Speculating on the classic car market is no different from undertaking the same activity on the stock market. If you get it right, you look like a winner. Get it wrong, and you look like a heel. History books are littered with people who rolled the dice on the wrong vehicle, and they have been left to feel the pain years later as they’ve sold a low-mile classic for less than they paid when it was new. That brings us seamlessly to the question of this 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS Pickup. It would have cost its owner around $18,200 when it was new. He has just listed it for sale here on eBay with a BIN of $69,998 and the option to make an offer. If you wish to pursue it further, you will find the SS located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.
Like so many classic vehicles that wear black paint, the SS 454 makes a bold statement. Onyx Black is about as dark as it gets, but it is contrasted by some nice trim pieces, chrome wheels, and unique graphics. The SS package also brought a front spoiler, foglights, a blacked grille, and a significantly lowered ride height. As you might expect, the Pickup presents perfectly, with not a visible flaw or issue with its panels or paint. The decals look crisp and free from fading, while the wheels are in as-new condition. There are no visible problems with the glass, and the minor trim pieces remain in as-new condition. The overall impression is positive, but we may need to keep digging to determine whether this SS has been a wise investment.
As you might expect in a vehicle of this age with a three-digit odometer reading, the interior of this SS is in as-new condition. Chevrolet approached the development of these vehicles as a “one size fits all” strategy. That meant that if a buyer didn’t like Garnet Red cloth trim, they needed to look elsewhere. This interior shows no evidence of wear or any other issues. The heavily-contoured bucket seats are spotless, as are the carpet and dash. However, this interior offers far more than good looks because it has its share of luxury appointments. These include ice-cold air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a tilt wheel, cruise control, a console, and an AM/FM radio and cassette player.
Lifting the hood of this SS reveals a 454ci (well, duh!) V8 that should be producing 230hp and 385 ft/lbs of torque. This flows to the bitumen via a 3-speed automatic transmission and a 3.73 locking rear end. Power steering and power brakes with anti-lock on the rear are a standard part of the deal in this case. Performance figures were quite respectable for a vehicle of this type, with the SS capable of devouring the ¼-mile in 15.9 seconds. Today, there are muscle pickups that can better those numbers, but this was nothing to sneeze at when it was new. The owner provides little information about the Pickup’s mechanical health beyond its incredible odometer reading. He supplies a lot of statistics and specifications information, but we don’t know whether it is roadworthy or whether it was appropriately maintained while it was parked. It seems that potential buyers will have a long list of questions to ask the seller.
So, does this 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS Pickup deliver as a sound long-term investment for its original owner? Sadly for them, the answer appears to be a resounding “no.” The BIN price may suggest that it could, but the current market tells a different story. Values have climbed around 30% over the past few years, but that doesn’t mean that they’ve reached stratospheric levels. It is possible to secure a tidy example for under $25,000, and values don’t climb significantly from there. I found a recent situation where an identical Pickup with an even lower odometer reading sold in the open market for under $35,000! That makes me believe that this owner is over-reaching by a fair amount and that he may have to be prepared to compromise or stay in for the long haul if this classic is to head to a new home. What do you think?
Looking to recover the cost of the garage space. These were ho hum performance and can’t see the seller getting anywhere close to asking, but those auctions keep pumping the market.
I hate the cheap,cheesy dash on these.The speedometer
is a joke,& the gray plastic light switches look like the would
break easily.
Nice truck, but the asking price seems ambitious to me.
I agree, in this case 70K gets you a superb example of something that most enthusiasts don’t care about.
Should have been driving it. At least he made a killing on his Blockbuster and Enron stocks.
230HP/385lb-ft was impressive in 1990, but today, a Silverado with the turbo 2.7L 4-cylinder puts out 310HP/420lb-ft. They can make it act like a big V8, but they can’t make it sound like one
the Chevrolet performance catalog says headers a carb and a distributor returned 440hp with the same cam .
Nice truck… price seems crazy to me. But there are lots of crazy people with money to burn. Good luck to the seller.
Don’t forget the small print $995.00 ‘administration fee’ tacked on to the price. While a seller certainly has every right to ask whatever price comes to mind in a free market, this kind behavior is nauseating.
Yes a crazy price, but check out all the other fine vehicles for sale!!!
Way way way too much. Managed a Chevrolet dealership back then, these trucks as far as I was concerned were absolute dogs, 10 mpg was the norm and that was without any load!
Yeah this is ludicrous. Tack on the 1K extra administration fee and you have just another greedy jerk. Hope it never sells, the world has gone nuts. The only way to help correct things is to refuse to play the game. I do not wish him “good luck” for asking for all the money for this almost 32 yr old piece…They were not impressive to drive then, sure are not now.
Couldn’t agree with you more Ralph. Never understood why a guy would put the equivalent of a race motor in a pickup truck that was designed to work with, not race with.
Nice looking truck with an underpowered 454. If I had money to burn I wouldn’t buy a truck to haul things in or tow stuff with that gets 10 mpg. And as I’ve said before, I’m a die-hard Chevy guy.
My neighbor used to have a Ford F-250 4×4 with a 460. He would tell me that it got 10 mpg whether empty or pulling his 25 foot boat. When Dodge put 440s in their trucks the mileage was pretty much the same.
ROTFLMMFAO I live in Florida and never knew it was legal to smoke cRaCk till I looked at the web page that this is listed on.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1990-chevrolet-silverado-1500-454-ss-8/?utm_source=dm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021-10-18
Just a question here from someone who doesn’t know… if that low mileage is accurate, has it been used SO little that the seals, etc. would have dried out from lack of use?
Is this insane?
I have a 1994 k5 while it isn’t a pickup , it’s a Silverado Blazer Sport, it has the same interior all plastic and funky switches.
Completely refurbished and would be happy at half the price.
But it’s a go anywhere vehicle think I’ll keep it
Wow! It’s only used 20 gallons of gas.
I got a new 1992 1500 350 210 hp what a POS traded a 77 scottdale in bad mistake.
I don’t care what fees you want to add. I only deal with an out the door price. The manner in which you divide the money I give you doesn’t matter. You add, I subtract. Here’s my offer, if $100 goes in your sock drawer, so be it,
Ben T. Spammer- I agree. They try so many tricks and add-ons and b.s.. Last truck I bought they tried to throw in a $165 “service charge”… I said please don’t do that because that wasn’t what was discussed, we had a deal without that and I’ll walk if you don’t remove it. He pulled that charge off the sheet.