I just finished tracking down my dads old 86 lwb k10 that he sold when I was a kid. Same truck, verified the vin and all. It wasn’t even for sale until the owner heard my story and now I’m going to work out a deal on it Saturday. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to find it and I finally did after years of internet sleuthing. I appreciate the tips in your video as it’s been sitting awhile and isn’t the spring chicken it used to be, but I’m determined to make it as nice as I remember.

Rust? You mean weight reduction lol

Just bought my old 85 back again sunday. Cant wait to start with it.

Hey Robbie I appreciate you showing us the ends and outs of what to look for ,so many us saw some things I ran into on my build that I had to address thank you. 👍🏼👍🏼

Great video. I am mostly a 67-72 guy but I love them all. My first was a 81 short bed many years ago. I think this was one of your better vids. I learned a lot, Rocky did an outstanding job explaining problem areas on these trucks. Like the stepper. Well done!

Good information, thanks for sharing. Dallas Texas showing support!

Lots of great points, My buddy always looks down in the wiper cowl. I recently came across a round eye shortbed little rust but not bad at all. Guy isn't ready to sell yet been sitting there since late 90s he said

Rocky is a natural in front of the camera. Great info BTW. I have a video coming up on how to fix the "Taco" hood like I have on Dale!

Great info! I did not look for all those things when i bought my 71’ c10. Found out frame was cut for a c-notch and the c-notch bracket was never installed. Luckily the frame was still good. I would like to add another spot to check is around the lower part of the windshield, might be some rust down there as well. Keep up the great content! 👍🏼

I appreciate the expertise you all have shared with the square body details. My father-in-law passed in 1992 having bought a 1979 C30 Scottsdale with 350 CI 400 auto full floating axle in 1980 . He hauled used tires and casings to different tire dealers . I acquired the truck after that and have replaced the ring and pinion due to my brother-in-law damaging it . I am currently repairing brakes, removed the side tanks, installing rear tank between the frame, and it will need a lot of sheet metal replaced . But it is still a great vehicle that I plan to pass to my Granddaughters 10, 11, 13. I am 68. I also have a 1964 C10 short bed step side 327 with a Tremec 5 speed . Love the channel . Keep up the great work .

Nice video! Have a super base model, but. Ordered 81 gmc 2wd, zero power option, radio delete 305/4speed swb and sport mirrors. Love it to death and she still gets 19.9mpg with the factory motor. Been watching your channel for a while, fist time commenting, keep up the good work

Great video, very informative and could save you a whole heap of money on your new purchase of an early truck., well done guys👍

As a '76 shorty owner I can agree with everything in the video. I'd like to add that you should check the control arm bushings (if original they'll be cracked) and the ball joints (if original they'll be riveted to the control arm.)

I grew up with square body trucks and Burbs, that's what I learned to wrench on. Decent square body trucks are hard to find in Texas and expensive when you find them, so I got the newer generation. The GMT 400/OBS trucks are the next wave of cool trucks!

Thank you so much. I will be buying a square body for our farm. Not to beat up and use that way, but more as a show, drive around, pull our trailer to the farmers market, my wife any my classic vehicle to cruise around in, and I love the advise. I had a 76 GMC Jimmy, and a 73 Chevy Cheyenne in High School. I worked on farms since I was young, so I had lots of cash flow even in school. I ended up selling both and restored a 70 Olds Cutlass when I was in the Army

Very nice video about these trucks! I grew up with them, and currently have three long-time examples that I I have saved for decades with intention to restore -- though I am finally questioning how realistic that intention is. My first is a nicely-optioned '75 Catalina Blue Chevy K20 Camper Special Silverado. Built in August '74 in Fremont California, my dad bought it brand new; I remember driving it home from Hall Chevrolet in Prosser, Washington! It had full-time four wheel drive and an 8,400 lb GVWR. We hit a particularly severe pavement seem less than one mile from the dealership, and I recall my dad turning to me and asking "do you think the springs will soften up over time?". They never did! As one of the first 1975's built, it was also one of the earliest "Silverado" trucks, although at that time the reference was to the top trim level formerly designated "Cheyenne Super" (1974 and earlier). I have so many wonderful memories of vacationing in that pickup, toting our RV to distant places. Just a few years later, we purchased a beautiful low-mileage '74 GMC Sierra 1500 dressed out in Rosedale Red and Frost White for our lead farm foreman to drive. It was produced out of the same Fremont, California plant in July of 1974. Although separated by an entire model year from our '75 Silverado, it was only a month older in terms of actual production. Ours is a very well-optioned pickup...A/C, tilt wheel, factory tachometer, glide-out spare tire, 350 4bbl/turbo hydramatic, 5,600 lb GVW Fleetside. This truck also wears its original factory-installed (per the glovebox option listing) Rally Wheels with the seldom seen squared-off trim rings and non-scalloped center caps characteristic of the '74-'77 models. In 1974, the Sierra trim package occupied the same rank as the Chevrolet Cheyenne in terms of trim, and nearly rivaled the the top-line Sierra Grande/Cheyenne Super in terms of content, so it was truly a luxury pickup. And finally, we have a 1979 Chevy Big 10 Fleetside with nearly every available option including Silverado trim and 454 V8 with factory "Trailering Special" package. Ours has a paint scheme that I loved at the time, but now would probably be roundly mocked: a two-tone of Light Caramel Metallic and Santa Fe Tan. Of the three trucks, the '79 is actually in really good restorable condition, although I sprung the hood myself a few years ago in the way you describe. Arggg! All three of these trucks sit in a corner of our property, silent for years now. They aren't beautiful any more, having put in many years of being ridden hard and put away wet. Each one has suffered some of the maladies you outline in your video. Thank you for inspiring us to fix these old rigs!

The Dentside Fords and Square Body Chevys make me feel nostalgic. I remember them when they premiered for 1973 (I was almost 9).

Great video Guys!!! Looking forward on buying my first square body

Thank you for your channel and all of the information you provide. Bought a 1975 Chevrolet C 10 w/ a small block 350 for $600. Was not running. Have been repairing/rebuilding and runs well now. It will be a nice-looking functional truck when done. You are right, they are a lot of fun!

Good tips...thanks! The high back bucket seats were first used in 1978.

We are parting out 15 of the square body trucks from 73 thru 86. our wrecker is a 83 3/4 ton. We use the front suspension to convert 60 thru 72 trucks to 5 lug disk brakes.

I've got a '73 and I oiled up the hood hinges Real Well when I got it. I had the hood kink on a '71 El Camino and having had that happen Knew to oil the truck's hood upon purchase. Thanks for this video

Thanks for the info on square body chevys my 75 has some in the bed on back wheel wells and some on the cab corners and the seat hump not bad. Some on the floors but not bad just pin holes.

I miss the what’s in my driveway episodes! An in-depth tour of Rocky’s Square and a quick tour would be awesome

Thank for the information!!! Im going to look and more than like getting it this Saturday

Great tips for a future squarebody owner!

Love squarebodies! Don't care for lowered trucks, but this coming from someone who lives in farm country and owns a '76 K20. 😆

This was really helpful. Im looking for a square body for my first truck but haven't found one yet. Thanks for the info

Inherited my dads 1981 Chevy Silverado. I have so many questions. There is some rust. Thank you for the information. Look forward to watching and learning more about my new treasured project.

Good stuff fellows.keep giving us great info and keep wrenching

Wow! So THAT'S what a driver's side rocker panel looks like! My 76 GMC Sierra Grande doesn't have one! Lol! They are like Unicorns here in Michigan! Great video guys! Love the squares!

The drip rail at the leading edge of the door on the cab/pillar itself! That's rust prone down here in Texas and all along the Gulf Coast. Original paint on an *85 K5 Blazer Pioneer Edition* with massive rust in that pillar area, but it's not created a hole yet.... Also, the kick plate holes beneath the door, hole in the door from falling window seals, and the rocker panels.

On one ton trucks, pay attention to the rear u-bolts. Where they go through the u-bolt plate under the rear axle they can rust very badly there. I've seen the 5/8" diameter reduced to 1/4". Also the axle tubes can be rusted where the plate contacts the tube. Old gm trucks are awesome though!

Great video I have 17 these trucks here in southeastern Ohio just got my most recent is a 87 Scottsdale k30 dually only 98.000 miles on the truck got my daughter and son building there's right now .

As for a base Square Body, a 292 Six and 4 on the floor would make for a fun to drive find! Especially if it's a Stepper!

Great video, very informative guys! Picked up a few new tips from ya = sweet!

I agree. This is amazing, keep it up.

Very nice! Thanks for the tips!

Glad yall put the steering box frame issue in the video. I sent you a dm about it on Instagram. I finally found a frame so that swap will begin soon

Looking at an 82 this week. Great info. Thanks.

Great info! Love it

I love all the trucks you showed

got a solid almost 0 rust 85 c10 scottsdale regular cab 8FT from a retired farmer for $300. He towed it behind his tractor to the fields for 10 yrs and parked it. Has 16000 miles on and planning on restoring it. needs alot of polish since its yellow and super faded.

Just brougt an 86 C10 short from Germany to Sweden. The german bought it In Arkansas. Made my desission based on 4 pictures🤓 It was perfect for its age. Way better than expected.

Luckily i knew most of this when i bought my first square body. But i'am really glad you guys posted this video for those of us who don't know that's pretty righteous.

My uncle had a Scottsdale (from the 80’s?) in his backyard but recently got dragged to the boneyard...I wanna snatch it up, so many good parts still on it, especially the body.

appreciate the info, buying my cousins sierra 1500 for $2000 with only 56k miles on her in great condition.

Just bought a 84 k30 4x4 all original factory tach dash, 4spd, front fenders are the only rust spots. Thanks for the cool vidja.

Good video! I’m glad mine ain’t rusted out!!!

Great vid guys!!!

Great video and info. I have a 81 C/10 long bed, 305 4 speed that is my daily driver. Just rebuild the rearend with the Yukon kit and it was a great learning experience. Does anyone else have water leaks when it rains or from washing that seem to come in above the floor vents? I thought it stopped after i had a new windshield installed but that just slowed it down because it was coming in under the rubber seal on the driver side.

My first new truck was a 73 3/4 ton Cheyenne with a 454 and 4 speed. Buckets and console

Very helpful. Thank you for sharing

My first vehicle was a 78 C10 that I did a lot of work on. Swapped out the straight six three on the tree to a 350 with automatic transmission. Got a hand me down K20 for winter driving and fixed that up as well. Drove them both for a dozen years and around 2000 sold them so I could "upgrade" to a modern truck. What a mistake.. bucket list is to build same trucks! Lesson learned!

Good video, sure wish you could find those rust free trucks up here in Kentucky. Most of them up here you could sling a cat thru to the other side lol.

Awesome vid on tips and tricks.

My truck is a 1980 custom deluxe. Only option is a auxiliary fuel tank. It has the small brake pedal too. I think the later years have the big brake pedal

I had my floor pans, cab mounts and rockers redone last summer on my 78 Chevy. I got 40+ years out of it. My truck rides so much better with new cab mounts!

Love the wood grain bezzle

I bought my old bosses 76 sq body short bed. Normal Midwest rust,floors,doors,fenders,bent hood and seat cover. It did run really good. Spent a week tearing it down,two days welding,2 hours sandblasting,seat reupholstered, prepped and painted. Drove it a month,and tripled my money including my labor. Sold it to a friend at the old Bethlehem Steel,and 2 years later he parked to close to a in plant railroad track....Totaled.#Sad

Big clue to cracked frame from steering box is if the front bumper moves independent from the front clip when someone's working the steering wheel.

Awesome great videos awesome tips

Firewall area, and around windshield area are good to check also.

Mine is in the thumb nail, lots of surface rust and rockers, but lots of dents.. mechanical and wiring all replaced, working on the A/C and body next. Going to flatbed it also.

I haven't watched your channel in so long! Never even got around to sending pictures of my F250 I wound up selling sadly.. :(

Thanks for the tips, I’m going to check out a 77 c10

I inspected a recent consideration and had to stop when I saw rust around the windshield. The price made balk at 4900 for a 1981 SWB.

Thanks. This is a great video. What is the wheel and tire setup on uncle buck in this video?

another great video.... juat bought a 80 GMC .

I can tell you , upper door hinge cracking door fit and hardware, alignment shims thickness between the frame rails,and upper control arm bushing shaft,clutch pedal looseness,and upper pedal mounting brackets for hard use,4x4s with power steering, possible cracks in frame where gear box mounts, look for slop or loose tilt action on steering columns,they are getting tough to find,pay particular attention to underdash wiring ,and if it came with factory AC in particular look for missing components and compressor mount and drive,and acc mounting brackets that match and belong together along with the matching pulleys. Any way thats my two cents.

Really good video!

Make sure it's not a 4x4 converted rwd without an engine xmember. Also remember to check that the ujoints aren't shimmed with quarters and the crown and pinion aren't laying in chips at the bottom of the diff. If the pedal rod that goes into the master pops out while driving don't panic too much. Even if rebuilt entirely from scratch truck will never be reliable and never be fun and you will love every second of it.

With you there never afraid of rust I want paint and body man that always helps love them 73 scores and sixes

14 and trying to get myself one!!! Gonna be a lot of work but I think I can do it. Wish me luck!

I own a 1975 chevy k20 the hood kinking is not only caused by rusty or stuck hinges it is actually a manufacturer defect in the hood.

I just got a 1985 custome deluxe 10 from a friend, it does appear to have a decent amount of rust, it does run but has not been started up in about a year, however it seems to be solid, how difficult and or pricey is it to fix rust issues? Aside from just simply replacing the fender etc.

have a 74 gmc c15 sierra grande in almost rust-free original condition, for some reason the front edge of the hood is rusted out but no rust anywhere else on the truck. 350/th350 long bed, love to find a bucket seat/console set but they are pretty rare it seems...

I just brought a 1984 C10 shortbed custom Deluxe 6 Cylinder Manual step side , with 52,721 Original males and nothing but surface Rust and its mainly In the Flat bed

I got 3 squares that I need to get on the road. My 86 GMC K2500, an 85 Chevy C30 3+3 DRW Silverado and an 82 Custom Deluxe shortbed C10.

Good information like it 👍👍👍👍

The skinny brake pedal was standard on lower option package automatics (custom,custom deluxes) in 73,74, and early 75

The brake pedal on your white stepper. I thought the small pedal indicated manual brakes. Have you never heard that before? Is the RP tag still in your truck? Does it indicate manual brakes?

Do have any videos about K 10 chevs,I have a 82 silverado thats in perfect condition , original documened 54000 miles no issues I'm somewhat what knowledgeable on these so it's pretty good, hope to sell it this summer. Thanks for the great video.

The 'stache is back!!

thx , a great video

No mention of cab corner rust? Maybe I missed it, but I think those trucks had cab rust when they rolled off the assembly line.

The first and last new vehicle I ever bought is a 76 3/4 Scottsdale. I ordered it with the bucket seats. When I got married my wife hated them but married me anyway. Then we had a baby. We used to put the child seat in between the buckets on the console and run the seatbelts through it. I still have the truck but the wife left a long time ago and has since died. I live in Montana where it’s pretty dry. The truck has very little rust but the sun has eaten the paint off in places and it’s down to the primer on the roof and hood. The big 450 engine likes it’s gas so I don’t drive it much anymore. Gas cost 32 cents a gallon when I bought it.With the dual 20 gallon tanks that wasn’t a lot back then but when gas went crazy filling it got to be to expensive.

Got a 1973 Cheyenne super 10 big block short bed with 0 rust and 1985 C30 4dr dually with 0 rust.. both California cars here with me in Cali that I’ve found... good info here

I love them Squarebodys

Holly crap... I haven't seen a hat with a rope on it in 20 years. 😆

Just picked me up another square for $300, that makes 5. I may have a problem lol.

I miss my 3 on the tree those are awesome

I purchased my 83 in 2017 and for $2400 I got a complete all stock shortbed fleetslide with only rust near the windshield rockers, doors, and floorboards were mint with nothing

Thank you for your advance.. just got me one my dream truck 1980 c10 short bed

geezzz so much for rust free southern trucks

Good video and good stuff to look for but What about price what's a fair price for both people for a normal person for a normal truck just wondering I feel like a lot of people are over pricing trucks

New to the channel. I just purchased a one owner 1986 k 10. Minimal rust except the driver's floor pan. Rockers are great, but cab corners are shot .Because it is a 4x4, I would love to make it a little different. What would you think about trashing this original 305 and adding a straight 6, or a 6.2 diesel? Those things got great torque compared to the gas engines designed in those years because of oil shortages and emissions. Is it even possible to slide one in as a replacement or are there mods that can be done ?

I've got an 85 short bed half ton.It has a small brake pedal too.,I think maybe it has to do with manual brakes??

Just purchased a c10 1979 short stepside, it’s rust free, 355 /350 trans , engine is fresh trans rebuilt, aluminum intake , for 4K, 🤔 was it a fair deal?

Is the stepside going to get some different wheels. Asking cause I own a 81 stepside and no wheel manufacturer can tell me what off sets I would need to run 12 wide rear wheels