Info Regarding 73-87 GMC/Chevy Trucks

In 1973 General Motors introduced their new line of C/K series pickups, which would become one of the longest running truck series ever. They made these trucks from 1973 to 1987. That's 14 years of the same truck! Today that would be unheard of. The fact that these trucks were manufactured for as long as they were is a testament to their quality and popularity among the public.

When released in 1973 these trucks were more car- like in their features than ever before, and became known as the "rounded line" trucks. In the design process the truck's lines were smoothed out with the aid of a wind tunnel. Although these trucks seem anything but rounded today, at the time the curved side glass and sloped surface that runs down the side of the truck was considered aerodynamic and certainly more rounded than the previous generation of trucks. One interesting flaw in this design was the top of the doors cut into the roofline. Although this made for easier entry and exit, when it rained, water was able to run down into the cab and soak the occupants. The problem was addressed with the addition of a rain gutter over the top of the door that would remain there for the rest of the truck's run. The 73-87 trucks were also the last to feature vent windows. Although many believe that the vent windows were removed from later series just to cut costs, I believe it was also due to the troubles associated with them. After several years they usually begin to leak and create wind noise in the cab. They also make an easy entry point for thieves, as I learned after having my CD player stolen twice. Both times they simply busted out the small vent window and were able to reach in and unlock the door easily.

The interior of the trucks was designed to me more car-like and less utilitarian than previous models. The dash was a combination of plastics and metals. A steering column-mounted ignition switch was new for these trucks as well. The main gauges such as the speedometer, and fuel gauge are located directly in front of the driver, and are circular in design. The secondary gauges, such as oil pressure, engine temp, etc are smaller and located on a panel curved toward the driver off to his/her left. It's interesting to note that the fuel gauge is one of the large main gauges located in front of the driver. Today in most vehicles the fuel gauge is very small and is usually clustered off to the side. The large space the fuel gauge takes up would typically be the location of a tachometer now. Air conditioning vents were built in to the dash for the first time as well.

Initially, engines were available in two different in-line sixes and the 307, 350, and 454 V8.

The trucks continued on basically unchanged through 1980. In 1981, the trucks went through a minor styling update. The front end of the trucks was restyled with a sheetmetal change. The once flat hood now had a slight tilt added to it. The front fenders were also altered with the crease coming to a point at the front of the truck. The grill was redesigned as well, with the quad square headlights becoming the norm. The turn signal lights were moved into the front bumper. A few reasons for the changes were the increasing emissions standards and the rising fuel prices of the times. Supposedly the new front end was more aerodynamic, which reduced wind drag and improved fuel economy. The new design also reduced the weight of the truck up to 200 pounds. I personally like the look of the trucks much better after this restyling.

In 1981 the interior was freshened up as well. The dash was redone to be more flat and better padded. The instrument cluster was slightly reshaped. The door panels were also redesigned with a more modern appearance and nicer materials.

For engines the new 305 V8 was introduced that year. This engine was added in an attempt to offer power with better fuel economy.

The trucks continued on successfully after their upgrade with few changes. In 1985 the Vortec V6 was introduced. It was a far cry from the V6s of today however. Visibly, the grills were altered slightly from year to year. The only other notable appearance change was the relocation of the turn signals from the bumper to the inside of the grill in 1983.

1987 was the final year for the long running series of trucks. By 87 the trucks had been refined to their absolute best. Although I'm naturally biased, I think these trucks are the best looking of the series. For some bizarre reason GM decided to rename the trucks this year to the R/V series. This name change only lasted for the year, and they quickly went back to C/K. The most notable upgrade in 1987 was the introduction of throttle body fuel injection. These were the first ever full size GM trucks that were not carburrated. The difference is astounding. The engines start better and run much more smoothly. Also fuel economy and emissions are greatly increased. Horsepower increased as well. Under the hood, the engine compartment is much less cluttered and easy to service, due to the lack of all the bulky/messy smog equipment previous engines had to be saddled with. These trucks were the perfect end to a long and successful run. The following year, 1988, the trucks were completely redesigned. Interestingly enough, the engine from the 87 was basically carried over to the 88.

All in all the 73-87 series of trucks were long lasting and well designed. Although by today's standards they may seem a bit unrefined, I truly think they are some of the best trucks out there. They have most of the modern conveniences such as AC, cruise control, and fuel injection, but are still built out of heavier more truck-like materials. Today's trucks are increasingly made from plastics and just don't have the same rugged feel as previous generations. The interior truly looks appealing and also is not all plastic like today's vehicles. My truck is old enough to be fun, but still modern enough to be comfortable. There are still TONS of these trucks on the road today, which shows that this design truly has withstood the test of time.