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Weathered Driver! 1971 GMC Jimmy K5

General Motors’ entry into the short-wheelbase multi-purpose vehicle market aimed to draw buyers away from vehicles like the Scout, Jeep, and Bronco. One year after Chevy’s Blazer hit the market in 1969, GMC, “the truck people,” brought the Jimmy. This 1971 GMC Jimmy 4×4 in Tucson, Arizona looks to have spent too much time in the sun, but a closer inspection reveals a rugged driver with a host of new parts. A frame-off sympathetic restoration included rust repair, new body mounts, all new brake and fuel lines, fuel tank, rubber seals, and more. The post here on Craigslist asks $56,000 for this practically new 1971 GMC, disregarding the story-telling paint. Thanks to reader T.J. for spotting this desert jewel.

While some people park their open-top Jeeps and similar rigs like this year-round, letting rain water run out whatever holes and crevices it can find, this Jimmy’s buyer will be happy to find a new soft top comes with the sale. The hard shell top was optional on the Jimmy until 1975, according to Wikipedia. As a youth I rode in my uncle’s orange and white Blazer, and the elevated rear seat gives passengers a good view of the action ahead.

“Everything works,” according to the seller, and parts refitting included the engine compartment. The 350 cid (5.7L) V8 also received the “naturally” eroded cosmetic treatment. A three-speed automatic transmission handles gear changes. Original air conditioning parts probably went AWOL decades ago, and didn’t make the cut. Buyers in the category of halfway to $100,000 may question the shiny metal block-off plate replacing the HVAC box.

Unlike Ford, GM made its sporty short-wheelbase utility vehicle a variation of its pickup truck, reducing engineering and production costs and presumably increasing margin on every unit sold. The lively aftermarket for this generation truck should mean parts at the ready, though this one needs little more than a paint job for buyers who don’t like the weathered enamel.

Holes in the dashboard work against full-price offers from buyers wanting a vintage alternative to today’s feature-rich trucks. The hose-ready vinyl and steel interior stands ready for adventure. Among monochrome ’70s colors, blue may be least objectionable to modern buyers. Factory air conditioning was a real luxury on a vehicle that came with only a driver’s seat unless you ordered optional passenger and rear seats. Thanks to AutoCatalogArchive for some details. What’s your opinion of this nearly turn-key classic?

Comments

  1. Avatar Bluetec320 Member

    For that kind of cash, they need to finish the job and paint the dang thing!

    Like 29
  2. Avatar Ed

    The paint is fine, but for that kind of money I would expect the A/C to be there and fully functional, no open holes in the dash and a more modern engine and trans combo. A non overdrive TH350 and a 190 HP carburated smallblock don’t cut it for $56,000.

    Like 25
    • Avatar Rigor Mortis

      Paint? This is meant to get out in the brush. Paint is a silly thing to add. AC? It has no top! Guys, use it as intended. Scratches and all. If you gussie it up then it is only good to trailer to a show, and only that.

      Like 8
      • Avatar AndyinMA

        Very true, just price it accordingly then

        Like 4
      • Avatar Rigor Mortis

        AndyinMA, I think the whole world is pricing for the 1%, not the rest of us. Us, the true of heart who understand and appreciate 4 wheeled contraptions. Us, who may not be strong of wealth, but strong of heart and love for the hobby. Most of us are being priced out of the market, and for what? A little reasonable profit made on anything is good, makes the world work, but when it goes to absurd extremes it turns things on end and soon the whole system falls apart.

        Like 5
  3. Avatar Stan

    Np205 gear ⚙️ driven t-case. Great 👍 no roll bar is real old school look.

    Like 2
  4. Avatar Jim in FL

    Crazy money in my opinion. Then again I wish I had never sold my 72 Blazer. Bulletproof but rusty. When the rear blew I sold it for the same $800 I paid for it. At the time I thought, well, I’ll find a better one. That was in 2003. Still, no AC, rough body. Seems high.

    GM needs to make something like this again to compete with Jeep and the Bronco. Bring back 4×4 ragtops as a thing.

    Like 9
    • Avatar local_sheriff

      …first there was the Jeep then the Bronco came along and finally the K5 – maybe we’ll see history repeat just like it happened in ’69, and similar to the reintroduction of the Camaro…?

      Like 2
  5. HoA Howard A Member

    Yay,,,people are finally jumping on the “Howard” wagon,,or so it seems. You know, as many of these that were around, I don’t ever recall one with the top removed. Of course, with Wisconsins 3 day summer, nobody thought of it. I’d have to think, no top and no roll bar, and the finicky handling of these, a disaster waiting to happen. It’s an okay find, but the only way to pull the plug on this foolishness, is to not buy it. Tell that to the spoiled brats with grandpas money, who don’t see an issue spending $50g’s,, perpetrating this baloney.

    Like 10
    • Avatar leiniedude Member

      Morning Howard, back in the day when summer came I would remove the glass top until Fall for my 30 mile drive to work. Although if it looked like rain I would slip the doors on and the bikini top. Take care Buddy.

      Like 3
      • Avatar Stevieg

        I had a ’75 Blazer, last year of the full top. I would take the top off in May, put it back on in September. Never had a bikini top for it, just got wet lol.

        Like 1
  6. Avatar Brian

    With that block off plate, there is no heat, AC or defrost. And no top. This can only be used as a toy. 56k is beyond overpriced, but maybe he’s just fishing.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar geomechs Member

    I like what I see for the most part but I would want the glass lid back on it. Sourcing out the A-C components would also be in the works if this came to my place. A lot of these were sold out west and a lot of them are still in service, some of them as rusty as this one. I like these from the start and still would like one…

    Like 2
  8. Avatar mainlymuscle

    Real users of these never use the hardtop.I bought my 72 in April 2016,took the lid off in May , and it’s been nothing but a pain to store ever since.
    For what it’s worth , My wife will leave her modern Range Rover parked ,and drive her Blazer everywhere,unless beaten to the punch by our Jeep and Q5 driving daughters.Ours has Ac which gets used slightly more often than the hardtop.The price is pretty close on this one , there is definitely a market with the patina ,tough truck crowd.Two tone with the moldings ,like ours , is our preferred look.
    I have sportscars , musclecars , and vintage trucks , and NOTHING is any more fun to drive,nor draws more attention than the Blazer.Incidentally we are in Edmonton Canada 400 miles NORTH of the US border,so ours is hardly a long summer !

    Like 5
  9. Avatar TPK

    Not at all worth the asking price!! Missing the top, missing the a/c, missing the radio, “grinding the paint down” in the hopes to eventually create patina?? Really? worth $56,000 really?
    Nicely done interior paint and upholstery, like hearing fixed any rust that was present, adding power brakes is excellent idea. New tires bushings, and brakes are great but still not worth $56,000, so much needs to be completed to make the truck close to that price.
    I’d be very interested at $28,000.

    Like 3
  10. Avatar bobH

    I’m with the rest of the posters at 56. Just for the record, I’ve got a 74 K5, rough, poor shape, with a little rust, complete drivetrain (unknown condition), with top, with most of the factory A/C, and missing some stuff. Came to me free, and I’d be happy to pass it on free. For someone a lot younger than me, with tons of ambition (and $$$), it could turn into something like this (maybe). But, why? Like the rest of the folks above, no interest at 56. And, where’s the top and all the A/C stuff?

    Like 0
  11. Avatar chrlsful

    nice one.
    Now why’d they doo that to the finish.
    No harm, 1st owner can correct.
    And no rug (a la rest0mod 1st gen bronk) never! One of the most stunning auto pic I’ve seen is a 3/4 above shot, that rug goes on for miles.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Ken Tucker

    No roll bar, no way.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Rw

    Cool but way much money

    Like 0
  14. Avatar joenywf64

    I guess GMC did not bother to tool up a larger brake pedal for automatics?

    Like 0
    • Avatar local_sheriff

      As strange as it seems that is correct – no larger brake pedal in auto-equipped trucks of this generation…

      Like 1
  15. Avatar Cooter914 Member

    Cry all y’all want, it’s right on the money for the market. The body is very straight. A lot of metal work has been done already like the front floors and rockers to start. For those that don’t like the finish it looks to be mostly a skim coat and some block sanding away from repaint ready. After that just add a/c and a top and you’ll be dancing with 90K at any auction.

    Like 2
  16. Avatar Tooyoung4heyday Member

    There’s a lot of difference in opinions here on this one. IMO the poor attempt at the patina look on this doesnt work. If it was done well it still wouldnt look good. These just look best restored. As another Wisconsin resident not sure why you couldn’t take top off. My dad owns both versions, a 72 Jimmy and a 72 Blazer both in the medium olive. Prior to the current Jimmy he had a different 72 Jimmy that was medium red. All three are 4×4 and 4 speed models. Both Jimmy’s had/have roll bars and the blazer at this time still does not. The red truck rotted away and became spare parts. The roll bar from that at some point will make it into the Blazer. Having owned it for the last 26 years and its still not in there, obviously not a big concern. The tops have been off all three trucks in Wisconsin summers. These are a blast to drive and very nimble. They command attention wherever you take them and it seems like everyone has a story to share. Price might be a hair steep for missing a bunch of things but you wont see six figures without a lift and the 6.0 liter LS swap that seems to be so common these days. Someone should fix it right and enjoy it, top on or off…..

    Like 1

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