What did you pay for a square

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SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
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11,402
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
These trucks used to be a dime a dozen but have seemingly gotten harder to find in decent condition for a good price, so what screaming deal have you found???
I bought mine for $800. I've told the story enough times on the forum so I'm going to truncate it for this post. A friend of might bought it in the mid-90's and owned it until his death in 2017. He took good care of the truck, but it sat a lot the last few years of his life when he was ill. I bought it for $800, in 2018 from his widow. Charged the battery and drove it nearly 200 miles home. I paid $800 for it. I knew it was a deal then thinking it might be a $1,500 truck, but realty has told me it's probably worth much more especially as it is now, because of the work I've one to it.

Below this is a terrible picture in the background the farm was undergoing some changes and it just looks terrible but this pic is the day after we brought the truck home.

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Below: 2 pics of what she looks like today
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What is she worth? I don't really know and I'm not sure I really care. I liked the truck when I got it and I love the truck as it is now.

But I paid $800 for her.
 

BearKing

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Joined
Apr 13, 2022
Posts
386
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741
Location
Black Hills
First Name
Bear
Truck Year
1976
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
400
I paid 2500 for my 1986 GMC 3+3 Dually 4X4. I paid 3700 for my 76 Chevy Sport Stepside 4X4. I paid 2700 for my 77 Chevy Sport Stepside 4X4. I paid 2300 for my 79 Shortbox 4X4. I paid 600 for my 82 Diesel K5 Blazer. I paid 900 for my 81 GMC K2500 HD. I paid 400 for my 76 Long bed 4X4. That’s all just this year so far. I have owned over 50 Squarebody trucks and it’s closer to 100 now. I love the Squarebody. Can you tell? Haha.
 

CheemsK1500

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Jun 3, 2022
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831
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Location
Texas
First Name
Paul
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K1500
Engine Size
305
truck overheated and broke down and owner was tired of it, and I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.
I had a neighbor that had a whole pasture filled with trucks from the '40s to the '80s. Many of them only had minor things broken on them, and were left to rot anyway. He refused to sell anything. Mother nature eventually turned them to dust. There was a 72 Cheyenne in there that was sad to watch rot.
 

GTX63

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Joined
Nov 27, 2022
Posts
933
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3,791
Location
Tennessee
First Name
Ty
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
Down here in Tennessee, $7500 is about the going rate for a square body that runs and has shiny paint. It doesn't matter that the interior is red and the body is blue; doesn't matter if it takes the same patch panel to repair "surface rust" as the truck you can reach into the quarter panel with a bucket. The rollers are selling for $2500 and up. Yes, deals can still be found, however you'll need to look hard and long.
 

geocrasher

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Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Posts
119
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130
Location
Northern NV
First Name
Ryan
Truck Year
1988
Truck Model
V1500
Engine Size
350
In 2014 I searched all over Washington and Oregon for a straight, rust-free Burb. I found this one- Goodwrench 350 in it, 700R4, half ton, set up for towing. The fella's father in law had owned the rig, and the guy's wife had grown up in the truck. So, it was still in the family. The headliner was gone, but it ran like a top and was by far the most gutsy Burb I'd driven, having owned two prior (including a super nice 1986 that I let go of because I couldn't afford to feed it... ouch). I got it for $1450 and drove the 150 miles home without any trouble. Even today I can do 80mph on the freeway and the only thing to be troublesome is the noisy MT's on it.

My wife had a thing for Squarebody Burbs, and she loved this truck. Since she passed a couple of years ago, I've decided to do everything I can to keep it going and make it easier/more fun to drive, partly in her memory but also for myself. I deserve it :)

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OldSchool C-10

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
28
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44
Location
Sumter County, FL
First Name
Floyd
Truck Year
1983
Truck Model
C-10
Engine Size
4.1L Six
In 1982 I bought a brand new C10 with 6-cylinder and three on the tree. Many years (and too many computer-oriented vehicles) later I found my current C10 sitting in a field with a For Sale sign on it: $2500 but was about to get off with paying $2250. It had decent tires and rims on it, a tired 6-cylinder and a granny 4-speed in it. Interior isn't bad, floors are solid. Normal rust at door openings. Windsheild is cracked. It's not pretty but it's paid for and I hope to have it powered up this week. Been a while as work and life got in the way a little but I'm back on it now.

I found the V-8 engine on CraigsList for $900. It's a 283 with a mild cam in it. Yeah, I know why so small an engine? Well, it may not be fast but it'll pass a gas station or two. The fancy valve covers are because the last owner must been one of those 'wrap a chain' around the engine when pulling it out types. The headers are there because the engine didn't come with exhaust manifolds and at $75 a pair, the headers won out over the normal exhaust manifolds.

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dandiddledum

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Joined
Dec 4, 2022
Posts
2
Reaction score
6
Location
82001
First Name
Dan
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C3500
Engine Size
454
Recently sold my POS ranger and my subaru XT coupe and got really lucky one night. Old mans daughter posted his 79 gmc 3500 camper special 3+3 up on marketplace for 5000. Called into work the next day to go look at. A collector was there and ready to buy. Old man flipped a coin and i won the truck and bought for 5k. 78k miles and was a business truck for an exterminator before he got it. Old owners went through and swapped out some of the gmc parts for chevy parts. Still a sierra grande though; Going to swap out the sm 465 for nv4500 and dress the 454 up.
 

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cjdock

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2022
Posts
15
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27
Location
Goodrich MI
First Name
Chuck
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
c10
Engine Size
350
$9954 in October of 1986.

(plus $525 destination charge. Total distance from Flint Assembly to Davison Michigan: 9 miles).

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Nice! Do you still drive it today? You are in my neck of the woods. I'm in Goodrich.
 

cjdock

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2022
Posts
15
Reaction score
27
Location
Goodrich MI
First Name
Chuck
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
c10
Engine Size
350
Wow, yea prices have gone up a lot for squares these days. All you guys getting them for 1000 were lucky, those days are gone for anything half decent. I paid 6k for my 85 c10 this past summer (2022). I live in MI and this is a MI truck all its life the but the prior owner never drove it in the winter. I'm guessing because its a 2 wheel drive and terrible in snow. Overall its a pretty rust free truck. I've done all the refresh stuff like ball joints/tie rod ends, fixed all leaks, removed running boards and terrible pin striping, wheeled it a few times, removed all emissions, some engine parts, new seat and carpet, LED lights in the dash and a lot more. This is my daily driver though. I sold my 50k paid off 2014 gmc truck which was beautiful and loaded to drive this lol. But that truck didn't give me the joys this one does, or the compliments. My wife is always shocked when some stranger says Nice truck to us. She says its a turd brown old beater lol but I love it. Now I'm prepping for a LS swap.
 

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blk81

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2021
Posts
13
Reaction score
12
Location
30115
First Name
Eric
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
c10
Engine Size
350
I've had the '81 stepside exactly 1 year. Paid $6,500 for it. No rust. Already installed: Wood bed kit, LED taillights, sport bumper, lowered. Since: Replaced entire interior except for the seat, tachometer conversion kit, replaced courtesy/dome light circuit/door switches, new stereo system, complete. (Didn't have a stereo at all) Rerouted electrical lines and cleaned up/put in flex. Replaced all belts. New 20" American Racing Torq Thrust wheels and tires. A/C compressor is there but doesn't work. 350sb/TH350. Transmission was rebuilt this past Spring. (Leaking terribly) The first two pictures are the day I brought it home and a picture of the interior at the time. It came with about $1k worth of parts and a set of rallies with BFGoodrich tires in the bed.

I bought the suburban in June '22. 3/4 ton - 454/turbo 400. Had this transmission rebuilt also. Drove it home on backroads in 2nd gear. No reverse at all. Haha. I've done nothing mechanical to it but replace the serpentine belt. (The A/C compressor locked up and popped the belt) Replaced the side molding. Put a new dash pad and A/C vents in it. Changed all the interior woodgrain trim out to aluminum. I had the young man down the street detail it. The interior is perfectly clean. New headliner installed before I bought it. Concert hall quality sound system. I paid $9,500 for it. We have a large, blended family so this thing works out perfect and it's cool as hell. We get lots of looks while traveling. Someone comes up to me about every fuel stop and wants to see it. We are in Georgia.
 

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bucket

Super Moderator
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Super Moderator
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Aug 3, 2010
Posts
30,445
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Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I'll list the ones I still have, with a very brief description as well as the year purchased. The current market is way different than just a few years ago.

'77 K10 short bed. $800 last year, plus $$ from shipping cross country. Project truck, but rust free.

'77 K10 short bed. $3500? Bought in 2019? Rough condition, but an operational offroad truck with excellent running gear.

'77 K5 Blazer. $1600 in 2009 I believe. Fairly solid TN rig. Was a daily driver.

'78 C20 Suburban. $2100 in 2018? Lots of hidden rust, but in daily driver condition.

'79 K30 crew cab. $4500 in 2010. Solid TN truck with glossy paint. Was a DD with minor work.

'84 C10 shortbed. $500 in 2011? Kind of rusty, shiny paint and 100% reliable DD. It was a buddy deal that was cheap even then.

'88 K10 Suburban. $2800 in 2006. Rust free and shiny paint, daily driver.

'88 C10 Suburban. $1000 in 2020 I think. Rough and rusty, but did run and drive every time I wanted to.
 

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