'89 GMC 'Burb grill swap questions

[Hunter79764]

Really? You don’t like these at all?

You must be registered for see images attach

As soon as I can justify having a single cab truck, that's on my short list, setup nearly exactly as above. Possibly stepside if I found one. And LS swapped, the later the interior the better.

 

[Ichy62]

I'm looking at an '89 GMC Suburban. Very clean, only issue is, I hate the late GMC grill style. So my question is, is it easy, hard or impossible with chopping and unique tools to do a 'non-invasive' (No major cutting) swap to, say, a '81 GMC grill? or an '86 Chevrolet grill? how different are the connectors? are the headlight bezel holes similar? If there's someone with that knowledge I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd share. Thanks.

You must replace everything from the core support out, not an impossible job, just remember 4 headlight and two headlight groups are different. Ive done the swap in less than two hours, and no paint required

 

[mcarlo86]

This is likely a 96+, so no sweepy gauges and different dash/interior than the early gmt400 dash you are referring to.

You must be registered for see images attach

Vs

You must be registered for see images attach

I never liked the GMT400's when they first came out, but then I ended up buying a '90 C1500 for college and really liked that pickup. I have to say, the Silverado seats from '90-94 are some of the best ever made. The dashes on the pre '95's definitely look dated, but they were very typical for that time period.

 

[Backfoot100]

The 89-91 grille might be desirable to some, but for me personally (and a lot of people I know) I wouldn't be able to rip that thing off a truck fast enough. It looks like an afterthought (because it was), the standard cab pickups had already switched over to the GMT400 platform (very uninspiring looking trucks IMO) and to try to make the nearly 20 year old bodystyle still being used on the burbs/blazers/crew cabs look "current" GM slapped in a grille that kind of mimicked the look of the newer trucks. It's cheap and plasticy looking, modeled after a truck that already doesn't look great, and slapped onto a vehicle on which it does not belong as a last resort to try to make a truck from the '70s look like it belongs in the early 90s, oh boy! lol

I cringe every time I see a standard cab pickup with that grille swapped on because you know it didn't come like that and someone went through all the work just to make it look more like a cheesy GMT400.

Not one bit. Least favorite body style of GM trucks ever made besides the current. I'd rather have an ugly-ass angry-eye truck.

Granted, the one you posted is not as bad as like an '88 w/t, but yeah heck no I like nothing about it. Interior is fugly with those dumb sweep gauges and the radio being stuck in a random spot in the dash, side moulding is cheap, wheels are gross, don't even like the mirrors. I can't think of a single thing I like about that truck besides the color. There are literally NO body lines just smooth sheet metal and plastic sh!t. Thin gauge metal too so that gentle curve of the bedsides/doors are really succeptible to parking lot dings etc and they always end up looking like hammered turds, I remember even when that was the current late model bodystyle unless it was brand new off the lot the ones that were even a couple years old always looked dinged up and just plain trashy. What a lame truck. Not to mention the weak frame and outdated drivetrains. The 454 SS was cool for what it was, the late 80s-mid 90s were a pretty pathetic time for GMs (or american vehicles in general) so at least it was still a standard cab truck and the last pickup you could actually order with a real big block. But yeah unless it was like a $400 yard truck, you'd never catch me driving one of those.

Don't understand how you guys can express any kind of fondness toward those post-square body styles. Maybe its because I'm young and don't understand these things...

Wow, I'm right there with you guys. I truly believe there hasn't been a really good looking chevy truck made since the true Square. Everything starting with the GMT 400 and going right up to the brand new ones are complete crap. I'll never own any one of them.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Wow, I'm right there with you guys. I truly believe there hasn't been a really good looking chevy truck made since the true Square. Everything starting with the GMT 400 and going right up to the brand new ones are complete crap. I'll never own any one of them.

Hah, yeah I hear you. I do own a newer GMC ('08 W/T with a utility body), I bought it because I got it for a steal and needed something powerful and sturdy that could get work done. I didn't mind getting something ugly because I do not own it for enjoyment, now I don't have to worry about being sad when I finally break it in half and it goes to the scrapper. I can sell the low-ish mileage 6.0L and 6L90 for decent money and pay for half the truck, and whatever the scrap value doesn't cover will have paid for itself with the sheer work it's done. Towing heavy trailers, pulling stumps, plowing snow, hauling wood and scrap metal. And hey I don't have to feel bad about beating the complete sh!t out of it by overloading it or digging the door into a tree stump when trying to get the thing un-stuck from whatever stupid hole I've sunk it in while working on my property. I would never in a million years try to shine the thing up and say "dang what a cool truck", that stopped over 30 years ago.. lol

 

[618Syndicate]

it was the last pickup you could actually order with a real big block.

Not quite. There was a 496 (8.1) in this thing from the factory.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Not quite. There was a 496 (8.1) in this thing from the factory.

Let me rephase. When I said the last truck with a real big block, I meant a REAL big block. That 8.1 is a cool engine, and yes it's a "big block", but it's an LS. The same way that an LS1 was still a 5.7, but that's not an SBC 350. That 8.1 is badass as far as modern engines go, but not a proper BBC. The 6.0L in my '08 makes gobs of power, but it's not an SBC, it's an LS. IMO there's nothing special there, just another modern vehicle with a fancy electronic V8 that just so happens to be powerful. I own a 4cyl j@p car that would smoke any stock BBC in history, but it's just not the same. An old school BBC is straight-up cool.

 

[618Syndicate]

Let me rephase. When I said the last truck with a real big block, I meant a REAL big block. That 8.1 is a cool engine, and yes it's a "big block", but it's an LS. The same way that an LS1 was still a 5.7, but that's not an SBC 350. That 8.1 is badass as far as modern engines go, but not a proper BBC. The 6.0L in my '08 makes gobs of power, but it's not an SBC, it's an LS. IMO there's nothing special there, just another modern vehicle with a fancy electronic V8 that just so happens to be powerful. I own a 4cyl j@p car that would smoke any stock BBC in history, but it's just not the same. An old school BBC is straight-up cool.

It's not an LS, it uses some LS tech, (firing order, coil near plug, cathedral port heads, etc) but it's a big block. Take one apart and you'll see what I mean. Architecture is definitely not LS style.
LS motors make power through revs, the 8.1 is a big, lazy, stump puller.

Japanese and Euro motors are a different kind of cool IMO.

 

[Strick]

8.1 will move the fuel gauge to "E" quicker than any big block that I've ever owned.

Strickland

 

[618Syndicate]

8.1 will move the fuel gauge to "E" quicker than any big block that I've ever owned.

Strickland

That, sir, is a fact.

 

[Thesiger]

Hadn't checked this in a while, all sorts of truth telling going on while I was away. It is now (Mostly) unanimous that post '87 and '91 Chevy's are ugly. Except, I'll interject some personal opinion here, even though I don't care for the fact that they are a rolling pile of electrical components with heated seats, I think the newest lines of Chevy Silverado's are pretty handsome, mean looking machines. But not really anything more than that.