Is this the original bed on my 85 Chevy k10

[TotalyHucked]

As stated, that's not the original bed. From '81-up, all single tank trucks got a LH tank with a square door, like mine

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If you go to sell the bed, this will help determine the exact year range:

This style is the '73-76 first design, with the "wedge plate" and corresponding hole in the bedside

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This is the '76-80 2nd design that does not have that "wedge plate" or a hole in the rear of the bedside

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[Grit dog]

I should have got the dual tanks when I ordered my '87.

One 16 gallon tank (probably 12 gal useable) is not much fuel.

K

Fck, with Jeffrey’s truck 12 useable gallons would just require round trips to the gas station. With only short detours…lol
Fwiw, I’d run the tanks down pretty low and got 18gal plus in the 20 gallon tanks and the needle had just quit moving. It bounces a little so when it stops you’re gettin empty.
Last Fri me and the older son took it out and 1 tank was at around 1/8. Swapped tanks and the needle laid dead on E so I knew it was low. Ran it for a couple miles on that tank before getting gas and it took 19.3 gal!
Idk what the actual tank volume is but I’m impressed that this truck anyway seems to have near or at 100% useable capacity based on the published tank size.
Keith, do you have any idea of actual volume? (Since you know more detailed and obscure info about these trucks than anyone I’ve ever known)

 

[Grit dog]

Thanks for all the good info. So, would an 85 be on the drivers side? Reason I ask is I am going to be removing cab, engine, bed and all this winter and running new fuel lines so I would like to run lines and put gas tank on the right side for correct bed when I get it

Someone else might know for sure but I “think” the tank brackets can be swapped side to side. Yes the filler hoses are different for short/long bed and old vs new style fillers. And some are hard to find as new. I got the wrong ones for the 86 and after a frustrating search and conversations with the supplier I bought them from I gave up and re used the old ones, fortunately still in good shape.
If you’re switching beds it shouldn’t be costly. There’s more good 80s short beds out there than 70s beds so yours should be worth a bit more apples to apples.

 

[Keith Seymore]

Fck, with Jeffrey’s truck 12 useable gallons would just require round trips to the gas station. With only short detours…lol
Fwiw, I’d run the tanks down pretty low and got 18gal plus in the 20 gallon tanks and the needle had just quit moving. It bounces a little so when it stops you’re gettin empty.
Last Fri me and the older son took it out and 1 tank was at around 1/8. Swapped tanks and the needle laid dead on E so I knew it was low. Ran it for a couple miles on that tank before getting gas and it took 19.3 gal!
Idk what the actual tank volume is but I’m impressed that this truck anyway seems to have near or at 100% useable capacity based on the published tank size.
Keith, do you have any idea of actual volume? (Since you know more detailed and obscure info about these trucks than anyone I’ve ever known)

LWB (big tank) is 20 gallons.

With my '80, which had dual tanks and a manual trans, you could run the tank dry (the truck would quit running), flip the switch and it would fire as soon as it got fuel and keep going.

K

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Talking about tank size... when we got our '79 Burb and filled it up the first time, I thought I would be there all day. When you buy a vehicle off a lot, new or used, they don't put much gas in it. I think I got 35 or 36 gallons in the 40 gallon tank....

 

[sqhead]

This is all very good information. I thank you all for your help.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Talking about tank size... when we got our '79 Burb and filled it up the first time, I thought I would be there all day. When you buy a vehicle off a lot, new or used, they don't put much gas in it. I think I got 35 or 36 gallons in the 40 gallon tank....

I dont miss that part of my 94 burb!

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I dont miss that part of my 94 burb!

Yeah the OBS Burbs are 42 gallons. That gets fun to fill when gas gets much more expensive than it currently is...and you're having to fill every 10 days!

 

[akchevrolet]

I should have got the dual tanks when I ordered my '87.

One 16 gallon tank (probably 12 gal useable) is not much fuel.

K

I have the dual setup but the driver side rusted out and started syphoning gas out of the good tank. When I removed it I had already replaced the driver side with a 20 gallon instead of the 16 original size so I threw that one on since it was good but it kept syphoning the fuel from the other tank still and that was leaking out the filler neck and cap. so I just bypassed it. I figured I could hook it back up when I have the money to replace the sending unit and fuel pump on that tank cuz it was rusted and part of it had been sitting in the old tank.

 

[Ricko1966]

I'd check some parts listing I'd be very tempted to change the left bed side or graft in a filler door,actually I think would be what I do and weld a patch on the right side,or graft a patch with a filler door on the right side.

 

[MrHorsepowerLSx]

I'd check some parts listing I'd be very tempted to change the left bed side or graft in a filler door,actually I think would be what I do and weld a patch on the right side,or graft a patch with a filler door on the right side.

This right here!

I'm a sucker for OEM sheet metal on all my builds. I search very hard to find "good" useable pieces for patches or replacements. I try to never by offshore stuff, I did buy 2 bedsides for my project and I've contemplated reinstalling my crappy OEM bedsides due to the terrible quality of the aftermarket panels. If your current bed is in good shape I wouldn't sell it, just modify it. You might not find another quality bed for what you sell yours for, an if you find a good bed it might not even be local to you.