Some vehicles present us with a conundrum, one that makes it hard to assess its true value. The reasons we get giddy over certain cars and trucks is because of performance equipment, or high-end trim, or some rare option that few other models were equipped with. In the case of this 1995 GMC Sierra, it’s a rather low-option truck but it features the desirable short-bed design. It’s the kind of rig you’d use as the basis for a hot rod build, or simply using as a parts hauler because it’s dirt cheap to run. However, this clean GMC has a salvage title, and it’s hard to see why. Find the GMC here on craigslist for $8,800.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the find. As most of us know, the short bed pickup is a fan favorite, regardless of the make and model. It could be a Ford or a Toyota, it truly doesn’t matter; we just love them for the proportions. There’s something about a truck in short bed form that makes it look like it’s always about to rip a smokey burnout down the main drag. This GMC also benefits from having under 100,000 original miles and lots of recent maintenance by the seller to ensure it’s basically a turnkey rig. It’s super basic, too, with steel wheels and bumpers.
The interior is still appealing, however, even with its lack of creature comforts. Of course, some of you will likely find it even more desirable for that reason, because there’s nothing to break, really. The crank windows and manual locks ensure that you won’t be chasing annoying electrical issues. The seller notes that the interior has been “…completely redone” and it certainly looks that way, with super clean carpets and upholstery. From the outside, it looks like the kind of truck a municipality or highway department would use, and given the interior is new and the paint is fresh, I’m guessing it was fairly tired cosmetically until the seller got his hands on it.
He also notes it will burn rubber with ease, so I’m guessing it has the more powerful 200 b.h.p. V8 engine under the hood which also came with 310 lb.-ft. of torque. I’m totally guessing on which engine it has, so don’t eviscerate me if I have the specs wrong. So, knowing all the ways this is a desirable rig, what do you make of the salvage title? Was it likely a non-event when the vehicle was over a certain age and totaled for a meaningless fender-bender? I suspect yes, which means the price is more than fair for a desirable, cleaned-up truck like this.
2wd, reg cab, rebuilt title, did all the work to clean up the truck, but couldn’t replace the missing center caps? I don’t see $8800, but some victim might.
Always liked the shortbox trucks too Lavery. 👍
These were really good trucks. I still have a couple of co-workers who drive them daily. Reliable, relatively cheap to fix and lots of parts available. That’s a win-win if you ask me.
When I worked for the diesel shop we leased a couple of trucks like this for shop trucks. They just ran the 350 Vortex and automatics. People often wondered why a diesel repair shop didn’t run 6.5s but our vehicles were local gopher trucks and would endure a lot of start-stop operation. Anyways, the leases were winding down and a couple of replacements were on order. My own vehicles were getting to the point where I was looking for a newer truck and since the two trucks had less than 50K miles, I thought I’d just pay out the lease and keep one of the trucks.
I asked the boss what the payout was; he said he’d get back to me. I don’t know what was bothering him that day but he just paid them out, took one home and got rid of the other one. Obviously, he didn’t want me to have one so I got a Ford F-250.
I guess that was the beginning of the end. The boss and everyone in the place disagreed more and more and he just started getting rid of everyone, even good, hardworking people. Kind of like Hank Williams Jr’s song; The Ballad of Hank Williams Sr.