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New truck option

Which style pickup would you but

  • Total voters
    17
79bonanza

79bonanza

1/2 ton status
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Georgetown, Kentucky
Okay, so I'm gonna be starting a new career shortly(engine machinist). But while I'm at my current employer I'm gonna take the time and earn some quick cash to buy me a kinda toy I guess you could say.

I want to buy myself a pretty clean 73-79 square body pickup but that's all the I know I want. I'm willing to spend about 5500 for one, which around here can buy you a pretty nice truck.

I want to keep this one carb'd

I need it to be able to drive at least 65mph without trying to kill it self

I need it to go at least 25 miles one way.

I prefer a 4 speed but it's not mandatory.

That being my requirements I have it narrowed down to either a K20. A K10 short bed, a K10 step side, or a C10 step side.

What would you guys get for a nicer DD
 
For a "commuter" truck you are better off with a half ton and higher gearing,so it wont be screaming at 65 mph--3:73's ,3:42's or even 3:08 gears are OK for around town and highway use ...it wont be a drag racer with the higher ratios,but it'll save gas..

As long as you aren't planning to haul a lot a half ton weighs less,which saves fuel,and rides better than a stiffly sprung 3/4 or 1 ton would...a long bed rides smoother than a short wheelbase truck will too,but they dont look as cool....stepsides look better IMO,but at the expense of cargo room..you cant haul much in one,especially a short bed..
 
Yea it prolly won't see much hauling duty, I have my 08 for that. Prolly just groceries nothing real heavy. But I still want to be able to haul a small utility trailor if I need to.
 
I see you want to DD it but what else are you planning on doing with your "toy".
Street/strip, camping, crawling, muddin??? I think the K10 step side would make the best toy personally. Basically unlimited options with that one. There's a 74 for sale here that I want badly. I am assuming mpg is not a factor too.
 
Well I want to be able to DD it but still keep it nice enough to turn some heads on the road.

It won't be a wheeler or anything, I have my K5 for that.

Just kinda my nice classic that is reliable enough to drive everyday.

And yea mpg doesn't really matter, unless it's pulling something stupid low like 5mpgs. That'd be an issue lol
 
Alright then I second my vote for the K10 step side. One of those real clean with a small lift (if any lift at all) a nice wheel/tire combo would definitely turn some heads and be fun to drive. I'm picturing something dark blue with Mickey Thompson classics (NOT BLACK) and some BFG all terrains. But that's me.
 
I dig the pics man. I would would the other direction in altitude. I voted stepside c-10. Just a mild drop like a 2 / 4 then eventually swap in a vintage air system a 5.3 or 6.0 and a 4L60 wow what a sweet daily that would be
 
Yea see I was leaning towards a c10 because at like all the cruise ins I'm "that guy" with some big lifted truck etc. so I thought I'd go ahead and get me a lowered truck but then it began to snow ball again in my head, just like you were saying lol 5.3 6.0 4l60 vintage air, 4 link rear, six speed, will wood brakes, custom interior...... On and on and on lol

See what I'm trying to do is kinda keep a close to original truck nice and on the road. Now I'm not like a crazy car collector guy, like where if it's not the original carb gasket the whole trucks junk lol but I'd like to keep one still carb'd and ride like a truck does.

It seems like everyone in the world with a square body is swapping LS engines in them. Even I am, not gonna lie my 5.3 4l60e k5 is/was a lot of fun to drive. But it kinda lost it's square body feel to me. Just seemed like a boring ole truck after driving it awhile.

I kinda wanna keep up with the quadrajet tuning and rebuilds too. Not to mention just the routine maintenance older vehicles require. Seems like around here people are forgetting how to work on anything with a carb lol but heck I'm gonna keep learning in both directions lol learn the most high tech and the most basic
 
79bonanza said:
but then it began to snow ball again in my head, just like you were saying lol 5.3 6.0 4l60 vintage air, 4 link rear, six speed, will wood brakes, custom interior...... On and on and on lol
Click to expand...
I know you mean wilwood brakes but when I first read through that I swear it said "all wood brakes" and the first thought that popped into my head is "exactly how old school is this guy going! :eek1::eek1:"

lol :haha:

I'm digging the C10 stepside option myself. If you're going to daily drive it and don't need 4wd, why lug around the axle?

5110957837_346716dfc5_b.jpg


or even fleetside.
ebay662779.jpg
 
I just want 4wd for in the winter or any bad luck situations lol

And yea on my phone I'm lucky it doesn't auto correct it into Spanish so if it's even close I just let it go lol
 
Well it seems to be tied between a k10 step side and a k10 short bed.

Not to offend anyone but I think a c10 is out of the choice. And just out of personal preference I think I'd only buy a k10 stepside. Which narrows it down to two options now.

K20 or K10 step side

I like both option so I think it's just gonna be decided when I find a truck if I want it.

I know I want just a 350 and a 4 speed manual. Other than that I'm open to any other options on the truck.
 
k20s are nice because you can get the 3/4 ton with a 400/400 and not have to ever worry about that rear axle.. you know as well as I do they break easy. I rolled a 78k20 400/400 with 33s 3.73s all through highschool and it did 12-15 mpg.. stock motor besides an rv cam thing was faster than every squarebody at school including modded buddys 350 with heads etc.. guess that those cubes really help. miss that truck too..
 
Yea I was leaning toward a 3/4 ton just because they seem to be easier to find in nicer shape, better drive train options and if I get in a pinch it's still a 4x4 3/4 ton truck I could haul stuff with.

I know the mileage prolly won't be as good but I can deal with that I guess.
 
Yea that's what I'm saying.

I'm telling ya, it seems like everyone around here thinks they have a 10K squarebody. I mean yea they are nice but not 10K

I'm pretty sure I should be able to but a nice solid truck for 5500.

I really like that blue one I posted a link to but it's got a couple issues that have me suspicious.
 
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