Everything explained: Engines, Cabs, Beds, Chassis, Options, Grilles, 0-60 times, and more

This is a trip down memory lane. My dad had 3 square bodies: a 75 Scottsdale with a 400 small-block and automatic, a 78 Custom Deluxe (the one I learned to drive in) with a 250, three on the tree, and a downgrade to manual steering. His last truck ever was an 81 Scottsdale with a 305 and automatic.
When you mentioned the A833 transmission, you brought back another memory. My first truck was an 84 Dodge D100 "Miser". 225 slant six, A833, and 2.72 gears- it made that 78 look GOOD!
Another upgrade for 81 was a redesigned front cab mount that seemed to be more resistant to rusting out than the earlier one. Those cab mounts killed my dad's 78.

yes please make a blazer video

GMT 400 was replaced in 1999 by the Silverado with some variations continuing till 2002. The same way square body’s sort of ended in 1987.

Ive had to explain alot of this to people. My 1st truck was a 1990 squarebody suburban. I currently have an 88 squarebody 4 door long bed dually, and a 99 obs 3/4 ton suburban.
1/2 ton changes right away, but 3/4 , 1 ton, and suburbans take a few years to change.

K body Blazer/Jimmy, PLEASE!
Great C/K video I've owned many over the years. The Jimmy Blazer K- body really won my heart! ❤️
For the record, in Michigan, the Blazers and Suburban's are titled as station wagons. Even a '96 Jimmy I called my "mini Jimmy" was titled as a station wagon.

the video I've been waiting my whole life

Converting a crew cab into a short bed is ridiculous. Just sell it and buy a minivan

Crew cab please.

The fuel tank ordeal was never an issue and was debunked. A

You need to do better research though the gm historical society because you have several errors and completely excluded the big 10 which is a very important model
The high sierra trim ran till at least 85 because I had one and full time or part time 4x4 till 75 or 6 was based on the engine more than auto or manual

What do you know about factory decal paint schemes?

I'll take a sbc over a junk ls any day

Definitely missed the mark on knowing more than anyone... so much missed info , or partial info. Plus a fundimental misunderstanding of many mechanical topics. This is someone who is well read, but not experienced.

Only one good engine? Hilarious. 454s were well known back in those days for wiping cam lobes. Straight sixes were a problem with integrated manifold heads but easily remedied with a change to a head with separate manifolds, and would make good torque and economy. As for 350 SBs, easy changes to pump those up to 350-400 reliable horsepower and significant torque. LSs are great but there is and was more than one solution than just swap an LS in.

Only one good engine huh.. i see the op has the iq of a coloring crayon. Moron

I have a 454 c20. Still not a performance engine lol and 7 miles to the gallon is probably high.

Any information on the gmc high serria is that just a factory lifted truck? i have the 1979 one

Do you have a video on OBS similar to this good video?

I drive my 1978 Chevrolet Silverado everyday. My dad has a 1983 drives everyday. Great trucks.

This was a really cool video! Reminds me, through the 80s, in the area I grew up in, primary industries being farming, cattle, and logging, EVERYBODY had a Chevy pickup ranging from new to early 70s. They were extremely well liked for the roles cited above, and ran until they rusted through! I literally remember ONE dodge pickup from the next town over, and one or two fords.

Squarebodies are the best trucks ever made. I prefer the 81-87 style though.

Awesome presentation! Great video! Fantastic information!!!

You seem to have completely skipped first gen. Disappointed as I own two of them and was interested in your comparison.

I have a ‘78 C10 step side. I kinda wanna throw a traditional bed on it but always change my mind

I like the square body Chevrolet C10 K10 pickup trucks. Some of it's body parts may be simple and easy to repair and remake...

ebikes? u mean 2 Smokers??

You should make more of these for other generations of Chevy trucks like the obs, and action line models

The systematic and complete presentation of the material is impressive!
Unique quality and original approach.

I guess the real gem is the 454 stepside

This says a c10 can tow 8,000 pounds and a k30 can only tow 7,000…

Video K5 history please.

Sir. 2019 Silverados and up have way more rounded fenders. On my 23 with the 2" lift. I can tuck 35×11.5r20s with ease and still have plenty of travel.
Now with the GMCs your absolutely right. They still have a very sharp angled fender well

There's definitely stuff in here that is wrong and/or incomplete. Please go through GM Heritage Vehicle Information Kits to do your research on trucks instead of using this video. He's showing a very clear bias and he's using this as an advertisement for his LS swap guide. He's nearly entirely ignoring 87-91, which is arguably the best of the squarebody drivetrains. Not a single mention of the 454 TBI, extremely incomplete information on blazers and suburbans aswell. He's also leaving out the majority of GMC information. I'm hoping the PDF book is better, but I'm not hopeful given the rhetoric in this video.

For the most part, good video, but you are being too hard on the engines. They were mostly excellent quality-wise. The reason they didn't make tire -shredding horsepower was EPA emissions mandates more than anything else, not the 8.5 compression. GM knew perfectly well how to make good power, but meeting emissions targets came first. If they had failed to meet them, the buyers would not have been able to register them.

Oooooof I don't miss them, driven all but the 50s and 60s versions. 70s, 80s and 90s trucks left a lot to be desired.

Great video. My Dad had the one-off year 1980 with the square headlights. It was the Big-10 model, designed to avoid some emissions requirements. It was a half ton with heavier duty suspension and brakes and maybe some other minor changes- but not a 3/4 ton. The GMC version was called the Heavy-Half. These models were only available in 79 and possibly 78. If you edit this video, you may want to add all the different steering wheel designs. My favorite is the version with the creases.

Only reason the "engines sucked" is because emissions started before the square body was out. Advance ignition and cam it. Makes a world of difference. I like to ditch all the emissions components as well

one thing I don't understand about gm is why they got rid of the front solid axle but ford and dodge kept it

the 4th gen went to 1998 i’m pretty sure then was replaced by the first silverado

Is this a kids video?

At my age I want i6 ps pb heat a/c 4x4 and and the work truck interior and im set on buying the last truck I'm going to buy

Man that 91 Blazer is gorgeous! 😍🔥🇺🇲

435 and 465 were New Process not muncie. 454 truly only had 245 hp, but it's important to note that all of the truck engines were rated at a lower RPM than car engines because of the smaller cam, all the way back to the early 60s. The 454s put out between 365 and 385 ft lbs of torque, again at a low rpm designed for trucks...it worked.
The 5.7 diesels were truly a disaster; it was not uncommon to be on your third warranty engine from Chevrolet by 75,000 miles, they had broken cranks and broken camshafts-very very very common, like the great majority of the time. Very few made it to 100k, either in the trucks or the big olds. From personal experience the 6.2 was much much better in reliability the only thing you could really ruin them with was turning up the horsepower they would blow head gaskets guaranteed. This is firsthand knowledge not 'collected internet information" 👌

What a great video!!! Thank you. I picked up your LS Survival guide. I look forward to checking it out. I have a 1988 R3500 Crew cab. What Transmission came in that truck? Thank you😄😄

You missed the NP241/NP241C passenger side drop transfer case, it replaced the NP208 in the squarebody. It was in all the late '88-'91 K5 Blazers, Jimmy's, and 1/2 or 3/4 ton 4wd Suburbans. Late '88 and all '89 NP241s had a speedo cable output and the 90-91 NP241Cs had a VSS output for the electronic speedo. Much better low range than the NP203, NP205, or NP208 as well. It also had an internal oil pump for better lubrication and cooling. Arguably the best transfer case in any squarebody for on or off road driving. It's one of the most desirable transfer cases for LS swaps because of the VSS and being a direct bolt up to a 4L60 or 4L80.

I own a 74 C-20 Cheyenne Super Longhorn,454/400 Gold/Wht👍🔥🇺🇸🤠

Sad thought, what cash for clunkers did to these beloved old rigs ☹️, I have an '85 Scottsdale