Stolen truck found after 30 years

[goldpack]

Good idea but none of the dash gages are working and the interior isn’t in good condition for a consignment dealer but the body is straight.

...you make it seem terrible. ...I think its a $20,000 plus thing as is.
(even if it needs some help, by your hand or its future owner,...consignment or not, I see nice things that need work when I watch the Hagerty things)

$40,000 if the cluster odometer was stuck on 80085 ...as everyone loves boobs.

edit: @Frankenchevy made a post a few back, I recall he does live in California and has typed about such things (...on threads like we have for the Leno Bill,...and people trying to get/keep registered)

 

[DoubleDingo]

Hello All,
My dad bought a 1985 GMC Sierra Classic 4x4 brand new with power windows and even paid extra for a power rear window. He had it for 11 years and it was stolen in 1996. Now 30 years later the CHP found some one who bought the truck in AZ trying to register it here in CA. After a 14 hour round trip we took back the truck. Now my problem is it has an aftermarket engine with headers and the BAR smog said we can’t smog and register it unless we either do an engine swap or replace with all original parts. I can’t even find a shop willing to to a swap into an 85 in CA that will pass the BAR inspection let alone the price. Any and all suggestions welcome I heard this is the best square body site around.

Register it out of state, or sell it to someone living out of state

 

[Broken85]

I think your cheapest option is to move out of California. Better for you psychologically also………

 

[CalSgt]

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Links no worky

 

[Grit dog]

Msd atomic is CARB compliant for your year. Hedman makes long tubes that are CARB compliant. LS swap is difficult to get past the referee without the newer tank/evap system installed.

Register it in one of many smog exempt counties if you have a friend or relative there, or Montana LLC.

^Best advice yet.
Work smarter not harder.

 

[Grit dog]

...you make it seem terrible. ...I think its a $20,000 plus thing as is.
(even if it needs some help, by your hand or its future owner,...consignment or not, I see nice things that need work when I watch the Hagerty things)

$40,000 if the cluster odometer was stuck on 80085 ...as everyone loves boobs.

edit: @Frankenchevy made a post a few back, I recall he does live in California and has typed about such things (...on threads like we have for the Leno Bill,...and people trying to get/keep registered)

See the “Hey wanna buy your truck” thread. If your serious above I have a few I’ll sell ya that you’ll think are a deal and I’ll laugh my way to the bank. Seriously.

 

[Grit dog]

My dad got speeding tickets going to Reno and they raised his rates so he took off the full coverage a few months before it was stolen so he actually got nothing for it.

He’ll, I got that going on now and not for too many tickets.
I only carry comp on our SRT, which sucks (an slightly not legal but it’s my risk imo fuuk em), but my otherwise very good and good rates ins co literally wanted almost $5k a year for full coverage. And even liability was about half that.
When they started that nonsense about 3 years ago I dropped everything but comp in the winter when it was mostly parked. Now $15k in insurance premium savings later, I’m halfway to breaking even if it gets totaled and not covered by someone else.
As far as legality, if I get pulled over, based on recent experiences when I pull up the app and scroll through the half dozen insured vehicles, policies, the cop looks at the long list of insured items and says thanks.
It’s a risk but wtf, just because people crash SRTs like eating potato chips I ain’t paying 3x my homeowners policy to cover it!

 

[Grit dog]

FWIW similar happened to a buddy couple years ago. Not stolen but he’d sold this late 60s K10 back in the day. Apparently it was never re-titled. Fast forward 25-30 years he gets a call from an impound lot a couple hours away and about 10 min away from where he sold it. Said your truck is impounded and racking up fees. It’s $400 today and going up.
We grabbed a trailer the next day and went and got it. He coughed up $450 or something and then sold it a second time 3 decades later…

 

[Terlingueno]

Msd atomic is CARB compliant for your year. Hedman makes long tubes that are CARB compliant. LS swap is difficult to get past the referee without the newer tank/evap system installed.

Register it in one of many smog exempt counties if you have a friend or relative there, or Montana LLC.

Smog exempt in California is not what you think it is. One still has to provide DMV with a valid smog certificate to register a vehicle. If a county is smog exempt, that means it is exempt from bi-annual smog check. Still gotta have a valid smog certificate to do the initial registration.

So to the OP, in my opinion, if you are dead set on keeping that truck, find the original parts and then go from there. I think the LS swap will cost you low five figures to have it done correctly...

 

[legopnuematic]

Welcome from Missouri.

 

[Ricko1966]

Hello All,
My dad bought a 1985 GMC Sierra Classic 4x4 brand new with power windows and even paid extra for a power rear window. He had it for 11 years and it was stolen in 1996. Now 30 years later the CHP found some one who bought the truck in AZ trying to register it here in CA. After a 14 hour round trip we took back the truck. Now my problem is it has an aftermarket engine with headers and the BAR smog said we can’t smog and register it unless we either do an engine swap or replace with all original parts. I can’t even find a shop willing to to a swap into an 85 in CA that will pass the BAR inspection let alone the price. Any and all suggestions welcome I heard this is the best square body site around.

This man's story is why Kansas checks engine,body and frame ID. In certain circumstances not all cars everytime, but they have their guidlines. They claim they have made a big dent in auto theft that way.

 

[AZ_old_man]

There are smog exempt counties in Nevada and Arizona as well. And if you can get it registered and insured out of state, you are going to be paying less than California rates. Probably a LOT less. Just make sure that you keep up to date on the registration/insurance so that CHP will have less reasons to harass you.

 

[hack_man]

I wonder if your California people will recommend you send it on sale to Nevada/ Arizona. ...if it don't work out. maybe Hagerty/ Hemmings auctions. (with a nice big reserve....= Hagerty has a good pricing app for figuring what its worth. =


I live i NY,...and I could put a 572 in anything more than 25 years old.
(so even a caviler...so long as it has brakes/ lights and road worthy for safety.)
edit: but they plug into anything NOT 25 years old ...so it better have something like a native ECU in a 2002 and newer ...(counted Jan 1st of the model year...not by month of manufacture)

So if I move my '83 K10 back to NY and the smog pump fell off since it was last registered there, am I good?

 

[MickinKY]

I got no suggestions on how to manuever getting the truck legal again. But, congratulations in getting it back!

 

[goldpack]

So if I move my '83 K10 back to NY and the smog pump fell off since it was last registered there, am I good?

yup. (and you can put NY gold and blues on from 1983,...before the liberty plates)