Found a MINT 83 Silverado

[CRGRS 66]

Hey guys, I spend all of my time over on the 60-66 forum (as you can imagine from my Avatar)

I found this 83 Silverado, it is absolutely MINT, all original, no rust anywhere, period!!!!

305, Auto, PS, PB, AC (works well), 85,000 miles. Is 12,000.00 a good price for this truck? I would like to ditch my Mazda 3 and make this one my DD.

Is the oil pressure a little high? this is at idle after being warmed up, and a 2 mile trip down the highway and back.

Let me know what y'all think...

[CRGRS 66]

Actually oil pressure is at 35MPH (no tach), it was a wee bit lower at idle.

[CRGRS 66]

56 looks, no comments...

[Zane M]

The oil pressure is fine. My '87 with 128,000 on the clock is similiar.
That is a very nice, clean, original truck.
Is it worth $12,000? Only you can decide that. It is a 29 year old truck, so many would say that is high. But on the flip side, unless you could do a lot of the work yourself, you would have a hard time restoring one to that condition for less than the asking price.

[pat386]

Looks clean!!! As stated, you'd be hard pressed to restore one for that price. My pressure is about the same. Has it had any body work done? Or just tucked away?


That's a good chunk of change for it...
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[tucsonjwt]

I have an 83 C20 beater, so this is what my truck should look like.

Oil pressure has always read high on the 3 squares I have owned (1 350, 2 454s). I think my current C20 reads about 45-50 psi. Like a street rodder I knew as a teenager told me when my 63 Corvette 327/300 was reading high oil pressure: "Don't worry about the high pressure, worry about the low pressure."

When I see a high price on an old square, I think that $12K gets you a long way to a brand new truck. Any old truck will need repairs, no matter how nice it looks, so figure that into your calculations. The only old truck that won't need a lot of repairs is one that has been professionally restored like a frame off. Even well cared for trucks just wear out with age - rubber/plastic parts, trim parts, plus all of the usual wear parts - brakes, shocks, tires, alternator, steering pump and steering box, fan clutch, water pump, etc. Parts just wear out with age, even if they are not used.

Also, if you use that truck as a truck it won't look nice very long. Mine was restorable when I got it 10 years ago, but I used it hard and now it is a true beater - which is what I wanted from this truck.

I would put $12K in a new truck and make payments on the balance. Should be about $18K or less American dollars on a new truck, or get one used about a year or two old. Just my $.02.

[C-10 simplex]

i'm just wondering how they were able to get/keep a truck rust free (it appears so) in ontario?

[mopar346]

Sweet truck no doubt but I think he will be sitting on it a long time for $12k. I agree you'd be hard presssed to restore one that level for the money but unfortunately it probably is not as nice and trouble free as it looks. It's a 2WD I would say $7-8 is about right, but what do I know?

[CRGRS 66]

Thanks for the input guys. Simplex
from trashington (trashington, funny), truck is a one owner from georgia, bill of sale etc in glove box, I was crawling under this truck, NO rust period! As bad as it gets is that picture of the gate hinge.
Everything costs more up here, your 18k new truck is 25k up here, not to mention that you just don't find trucks in this condition. I am in sales, so i drive, but my truck is just a car really. These old trucks are easy to maintain, new pieces of crap are way to complex...
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[Firebirdjones]

For an 83 with a 305? Not worth $12k to me even if it were 50 years old and still that nice. But depends on how bad you want it.

I don't view these squares as being all that collectable. Neat trucks and all, but I can think of many other things I'd rather spend $12k on.

If you are willing to spend $12k on a nice rust free solid square,,,you can get a better truck with my 79 1 ton and a brand new GM crate 502. I'd gladly let mine go for that kind of money,,,,I just never thought anyone would pay that much for an old truck like that

[tucsonjwt]

From a practical point of view, if you are driving your vehicle a lot in sales, then you really should have a safer modern vehicle as a DD, IMHO. A slightly used vehicle in Canada must be a better buy from that perspective. I know a lot of those posting here think a big heavy metal truck is good in an accident, but at high speed you are really better off with air bags, crush zones, etc. Having an old vehicle to cruise around with is OK for weekends if you have the extra money, but I won't drive my truck out of town even though it is in excellent mechanical shape - the odds are against me with a 30 year old truck.
I saw a website that lists 7% Canada import tax, plus a few hundred in other fees, so you could buy a vehicle in a sales tax free state and pay the tax and still be ahead of the game - except for the government hassle. I think most states don't tax a vehicle if it is sold to an out of state/out of county buyer. Or, buy a 10 year old vehicle and pay no Canadian tax? Just thinkin.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by tucsonjwt

From a practical point of view, if you are driving your vehicle a lot in sales, then you really should have a safer modern vehicle as a DD, IMHO. A slightly used vehicle in Canada must be a better buy from that perspective. I know a lot of those posting here think a big heavy metal truck is good in an accident, but at high speed you are really better off with air bags, crush zones, etc. Having an old vehicle to cruise around with is OK for weekends if you have the extra money, but I won't drive my truck out of town even though it is in excellent mechanical shape - the odds are against me with a 30 year old truck.
.

That's where I differ. I drive my 72 4x4 blazer everday. It's my main vehicle and I don't even think twice about it. It's also the family SUV, and we take vacations in it accross country. Very dependable. Drove it for years with the original 350 and it never let me down. All you need is a set of points and a mechanical fuel pump to make it run. If it breaks down I can fix it on the side of the road. Can't say the same for a new vehicle. Generally when they die,,you're calling a hook. I trust the older cars more than I do a new vehicle. Although I do have a couple of newer LS power vehicles here, and I even swapped a 6.0 in the blazer, but none of that makes it a better vehicle in my opinion.

I never did buy into all that safety hogwash that society seems to try and pry into everyones brain. But that's just me, technoligy peaked for me about 1975 I'll continue to keep driving my classics everyday till I die. Everyone else can have their cookie cutter cars

[CRGRS 66]

Thanks for all of the input everyone.

[ont_guy_38]

I am from the same area as 66 is and it is hard to find trucks like ours that aren't rusted to death or full of Bondo . If the truck is where I think it is I have been there myself and my mouth just drools at all the good stuff he has but yes 12000 is a lot of money . He gets these trucks from areas where you guys live and yes prob only pays 5-6000 like you guys say but that is rare around this area. I have seen some rust free stuff cheaper around here and I'm sure if 66 waited long enough he would find another. Final decision if 66 thinks it's worth that much to him then go for it .

[mooseknuckles]

.......seems a bit much, but it looks really clean and straight....I know trucks in good shape are hard to find...in the end it's up to you...

[meter swinger]

I think that 12G is a little steep. But, 12G may not be a lot of money to CRGRS 66. You couldnt build one for that, so if you can talk him down some why not go buy it? Almost all cars are a loss financially so who cares. Spend the money, and enjoy the ride.
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[gchemist]

Wish my 83 looked that good. If I had lotto money to blow, it would be in my garage! Three things would be on my list. New bezel, new engine (350 ZZ4) and new 700R4. I would drive it everyday!

[N2TRUX]

You can't build it for 12K thats for sure, If you buy one thats been rebuilt, you have no idea what the quality is or what might have been overlooked. Right or wrong, GM built them using the same formula every day of the week.

I do think 12 is a bit steep, but its not as crazy as some of the biased opinions have expressed. Try to get them down some and enjoy a factory built ride.

[CRGRS 66]

Really appreciate all of the input, you 73-87 guys aren't nears as bad as the 67-72 guys let on...

Kidding aside, I am seriously considering making this guy an offer, I know he likes to get all of his trucks moved out before the snow flies, and this is the last one. Of the 5 he had 2 months ago, this is the nicest one, the others were nice too, but needed more TLC, more like no to low rust project trucks.

[J Knight]

Originally Posted by meter swinger

I think that 12G is a little steep. But, 12G may not be a lot of money to CRGRS 66. You couldnt build one for that, so if you can talk him down some why not go buy it? Almost all cars are a loss financially so who cares. Spend the money, and enjoy the ride.
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I'm going to have to agree with this, I couldn't have summed it up better myself. It seems every car/truck out there is a colossal waste of money in an investment sense except high end collector cars. I happen to enjoy wasting money on my old 82 beater.
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[Malo83]

12G's, that's what I paid for my 83 Silverado New.

[tucsonjwt]

To sum it all up, as I always say, you can do a little research and get a very nice restorable, rust free truck in SW U.S. every day of the week- maybe $4-$6K tops I would rather do the research and go through the import hassle than pay twice what a truck is worth - but I am famously cheap and willing to go through some hassle to get what I want. After all, this seller went through some hassle and came out the other side intact.

You can still find stock OEM GM or AC Delco parts for most items. I am not very good with major vehicle repairs, but I have done more than half the work on my 83 with simple hand tools (I stay away from engine, brakes, major drivetrain repairs, etc.). You can make a $4-$5K truck look like this with not much time or effort for not much money - then you have a truck you know is reliable and worth keeping.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Really appreciate all of the input, you 73-87 guys aren't nears as bad as the 67-72 guys let on...

.

I own both a 72 and a 79 and I like either one equally, although the 72 brings more money, as I mentioned I don't ever see the squares as being all that collectable or exepensive,,,but I don't like them any less

I never did jump into the certain car groupie thing anyway, I like all kinds of stuff.

[GM-power]

For 12k I would shop around. Depending in how much you drive something with better mileage would be better. Being a DD it wouldn't stay perfect for too long. Ultimately get what floats your boat.
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[Roynutts]

If you like it and can afford it then get it ! Be prepared to be stopped in parking lots and complimented on how nice your truck is....i've had a bunch of them and quite a few friends that have had a few and people do remember those trucks and how well made and nice they looked back in the 80's . Get compliments all the time on my 86' dually ! Just do it ! Lol