This 1976 GMC 1500 Pickup is an interesting vehicle. Based on the Sierra Grande package, this classic is the relatively rare Royal Sierra variant. GMC produced only around 500 of these vehicles, and our featured truck is an original turnkey survivor, ready for action with its new owner behind the wheel. The seller listed the Royal Sierra here on eBay in Mazomanie, Wisconsin. They set their BIN at $18,900, and it appears that figure is firm.
This Pickup’s history is interesting, although it adds nothing to its potential value. The first owner spotted the vehicle in a dealership in Union City, Tennessee. She was intrigued by the Royal Sierra badges, and instantly attracted to the paint combination of Yuka Gold and Polar White. The dealer informed her that the Royal Sierra was an appearance and trim package for the Sierra Grande, and that only about 500 of these vehicles would leave the factory. The Pickup effectively sold itself, and became that lady’s daily driver for many years. Wind the clock forward almost four decades, and the owner handed custody of the Royal Sierra to her family, who eventually parted with it after she passed away at the grand old age of ninety-nine. The seller believes that most of this classic’s paint is original, with evidence of only minor touch-ups. The panels are straight, and with the underside as clean as a whistle, the only rust is a couple of small spots near the wheel arches. The paint sports a few imperfections, but patching the rust and leaving the rest of the exterior as-is would be a viable option to protect the Pickup’s survivor credentials. The tinted glass and trim are in good condition, and the Rally wheels are excellent.
Part of the Royal Sierra package included a unique Saddle-knit seatcover with bold center stripes. This feature is now deteriorating, with some splits and a couple of obvious seam separations. Sourcing a replacement cover might be difficult due to the vehicle’s relative rarity. Therefore, handing it to a skilled upholsterer to repair the damage might be the only option. Otherwise, the condition is mighty impressive. The carpet is spotless beneath the protective mats, the dash is excellent, and the faux woodgrain hasn’t faded badly. There are no aftermarket additions to an interior that features air conditioning, a tilt wheel, a clock, and an AM radio.
The Royal Sierra package brought no mechanical upgrades, but this Pickup should be a competent performer. It features a 350ci V8, a three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power front disc brakes. The LS9 version of the small-block delivered a factory-claimed 175hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque when the Pickup was new, making it a pretty effective tow vehicle or load carrier. The original owner may have used this classic as her daily driver, but her commute to and from work was short. Therefore, this beauty has only clocked 77,500 original miles. It runs and drives extremely well, and is a turnkey proposition. The seller believes it would be even better if treated to a tune-up, which is a cheap and easy process. Those craving paperwork will welcome the news that the sale includes the original Build Sheet, Owner’s Manual, Warranty Card, and an enormous collection of Service Receipts and other invoices.
Rarity claims are sometimes hard to verify, and such is the case with this 1976 GMC 1500 Royal Sierra. Pinning down exact production numbers is seemingly impossible, but several knowledgeable sources suggest that the seller’s claim that only around 500 examples left the showroom appears credible. Our featured Pickup isn’t perfect, but it comfortably ticks the boxes as a tidy, solid survivor. It has garnered healthy attention since hitting the market, but have you seen enough to consider pursuing this classic Pickup further?
I only saw one of these during my days with GM, and it was almost identical to this one. The guy was passing through and his AC belt broke, much like happened to this featured truck.
It’s too bad that things like AC belts aren’t addressed when a vehicle is put up for sale. Better yet, fix it; you’ll get your money back…
To see any Chevy or GMC from ’76 this rust free, and this original is impressive. But, a very rare top of the line one like this even better. This must’ve been her baby since day one. That paint looks great. Like Adam said, maybe a good interior shop can save that unique seat cover. Very nice.
I was thinking the same, perhaps a good upholstery can repair the splits. Then I would probably place a cover over the repaired seat to preserve it. This is a real survivor, especially in the area that clouds, snow and salt on roads are present longer than sunshine and rain during the year.
The only thing that sets this apart from the others is a seat cover. It hardly seems worth mentioning. Let alone calling it “royal”. It’s a run of the mill GMC.
You must be a joy at car shows.
When I think “royal”, I would think loaded. It has a tilt wheel, ac and carpet. And the all inspiring seat cover. I just don’t think it’s worthy of calling it any kind of “package”. It’s nice, but I wouldn’t buy it based on it’s options.
Agreed. I’m sure it has it’s fans, but this is just like any other Chevy / GMC 1500. And that’s coming from a lifelong Chevy / GMC owner.
GM disagreed with you and called it Royal, so that’s what it is. It’s a cut above the standard Sierra, like a Mustang GT is a cut above the standard Mustang. Get it?
You’re judging a fifty year old pickup by modern pickup standards. Premium upholstery and carpeting were becoming more common, but air and tilt wheel were unusually plush for a pickup in 1976.
Two of my high school buddies had pickups that were the envy of all of us car aficionados. One was a Chevrolet C10 with the Bonanza Package (mentioned in the write-up as being a cousin to the Royal Sierra) and was equipped with a 454-4V and automatic. The other was a 2WD Ford F-250 SRW with a 460-4V and automatic. If memory serves, the Ford was a 1976 model and the Chevrolet was a 1977 model. It was a regular pastime to gather at the local hangout and watch those two guys race one another. It really humbled this FoMoCo fella’s soul to watch that Chevrolet smoke that Ford nearly every time. But the memories of those times still hold a fond place in my heart. What wonderful times! Beautiful featured truck. Hope it finds a great new home.
I bought a New 1977 GMC “High Sierra” in AK.-
Loaded, Shortbed ,4×4,Dual Exhaust, Dual Gas tanks ,Bucket seats with console,400 ,Auto trans,3:73 Posi rear diff. Northland Package, -I’ve never heard of or seen another “High Sierra” model anywhere!
Where I grew up in the 70’s, SE Idaho, High Sierra was not uncommon. The GMC Sierra hierarchy, as I recall, was Sierra, Sierra Grande, High Sierra and the top of the line Sierra Classic.
The High Sierra trim level is what this Royal Sierra evolved into, as GM’s truck lines added a third and then fourth trim level. Eventually GMC ended up with the base level Sierra trim (standard seat upholstery, black rubber floor mat, basic door trim), Sierra Grande (color keyed rubber floor mat, upgraded seat upholstery, upgraded door trim), High Sierra (carpet, same upholstery as the Sierra Grande, premium door trim without lower carpet), and Sierra Classic (carpet, premium upholstery, premium door trim with lower carpeting).
Nice looking truck, but my dad’s 1976 fully loaded Chevrolet Silverado looked like a Rolls Royce compared to this one. Power windows and door locks even! That was the highest level package but was not limited to 500. I still think that was one of the nicest rides ever, we called it his “Cowboy Cadillac”. Fond memories.
Yeah I had a Silverado with all those useless doodads too. Replaced the right side window mechanism once & the driver’s side twice, the electric locks stopped working so I just left that alone. The truck I have now has none of that expensive krap to break down.
solid survivor for sure. with that story and all that paperwork worth every penny. IMO GMC was always a better looking truck. if i wanted a square body this would be the 1.
Agreed with hairyolds68 comments here. Leave this one the way it is. Clean truck here period correct too.
I’ve not seen one of these myself. The features present suggest a mid level trim package, maybe even regional. It has carpet and the upper trim seat, although not the cool tweed cloth, but not the Sierra Classic door cards and band around the lower cab. Regardless of what some feel, this was a well equipped truck fifty years ago.
This wonderful surviver reminds me of a ‘79 Chevrolet Scottsdale pick up we had ordered and drove for 3 years and 65,000 miles before selling. Those square bodies were a great design that still looks good today. The only mistake we made in ordering the truck was getting it with the Olds 350 diesel motor. A new fuel injection pump and a cracked head were replaced by warranty, but not two cracked heads that happened around 60,000 miles. That motor was a turd that GM never acknowledged they had a flawed design and did not stand behind.
The truck itself was great. The rally wheels really set the truck apart from others. the original tires were still good at 65,000 miles when I sold it to a private buyer for twice the amount any dealership would give me in trade.
I had some customers who were less than satisfied with the 350 diesel engine and it was quite disappointing. I was working for GM when that engine was introduced and people flocked toward it like the Pied Piper, because it promised good fuel economy.
Well, the majority of those people shouldn’t have bought them in the first place because they continued to drive them like a gaspot and within a year, the diesel was developing a lot of problems; diesel engines, by their very nature need to stay hot and loaded up. Stopping and starting was hard on ALL of them.
I blamed a lot of GM service departments for the bad reputation. The first thing I would see was that when a service department got one in, they immediately blamed the injection pump/injectors, which should’ve been the last component blamed. Having grown up around diesel engines on the ranch and then working on them after high school, I tended to treat the 350 no differently than a John Deere 4020 tractor.
When the 350 came out, I had been working on gas and diesel engines for over six years so I pretty much knew what to look for, when one of them acted up.
I remember being out in the parts department one morning when I looked outside and saw an Olds 98 pulling up. I could hear a distinct popping out the intake from inside the building. The customer came in and I confronted him with a diagnosis of failed rocker arms and supports (which was correct).
Now, if that would’ve been a gaspot (which shared the rocker arm supports with the diesel and were almost as troublesome) the problem would’ve been fixed by the original dealer.
He was incredulous. His dealer had replaced the pump and injectors TWICE! He heard about our little dealership in a wide spot in the road just off the freeway and he came down to see if we could help him before he got rid of the car. He ended up keeping it for another (7) years and 300K miles before a guy running a red light ended the car’s life.
He bought one of the last Cadillac diesels after that and drove it until he was pushing up daisies.
The Olds 350 got a bad rap but it was mostly from unrealistic expectations and service departments that didn’t understand diesels. Over 50 years I’ll bet I overhauled a thousand injection systems for the 350 alone. The 350 had its share of annoyances but so did the Mercedes 190/220/300 diesels, which I also worked on…
Never heard of this model. Everyday, they say you learn something!!
G ot M ore C lass or if your a young guy
G et M ore C hics. Can you tell I used to sell them? I still have my 2003 8.1 gas with the Allison transmission. I ordered it new for a customer and then ordered him a new one with the DuraMax diesel for his retirement gift to himself. Took the gas truck on trade and kept it. I love my GMC but also love my little Rangers.
A friend of mine bought a new GMC in 88 and named it for himself, G reg M itchell’s C adillac. I remember all of the talk when the new body style came out and replaced the square, but I drove his and liked it very much.
Nice truck. I can certainly appreciate the care and history. 2 WD, not 3/4 ton, a/c inoperative, seat cover breakdown. They’ll have a hard time getting more than 14-15K
Maybe someone smarter than me (that’s probably most of you) can tell me what determines whether the GM trucks which had the white on the side ALSO had the white roofs… that always seemed like a good way to keep the interior just a little cooler in summer.
This is a really beautiful truck! I love the gold color.
It does seem a little odd that the seller wouldn’t address some of the problems listed on the buyer’s guide but I guess that’s a choice on his part. “Windshield washer not tested” Ok! :)
GLWTS. Good write-up, Adam.
They were two separate 2-tone options, both could be ordered separately or combined.
Three, if count only the roof.
Nice truck in very good condition, plus it’s a long bed. Everyone wants the cool looking short bed until they have to haul a few sheets of drywall, then they want to borrow my truck. His price seems a little high to me, but he’ll probably sell it.
Now I’m wondering if that seat was also used on the Chevy Bonanza in ’75, and if Royal Sierra was offered any other years. Ford’s (pre ’91) Explorer package and Dodge’s Prospector were similar spring specials whose names carried over through most of the ’70s and ’80s.
A better deal than the crack pipe $48k rust free bwhahahah box high boy posted today 😆
Original owners were named Lema & Tuffy??!!!!! Not sure if I ever heard the names Lema & Tuffy amongst the kids on the playground.
This listing was ended by the seller on Mon, Aug 31 at 3:16 PM because the item is no longer available ~ it sold.