Thoughts on a trade? 1986 K30 3+3 for 1978 K10 SWB Silverado

[ihv800]

Hello all! I've been a lurker on here for some time. I favor mostly the old IH pickups and Scouts and have collected several, but love all old American pickups and enjoy coming over here to look at the various build threads and such. This board is a wealth of tech that can be applied well beyond just GM stuff. I may very well venture into some square bodies here soon, however!

A buddy of mine got a smoking deal on a pretty clean 1978 K10 SWB Silverado. It is a well optioned pickup with a 400, auto, a/c, cruise, tach, ect. Needs a lot of little things, but is pretty straight, low rust, runs, and drives well. I've got a soft spot for 1/2 ton short boxes of all makes and have kind of fallen in love with it.

An uncle of mine has offered me a great deal on his 1986 K30 crew cab long box. It also is a well optioned Silverado (power locks/windows and all!). It is a 454 and TH400. It also is a good clean original pickup.

My buddy would be interested in trading and I'm just looking for some outside opinions! Both trucks are in pretty similar shape, the crew might be a tiny bit better overall. I know all the history of my uncles K30, he bought it nearly new and has kept up with maintenance on it since then. The 454 has 15-20k on it since rebuild. The K10s history is more unknown, guy my buddy bought it from claims the 400 probably has about the same mileage.

Both are great pickups, my gut says the crew cab is worth a little more but I'm not very familiar with the values of these square bodies. What's everyone think? If I end up doing a trade, does there need to be some money one way or the other to be fair?

[cochino12]

Your crew is worth 3 times what his truck is. If its for sale let me know I'm interested

[Eyegore]

Adam is correct, the 78 are plentiful but a true k30 are getting harder to come by, keep the k30

[meatwagon83]

No way in hell would I trade him, like was previously stated, that one ton is worth at least three times what that half ton is!

[95 S_Trucker]

It all depends on what you want. In this area, there are a ton more crew cab k30s than swb k10s.

If you want to tow or haul, the answer is obvious.

[rideair]

Based on the pictures,

Tell your buddy his truck plus $7,500.00 and he owes you big time, and if he complains, say truck + $9,000.00, want to complain again??

Enjoy,

[gmachinz]

I decided what I'd prefer as soon as I read "K30" and factory "454" lol. Yep-the CC is BY FAR the better deal.

[70K10Hunter]

Crew cab all day long......

[44th Miss Inf]

Good looking crew cab

[Jeff's bowtie's]

The 14 bolt and Dana 60 in the crew cab is worth more than that whole K/10 imo

[sweetk30]

Originally Posted by Jeff's bowtie's

The 14 bolt and Dana 60 in the crew cab is worth more than that whole K/10 imo

and the round pattern 205 t-case is worth half the k10 price point .

[ihv800]

Wow! I certainly know about the axle and drivetrain parts being so desirable in the K30 (I would really like to find a 60 front from one for my '73 3/4 International) but this one is far to nice to part. I know people really like the SWB pickups too, and figured the price points would be a little closer than what seems to be the general consensus here. Glad I asked! I don't have the crew cab yet but will be giving my uncle a call.

Originally Posted by 95 S_Trucker

It all depends on what you want. In this area, there are a ton more crew cab k30s than swb k10s.

If you want to tow or haul, the answer is obvious.

Neither are very common in my area, lots of regular cab long boxes, though. I don't need either pickup, and have other things to use for towing and such. I just find happiness in having some old pickups to cruise around in.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone!