Holy Grail of Squarebodys

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Dooley

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North Coast
First Name
RW
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
V30
Engine Size
454
I would like to build one of these.
 

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Magna86

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VA Beach
First Name
Magna86
Truck Year
1976
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
Chevy 350
1976 Sierra Indy Hauler Indy 500 Truck

 

FireTruck1984

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Michigan
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Ted
Truck Year
1984 and 1984
Truck Model
High Sierra K1500 350. Sierra Classic C1500 305.
Engine Size
350, 305
I have a 78 Big 10 that I am partial to.
Love it !! BTW, I restore the original bed rails for short and long bed Square bodies ‘73 thru ’87 / ’91
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mcarlo86

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Location
ND
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Brian
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
350
Do you have any pictures of any LWB stepsides? I cant remember ever seeing one.
My Grandpa and Dad had around 30 LWB stepsides in the '70's-'80's for their oilfield roustabout service. Some were half ton 2WD with 250 6 cylinders and 4 speeds, some were 3/4 ton 2WD 292 and 4 speeds, some were 3/4 ton 4WDs with 350's or 6.2 diesels and 4 speeds. I they even had a 1978 2wd and a 1979 2WD with 5.7 Olds diesels. (I would bet money that they were the only stepside LWB 5.7 diesels ever produced - would be interesting if anyone could prove me wrong on that). They never did have any crew cabs though. Almost all of those pickups ended up going to farmers in the area after we were done with them. Sadly, I think they have all been junked out by now. I do know of one stepside long bed box with the headache rack from one of our former pickups sitting in the trees on a farm nearby. The guy told me I can have the box, I just need to go get it. I would love to find a K30 Crew Cab single wheel and put that stepside box with headache rack on. That would be my holy grail.
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85K304SPD

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Location
Las Cruces, NM
First Name
Richard
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K30
Engine Size
383
My Grandpa and Dad had around 30 LWB stepsides in the '70's-'80's for their oilfield roustabout service. Some were half ton 2WD with 250 6 cylinders and 4 speeds, some were 3/4 ton 2WD 292 and 4 speeds, some were 3/4 ton 4WDs with 350's or 6.2 diesels and 4 speeds. I they even had a 1978 2wd and a 1979 2WD with 5.7 Olds diesels. (I would bet money that they were the only stepside LWB 5.7 diesels ever produced - would be interesting if anyone could prove me wrong on that). They never did have any crew cabs though. Almost all of those pickups ended up going to farmers in the area after we were done with them. Sadly, I think they have all been junked out by now. I do know of one stepside long bed box with the headache rack from one of our former pickups sitting in the trees on a farm nearby. The guy told me I can have the box, I just need to go get it. I would love to find a K30 Crew Cab single wheel and put that stepside box with headache rack on. That would be my holy grail.
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Cool trucks, cool story. Why did they prefer the stepsides? Thanks for sharing.
 

mcarlo86

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ND
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Brian
Truck Year
1990
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
350
My grandpa started the company in 1961. Stepside work pickups were more common back then, and was considered preferred for working out of. The headache racks and toolboxes they used were designed for stepsides, so that is what they continued to get in the 70's and 80's. They even retrofitted a LWB Chevy stepside box on a Cummins powered '89 Dodge D250 and one on an extended cab 1989 K2500 Chevy too. They eventually moved on from stepsides and went to one ton cab and chassis pickups with flatbeds.
 

85K304SPD

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Las Cruces, NM
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Richard
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K30
Engine Size
383
I guess you can use that "step" to get up there to the rack or tool box or whatever... Makes sense now. Thanks.
 
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Ron Sebastian

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Location
Vero Beach
First Name
Ron
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
Custom Deluxe V10
Engine Size
350
A buddy told me about a factory 396 in a camper special. My 350 blows someday that's what I'll put in it.
 

mtbadbob

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Montana
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Bob
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V20
Engine Size
350
A buddy told me about a factory 396 in a camper special. My 350 blows someday that's what I'll put in it.
Don't think I've ever seen an actual 396 in a chevy truck, but I know the 400 (402=bored 396) was common.
 

Dooley

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Location
North Coast
First Name
RW
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
V30
Engine Size
454
Don't think I've ever seen an actual 396 in a chevy truck, but I know the 400 (402=bored 396) was common.
My 1969 Longhorn was factory equipped with the 396.
My 1972 GMC version of that pickup came with the 402.
Pic of the 69.
 

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mtbadbob

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Location
Montana
First Name
Bob
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V20
Engine Size
350
My 1969 Longhorn was factory equipped with the 396.
My 1972 GMC version of that pickup came with the 402.
Pic of the 69.
Oh yeah, now that you mention it, I do recall seeing the 396 badge on a few fenders! Kinda rare birds though...Very cool!
 

Kurnacopia

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Location
Tucson, AZ
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
Scottsdale
Engine Size
383
I found this 1974 K5 Blazer 350/TH350/NP203/ in absolutely perfect condition after a wife of a man with Heart and Lung transplant posted on FB Market. It had been stolen and painted Primer Gray and then recovered. It had been mostly restored and had only a tiny bit of rust on a door. It sat in a Barn for 10 years and looked like hell when it was shown. But I knew the gem underneath. Replaced the alternator, power steering pump and brackets, belts, distributor, wires, plugs and added a tach in the bezel. She needs lots of rubber so that's next. Each weekend I work on removing the paint. Tedious but worth the time.
 

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