Any love for mid 80's gm truck?

Hey guys,

Long time reader...used to be farmacist, anyhow....

My wife and I are about to inherit an '85 chevy c10 silverado 305 automatic short box 2 wheel drive. My first thoughts are to try and make this thing a little sportier (since it is a V8 it has to have some potential) Could this make a decent handling vehicle to have some fun with, maybe auto-x or possible challenge vehicle.

I guess the easiest thing would be drag it, but I like to turn as well!!

It has some rust in the body, but a solid frame and only 78k on the clock.

Thoughts?

The 305 sucks run away.

ummm.. put the money you'd spend on making that truck "sportier" into a dedicated track rat and tow it behind it instead?

It was originally her grandpas truck, he bought it new in '85. He passed away a while back, so it is kind of an inheritance type thing. Maybe I will just fix the body and drive it as a "work" truck

Thanks

decent trucks.....1 of the first vehicle I ever drove was an 84 custom

Don't get me wrong. It could be a decent truck but the 305 is not a good engine. I would recommend replacing it with a 350 if you want to do a lot of hauling or if you really want to make it sportier.

Sounds like a nice truck. Could always throw a GM crate engine in it with some goodies and end up with 300 +hp. drop it, put some big fat tires on it, and have fun

Yeah, only good thing about a 305 is that a 350 (and thusly, a 383 stroker ) bolts right in it's place.

305 does suck - tiny bores limit breathing.

350s are pretty much free these days. Find a running 350 for $100 and have fun. Spend another $300 on Vortec heads and make 300 hp with a stock cam.

The chassis is reliable; brakes last forever. It takes a lot to make it turn corners well, but its do-able.

I had the same vehicle and for some reason the cams go south on them. I understand the cam lobes are case hardened and with mileage, the hardening is worn through. Next thing you know, no lift, no fuel pump and you're walking.

You already own the thing and it's an heirloom, wouldn't it be sacrelige to dump it? Like looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Find a nice donor motor, put it on a stand and go through it. Port & polish, hone it out, bearings etc., just clean it up and make it better. Then when/if the 305 leaves you stranded, you're ready to go. Also look around for aftermarket suspension stuff, poly bushings, springs, maybe air bags. You can make them handle.

Make Grampa smile.

Dan

I think these are neat looking trucks in shortbed form. They made a brazillian of them, so there's no limit to parts supply, cheap!

It's a SBC powered rear drive vehicle...there's always potential!

With a little suspension work, I think you could surprise and impress the snobs driving high-end cars at the autocross (please note, I'm NOT saying everyone driving a high-end car is a snob, nor that snobs can only drive high-end cars...lol).

Clem

it helps that you can damn near bulid one from scratch, aside from the frame, from catalouges like year one(?) and JCW

British victoria has complete parts mag like they do for LBC .1 -8zero zero 255-0088 . Watch for stuck idle you have to reach in and disengage . Great truck get backup 350 and replace when needed or drive as is probably need to blow out some cobwebs unless grand pa was a lead foot .

I love them. I have a 75 4wd, 76 4wd, and 85 2wd. I've never had a cam problem, but all of mine are lower mileage. Still....the 305/350s are super easy and cheap to build. I'd just run the 305 as is and when it goes south dump a 350 or 383 stroker in it. The 2wd shortbeds are great looking trucks. Maybe lower it a little, drop in a hot 350 or 383 stroker at some point and use it as a cool parts hauler. LMC is a great resource for parts as well as the others mentioned. I'm doing a frame off on my 75 right now and, like neon said, parts are plentiful. How about some pictures?

The short boxes are desirable trucks (for those who like trucks). You can definitely have some fun with it. Just have your spare engine ready.

David

My goodness parts are cheap! I kind of new they were but I didnt relize how much so. I will try and get some pics this weekend if I get to go visit it!! I mean the inlaws.

Thanks for the thoughts,

Yea 350 crate would be cheap and easy.

Welcome aboard MedicineMan!

just drive it. spend money elsewhere. shortbox is "cool", so long as it's not a flare box, and then it's just dumb imo.

Some 305s eat the cams, 350s normally dont.