1981 GMC

Sierra Pickup truck

8 Cylinder 5.7 Liter

Automatic

Gasoline

SEE VIDEOS BELOW! This is a true barn find - well, it's been in a barn for the past 13 years, anyway! The previous owner (the original owner) parked the truck after he heard what he thought was rod knock. I bought the truck in the hopes of making a long-term project out of it, and since we all thought the engine was a goner, i was going to save up and put in an LS1. When I got the truck home, I decided to see how bad the knock really was, and so I checked the fluids, put some fresh gas in, and borrowed the battery out of my wagon and cranked her over. First off, she started right up. Second, absolutely no rod knock! In fact, after wiping off the valve covers, I discovered that the engine was a GM Goodwrench crate engine! In reality, the whole problem was a just a hole in the muffler! I guess I can kind of see how that might sound like rod knock with the pulsating of air, but it's a shame that the truck sat in hibernation for so long because of something that was such an easy fix! After speaking with the previous owner, I was told that the engine was installed only a couple of years before the truck was parked! So, here's where the truck sits now: I've been fiddling with it for the past couple of weeks, and have put in a new battery, valve cover gaskets, vacuum lines, EGR valve, and brake booster. The truck is equipped with that Goodwrench 350 crate engine (4-bolt main) I mentioned, a Turbo 350 trans, positraction rear end, factory dual 16-gallon fuel tanks, heavy duty trans cooler, trailer hitch, and trailer brake hookup. The only option the previous owner didn't go for was power windows and locks. Oh, and the odometer reads just over 48k, but let's assume that it's 148k to be on the safe side. The truck runs really well, but I think you would want to adjust the timing a bit to get it spot-on. My timing light broke, so I was unable to check it. Also, there's still a hole in the muffler, so it's a good excuse to put on some Flowmasters, and the new owner would also likely want to install a new catalytic converter while you're at it to make sure it'll pass smog. Since the vehicle is on non-op status with CA DMV and will possibly be sold out of state (many cars I've sold on eBay in the past have left CA), I will not be smogging the car or fixing the exhaust, since we all have different tastes when it comes to how an exhaust should sound. Your state might not even require a catalytic converter, so yet another reason why I'd like to leave it up to the buyer. The truck runs, shifts, turns, and stops well. I've actually driven it about a total of 30-40 miles (we have lots of back roads around here where no one else seems to drive) since getting it running again with no problems. There are no current leaks that I can see, and everything seems to work except for the A/C. I haven't looked into it, but everything is intact and there is still freon in the system, so I'm sure it's something as simple as a switch that needs to be replaced. The interior is in pretty good shape (no dash cracks!), although the bench seat has typical GM driver's side seat wear and everything is dusty from sitting. Some Armor All and carpet shampoo would work wonders. Other than that, she's pretty much ready to be put back into service. The truck has been on non-op the whole time it was parked, so there are no back fees to worry about, and the body is extremely clean except for the dent you see in one of the photos, and a small dent hidden behind the front bumper on the passenger side. A paintless dent guy quoted me $85 to fix the dent on the bed. Oh, and the paint does appear to be all original. I didn't have much time to clean the truck up, but I did wax one of the front fenders (see detail pic) and it shined up pretty decently. Granted, you're not going to get a factory-fresh finish since the paint is 30 years old, but it looks good from 10-12 feet away! Next, the front tires should be replaced. The rears are good for now, but they only have about 25-25% tread left. Finally, there are a couple of small "stars" on the windshield. I had a similar crack on my old 4Runner, and one of those windshield chip repair kits did a great job of making it disappear. So why am I selling it after just getting it roadworthy? Well, I came across one of my dream cars just this past week, and I don't have room for them both, so the truck has to go. The new owner will also receive the original owner's manual, the original bill of sale from the local GMC dealership where the truck was purchased in 1981, the options data card, the original wheels stored in the bed, and a clean CA title. Please feel free to ask any questions and I'd be happy to answer. Thanks!