Much like the 1990s Ford F-Series pickup trucks (of which I’ve become a recent owner), the Chevrolet trucks from the same era hold enduring appeal for a strong group of enthusiasts. Here is just one example of a Facebook group called “OBS Chevy Truck Club” with over 16,000 members in it. “OBS,” in truck vocabulary, is loosely defined as Old Body Style – or, an era from around pre-1999.
The Pick of the Day is a 1996 Chevrolet K1500 4×4 pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Downey, California. (Click the link to view the listing)
This truck’s listing is one of the most matter-of-fact, to-the-point summaries I have ever read in my eight years of writing for The Journal: “Original owner, original miles, original paint, very clean, rust free, must see, never used off-road.” That’s it. Does anything else matter? Oh yeah, and it has only 55,000 miles.
The General Motors GMT400 platform that underpinned this truck was also repurposed on many other body-on-frame full-sized vehicles like the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, and Escalade. The fourth-generation C/K model lineup had been originally introduced in April 1987 for the 1988 model year. A mid-cycle refresh in 1995 applied to the entire GMT400 lineup and added important safety updates like four-wheel anti-lock brakes, a driver-side air bag, and larger sideview mirrors.
Finished in a very-90s shade of Emerald Green Metallic, today’s featured half-ton truck looks about as showroom-fresh as they get. The wheels have been upgraded to newer-model five-spoke alloys, but the rest of the vehicle appears to hold true to its original build. The color-keyed camper shell is a nice touch (and it may be in an indication that the truck wasn’t used for heavy-duty hauling or fifth-wheel towing). One of the things that stood out to me the most was the fact that the carpeting in the cab is protected in plastic. That’s the kind of preservation any potential buyer should be thrilled to see!
Power comes from a Vortec 5.7-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, and the window sticker outlines some of add-on equipment such as the Z71 suspension package, an electrochromic rearview mirror, remote keyless entry, a transmission cooling system, a reclining split-bench front seat, and an “easy access” third door. (Worth noting – Chevrolet’s third-door setup came one year before Ford started offering such a thing in 1997).
The asking price is $26,000 or best offer, which is interestingly pretty close to the truck’s original retail price of $27,311. Hey, you don’t always get a second chance to buy a near-new truck that’s almost 30 years old!
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, a library of spotlighted vehicles is just a click away at Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com