Such a clean, simple, straightforward exterior design compared to the over-done trucks that are produced today! I think I must be the only person who actually LIKED the cassette location in the middle of the dash - always thought that was a cool touch in these vehicles!
the 95-96 interior and ride much improved this truck..but agree the look of these was classic truck then and i still prefer over modern versions..they would do well to offer this style still..i believe they did for a couple of years back in 2000 year range
I agree with both of you guys. Imo, a simple design is timeless. Trucks these days are more concerned about the Infotainment than the function of the vehicle. The best truck I ever owned was a 1995 GMC Sierra. It was dark green with 2wd and a standard cab. The 350 V8 was and still is a great engine! It wasn't good on gas, but it was excellent for everything else.
@@4yules I agree with you, but as a personal preference, I prefer the 88-94 interiors because the dashes were less prone to cracking then the 95-98 interiors, and the interior felt more solid and better built
@@campbell0162 Let's not forget about the moonie gauges and the digital displays. The early interiors kick the crap out the facelift interiors any day.
I am glad someone else noticed this too...In Fact the 34 Gallon tank they were talking about was only available if you had 8' Bed... 6.5ft. Got 25 Gallon Tanks
I had to back it up and listen to that again when I heard it go by. He even said it'll carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the tailgate down. I was like..Huh?
It’s amazing to see a 90s C/K pickup in near new condition, shiny paint and all. I miss the days of honest pickup trucks designed and made to do work, rather than a status symbol for suburban Dads.
@@EslayerTM it’s a press vehicle, and it probably has been beaten to hell by at least 10 other journalists before Motorweek got its hands on it. So yea, near new.
@@billyray4716 those trucks are not rare this sudden rise in price makes no sense the GMT400 was the most produced truck in history there are literally millions of them on the road. 6.5s are not worth much because it was the worst available engine for a gmt400 and the worst American turbo diesel truck motor. They were not very reliable once they added the computer and PMD they never could make the power of a Cummins or powerstroke hell most 7.3/6.9 non turbo fords feel more powerful, it was designed to get good mileage and that’s it. If your looking for a for a diesel a 6.5 will only leave you wanting do not pay very much for one.
The best trucks ever made overall, the GMT-400 lineup. I prefer the '88-'94 interior myself, but these were peak pickup. The predecessor, the Squares, hold the tough truck title, and the 400s built on that. Since 1999 it's been downhill for GM.
Press cars are generally used and then sold to a dealer with only the knowledge that it was used by the automaker itself. Could have been the CEO's personal ride for all they know. Then it's sold to an unsuspecting customer. At least that's what Doug DeMuro says in an older Jalopnik article. Most likely these cars have been owned and used and junked by now. Unless they were preproduction models, in which case they were crushed immediately after press use.
@@scott8919 crushed immediately is more likely. No pre production or press vehicles make it into the hands of the public, too much liability. I work in the industry as an engineer.
Shoot Vin 1 of the Ninth Gen impala supposedly went out for sale. It was the Default 06 Impala ss used in the GM company photos. The car was first shown at the 2005 LA Auto Show.
The truck in the video was almost certainly a full retail truck. Preproduction vehicles are glorified rolling chassis. This truck was getting thrown around off road and doing 0-60s. Definitely not something a pre pro is doing.
@@mpsanghaI believe Motor Weeks test vehicles were all production vehicles as they never had the "pre production" masks and coverings hiding the body when they went down the road testing them! They usually purchased these as they always told you what their test models price was with the options on it. I think some went back to the manufacturers but not all. I know vehicles used in commercials get shredded with the the top Brass from the company witnessing. They did that to the S-10's when the dropped all the ball bearings on them bragging about the new paint!
Those 6.5 diesels were pretty bad so not many survived. Sometimes, the starter would shear its mounting points clean off the block ruining the engine entirely. Meanwhile, the SBC and BBC gasser engines are bulletproof and cheap to keep on the road so OBS Chevys are still everywhere.
I still love this body style. My tow pig is a 1998 K3500 crew cab dually with a 5.9 Cummins. Tons of power and I doubled my mileage compared to the 454. Win, win.
I love how they complain about the rocker on the temp control, when in reality they just need a lesson on how to use it . He’s sitting there punching it trying to speed it up , when all you have to do is hold the rocker down and it will speed off in the direction you’re pressing .
That’s a very obtainable goal, Sir. Go to Kentucky or Tennessee. They are everywhere and they are not very expensive. Yours dreams could be filled for like $5k
The 6.5's are unfairly maligned for not being indestructible like a 5.9 12V Cummins is considered, but if you treat it well with oil changes and good quality fuel then they are great, reliable engines. I love those old Detroit's and don't let anyone tell you it's just a fancy Oldsmobile diesel, it's a Detroit Diesel built to use small block Chevy components like accessory belt drive system, mechanical fuel pump and P.S pumps and fit in place where a small block or big block would fit (and is in between them in physical exterior dimensions). However, all that means is the 6.5 trucks aren't very expensive compared to the small or big block equivalents, which is great for you.
I've got a 1999 in this body style. It does everything I need it to do and has all the power options. The 6.5, though not 300hp, it gets me where I need to go which is what it's designed for. I removed the cassette player and installed the factory cd player and I added a bluetooth feature which gives me some modern convenience without modifying the dashboard. This is what a truck should be.
Actually yes they do. First let's just start with the fact that Chevy's cheapest truck starts at $25,200 which in 1992 would have been $13, 239 which is cheaper than the truck in the video. Second, to get a comparable truck today you can get a Silverado 1500 WT 4x4 that starts at $29,300. You can speck it out with everything you need including a few extras like an upgraded two hitch and toolbox, power windows, cross traffic alert and heated seats for $37,265 plus destination. The truck in the video would be $38,540 in 2021 and today's Silverado can tow 3300 more pounds and has more hp. You're seriously overgeneralizing what things were and what they are today.
I had a 96 3500HD with the 6.5 turbo diesel and a 5-speed and aside from injector pumps failing about once every 18 months, we couldn't kill that thing. Underpowered? Yep. However, we pulled a loaded 28' trailer with tandem duals every day and it just did it. Nothing spectacular, it just worked..sometimes slower than you'd like but it got it done.
I grew up with the square bodies....first grade in 73 to being a junior in college in 87...and I remembered when these new trucks debuted. They were a pretty radical departure but by 92, they seemed to hit their stride. By 95, the dashboard upgrade improved the interior ergnomics and gave the truck a much more modern feel. If I recall, the GMT-400 Suburbans and Blazers did get diesel power for a few years in the 90s? This is a classic design and it has aged well...much more so than the garish flourishes that are drizzled on today's pickups.
I've got a 93 6.5tdi 5spd with 229k on the clock. Runs like a champ getting 22mph...between that and the 5.9 common rail I wouldn't trade either one for these new diesels
relatively speaking when you compare base to mid level truck of today to then the price hasn't changed. What has changed is the High end luxury trucks of today. They didn't exist then.
These still look sooooo good. Form and function came together very handsomely here. Alas, even the youngest model year of the C/K series of trucks is a quarter century old now and only a few clean, rust-free ones have made it into the 3rd decade of the 21st Century (!). These were workhorses after all and work they did....
Why did he continually say the truck had a short bed? That truck clearly has an 8ft bed. The regular cab/short bed configuration was never even available in a 3/4 or 1 ton
This was one of the last good trucks you could buy, and here's why: Plenty of zinc coated sheet metal, mechanical fuel injection (1994-up 6.5s had problematic ECU modules on the injection pump), and the 4L80E transmissions generally held up well. Brakes were HUGE for the stock 245/75/16 tires and the diesels came with a factory equipped hydraulic brake booster (at least, our non-dually k3500 did). The corporate 14-bolt rear axle was also massive and easily outmatched anything ford or dodge offered at the time. Road handling is every bit as good as this video shows. Ride was truck-like, but still better than the leaf-sprug front ends that ford and dodge had on their 3/4 tons at the time. Problems we had included: Rear drums constantly rusted to the hubs, and the early design ABS system would often allow a one wheel lockup (did I mention how huge those brakes were?). Head gaskets had to be redone once in the 20 years of ownership. Side axle disconnect for the shift on the fly 4wd was prone to failure. Peeling paint. Wide turning circle, compared to similar wheel base competitors. And despite all that zinc coated steel, rust still attacked the cab corners, wheel arches and even some of the boxed frame up front. I wish I learned about fluidfilm earlier... Overall, I'd say it was one of the better trucks made by any of the big-3, and I say that as a ford guy. Now, if only we can see their review of the 1986 ford diesel, I'd be over the moon. Keep those retro-reviews coming!
@@GunsNGames1 missing the point. Because GM got the 454SS certified, that means there's a legal way to put a 454 in any pre-'94 C1500 single cab short bed, no matter what color paint, trim level, etc. Doesn't hafta be a black Silverado with red cloth interior and bucket seats. Most fake GNs and GNXs are powered by a turbo LSx instead of a turbo 3.8
John is great and I think he is very excited about the 6.5 turbo diesel so at 5:06 he mistakenly says our truck had the optional 6.5 foot box, that is not a short box but a full 8 foot. No biggie, keep up the good work !
I was getting a little nervous when the test driver got in with his leather gloves and coat and then put a large amount of rope behind the driver seat haha.
Oh, the good old days. I liked the turbo 6.5 until the injection pump went electronic. Been working as a mechanic at a GM dealership since 1990, like someone else commented there’s too much accessories and unneeded “stuff” on vehicles now and I feel they just keep making them bigger to stroke the buyers egos. Most new trucks you can’t even check the oil without having something to stand on so you can reach the dipstick.
I worked at a dealer for 20 yrs from the mid 90s up. I remeber old timers in the shop than saying that these trucks were junk and too complicated with too much stuff in them. Years later and im saying the same things about current trucks. Still drive an 88 chevy truck thouhh lol. And have a few much newer ones. The 88 still gets the most miles put on it. Nothing really goes wrong....because it just doesnt have much to go wrong.
As much as I love the 6.5, it's a boat anchor and was rushed to production. This is an IDI non intercooled, 5-10psi boosted, Detroit diesel that was sold all the way to 2002. That being said mine has 325k and runs like new.
I have a 93 k3500 rclb with the l65 /db2 turned up( in decent shape given her age and 500k+miles, all the while being a farm/work construction truck. I am now really considering at this point rebuilding/restoring this truck for a daily driver. I know it's not going to be cheap, by any means. But to drive around a full-size diesel hd truck getting over 20 miles a gallon no matter what I'm doing with it, just isn't possible with the modern ones. I've owned over a half a dozen duramax's, a few powerstrokes and a Cummins. They all have their place, but for some reason none of them drive down the road like those did.
I always found it odd back in the 90’s when my friends with Chevy’s would put an in dash CD player in these trucks, they had to put it where the cassette player is located. Then leave the factory radio installed and inoperable.
@@davidlusk4350 that truck has over 20 years of progress and innovation over the technology of 1992... no crap its gonna have better mpg, and I'm guessing you also likely have it on a tuner of some kind or deleted and certainly not towing anything getting that kind of mpg.
Sadly the 6.5 was not very popular or reliable enough to make it something memorable. I used to want one till Tomorrow found out about their fuel sensor debacle
Mine is a 1995, rusted, slightly dented but not butchered and has 315,000 on the clock and it’s my daily lol. I’d have to drop marbles down the intake to kill the old threefiddy. Can’t say the same for the 4l60e 😬
Kind of a silly comment really. Find another vehicle designed for work that's nearly 30 years old that isn't butchered to hell... Especially considering the cost of new trucks.
@@life_of_riley88 I agree. It always felt like GM was behind everyone when it came to diesels. Until they got the 6.6 Duramax they really weren't all that impressive.
@@life_of_riley88 this 6.5 is miles more reliable than a pos 24 valve vp44 Cummins. I've owned both. Currently own the 6.5. My Cummins caught fire after the ecm held the starter on
He said twice that it was a "short" or 6.5 ft bed. I find it hard to believe that a 6.5 ft bed was available behind a regular cab 2500. I've never heard of such a thing, and it doesn't look like a short bed in the video. So I just downloaded the 1992 Chevrolet Truck "vehicle information kit" pdf from the GM Heritage website, and it confirms what I thought: All 2500 and 3500 Chevy regular cab pickups for 1992 (and since) have 8 ft bed. Of course that includes the truck in this video. John rarely got things wrong in these episodes, but he (or his staff) sure got that statement wrong!
The 7.3 was International’s engine. The 6.5 wasn’t the greatest Diesel engine but I doubt ford could do any better if they made they’re own diesel engines. *cough cough* 6.0,6.4
It's funny to see these classic Chevy's coming toward the camera. The IFS front ends stick out further than the solid rear, making them look like they're driving crooked. 😀
I love my 1997 c1500 Silverado, as a matter of fact the old girl will be turning over 300k miles this week. I'm the second owner, bought it at 255k and have been slowly returning it back to its original glory. Its blue and silver two tone, you almost never see that color combo.
Motorweek thank u for uploading this. I loved it. Big truck fanantic. Thinking about today's Silverado HD Duramax has well over 400 horses and over 900 lb-ft of torque. So seeing this is mind blowing lol.
Great seeing this again; not sure who would order a regular cab with a short box on a heavy duty truck. At least get the long box; the way you've got it you're guaranteed to have a terrible ride. No mention of the available manual transmission
@@2500mike yes, that makes sense, the only way to get that configuration was with the half ton with the stepside bed. They also listed the wheel base is 117 inches which seems preposterously short for heavy duty truck
Easily the best looking truck of the era. Only thing Dodge had going for it at the time was the Cummins motor. Never cared for the Fords of the era. Always seemed like the bodies were 'thin' compared to the GM products. Spent alot of time in a 92 2500 Chev pickup and mom's 93 1500 suburban. Kid at school used to have a 95 2500 Suburban. What a beast!
My family has had Chevy and GMC trucks and Suburbans since the 50s. Dad had a 58 GMC with a pontiac v8, a 64 and 67 c10 and a 72 c10 new. Brother still had my uncle’s 72 C10 he bought new I have a 70 C20 Longhorn. We also had a 76 and 82 C10. I had a 93 GMC K2500 gas 350. Dad had an 82 suburban with the red 6.2 diesel. He also had 87, 96 and 01 gas suburbans and an 02 1500hd with a 6.0. He passed in 2018. I now have his 02 reg cab LB7 duramax with 300k. Only 6.5 TD any of us had was a 94 reg cab I bought around 15 years ago for $500 with no title for parts clean body, good NV4500 5 speed but a blown engines. We avoided them for a reason.
Thanks for the video. In 1999 I bought a 97 with 13,000 miles on it. Green with tan on the bottom and tan interior. Silverado. I loved that truck and after 7 more diesels up to my now 2018 Ram limited I still love that old Chevy. Was it better than what I have today? No, but it was more gooder lol. I’m probably missing being 18 more than anything.
That's awesome! Those power numbers are funny compared to today but the cost to upgrade to diesel today is more than the base price and nearly the as tested price of this entire truck. Let that sink in. Going from gas to diesel today cost as much as buying this entire truck did then. Wages haven't risen nearly that much. Minimum wage hasn't doubled since that time but a comparable truck now cost 5 times as much.
I had a 95 extended cab and the only flaw I ever heard of and I experienced it twice was that the Pump Motor Driver (PMD) module would go bad, normally due to heat over time . The "standard fix" was to replace the injector pump which the PMD was part of and i did that the first time it failed but but there was an after market fix where you could buy just a PMD module that bolted to the intake manifold and had big heat sink on it . I did that the next time when it failed again after 4 or 5 years.
You’d be surprised if u have good tires. I haven’t had wheel hop because my ABS doesn’t work but I can cruise 80 in heavy rain and have no problems with control. But then again I don’t drive like a track car
Ordered a loaded K2500 6.5 in 96. Truck and Coach went on strike. Waited ten months for it to show up at the dealer. It had a 7.4. Let the dealer sell it. They were excited as they invoiced it in as an employee order. Wanted to use it as a plow truck. In 2001 I found a leftover 2000. K2500. Same 88-99 body style. With a 7.4. Semi loaded. Still have it. Only have 22k miles on it.
I love these old trucks easy to work on 10x better than any new vehicle my daily is a 82 squarebody love it to death my buddy has a black 4 door 91 chevy 2500 very good shape
cool old review. feeling my age. I still drive my dream truck a 96 k1500 with manual and v8. Those 6.5 engines bumped even to just 250hp with an hx35 is still modern traffic capable. no other mods... maybe an EGT gauge. gmt400 is the most amazing trucks yet...never seen any stay on the road for 30 years at the volume they do.
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It’s an 8’ long box.
Please never stop uploading retro reviews. They are the best
👍👍👍👍👍
And relaxing
The Retro Reviews for the older GM and Ford pickup truck models are one of my faves! This one, for example.
Good times good times.
@@bradgearly Chevy trucks olds is my favorites, speically the 85-88
Such a clean, simple, straightforward exterior design compared to the over-done trucks that are produced today! I think I must be the only person who actually LIKED the cassette location in the middle of the dash - always thought that was a cool touch in these vehicles!
the 95-96 interior and ride much improved this truck..but agree the look of these was classic truck then and i still prefer over modern versions..they would do well to offer this style still..i believe they did for a couple of years back in 2000 year range
I agree with both of you guys. Imo, a simple design is timeless. Trucks these days are more concerned about the Infotainment than the function of the vehicle. The best truck I ever owned was a 1995 GMC Sierra. It was dark green with 2wd and a standard cab. The 350 V8 was and still is a great engine! It wasn't good on gas, but it was excellent for everything else.
@@4yules damn I'd never heard that. That would be cool as hell to have an old square body with duramax, Allison trans, extended cab .
@@4yules I agree with you, but as a personal preference, I prefer the 88-94 interiors because the dashes were less prone to cracking then the 95-98 interiors, and the interior felt more solid and better built
@@campbell0162 Let's not forget about the moonie gauges and the digital displays. The early interiors kick the crap out the facelift interiors any day.
Love that body style. Better looking than anything out there today in my opinion. And that’s an 8’ bed John, not a 6.5’.
Yep. The short bed wasn't even available on extended cab 3/4-tons back then.
They even got the wheelbase wrong.
I am glad someone else noticed this too...In Fact the 34 Gallon tank they were talking about was only available if you had 8' Bed... 6.5ft. Got 25 Gallon Tanks
He has been wrong for 30 years.
I had to back it up and listen to that again when I heard it go by. He even said it'll carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood with the tailgate down. I was like..Huh?
The styling of these trucks has really stood the test of time. Still a clean looking rig 30 years later
Yep...GM truck styling baby 😁👍
88-98 my opinion look better then todays trucks
I still and rocking a 1990gmc stepside 4x4 350 I got 2 one for summer one for winter . Love them
@@jeremynoakes right on man keep them living. I am rocking a 92 single cab long bed 2 tone black and charcoal gray
@@THatChevyguy91 these trucks are ugly asf
17k for a diesel A DIESEL take me back to the good old days.
It was 20k for the diesel option
Yeah a weak diesel even for it’s day
Good old days? The base 2500 with this weak diesel is the equivalent of $38,000 in today's dollars. Modern trucks are better in every single metric.
@@sleeksilver uhhh no
@@sleeksilver You cant get a diesel for that price nowadays though
John has one of the best TV voices ever. Every time I hear it, it makes me think of happier, simpler automotive times.
Guy annunciates better than anybody in the biz. John Davis could narrate Jello into Captain's wafers.
It’s amazing to see a 90s C/K pickup in near new condition, shiny paint and all.
I miss the days of honest pickup trucks designed and made to do work, rather than a status symbol for suburban Dads.
near new? this was new at that time!
@@EslayerTM it’s a press vehicle, and it probably has been beaten to hell by at least 10 other journalists before Motorweek got its hands on it.
So yea, near new.
@@ianyeh75 eh fair enough, but year wise it still was.
I’ve got a 97 C1500. Trying to keep her in shape and rust free. Will have to do some body work to clean up the rust, though.
Its slow and loud. Not a good combo
I had 2 1993 6.5 non-turbos that had over 650,000 miles on them and still ran like new ! Very simple and reliable vehicles !
This thing would be worth so much money today. It’s hard to find a single-cab diesel 4x4 anymore.
6.5s are not worth much
Those are trash motors lol. Not worth much money at all. Its not a 7.3 or 5.9. Those are worth money
@@cheldosarmiento2733 the truck itself is worth money. The fact that its a diesel itself makes it valuable, just dont sell it to a car guy
Not opinionated. These motors were notoriously bad. You will see them sell for pennies compared to 7.3 or cummins.
@@billyray4716 those trucks are not rare this sudden rise in price makes no sense the GMT400 was the most produced truck in history there are literally millions of them on the road. 6.5s are not worth much because it was the worst available engine for a gmt400 and the worst American turbo diesel truck motor. They were not very reliable once they added the computer and PMD they never could make the power of a Cummins or powerstroke hell most 7.3/6.9 non turbo fords feel more powerful, it was designed to get good mileage and that’s it. If your looking for a for a diesel a 6.5 will only leave you wanting do not pay very much for one.
This generation of Chevy trucks will always be my favorite. Great memories of my dads 1990s Chevy trucks as a kid.
Like a rock
@@5jump Chevy trucks, authentic Like a Rock. Reistence, solid and force. Excellent torque
I love this generation of Chevy trucks. Best generation and my favorite
The best trucks ever made overall, the GMT-400 lineup. I prefer the '88-'94 interior myself, but these were peak pickup. The predecessor, the Squares, hold the tough truck title, and the 400s built on that. Since 1999 it's been downhill for GM.
My favorite 88-98 C/K’s are the 454SS trucks. And my cousin bought one new in 1992. He still has it today. It only has 32,375 miles on it.
I’m a Ford guy, but I would rock that truck all day long.
Single cab diesel with buckets, awesome 😎
Please dont stop uploading retro reviews. Its so awesome seeing a fair judgement of vehicles and how they stack up against others
Its always cool to see how the engines look new on old cars
I often see these vehicles that they used and wonder what kind of life they had and if they still exist
Press cars are generally used and then sold to a dealer with only the knowledge that it was used by the automaker itself. Could have been the CEO's personal ride for all they know. Then it's sold to an unsuspecting customer. At least that's what Doug DeMuro says in an older Jalopnik article.
Most likely these cars have been owned and used and junked by now. Unless they were preproduction models, in which case they were crushed immediately after press use.
@@scott8919 crushed immediately is more likely. No pre production or press vehicles make it into the hands of the public, too much liability.
I work in the industry as an engineer.
Shoot Vin 1 of the Ninth Gen impala supposedly went out for sale. It was the Default 06 Impala ss used in the GM company photos. The car was first shown at the 2005 LA Auto Show.
The truck in the video was almost certainly a full retail truck. Preproduction vehicles are glorified rolling chassis. This truck was getting thrown around off road and doing 0-60s. Definitely not something a pre pro is doing.
@@mpsanghaI believe Motor Weeks test vehicles were all production vehicles as they never had the "pre production" masks and coverings hiding the body when they went down the road testing them! They usually purchased these as they always told you what their test models price was with the options on it. I think some went back to the manufacturers but not all. I know vehicles used in commercials get shredded with the the top Brass from the company witnessing. They did that to the S-10's when the dropped all the ball bearings on them bragging about the new paint!
Tape cassette in the middle of the dash, next you know, they will put CD systems in the trunk!
Or next you know.....vehicles won't have cassette or CD players! lol
CDL - 😂
Sidor - ☹️
This is back when diesels weren't over boosted and overly complex.
And they couldn’t get out of their own way. And they couldn’t tow as much. And the EPA wasn’t as strict.
@@tedschmitt178 some how being worse in every metric is better
Back when Diesel fuel was affordable and budget friendly.
Agreed. New diesels are no good. Mercedes are half decent tho.
@@angelgjr1999 You don't know what you're talking about.
> Loaded Silverado Trim
> Cloth-covered seats
We've come a long way in 30 model years, for better or worse.
Not a Silverado
@@BIGGIEDEVIL Silverado TRIM.
In Japan many luxury cars have cloth seats because it makes for a more quieter ride and they are more plush than leather.
@@TRUCKOCD Hell, I prefer cloth seats.
@@theoneandonlyrustyshaklefo6256 same.
0-60 in 12.3 seconds.
"Quite a performance!"
Pulling 10,000 lbs. 12.4 seconds..
@@grabir01 I wouldn’t go that far 😂 But I get your point. Most people don’t understand the diesel.
Not bad at all for an old diesel truck
@@grabir01 I owned one of these trucks, and no.I pulled 10K with it once and it struggled bad. 0-60 was more like 25 seconds.
Thats hella good for a pickup truck
I miss these 1990s Chevy pickups and still see the 1988-1998 Chevy Silverado trucks all over South Carolina except the turbodiesel versions.
Those 6.5 diesels were pretty bad so not many survived. Sometimes, the starter would shear its mounting points clean off the block ruining the engine entirely. Meanwhile, the SBC and BBC gasser engines are bulletproof and cheap to keep on the road so OBS Chevys are still everywhere.
I still love this body style. My tow pig is a 1998 K3500 crew cab dually with a 5.9 Cummins. Tons of power and I doubled my mileage compared to the 454. Win, win.
I didn't know Chevy trucks came with Cummins or did you swap one in there?
@@chaseman94 Swapped it in last year
I'm jealous. I want a chevy with a cummins. I'd prefer a 2001 ish style, but id gladly take any chevy with a cummins swap.
I love how they complain about the rocker on the temp control, when in reality they just need a lesson on how to use it . He’s sitting there punching it trying to speed it up , when all you have to do is hold the rocker down and it will speed off in the direction you’re pressing .
Or... you could use a slider or knob that every vehicle used before...
....and since.
Bartonovich52 Borrrrrrinnnng ….
@@Bartonovich52 Hey it was the early 90's and random single color LCD for basic functions was the key.
I absolutely love these trucks. My dream truck is a 90’s Chevy with the 6.5 turbo diesel.
That’s a very obtainable goal, Sir. Go to Kentucky or Tennessee. They are everywhere and they are not very expensive. Yours dreams could be filled for like $5k
The 6.5's are unfairly maligned for not being indestructible like a 5.9 12V Cummins is considered, but if you treat it well with oil changes and good quality fuel then they are great, reliable engines. I love those old Detroit's and don't let anyone tell you it's just a fancy Oldsmobile diesel, it's a Detroit Diesel built to use small block Chevy components like accessory belt drive system, mechanical fuel pump and P.S pumps and fit in place where a small block or big block would fit (and is in between them in physical exterior dimensions).
However, all that means is the 6.5 trucks aren't very expensive compared to the small or big block equivalents, which is great for you.
My neighbor has one of these, and it's still in good condition.
Same! I told him he should never get rid of it. No rust. He tows his boat with it all the time. Great truck.
I bought my 92 K2500 gas powered truck in November 1996 .I still have this truck
Chevy used to build some good trucks, especially their trucks from the early 70's. Those things were so durable. They were built to last.
Are you incarcerated yet?
MW: “Turbocharging is an inexpensive way to get more power.”
GM: “That’ll be $3100 extra, please.”
😂
I've got a 1999 in this body style. It does everything I need it to do and has all the power options. The 6.5, though not 300hp, it gets me where I need to go which is what it's designed for.
I removed the cassette player and installed the factory cd player and I added a bluetooth feature which gives me some modern convenience without modifying the dashboard. This is what a truck should be.
0:38 "Does that mean Chevy has given up on oil burners?" GM of the 2020s thinks it's time we had "The eTalk."
Then they gave up on the idea
That’s a 8’ bed. Cmon motorweek!
I had a '94 x cab, long bed w/the 6.5 TD. Sold it at 304k miles. It was a great Pickup. I miss it.
thanks for this! i have a 97 2500 extended cab long bed. and it's probably more reliable then any other car i have! Same color as this one!
They just don’t make trucks like this anymore. Just what you need, nothing you don’t. No stupid gimmicks and 50k+ price tag.
@@kingkatradio lol you can. Just go to a commercial dealer and buy a fleet truck. Love mine.
Actually yes they do. First let's just start with the fact that Chevy's cheapest truck starts at $25,200 which in 1992 would have been $13, 239 which is cheaper than the truck in the video. Second, to get a comparable truck today you can get a Silverado 1500 WT 4x4 that starts at $29,300. You can speck it out with everything you need including a few extras like an upgraded two hitch and toolbox, power windows, cross traffic alert and heated seats for $37,265 plus destination. The truck in the video would be $38,540 in 2021 and today's Silverado can tow 3300 more pounds and has more hp. You're seriously overgeneralizing what things were and what they are today.
@@kenyattaclay7666 these dudes are letting nostalgia get in the way of reality
@@kingkatradio dodge sell a work truck package. Regular cab just the basic. You have to ask for it at the dealer
@@robertusa1234 Trucks were made for heavy work not to drive them as pavement queens for flexing .
Wow, what a beautiful truck. I wish I could get one of these brand new today. That shade of blue looks so great!
I had a 96 3500HD with the 6.5 turbo diesel and a 5-speed and aside from injector pumps failing about once every 18 months, we couldn't kill that thing. Underpowered? Yep. However, we pulled a loaded 28' trailer with tandem duals every day and it just did it. Nothing spectacular, it just worked..sometimes slower than you'd like but it got it done.
I grew up with the square bodies....first grade in 73 to being a junior in college in 87...and I remembered when these new trucks debuted. They were a pretty radical departure but by 92, they seemed to hit their stride. By 95, the dashboard upgrade improved the interior ergnomics and gave the truck a much more modern feel. If I recall, the GMT-400 Suburbans and Blazers did get diesel power for a few years in the 90s?
This is a classic design and it has aged well...much more so than the garish flourishes that are drizzled on today's pickups.
I've got a 93 6.5tdi 5spd with 229k on the clock. Runs like a champ getting 22mph...between that and the 5.9 common rail I wouldn't trade either one for these new diesels
WHEN a full Size truck was almost affordable...
relatively speaking when you compare base to mid level truck of today to then the price hasn't changed. What has changed is the High end luxury trucks of today. They didn't exist then.
There is still a $5-10,000 difference in price tho. A Silverado in the 90’s is essentially a LTZ in 2021
@Screwdriver440 if they ever bring back the S10/Sonoma then I hope they don’t make it as bad as the new ranger
@@dustyjones756 Dusty Jones. Nice name. "Hello Rusty Jones....." 😎 Isn't the current Chevy Colorado basically an updated S-10 pickup??
These still look sooooo good. Form and function came together very handsomely here. Alas, even the youngest model year of the C/K series of trucks is a quarter century old now and only a few clean, rust-free ones have made it into the 3rd decade of the 21st Century (!). These were workhorses after all and work they did....
Why did he continually say the truck had a short bed? That truck clearly has an 8ft bed. The regular cab/short bed configuration was never even available in a 3/4 or 1 ton
The GMT400 trucks still look amazing!
Agreed. Very classic look.
This was one of the last good trucks you could buy, and here's why:
Plenty of zinc coated sheet metal, mechanical fuel injection (1994-up 6.5s had problematic ECU modules on the injection pump), and the 4L80E transmissions generally held up well. Brakes were HUGE for the stock 245/75/16 tires and the diesels came with a factory equipped hydraulic brake booster (at least, our non-dually k3500 did). The corporate 14-bolt rear axle was also massive and easily outmatched anything ford or dodge offered at the time. Road handling is every bit as good as this video shows. Ride was truck-like, but still better than the leaf-sprug front ends that ford and dodge had on their 3/4 tons at the time.
Problems we had included:
Rear drums constantly rusted to the hubs, and the early design ABS system would often allow a one wheel lockup (did I mention how huge those brakes were?). Head gaskets had to be redone once in the 20 years of ownership. Side axle disconnect for the shift on the fly 4wd was prone to failure. Peeling paint. Wide turning circle, compared to similar wheel base competitors. And despite all that zinc coated steel, rust still attacked the cab corners, wheel arches and even some of the boxed frame up front. I wish I learned about fluidfilm earlier...
Overall, I'd say it was one of the better trucks made by any of the big-3, and I say that as a ford guy.
Now, if only we can see their review of the 1986 ford diesel, I'd be over the moon. Keep those retro-reviews coming!
We still have our 1992 short bed 5.7L!
I've still got my 92 K2500 truck
Fake 454SS it
@@davisstephens8405 the hell with fake badging, we have enough V6 Challengers badged as Hellcats and fake 69 Daytona Chargers.
@@GunsNGames1 missing the point. Because GM got the 454SS certified, that means there's a legal way to put a 454 in any pre-'94 C1500 single cab short bed, no matter what color paint, trim level, etc. Doesn't hafta be a black Silverado with red cloth interior and bucket seats.
Most fake GNs and GNXs are powered by a turbo LSx instead of a turbo 3.8
John is great and I think he is very excited about the 6.5 turbo diesel so at 5:06 he mistakenly says our truck had the optional 6.5 foot box, that is not a short box but a full 8 foot. No biggie, keep up the good work !
I was getting a little nervous when the test driver got in with his leather gloves and coat and then put a large amount of rope behind the driver seat haha.
Also he's driving around in the woods.
back when trucks were built to work and made durable
Love all retros no matter what car or truck
I'd still buy one and do the reliability mods to it.
Well, I just wrecked mine and got a parts truck to rebuild it, good timing!
6.5 Detroit was not meant to be fast. It was meant to haul and to outlast while maintaining good fuel economy
Oh, the good old days. I liked the turbo 6.5 until the injection pump went electronic. Been working as a mechanic at a GM dealership since 1990, like someone else commented there’s too much accessories and unneeded “stuff” on vehicles now and I feel they just keep making them bigger to stroke the buyers egos. Most new trucks you can’t even check the oil without having something to stand on so you can reach the dipstick.
Transmissions now don't even have dipsticks!
I worked at a dealer for 20 yrs from the mid 90s up. I remeber old timers in the shop than saying that these trucks were junk and too complicated with too much stuff in them. Years later and im saying the same things about current trucks. Still drive an 88 chevy truck thouhh lol. And have a few much newer ones. The 88 still gets the most miles put on it. Nothing really goes wrong....because it just doesnt have much to go wrong.
As much as I love the 6.5, it's a boat anchor and was rushed to production. This is an IDI non intercooled, 5-10psi boosted, Detroit diesel that was sold all the way to 2002. That being said mine has 325k and runs like new.
I have a 93 k3500 rclb with the l65 /db2 turned up( in decent shape given her age and 500k+miles, all the while being a farm/work construction truck. I am now really considering at this point rebuilding/restoring this truck for a daily driver. I know it's not going to be cheap, by any means. But to drive around a full-size diesel hd truck getting over 20 miles a gallon no matter what I'm doing with it, just isn't possible with the modern ones. I've owned over a half a dozen duramax's, a few powerstrokes and a Cummins. They all have their place, but for some reason none of them drive down the road like those did.
Crazy where trucks used to stand in society versus now
Those hp and torque numbers
Old 190hp& 380 ft lbs
New 445hp & 910 ft lbs
Huge difference I love my 2019
But also love the styling of the 1992.
I miss the days of the simple truck instead of these luxury trucks we have now. Love the old 6.5s
Why they are junk
Not if certain mods are done to it. Watch a UA-cam video on it
@@cheldosarmiento2733 nah, they're awesome.
I always found it odd back in the 90’s when my friends with Chevy’s would put an in dash CD player in these trucks, they had to put it where the cassette player is located. Then leave the factory radio installed and inoperable.
Someone makes a plastic insert that' turns that spot into a little cubby.
@@vegastyle84 I think the radio install kits back in the day included a cassette holder that fit in that spot.
Thank you for these retro reviews, and your awesome podcast. Been watching since the 80’s
16 mpg !!! Hell that’s what I get on my 2003 Silverado 4.3 combined
My 1996 1500 4.3 5 speed manual got 18/20 but couldn't tow 10,000 which was fine with me I only towed a 3500 boat
But your 4.3 v6 won't tow a 25ft 5th wheel or a large day cruiser boat
Lol my 2018 duramax gets 23 to 26 on highway 800 miles a tank. Local stop and go...... I cringe at the sight , 12 to 14 mpg if...
@@davidlusk4350 that truck has over 20 years of progress and innovation over the technology of 1992... no crap its gonna have better mpg, and I'm guessing you also likely have it on a tuner of some kind or deleted and certainly not towing anything getting that kind of mpg.
I have an '03 Duramax that gets the same mileage.
Try finding one of these today that isn't rusted, smashed and butchered to all hell.
It ain't easy I have two and they are nice
Sadly the 6.5 was not very popular or reliable enough to make it something memorable. I used to want one till Tomorrow found out about their fuel sensor debacle
Mine is a 1995, rusted, slightly dented but not butchered and has 315,000 on the clock and it’s my daily lol. I’d have to drop marbles down the intake to kill the old threefiddy. Can’t say the same for the 4l60e 😬
I drove one until 2013 that had the 350 and a five speed. Awesome truck, thankfully I live somewhere that doesn't salt the roads.
Kind of a silly comment really. Find another vehicle designed for work that's nearly 30 years old that isn't butchered to hell... Especially considering the cost of new trucks.
I like how much the cassette player location bothers the motorweek staff
Not a fan of the 6.5 but still it's nice to see something old that's new. This channel is awesome!
That 16 mpg looks great compared to the 454 gas at the time. The 454 was doing good at 10-12 mpg on the highway
I’ve never heard anyone so excited about a 6.5!
Same
They were such turds! By this time Ford had the 7.3 out, and Dodge wasn't far from the 24v cummins.
@@life_of_riley88 I agree. It always felt like GM was behind everyone when it came to diesels. Until they got the 6.6 Duramax they really weren't all that impressive.
@@life_of_riley88 this 6.5 is miles more reliable than a pos 24 valve vp44 Cummins. I've owned both. Currently own the 6.5. My Cummins caught fire after the ecm held the starter on
@@detroitdiesel-vu3ig not to mention 2nd gen dodge trucks are absolute piles of garbage in every aspect.
He said twice that it was a "short" or 6.5 ft bed. I find it hard to believe that a 6.5 ft bed was available behind a regular cab 2500. I've never heard of such a thing, and it doesn't look like a short bed in the video.
So I just downloaded the 1992 Chevrolet Truck "vehicle information kit" pdf from the GM Heritage website, and it confirms what I thought: All 2500 and 3500 Chevy regular cab pickups for 1992 (and since) have 8 ft bed. Of course that includes the truck in this video.
John rarely got things wrong in these episodes, but he (or his staff) sure got that statement wrong!
Looks like they got the footage of the dash mixed up with a different truck, the 4500rpm redline was definitely not from a diesel eh
Good catch!
Nope thats the right cluster. It had a 4000 rpm redline but the transmission would always shift early.
“Turbo Power” boldly printed under the hood. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Everyone hates on the "gutless" 7.3l powerstroke but in the 90's this was the competition 😂
The 95' powerstroke was a race car in comparison to previous diesels. Lol. There was no power to be found in the 80s and 90s.
The 7.3 was International’s engine. The 6.5 wasn’t the greatest Diesel engine but I doubt ford could do any better if they made they’re own diesel engines.
*cough cough* 6.0,6.4
@@thebsmithimages6544 the 6.7 psd is made by FoMoCo and they hold up around here just fine. Also the 6.0 psd and 6.4 psd are international engines
It's funny to see these classic Chevy's coming toward the camera. The IFS front ends stick out further than the solid rear, making them look like they're driving crooked. 😀
I love my 1997 c1500 Silverado, as a matter of fact the old girl will be turning over 300k miles this week. I'm the second owner, bought it at 255k and have been slowly returning it back to its original glory. Its blue and silver two tone, you almost never see that color combo.
Back when a diesel actually sounded like a diesel
Motorweek thank u for uploading this. I loved it. Big truck fanantic. Thinking about today's Silverado HD Duramax has well over 400 horses and over 900 lb-ft of torque. So seeing this is mind blowing lol.
Simpel and clean, I love this truck 👌
These were pretty work trucks in had a 2000 gmc k3500 with the bench seat my dog loved it
I was in love with this car when i was kid... I watched this truck in so many action muvies
I miss my 6.5, never should’ve gotten rid of it.
I love the Sierra and also the Salvador in this generation from the 1988 to 1998 model
Great seeing this again; not sure who would order a regular cab with a short box on a heavy duty truck. At least get the long box; the way you've got it you're guaranteed to have a terrible ride. No mention of the available manual transmission
You couldn't get a short box with a regular cab from any big 3 heavy duties. That was a mistake in the video. 👍
@@2500mike yes, that makes sense, the only way to get that configuration was with the half ton with the stepside bed. They also listed the wheel base is 117 inches which seems preposterously short for heavy duty truck
Wow! A twin to my old '95! But mine was gas! I miss her, big time!
My favorite GM truck 88-98 C/K
we need the 1998 silverado retro review and the 2000 lincoln ls retro review pleasee
Easily the best looking truck of the era. Only thing Dodge had going for it at the time was the Cummins motor. Never cared for the Fords of the era. Always seemed like the bodies were 'thin' compared to the GM products. Spent alot of time in a 92 2500 Chev pickup and mom's 93 1500 suburban. Kid at school used to have a 95 2500 Suburban. What a beast!
My family has had Chevy and GMC trucks and Suburbans since the 50s. Dad had a 58 GMC with a pontiac v8, a 64 and 67 c10 and a 72 c10 new. Brother still had my uncle’s 72 C10 he bought new I have a 70 C20 Longhorn. We also had a 76 and 82 C10. I had a 93 GMC K2500 gas 350. Dad had an 82 suburban with the red 6.2 diesel. He also had 87, 96 and 01 gas suburbans and an 02 1500hd with a 6.0. He passed in 2018. I now have his 02 reg cab LB7 duramax with 300k. Only 6.5 TD any of us had was a 94 reg cab I bought around 15 years ago for $500 with no title for parts clean body, good NV4500 5 speed but a blown engines. We avoided them for a reason.
I have a 97 k3500 dually extended cab Silverado with a 6.5l diesel. Love driving that thing.
My 93 indy pace truck had the same options in the interior just gray, those still are good looking trucks
Thanks for the video. In 1999 I bought a 97 with 13,000 miles on it. Green with tan on the bottom and tan interior. Silverado. I loved that truck and after 7 more diesels up to my now 2018 Ram limited I still love that old Chevy. Was it better than what I have today? No, but it was more gooder lol. I’m probably missing being 18 more than anything.
That's awesome! Those power numbers are funny compared to today but the cost to upgrade to diesel today is more than the base price and nearly the as tested price of this entire truck. Let that sink in. Going from gas to diesel today cost as much as buying this entire truck did then. Wages haven't risen nearly that much. Minimum wage hasn't doubled since that time but a comparable truck now cost 5 times as much.
This is when Chevy did build a really great truck.
Good one 🤣🤣
The motor was garbage
Beautiful truck
I had a 95 extended cab and the only flaw I ever heard of and I experienced it twice was that the Pump Motor Driver (PMD) module would go bad, normally due to heat over time . The "standard fix" was to replace the injector pump which the PMD was part of and i did that the first time it failed but but there was an after market fix where you could buy just a PMD module that bolted to the intake manifold and had big heat sink on it . I did that the next time when it failed again after 4 or 5 years.
What's with the murder gloves I laughed when I saw him putting rope behind the seat
The Juice is loose!
Look at that rear wheel hop over the bumps, must be sketchy in bad weather, awesome looking truck though
You’d be surprised if u have good tires. I haven’t had wheel hop because my ABS doesn’t work but I can cruise 80 in heavy rain and have no problems with control. But then again I don’t drive like a track car
That is a beautiful truck.
Those gmt platform trucks are the nicest best looking truck ever built.
"We still have a problem with the placement of the cassette player"
Today: "Why isn't the entire dash one giant screen?"
Ordered a loaded K2500 6.5 in 96. Truck and Coach went on strike. Waited ten months for it to show up at the dealer. It had a 7.4. Let the dealer sell it. They were excited as they invoiced it in as an employee order. Wanted to use it as a plow truck. In 2001 I found a leftover 2000. K2500. Same 88-99 body style. With a 7.4. Semi loaded. Still have it. Only have 22k miles on it.
I love these old trucks easy to work on 10x better than any new vehicle my daily is a 82 squarebody love it to death my buddy has a black 4 door 91 chevy 2500 very good shape
cool old review. feeling my age. I still drive my dream truck a 96 k1500 with manual and v8. Those 6.5 engines bumped even to just 250hp with an hx35 is still modern traffic capable. no other mods... maybe an EGT gauge. gmt400 is the most amazing trucks yet...never seen any stay on the road for 30 years at the volume they do.