In case you haven’t noticed, “square” car designs are making a comeback. Just look at the new Hyundai Santa Fe. The formerly round crossover has taken on a dramatic new design as of 2024 that, despite being boxier, actually achieves a better drag coefficient than the outgoing model. How’d they do that?
No mention of square-shaped vehicles would be complete without talking about the square-body General Motors pickups that were in production from 1973 to 1987. Here is a great one for our case study:
Featured on AutoHunter is this custom 1987 Chevrolet 1/2-Ton Pickup being sold by a dealer in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and the auction will end on Thursday.
This is no run-of-the-mill square-body. About 5,000 miles ago, the truck went through a cosmetic overhaul: Most notably, its original red paint was replaced with a fresh coat in white. Special add-ons include a bedliner, a Craftec tilting bed cover, chrome mirrors, and stainless-steel trim. The 20-inch Showtime Billet wheels are shod in 335-width Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
Full-size pickups have not historically been known for their handling, but this one is likely to instill confidence in cornering thanks to a Ridetech suspension combined with FOX adjustable shock absorbers. A power four-wheel disc braking system brings both safety benefits as well as performance credentials.
The interior of the cab is similarly custom throughout, starting with a black leather bench with an integrated fold-down armrest and diamond-pattern inserts. The audio system is a modern Alpine setup with USB, auxiliary input, Pandora, and Bluetooth connectivity. Air conditioning and power windows round out the list of amenities for this boxy beast.
Power comes from the reportedly original fuel-injected 5.7-liter small-block V8 mated to a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission. The listing says that the air conditioning system and the power steering hoses received recent service.
Mileage wise, the odometer shows just 85,428 miles – and the selling dealer asserts that it is a true reading. The accompanying CARFAX report shows Oklahoma ownership since new, although there is a 15-year gap in records between 1987 and 2002. Based on the chronology, the original owner may have kept the truck for upwards of 17 years from 1987 through 2004.
You won’t find another one like this unless you build it yourself. Pack a 1980s audio playlist and head to Oklahoma to drive this square-body home!
The auction for this Custom 1987 Chevrolet 1/2-Ton Pickup will end Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery
Source: www.classiccars.com