The next owner will find just 539 original miles on the odometer of this minty 1990 Chevrolet 454 SS pickup, a muscle truck from the early 90s that was apparently purchased for the sole purpose of being a future blue chip investment. The seller doesn’t provide many details, but what else is there to say, really? It’s one of the best trucks of its kind left in existence, and aside from the obvious problem of what do you do with it, it’s pretty much the closest you’re going to come to buying a new one out of the dealer lot. Find it here on craigslist for $43,000.
Speaking of dealer, this looks to be parked at a dealership of some kind. And, truth be told, a truck like this has private-dealer-collection written all over it. I doubt it’s even been titled or otherwise registered to a private owner. That being said, it still doesn’t present all that well in photos. This is what always shocks me: you have what may very well be the best truck of its kind left in existence, and photos that would be acceptable for a listing of a late model import sedan. Anyway, the tell-tale signs are there, with the most obvious being the perfect graphics on the bed side and rear tail gate.
The SS trucks may have gotten bucket seats, but the rest of the interior looked pretty much like any other GM product of the day. This always struck me as a swing-and-a-miss by GM, as they could have easily bolted in a set of period-correct Recaros or Flo-Fit style seats to set the limited edition muscle truck apart from the crowd. The seller doesn’t provide any specifics, but one would hope the air conditioning still blows cold. Speaking of general form and function, the trick thing with trucks of this vintage is that their extended periods of inactivity can sometimes lead to seals failing and hoses leaking, so we certainly hope it’s been exercised fairly often.
The 454ci big-block Chevy V8 is certainly a desirable engine, and a formidable opponent to the Ford F150 Lightning pickup of the same era. The sad thing about this particular truck is that it’s never going to see much use aside from the weekly warm-up to keep fluids moving. Its value is locked into its low mileage status, and that’s fine – collector vehicles always have a handful of static timepieces kept around as a sort of homage to their significance, but if it were me, I’d want to pay $20,000 less and buy one I could use – or just start with a different truck altogether and pick up a Lightning or Syclone instead. Which muscle truck would you choose?
Nice find…
First year production no overdrive and no tachometer which they did rectify in later models.
First year production, no tachometer or overdrive transmission.
It was rectified on later models.
If I bought it , The truck would be driven, so I might as well take the 43 grand and buy a new Chevy truck.
The ad description is more of a history lesson on the SS454 pickup, and certain things dont jive unless its been upgraded. Listed as a 4 speed automatic even though the ’90 version had a 3 speed T400 automatic, the seller knows that fact, side exit exhaust, I’m not sure of the tachometer it has…
It may be an extremely low mileage truck but not as seen new on the lot, so to speak. 43000 dollars puts it in collection only status.
Make mine a ’91 with the overdrive, some miles, and noisy exhaust/intake, something I could drive with the only worry being how far the next gas station was. Or make mine an F150 Lightening with a hundred less cubes and plenty of power! Fun trucks but not insane performance.
They also carefully avoided showing that this truck has an aftermarket radio. Something here isn’t passing the smell test as Troy S. points out.
It doesn’t have a radio at all. It has a compartment insert where the radio would be, with a tach mounted inside it.
Yes, listed as a 4 speed automatic but one of the pictures of the dash shows only 3 forward speeds, D, 2, and 1. It makes you wonder sometimes.
Bought a new one off the show room floor. Turned it back in on the lemon law. Had a bad electrical problem It would just stop running when it felt like it and not start again.
I remember looking at them when they were new and being completely turned off by the mpg ratings of 9 city 11 hwy. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that GM couldn’t do better than that. The next year they have 700R4 overdrives in them which at least helped drivability…
Nice truck but how do you get rid of that “minty” smell?
Drive it
There was a guy around here that had one which I had a chance to see a few years back. It was an impressive truck and he said he did drive it a little though he admitted to having a heavy foot. When asked why he didn’t drive it more, he said because it had an attraction to the gas pump.
I doubt that this one with the few miles it has will see the road again, rather going into some collection.
“…that was apparently purchased for the sole purpose of being a future blue chip investment.”
If that was the intent, they failed miserably. Should’ve bought real estate.
True or gold.
Nice but I’d rather as a former comment stated buy a new one for that price. I’m not saying there is any deception here but it always worries me with that redicoulas low mileage
I almost bought a new one of these back in the day. At least I test drove a brand new one back in the day. The power on it was lacking. Ended up buying a Nissan Extended Cab truck, which lasted 230K miles before I sold it and got another one. GLWTS here though, pass.
You made a good move ,you couldnt haul one of these junkie things on a trailer 230,000 miles without it falling apart By no means one of GMs finer moments I didnt care for this body when it came out in 88 and they have still not grown on me I had one of these in 2000 I think it was and traded it for a 2 year old 4cyl Ford ranger and was TICKLED PINK to get something that didnt rattle and squeak and could pass a gas pump without being drawn like a moth to a flame
454 s s and only 230 h p guess that was a lot for 1990 .
454 s s only 230 h p guess that was a lot for 1990
All of the above plus I’m old school enough to believe that all pickups require three pedals. I’m out.
No radio that I can see in the pics, and the headliner looks like it is starting to sag like my 91 Chev is doing. Yeah if I was going to spend that much for a truck I think I would just get a new one.
This was a embarrassment to the big block Chevy engine . Needed a lot of work to get these to run . The plus is all the good parts behind it . Trans and rear end good take all the power you could throw at it but that engine was sad.
A very nice example of an old Chevy truck. But what would you do with it? There are better uses for $43K.
I drive a Dodge Ram SRT10. Nuff said.
I’m just happy no one said “put an LS in it”.
That grey late 90’s Lincoln Town Car for $999 looks more appealing on the back lot than that truck does in front of it.
If i had it i would drive it all the time, but with that price and so much more out there its not going to happen with me.
Bought one new for 18864. out the door in 90
Me too! Ordered a new 91 Silverado 8ft. bed 2wd, 5.7, loaded, 2 tone, $12,500. cash with my 85 Chev. as a trade in. Still have it.
No pics of the driver seat door side bolster and the driver door arm rest looks like it may have some wear but the picture is fuzzy when expanded. Sorry to be such a skeptic but in my opinion the odometer is wrong. Maybe not rolled over but definitely been left unhooked while this truck was enjoyed for 20-30k miles at least.
I got a 1992 brand new and traded it in 2001 on a S-10 brand new one too.
Why are tires and wheels replaced if you wanted a “bluechip” original?? Weird!
I don’t know where you are at, but around here if tires are something like 7+ years old and you pick up a nail, tire shops won’t touch them. Had that happen to my T-Bird, tires only had maybe 20K miles on them but I only put maybe 2K on it a year and it’s garage kept so though they were older they were still in excellent condition. The tires were still in excellent condition but purely based on the date code, tried 3 tire shops and none would touch it.
I bought a 1990 Z-71, GMC, Long bed standard cab. I still have it it runs great. 252K miles, 350, never really put any money in it, Always standard maintenance, brakes all that stuff, It has the original front end, ball joints, ty rod ends, only shocks. I paid $15K new out the door in San Jose , CA. now in Ohio, It runs great and the tranny and transfer case shift like butter. Now my son drives it and we may get another 100K, best investment I ever made. I will say that that 454 truck does not have original rims. I have original rims and those are not it.
I read a write up on these when they first came out. Article referred to it as a “Super Slug”. I don’t remember the performance specs but they said it was choked by restrictive exhaust and emissions and said a 318 Dakota delivered better performance and cost considerably less..
Found a 1957 Cadillac El Dorado Seville. Car remains original and was in a warehouse since 1977. That is the last year registered. Shows 44000 miles and still has the original tires. Also has the kH optional Sabre cast wheels
Willing to assist someone in purchasing it.
Located in Galloway, NJ