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GTM400 / GTM800 now collectable?

wazzabie

1/2 ton status
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I think the GTM400 was a step forward and also a step backwards. GM should have offered an option for a solid front axel. The GTM400 was built to last. At least GM got that right. Someday I think the GTM800 is going to be more collectable then the GTM400. Compared to todays trucks the GTM800 and GTM400 are much better built IMHO.
 
I always felt the 400s felt like a cheap plastic truck. That said, ask the others but in that time from other brands have also appreciated
 
The door hinges on the gmt400 are crap. Hinges are welded on too. As for the rest nothing that can't be remedy easily. Starters and alternator were not great.
 
Got 250k out of my 99-2500. Sold it for $1500 more than I paid. 6.0/4L80. Biggest issue was rusty brake and fuel lines.
a comfortable truck to drive, reliable as any I’ve had.
 
I never want to work on anything to do with wiring in either body style. They are a pain to work on compared to a squarebody.
 
I love my gmt400. It was my first truck. My dad bought it new in 91. I got it in 2002. I drove it until 05 and parked it. I got it back on the road last year. I bought 2 more trucks for parts a few years ago for 500-800 each. Now the prices have doubled/tripled in the last couple years on these trucks. I agree way too much plastic, but I like them more than anything else built since 1980… especially with an ls swap they are a lot of fun to drive.

I want to get an extended cab or crew cab to sas and put some 2 1/2 ton axles and 54-60” tires…

I think the 88-93 trucks are sexy. I don’t care for the later dashes and interiors.
 
The door hinges on the gmt400 are crap. Hinges are welded on too. As for the rest nothing that can't be remedy easily. Starters and alternator were not great.
I never liked that series of trucks much.
The door hinges were terrible, the outside door handles were barely any better. And they were a pain to replace!
The front axle actuator (heater) was junk, then they came out with the solenoid which improved it some.
The recirculation door actuator was terrible to deal with.
A one 3500 truck get the frame folded on a lift once. A service bed on the back.

I loved the NV4500 and the CS130 alternators, and the permanent magnet gear reduction starters showed up during the GMT400. The CS130 needs and Iceberg case to be as reliable as the earlier SI units, but they kick butt in output power for the day.

The GMT800 is so much better!!
Incredibly easy to work on the doors, window regulators and outside handles. The doors will come off in sort order to do bushings when needed.
Headlights come out in seconds to swap bulbs, steering columns are fairly easy to work on.
My son and I swapped the main underdash wiring harness in his '01 for a fully optioned one in an afternoon. The cleaning did slow us down some, and then swapping the parts in the doors took another half of a day. There are things to be mindful of, yes. But overall it went well.

There are some expensive things that can fail, though.
20211016_154536.jpg
 
Both generations are damn fine trucks. Yeah, there were quirks with the gmt 400 that made some things hard to work on, but nothing out of the ordinary for a vehicle of the era. The gmt 800 trucks definitely lost those quirks and are easier to work on for the most part, but a few areas got very cheap feeling.

I have squarebodies, a couple 400's and an 800 Burb. I like them all. The gmt900 trucks though...
 
Oh, I forgot the point in the thread, lol. Lately, I've seen the gmt400 prices going way up and are seemingly becoming collectable. The gmt800's seem to be selling like old used trucks.
 
I been driving my 1993 GMT400 blazer for 20 years. It has 300k miles.

I repainted it and restored the interior.

I've been offered 20k for it twice in the last year.

It's not so much they are collectable, it's that they are solid reliable trucks. You can still get one for 3-10k. Depending on it's condition it can last another 20 years.

$10-20k on a solid truck you can repair yourself vs $50-60k on a 2022 truck. I know many people who are fed up with new truck prices and said F it and went to a 1988-2006 truck.
 
$10-20k on a solid truck you can repair yourself vs $50-60k on a 2022 truck. I know many people who are fed up with new truck prices and said F it and went to a 1988-2006 truck.
More like $100K and up for a new truck if you can find one right now. Dealers are marking them up like rare sports cars.
 
I've got a 02 that I will most likely continue to drive until either it dies or I do. I bought it with less than 50k in 06 and have 235k with no major issues. Right now I need to find a small coolant leak and figure out why the A/C isn't working.
 
I like them both. I’m not sure other than the special editions in the 400 trucks are they “collectible “. Yes the 454SS and Indy pace truck are collectible, but the rest were made by the millions.

I agree it’s probably more they still are solid trucks if maintained right. Compared to later trucks they are simple to fix too.

The 800 trucks are probably less on the collectible side but are just solid trucks built at a point they are still somewhat modern. Factor in the non-emissions Duramax diesel or 8.1 big block trucks either equipped with an Allison auto or zf 6-speed. The half tons being the first trucks equipped with LS engines make them great candidates to hotrod without having to deal with the swapping an ls in. They have a few known issues but nothing that can’t be overcome.

Both are superior over the gmt900 trucks. Those trucks are garbage.
 
I like them both. I’m not sure other than the special editions in the 400 trucks are they “collectible “. Yes the 454SS and Indy pace truck are collectible, but the rest were made by the millions.

I agree it’s probably more they still are solid trucks if maintained right. Compared to later trucks they are simple to fix too.

The 800 trucks are probably less on the collectible side but are just solid trucks built at a point they are still somewhat modern. Factor in the non-emissions Duramax diesel or 8.1 big block trucks either equipped with an Allison auto or zf 6-speed. The half tons being the first trucks equipped with LS engines make them great candidates to hotrod without having to deal with the swapping an ls in. They have a few known issues but nothing that can’t be overcome.

Both are superior over the gmt900 trucks. Those trucks are garbage.
I agree, the 900's are junk, everyone I know with a 900 Escalade has so many problems from the dod to electrical issues to clogged cats. my 02 just keeps trucking along. I just wish it had a 4l80 instead of a 4l65, the lq9 will kill a 4l60 if its abused even jsut a little bit.
 
My GMT 800 2500 HD is a great, solid truck. Drives well and works well. The gas mileage sucks. 10 mpg on the 6.0. Runs like a champ, pulls great, just stop at every gas station. I don't feel like it would ever be collectable, its just a good working truck.
 
Both are superior over the gmt900 trucks. Those trucks are garbage.
Unrelated side comment, I wouldn't call them junk, but they do have some things that I don't care for.
I have one as a shop truck. 160K on it and it's pulled a 30K mixer across town twice in the last 2 years. Pulled an empty dump truck out once, slipping tires on dry pavement to get him out of the mud.
I can't complain, especially when compared to the Ford and Dodge 1/2 tons around here that are just transportation for office people.
 
I like our company GMT800 2500hd, except for the torque management transmission. It even has manual crank windows and a lever for the tcase. I would make it into a trail rig with an SAS in heartbeat.
 
Unrelated side comment, I wouldn't call them junk, but they do have some things that I don't care for.
I have one as a shop truck. 160K on it and it's pulled a 30K mixer across town twice in the last 2 years. Pulled an empty dump truck out once, slipping tires on dry pavement to get him out of the mud.
I can't complain, especially when compared to the Ford and Dodge 1/2 tons around here that are just transportation for office people.
Outside of the AFM and variable cam timing the drivetrains are just as good as the 800 trucks. Except for the obvious lack of a big block option.

It’s the rest of the truck that sucks. Rockers don’t conceal the lower door edges so the paint gets blasted off. The dashes crack and fall apart like a second gen Ram. The stupid door moldings warp like bacon in the sun and fall off. Overall fit and finish just screams the bean counters got their way during the whole GM bailout.

I’d totally pay more for a used 800 truck than a similar or less mileage 900 truck. No doubt about it.
 
I know it's Petty but the biggest issue I have with the GMT 400 is how big the windows are. And there's way too much glass on the Suburban/Tahoe's. It looks ill proportionate.
 
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