer case and you know you are in 4x4. Not some push button crap that fails. Not an electronic controled transfer case and axle hubs that fails.
The gauges are all over 40 years old and still work. Not like the 2003 chevy I had, which had the gauge cluster fail twice.
The square body chevy trucks were the best, toughest trucks GM ever built, hands down. GM made this style all the way up til 91, why? Because they were simple, tough, reliable, and had nice creature comforts. Why mess with a good thing? And they were the best looking trucks they ever made, but that's personal taste I guess.
Hey don’t knock the 03, my 02 I bought brand new still has original alternator belt etc etc etc, my gauge cluster went out when it was still under warranty but hasn’t went out since, my truck still looks new with zero rust! My truck is still old school compared to a 2022! My trucks 20 years old now!
@@jimmycline4778 How in the world did your gauge cluster fail when it was still under warranty? Usually, the opposite happens! Congrats on maintaining the same rig for 20+ years. That's something to be proud of.
God,I am going to catch hell. The square body is a good truck,no thanks to GMs penny watching it could have been a great truck
73 to 80 had hood bending issues, the 73 up half ton 2 wheel drives went to rubber a-arm bushings , an aluminum standard bellhousing, that was prone to cracking under severe clutch chatter or hard use. The doors were prone to cracking at the upper hinges. Now to the great things, very comfortable cab and good seating,best power steering,great handling,best factory air , 14 bolt GM axles Dana front axles on 4x4s,the thm400,the turbo 350,the SMS 465
And in my opinion a very good looking truck,big fan of the C-20s,two wheel drives.
@@patrickmcgoldrick8234 I don't see anything wrong with your observation.
@@patrickmcgoldrick8234 Don't think my comment went through, but I don't see anything wrong with your observations about these trucks.
Love my 75 Suburban. Can fit all my friends in and we still have room for fishing gear and enough towing capacity for a bass boat
I own a 76 GMC and a 82 Chevy 1 ton 2wds. Awesome, simple trucks. Can pull or haul anything.
First truck I ever owned was a 1979 chev inline 6 banger, that was a good truck.still miss it to this day.
Which 6?
The first truck I ever owned IS a 1978 chevy 350 4spd 2wd "big 10". I still own it and bought several more of the same vintage.
Tomas Charles those were better than the 305
The first CHEVY truck I ever owned was a 1980 C-10 with a 250 inline 6. I burned up 2 transmissions in that truck and it just kept going. What a workhorse! I sold it in 1995. I should have kept it.
The 1975 Sierra I owned in the 90's had 350K on the original 250 straight 6 and didn't even need to add oil between changes. Saw it driving around town hauling junk for years after I sold it. Doubt they make an engine that reliable and durable today.
My Dad had a 1979 Suburban bought brand new and had it until he sold it in 2010. Lots of good memories!
I love the square bodies, but I'll keep my '68 C10. It still fires up when needed, even in the cold Utah winters.
I have a '66 that's all worn out and still starts just as well as a new car, even in the cold Kansas winters. ...need to fix the heater though....
Live Wire yeah I have a 66 to the motor is fresh from the 80s my dad had a brand new crate 350 put in here and didn’t drive it much it probably only has like 5000 miles max on it but she fires right up we’re gonna restore it’s soon fix all the rust and all
The 'square bodies' (also C10's, btw) had the same drivetrains...
@@231mac I think the OP's point is that his '68 still has breaker point ignition, as opposed to the HEI electronic ignition used from '75 up. Same drivetrain, sure, but different ignition and even some different carburetors.
Live Wire either way they’re all great trucks
77 Scottsdale with a 454, what a badass truck!
we have one too
My dad bought a new 77 custom deluxe pickup that year, his first 4x4 , paid 5000 cash, unreal the price now a days.
Adjusted for inflation, that's about $21,000 in nowadays cash. Imagine being able to buy a new truck for only $21,000! Nowadays a new truck is gonna cost you well over $30,000 even $40-50,000. What happened?!?!
@@mworld2611 ikr, the dealership was asking 6000 my dad asked what the difference was if he paid cash, they said 5000 , so he went to the bank borrowed the money and got it.
My dad bought a '75 GMC Sierra Classic, top of the line (all it didn't have was power windows and locks)(GMC equivalent to the Silverado). I think he paid a little over $5K for it. Three years later, got a '78; GMC Sierra, base model, for the same price. In '81 we got another GMC Sierra, it was around $8-9K and was less truck(305 instead of 350). All half ton long bed, 2wd. I miss those trucks....
I’ve tried most brands but my 1990 V2500 is unstoppable on everyday drive thanks Chevrolet
I always wanted a r-20 square body slope hood with a throttle body 5.7.I couldn't think of better late 80s truck to own, white,dog dish hub caps,3.07 ratio 14 bolt full floater,ac, good fuel mileage,an engine capable of over 400,000 miles. What more could you ask for? Wish I had a time machine.
The first truck I bought with my own money was a 79 GMC Jimmy in the 90's I was just of school I miss it a lot oh the stories it could tell lol🤣🤣😂😂
I had a 79 Jimmy also white with blue on the side, 400 with 350 trans miss it everyday.
I remember when my Parents owned a 1979 Silverado 30 Dually Camper Special. They bought the truck in 1980 and had it until they traded it in on an 1985 Silverado 10. The Dually was Black and Silver two tone with dual fuel tanks , Dual exhaust and had the 454 V8 Automatic Transmission. That was one tuff truck and they used it to pull a 32.5 foot fifth wheel camper. The half ton had the 305 V8 Automatic Transmission dual fuel tanks and full power and was silver with a black stripe. This was a daily driver that pulled a boat. Both of these Chevrolet trucks were damn good trucks and they didn't cost No where near what they cost today and if you had to work on them you could not like the trucks Today !
Great trucks!!! My favorite is still 67-72. Technology was virtually the same, they just had a more elegant look to them.
Yeah you are correct. In the process of getting the heater working on a '67 & the wiring & everything is pretty much the same. Nothing better than looking out over the hood of a 67-72 or seeing it in your rear view.
I had a 77 K5 in the early 2000's. Great for camping but sucked off-road with open diffs. I spent more time digging it out than driving it.
For a guy in my early 20's the ability to put a full mattress in the back made for some great memories with um, friends. 😎
Back when Chevrolet truly was an American Revolution and Like a Rock.
Gotta love them old square body pickups! Wish they still made them today
It should be noted. These new vehicles were very tight! No rattles! No squeaks! Very quiet with windows up! Molded plastic dashes were cool! However.....even back then,.....people compared them to the 60’s and 50’s trucks and thought they weren’t heavy duty enough! But every auto part store had bolt on up grades! So customizable trucks became HUGE! And because most of the parts stayed the same! Low riders to monster trucks were born! From the same truck model! Most common up grade? 2” lift kit. Fog lights. Brush bar. Bigger tires were available. Oh and a big chrome air cleaner! Quality chrome valve covers! Bright yellow pug wires! Painted motor!
I’m glad I have a 75 Chevy blazer.
I enjoy every single Mile.
77 K10 Full-Time 4x4 350 4bl , what a beast! 💪
In 1978 I just got an apprentice job as a commercial Diver with an outfit in Fl, we had as a work truck a 77 CrewCab K30 I remember driving that thing and getting a hard on, my daily driver at the time was a 72 Datsun 510 and I loved it but that truck!!
Someone needs to show this video to the Chevy designers
RIGHT!!!!!!!!
The last gen GM pickups had some square body styling cues. The new GM pickups’ styling look almost as if the designers were inspired by orca whales and origami.
A Ford F-150 with internet access they looked kinda like the 90s trucks to me
@smooth I’m a little curious now, what makes you think of the GMT400 trucks when you look at GM’s last gen trucks?
A Ford F-150 with internet access 2014-15 the front end design i guess it wasn’t rounded like those trucks but the front end had the same design basically
I owned a 78GMC High Sierra 3/4 4x4. It was silver with burgundy in the middle. It had a 350 with a 4speed manual trans, boy was it a nice truck I miss it. This was 25years ago when I owned it. I don’t care much for the new GMCs.
Never been a gm man.. always ford for my family. But you can’t beat an old square body Chevy. What a great time for trucks period
These were the trucks for what they were designed for, robust, reliable and without all that as they are today. And the drivers of these trucks were farmers, workers, cowboys, forest workers, etc. Today, men who would like to drive and ladies with full make-up use them to go to the hairdresser or to show what they supposedly have.
I had a 79 short bed ref cab loved it and yes would love to have a new one
my dad got a brand new 2005 Colorado, in 2005. lol, had 9 miles on it.......2 years ago he sold it for 3500 bucks and it had 290,000 miles on it.....the guy is still driving it to work every day about 40 miles per day, hauling wood and tools to job site.....it was the z-71 4x4 3.5, 5 cyl......changed the U Joints, water pump, altinator, and batterie at 230,000 miles. And that All that was done...DAM Truck was a Beast.....Change Your Oil Every 3000 Miles goes a long ways....
Chevy always has a much better looking product and far more reliable than the competition.
No. These square bodies were, though. These were amazing trucks.
I'm still driving my 78 Chevy K-10 Cheyenne 4x4 Stepside I bought new while in high school. She is still running strong 44 years later. When I die my son can have it. I bought it for off road and not for driving only on the street like most people do now a days. At 4:50 my truck looked just like that Stepside even the same color.
My 1996 Silverado still up and running 💪
That body style Malibu makes some of the best drag cars ever!!
My friend drove one in High School. He loved it, and unlike most kids, he didn't destroy it.
The G-body shuffle? Sounds like a terrible side effect of a frame that wasn't meant for drag racing. But I love them too.
Grabasandwich it wasn’t the frame. It was the triangulated four link with no tracbar. Add a tracbar to the rear and they go straight as an arrow
When a truck was a truck no computers
I drive my 1978 full time 4x4! Just had a new rear box put on! Winter driver as well! Rural area. Works just fine! Plug in heater for the -20 degree days! Fine heater! 350 running strong! Had a fella say! It’s got no lock outs,..it’s not a 4x4! How do you explain the pumpkin? Drive shaft? Oh....yea. He said. I guess it is! Funny huh? I also have a 1970 K5 and an orange white topped 72 GMC 2 wheel. I find the chevys easy to work on....and parts are out there! Not terrible expensive! Even today! Of course I don’t have far to go.....so gas mileage ain’t nothing! Bout 10 miles to the gallon. Plus or minus letting run in the winter! I like a warm truck!
My father sold a house to the local Chevy dealer and a brand new 1 ton Siverado from the factory was part of the deal. Silver and maroon as shown.Said yes to every option except floor mats (?) $13800 full retail on the sticker. Beautiful truck, chicks really dug it! Worked great on the farm. Problems: Full time 4x4 would not come out of lock about half the time. Wore out tires and was a spectacle in a parking lot. Also, out of the factory a small piece of ring gear was missing on the flywheel. This would leave the driver stranded when this area lined up with the starter Bendix. Took many months for the mechanics to troubleshoot leaving one to wonder "will it start this time." Got 8 mpg, up hill or down, towing a trailer or empty, city or highway. Bought a 77 Datsun p/u so we had something we could afford to drive. To me this is about the time hard working trucks started turning into inefficient soccer mom commuters. Also when Detroit stopped innovating and lost sight of what the consumer wants and needs. Having said all that the truck is still licensed and driving in my home town. Rusty, cab not square on the frame and lock out hubs added!
You were supposed to drive about 50 feet in reverse to unlock the full time front hubs after disengaging high or low lock .
That was back in the day when men were real men. Now everybody’s got have 12 inch screens and heated seats. Oh my....
Lone Wolf yeah the point of trucks has really changed
I don’t see how you could hate features like that. Especially after a long day in the heat/cold, heated/cooled leather seats feel nice.
Yeah and women especially. Lol
Back then, trucks were for working and hauling. Now, they are a status symbol. Nobody hauls anything in their truck for fear of scratching the paint. The ones that are 4 wheel drive are loaded with tens of thousands of dollars worth of accessories and they never go off-road.
@@donnyhh313 it's called being a man and not a spoiled little girl
My parents bought a 77 suburban big 454 , fully loaded .
It was a special order for pulling a trailer. They spent a little over $12,000.00 they waited 5 months for delivery. Those were the good Olds Days.
That is awesome. I hope you have pictures if it's not still around.
Mary Barra CEO of general Motors should watch this video and bring back these trucks
Back when a truck was a truck.
Frame at steering box weak spot
Interesting that they actually demonstrate using the trucks off-road, and in some cases not even gently. No GM pickup of modern times could negotiate any of the rougher ground shown here. Modern commercials might show trucks going 30 or 40 mph "off road", but always on terrain that is virtually as smooth as pavement. One thing though, was that even if their frames were plenty "strong enough" back then, they were not very resistant to twisting action. Look at how much the joint between the cargo box and cab gets misaligned when the truck crawls out of that creek bed, and in several other situations.
the cap is also mounted on 4 inch rubber.... and is able to move both up and down
a LOT of that isnt frame twist.... but simply the cab mounts doing their job
Look at teh way those new for '77 one tons and even 3/4 tons jounce over those rugged rocks. That wasa punishing ride - a Raptor they weren't.
The fully boxed and hydroformed frames of today's trucks are much stiffer and stronger than old trucks
@@andyharman3022 Hahahaha I work in a truck plant. Sorry Andy. That's just not true. Toasters have stronger steel than the built-in-Mexico truck frames we have today.
@@lightspeed4596 Yes, it's true. I'm an automotive engineer that used to work at GM. Torsional and beaming stiffness are multiple times more than the old open-section chassis.
"Chevy Trucks. Built to Stay Tough." An ad from 1977.
Yes sir
A dealer in Minnesota was giving new pickups '70s style two-tone paint and other trim. WOW they look nice!
That old Bob Seger song that was used in those old Chevy commercials: Like A Rock.
I really liked the reliability of these old Chevy trucks but I never owned one that didn’t rust out.
These trucks are worth more now than when sold new. New trucks today are worth half as new just driving them off the lot. In 45 years today's trucks wont be worth their weight in scrap metal.
Hardly enough metal on the new trucks to justify scrapping.
@@virtualpianoman5175 Agree!
I ordered a new '78 Cutlass which was similar to the Malibu. The build quality was horrible. I spent the first six months of ownership going back to the dealer to fix problems. Ended up fixing some of the issues myself. And despite what they are saying about corrosion protection my Cutlass rotted out quickly. But I guess every vehicle at that time had lousy rust protection.
I had one of these in 73 when no one else did , most roads were dirt and was always pulling someone out of the mud .
I now own my grandpas old 79 k10 scottsdale. Has the big 10 2 tone paint design.
Fantastic! I will take three.
I'll have the blue Stepside and a Malibu coupe in green with no vinyl top.
Better start looking on Craigslist then.
my first (14.5 years old, ~2010...just got my permit) vehicle was a 500 dollar 77 chevy k10 silveraudo
was told it had a 305...... turned out to have the factory original 400 small block, th400 trans, and full time 4 wheel drive
i still am driving it in the winter at 25 years old
montana doesnt salt their roads..... so its only got a few rust spots
Who remembers the good old days on Chevy made quality vehicles
Loved those trucks, had a 76 K20, stuffed a 396 in it.
I like when he says "neeoow" and "deeooals" (new and duals).
"All run on regular or unleaded fuel"- Should say, "All run on MASS QUANTITIES of regular or unleaded fuel".
honestly couldve just said right in the ad "All eat copious amounts of whatever gasoline you're putting in"
Not much if measured in barrels full
Measure in barrels not too much
It was a failure of public policy to let leaded gas be the cheaper option for as long as they did. Should've been taxed level to or above unleaded.
Wonderful products and wonderful life.
How cool would it be to have the HEI sign, pop your hood and hook it up outside in the dark, sweet.
Scotsdale..now I remember that ...very tough trucks. Still around today
I remember all those Pipeline trucks and probably drove a few.
I just looked these numbers up. As a boy I walked to school by a GM car lot every day, the new chevy custom deluxe trucks K20 in 1977 was about$6,000 I remember. The average salary was about $13,500; today I saw a number that the average new truck price is $41,000 and the average salary is 52,000. But we know that most trucks we see that are new are north of $60,000.
The MSRP is much higher today, but the actual value of these vehicles is the same, if you take my meaning. Inflation and outsourcing and greed has driven up the price, not intrinsic value.
Back in the day before Suburbans became soccer mom vehicles.
Real trucks real steel
As opposed to fake steel?
Just watch it rust right before your eyes.
Hehe. I can only imagine how the Alaskan trucks rusted. Rust was their only kryptonite
I bet trucks working on the Alaska pipeline held up just fine. Rust was from road salt more than anything else. And yes, living in road-salt country myself, I remember about a two- or three-year period where these trucks were at their worst, in terms of being rust-prone. The doors would rust through, right up to the windows, sometimes in only three years' time.
Most of mine have body panels rusting right off of them, but the chassis are still solid as the day they were built.
Only part on my 77 is the passenger door has a little rust and one of the floor support beams on driver side. I'd like to get the frame straitened. I got rear ended a few years ago. It drives straight but the bed is kinda close to the cab. It is bent,I had it checked at a body shop. They wouldn't work on it,cuz its 42 years old. I use it for dump runs & hauling my boat mostly.
The HEI neon sign display was pretty cool.
New chevys today have to much electronics on them. Do not need a big screen tv for a radio. Just want stereo, heating air. Power seats windows. Do not need the the rest. Straight axle as an option. Put the Four wheel shifter back in the floor.
Awe, an actual truck built by real men. I want one......
Okay, you sold me!
I had a 77 Cheyenne I miss that truck
I want one of these old trucks so bad.....
More 70s Chevy/GMC videos please!
Back when most trucks only had two doors and 8 foot beds
Ahh when Pickups were Real Trucks with Big Bumpers, crank windows, stick shift, manual transfer Case's.. no carpet, Yep.
I want that hei light that's cool!!
In 77, was huge to bring your pick up right next to the box fire
A Blazer chalet?! I want one!
Those are the best trucks of the century,they will never build a dependable truck like that ever again.
My Daddy worked at the Chevrolet Dealership ,Automatic Transmission. Mechanic He ordered his 74 K5 Blazer w/ safari top us 4 boys went WILD OVER it we now operate his Transmission shop in RRNC.
@First Last 😪 He sold it and brought a 77 K5. fukn Lime Green the UGLIEST ONE IN TOWN WE& even MOMA was mad as hell. But snow storm hit and so did it. And a brand new BLACK /W/ GOLD PIN STRIPES WAS GREAT. THAT BLAZER STAYED UNTIL 1990 😀
My uncle still has his green 78 chevy K10 with the 350 and the sm465 4 speed, after all the abuse he put in to that thing and it still runs.
Notice not a peep about horsepower.
Love the old wagon but I could not go back to carburetors and engines wheezing to make 170 hp.
Add a hellcat engine 8hp75 trans and a built rear end
I was 10 in 1977. I remember the Scottsdale & Cheyenne trucks but the Silverado was the only trim level still being made which these trucks looked better than the new Silverado trucks now days. This body style of the Chevrolet truck & Suburban as the Blazer had this body design up until 1987 same with the GMC trucks, Suburban & Jimmy which now days they get redesigned more often.
77 Scottsdale voted best truck of the century... Was my first truck
Blazer Chalet? I love learning something new about stuff i thought i knew.
They had all kinds of weird stuff I think people just forgot about.
My dad installed the wiring harness in those exact trucks in Flint Michigan at the truck and bus plant.
I love the trucks. The Malibu, is what our P. D. Gave to the detectives. The patrol men drove Impalas.
Love that silver and red truck, I'd buy that quick
Damn Ford started offering locking diffs barely in 2015 standard 😂
and they are "vacuum pulse locked"
AKA the first time you take it off road.... the plastic vacuum lines will break.... and you will have to jump out and lock the hubs in manually anyway
@@kainhall Right that's just so easy verses being left stuck, in a Ford you'd have open diffs and totally SOL.
The 77 3/4 ton 4X4 is the most beautiful truck ever built. Soooooo dependable. The order pickup
A guy gets a hankerin' to go find him one every now & then doesn't he?
Had to be careful with the HEI while running,would get poked good taking off a plug wire while running not being careful
Wish trucks today came with these options
I drive a 87 Chevy and I love it. I love these videos as well
Back when vehicles were priced to actually be affordable to the average person
I Ordered/ bought a 4x4 Ford short bed in 1977.. I forgot to get the lock differential, could hang up easy in snow... lol
Nice bonus video of the 78 Malibu.... I'd like to also see videos of the Malibus competition(Ford Granada, Mercury Monarch,Plymouth Fury,Dodge Monaco etc.)...
solid axle front !
The 78 malibus look advanced for its time. My dad had a 2000 malibu, grey. I wanna ride all malibu from first to now. But the 2000 malibu was my childhood car.
Simple reliable trucks you could work on yourself if the need arises and no computers!
Approximately $5 grand in 1977 and 78.......about $19,500 in today's dollars
2020 base model Malibu $22,970.00
2020 base model Silverado $25,395.00
Adding all the safety features and other improvements since then, prices are about the same per inflation since 1977.......now having $25K in 1977 it would have the buying power of $106K.....New truck and a New house!
Where are you going to get a new truck AND a new house for $106K? In my area (Harris County Texas) average price for a single family home is about $190K, depending on the neighborhood. My house was just over $100K in 2005 when it was purchased. A new truck will run you somewhere between $20,000 for the stripper model to $50,000 and up for the fancier ones.
@@jimfinigan1681 I'm talking about if you had $25K back in 1977, not now.
@@earnharvick I thought you were saying that $25K in 1977 dollars is equivalent to $106K in 2020 dollars. You are correct that a dollar went a lot farther in 1977. Sadly, the cost of living has skyrocketed but wages haven't kept up. My neighbor has been a sheet metal worker since around 1979. He says that in 1979, he was making $15 per hour. He bought a brand new GMC truck the same year. That truck cost him around $5,000. Today, a 2020 GMC truck with the same features costs about $30,000 and he only makes about $10 per hour doing sheet metal work.