Located in Marlow, Oklahoma, this 1990 Chevrolet C10 454 SS pickup is listed for sale here on Bring-A-Trailer. The auction has 3 days remaining and bids for this low mileage truck are up to $25,000. With only 140 miles on the odometer, this truck is close to showroom condition as you are going to find.
Painted black with a red interior, the seller has plastic covering the seats and most of the carpet. The window sticker indicates that this truck had an EPA estimate of 10 mpg city and 11 mpg on the highway. That means that it probably got 6 mpg if it was ever to be driven! The original manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of the truck was almost $19,000.
If you like torque, this is the engine for you. Chevrolet rated the 454 cubic inch V8 engine at 230 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque at a low 1,600 RPM. The 454 SS option included a heavy-duty radiator, transmission cooler, oil cooler, locking 3.73 rear differential, handling package, and gauge package. The factory tire size on the chrome rims was P275-60R15.
As with most low mileage vehicles, there is a story with this one. The seller inherited the truck from his late brother in 2018. The only flaws I can see if the headliner may need to be replaced and the windshield is delaminating. These are both inexpensive repairs and you would have the nicest 454SS truck around.
Wow what an incredible investment to hold and sale near same price.
If one backs out the insurance its-a red mark on profit.
I prefer cars i can drive 😉
I like it but if you drive it then you devalue it as you go between gas stations to fill up at ten MPG. This needs a logo hat of “make America buy fuel” (MABF) for sure.
Positives:
Nice engine ✅
Black color✅
Like new interior ✅
Unused bed ✅
Too bad Chevy didn’t improve the instrument cluster for the SS. That dash set up detracted from an otherwise great truck.
My god what a horrific MPG rating. Probably one less hole in the ozone layer for it not being driven.
My 2008 F250 4X4 with a gas 5.4 usually gets 10.3 mpg. On a trip it got 12 once. And if it is snowing and I have the hubs locked in, it goes to the 7-8 range. So almost 20 years after the Chevy was built, there are still vehicles out there sucking fuel like nobody’s business.
My 2008 F250 4X4 with a gas 5.4 usually gets 10.3 mpg. On a trip it got 12 once. And if it is snowing and I have the hubs locked in, it goes to the 7-8 range. So almost 20 years after the Chevy was built, there were still vehicles out there sucking fuel like nobody’s business.
Murcia..
Truck yeah!
I remember when this was new, and I lived in Boston. The auto writer for the Boston Globe at the time, John White, loved the truck but wrote that it would be anti social to own one because of its very poor fuel economy. This was in the context of the Gulf War and the spike in fuel prices.
If this thing would have been driven regularly during the Gulf War, it would have caused so much money to flow into Iraq, we might have seen a different result. We should be thankful. God Bless America.
I think I remember my stepfather pitching a fit during the Persian Gulf war because gas had hit $1.89 a gallon..that was in Lynn, Ma just north of Boston.
It would hit nearly $5 a gallon In 2005.
I bleed GM, but the Ford f150 Lightening is all around a better buy. These things are kinda turds
I do know of a truck like this that was brought to pull a heavy trailer loaded with a race car and all the associated equipment that was needed to go to the race track. They never complained about gas mileage and it seems that the truck could handle the load with no problem.
I bought one in 1990. The nicest pick up I ever had. There were no options. Black with Red Interior. 454 w Auto Trans. A/C and AM/FM Radio. I am guessing that the bids will be in excess of $40,000. (mine was stolen in ’95)
“The power locks are said to occasionally stick, the air conditioning does not blow cold, and the headliner and the fabric on the sun visors is sagging.”
Kinda like they all were in 1990. I owned a 1990 Chevy half-ton, bought it new, by the time it was 24 months I think every nut and bolt had fallen off onto the road.
That engine compartment looks like this thing was driven way more than 140 miles
Mike,
Great observation. Take a close look at the L-H exhaust manifold and also the intake manifold. Rust city! While I’m no metallurgist it appears to
me a bit strange that this much rust would be on a vehicle after only 140 miles. Also, the upper control arm bolts are rusty.
The plastic parts in the engine compartment all show signs of sunlight UV exposure. Smog tubes indicate it may not be the original engine.
Actually these came through with a heavy Matt black finish on the valve covers, that end up looking like crap if you don’t wash them off. Plus it looks like it was probably kept in a damp garage that needed a dehumidifier! As far as the “smog tubes”, that’s how a few of them came with the california emissions package.
Overdrive trans would help that fuel economy on this one.The 91 was a far better truck with the 4-sp auto and 4:10 gear in the back.
230 HP nuff said
Yes HP was low these years even the Corvette only had 250 HP but in true hot rodder style you could make it better. The nice things with trucks is the rear gear a 3:73 in 90 and a 4:10 in 91 make for getting out of the hole a little fun. They just run out of steam by 4500 rpm.
And even that can be remedied with modern go fast parts.
My G-Pa said “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.”
Well, I’m of the opinion this truck does not have 140 original miles.
If you go to “Bring a Trailer” you can see more in photos.
The tires and wheels are not original.
Note the wording: “The 15″ chrome-finished wheels wear older BFGoodrich Comp T/A tires that are in need of replacement.” Also, five extra tires and wheels apparently go with it.
The fuel tank was replaced. The windshield is “delaminating” indicating long exposure to heat and sunlight. The headliner needs replacing which also indicates weather related exposure.
IMO it’s not “Showroom” condition.
Six digit odometer and a car fax available. Can those things be faked? I’m not up to speed on things like that..
It’s still a 30 year old truck that has been sitting in unknown conditions.
I remember being in the market for a new truck, back in 1992-3, I wanted one of these, I was just about ready to pull the trigger on one when me salesman, a good friend of mine told me to wait for the next year, word to the dealers were a new generation Big Block was coming, with a new HD 4speed overdrive automatic! So I waited another couple months, till a new 1993 454 SS arrived. But after test driving that new one and watching the gas gauge move at all in a twenty mile ride? I just knew I could never live with that mileage. So instead there was what was called a 350 SPORT! That was just about the same truck, a C1500 reg cab short bed, that came with everything the 454SS came with, handling, high back bucket seats with arm rests, console, full instruments, in other words loaded! But instead of a 454, it had a 350/TBI, with a 5 speed manual! Along with a 3:73 G80 Auto Locking differential. All Met Silver with grey interior! That was just as quick as the 454SS! At a track! Plus half led a lot better with so much less weight over the front wheels. The best part? Mileage was 14-20!! If driven sanely. I would love to find another! But it’s funny, my 2019 Colorado Crew Cab,4×4, V6, at just under 7 sec. 0-60, is quicker than either, plus gets over TWICE the mileage as the 454SS! Not to mention handles an stops so much better!
I would switch out the tires and wheels and put some big ported heads with a cam. Might as well have more power if you are getting bad gas mileage to start with.
Look at the power a LS-6 makes so it can be done but note cheap.Nos is cheap power for the money. but filling that bottle up every day can be expensive.