1978 Specifics

[Pender1]

Hello all, I'm looking at two 1978 K10 Chevrolets and trying to decide if I should buy one of them. Oddly enough they are both asking $2k and are equal drives from my house. I don't know a ton of specifics about that generation of trucks and was hoping I could get some info from the collective knowledge here. I'm just wanting one for a project and then as a weekend/play-around truck (no extreme mudding or rock crawling or anything).

Since they are both '78s, what features made that year different than any other? Was it a good year overall?

Is that a fair price for this year?

One is a 3-speed and the other is a 4-speed (both manual). Is one significantly worse/better than the other? I don't know the gearing on either sadly.

[thefraze_1020]

Like most GM trucks from the 70's, 1978's are prone to rust. Bottoms of fenders, rocker panels, cab corners, etc. Be on the lookout for that.

Exterior-wise, they are pretty much identical to 1977's. Interior changes were made in 1978, however. The wood paneling inside was gone, replaced with brushed metal trim (simulated of course), and a new instrument bezel was installed.

On the other hand, 1978 was the last year of the old style gas cap, as it was changed to a fuel door in 79 (if the filler is stock on those trucks, that is).

Take a look at this link, it should give you a lot of information on '78's.
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/stati.../dirindex.html

[thefraze_1020]

...oh and I forgot, 1978 was the first year of the newer style steering wheel, two types, depending on the trim level.

[Keith Seymore]

Pretty much the same from '73 - 87 ('73 to '80 are even more similar).

Originally Posted by Pender1

One is a 3-speed and the other is a 4-speed (both manual). Is one significantly worse/better than the other? I don't know the gearing on either sadly.

The 3 speed (on the tree, I presume) is the fully synchronized Saginaw passenger car type trans and is probably a better trans for puttering around town.

The 4 speed (on the floor, I presume) would be the SM465, which has the unsynchronized 6:1 creeper first gear is is better for pulling stumps or launching heavy trailers.

Here's the generic info packet for a '78, courtesy of the GM Heritage Center archive.

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

K

[motornut]

some 78 info I believe correct
78 finished the orange block 350s later ones blue
78 finished the glass fuses.
first year of changes that carry threw later years