I am looking to buy a k10. How to choose?

[dvdswan]

Welcome to the site.

1st, what are you or your son going to use it? Is this a tinker on the weekends and drive during the week or a tear down and make it nice?

2nd, who is going to get it when its done?

IMO, I prefer a manuals because they come with a 205 transfer case. Some autos did come with 205s but they are few and far between. 203s (full-time transfer case) are great t/cases but chains stretch and shifter linkage can be a pain to adjust properly for novices, they are heavy a$$ bi**hes too.

Short beds are hot items and can be tempting to thieves. So it might be wise to hook up a hidden start switch.

You are lucky, the SW is a great area to find a cancer-free or near cancer-free truck. AZ doesn't use salt for the roads in winter (at least when I lived there). Some folks will be proud of the truck and some will be honest with value. Some will even try to make up the value in their trucks from all the parts they've added to it recently. Driving trucks in WA go from 1500 to 7000 depending on their look.

 

[DanMcG]

If ya see something you like, post the ad or some pic's here and we can tell ya the bad and the good. Extra eyes is always a good thing.

 

[Marc in Las Vegas]

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/6766442889.html

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BB1hr9LtRn7YrqLn6

Linked above. It says k10 and k20. We want to slowly restore it to decent condition. Not a show truck. This was in OR for years and used as a hunting rig. Seems very original and good condition. My son will drive it in a very small radius and I would like to drive it around town too. I asked about a video or up close pics of likely rust spots.

 

[dvdswan]

looks good, a little high on price IMO... https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/d/77-chevy-k10-shortbed/6770134454.html

even better... https://stgeorge.craigslist.org/cto/d/trucks/6771404140.html

even has AC... https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/1981-chevrolet-silverado-k10/6752532451.html

 

[oldman]

My friend has a super nice one k10 short bed all origional silverado with low miles .black with red interior ,if interested its listed on craigslist in florida under treasure coast for info

 

[roundhouse]

Interior stuff is easy to replace

Try to find a truck that has stock suspension and hasn’t been modified by some redneck teenager
And look at the wiring under the dash
Lots of owners love to hack it up

You wouldn’t believe how many wires some idiots cut to swap out the radio


Check for rust in the bottoms of the doors
Rear cab corners
Floors
Bottom of windshield

Avoid one that has new paint
They are hiding tons of bondo unless they have lots of before and during repair pics

If the seller says it has a rebuilt engine or trans but they don’t have the receipt
They are lying
Engines and tranny’s cost big money and have a warranty that requires a receipt
No one Throws away a receipt for a new engine


The original engine and trans had the VIN number stamped in it


Speaking of which

Check carefully that the VIN on the truck matches the paperwork

And decode the VIN and see if it matches the truck
The VIN will tell if the truck was 2wd
Or 4wd
Long bed shortbed etc

If the truck is 4wd automatic longbed and the VIN says 2wd manual trans
Shortbed That’s a super big red flag

I’ve seen it too


Also ask
How long have you owned it ?


Why are you selling it ?

Personally I’d get a manual trans
I like em and it keeps people from wanting to borrow your truck because no one can drive a real transmission anymore

I doubt there are any full time 4wd trucks left that haven’t been converted to part time

But I kinda like the full time
It feels much more stable on curvy roads

 

[idahovette]

Looks like in your pics that the fuel gage may not be accurate? The 205 and 203 BOTH weigh a ton !! And the comment about the 307,that engine was just as good as a 305 in my mind. Course my mind is old so there you go

 

[Rusty Nail]

Best thing about a 307 was the crankshaft stroke.
Wish I had one..

 

[75gmck25]

There's nothing wrong with buying a truck that has 307. However, GM never made any performance version of the 307 (I believe that in trucks they were all 2 bolt main, 2 barrel engines). The 305 did have a couple versions built for performance in cars, although in trucks it was just the base V8 you bought to get better gas-mileage.

My point was that most performance mods are designed and optimized for the 350. You can modify a 305 or 307 and get decent results, but in most cases it will be simpler, cheaper and more cost effective to start with a 350. YMMV.

Bruce

 

[idahovette]

It was a great engine in my kid's Chevy II. 2 barrel , PG , open rear couldn't get him in much trouble(famous last words) . After a year put headers and a quadrajet on it, made a lot of difference and he had fun. Finally put one of MY 327s in it and 3.42 positrac and turned out great with a 23-2400 stall converter in the glide. Ran low 15s ,. then a 4 speed and now in the low 14s high 13s But we still have the 307 in storage waiting for his daughter!!

 

[86Apache]

...If the seller says it has a rebuilt engine or trans but they don’t have the receipt
They are lying
Engines and tranny’s cost big money and have a warranty that requires a receipt
No one Throws away a receipt for a new engine...

I see this one often. No receipts, no idea what parts were used, no idea who did the work.

 

[4WDKC]

Decide what you like not what everyone else likes or wants is the most important, Ill list what I like/prefer and why

Auto is nice not to have to shift all the time, especially when you dont have a cup holder in your truck.
Manual is more fun...I daily a 5 speed 100 miles each day.

4x4 is great if you live where you get snow or have a place to go wheeling if not its a waste of money. I prefer locking hubs and 4wd, why add the additional mass if not needed and may help get better mpg.

Along with the places already mentioned look at the inside of the bed side above the wheels, fenders and firewall for rust or repairs.