Things to look for on a 83 C-10

[flyinghighlm]

I am in the market for a 80's C-10 and I found one where I live. It has 160,000 miles its all original, oh and its a 305.

Question,

What are things I should look for or be concerned about when looking at these older trucks. Are there any areas prone to rust, that sorta thing.

This is the truck,

[pbouffard]

ok, cab corners, rocker panels are the king areas of rust, take a magnet like a pen magnet to check for excess bondo, wheel wells are aslo bad areas for rust depending on your area. as far as the engine, alot of miles on the 305, plan on putting a 350 in youll be better off. look at the breather tube to see if there is oil coming through it to the air cleaner if so the rings are shot. being its a shortbed which is the market, long beds have a lower selling value, no bs on that. looking at your pics and miles on the 305, looks like a silverado package, 2000-2500 would be the most id spend, not knowing on the body shape, use a magnet though. hope this helps, i had a 77 and 82 chevy 1500 so these comments are from experience and also from restoring both.

[flyinghighlm]

great....thanks for the help...I thought about putting a 350 in it but I want to keep it all original, its something I plan on keeping for a long time. I know the guy was asking way to much, he wants 4k and I told him he was nuts!


Oh, what is normal compression on there, I have a tester and plan on using it.
I know on newer cars I can pull the mpi relay, what do you do with older trucks during a compression test?

[mudseeker]

that is a very clean truck for the year, what state are you in? for compression testing, i think you just pull the wires going to the ignition coil.

[flyinghighlm]

Down here in SC, and its been here as long as Carfax can see...better not take my truck,lol

Still anyone, know what the compression numbers are for a 305?

[mudseeker]

i wouldn't do that to a fellow chevy lover. i'll get back to you with those numbers, if 75k30 doesn't beat me to it. lol

[flyinghighlm]

Originally Posted by mudseeker

i wouldn't do that to a fellow chevy lover. i'll get back to you with those numbers, if 75k30 doesn't beat me to it. lol

Thanks, just trying to do some homework before I go buy this thing. Well assuming I sell the truck I have now...kinda sad going from a 07 to a 83...oh well 83 is a good year for me seeing how thats the year I was born.

[pbouffard]

i wouldnt waste time with the 305 personally, u can put some $$ into it and gain nothing. if you look up kelly online that truck in semi descent shape (a 20 footer) as it states, is around 15-2500$$ that thing would have to be 85% restored to get 4000.00 good luck on looking, i wouldnt settle on that truck, look around even in n.c. where im at pick up a bargain trader s.c. should have one take yur time.

[97SierraStepSde]

dam dude 07 to an 83? y going down?
presonally I would stick with the 07 unless u plan on atleast a full motor restore. I would even do the tranny and ring and pinion while ur at it. But good luck. I think the compression on a 305 might be like an 8.5 or 9. The 350's I was lookin at before were all 9 to 10.5:1. Good luck tho and dont settle. **** takes time..I kinda settled 4 my previous truck and it turned out to cost me about a G in the end.

[crabtruck]

Originally Posted by flyinghighlm

Down here in SC, and its been here as long as Carfax can see...better not take my truck,lol

Still anyone, know what the compression numbers are for a 305?

My 1980 chev book says that 5.0 2-barrel has a comp ratio 8.5:1 , same as 5.7 and 6.6.
Diesel comp is 275psi LOL but I didn't see gas yet. Just my bad memory tellin me 150, but that was a long time ago, coulda been 265.
If the truck runs, it will be really close to only one of those.