I have to write a speech for my high school English class. I want to write that speech on a full size GM truck. My guess is a 1 ton from the 70's to 80's. Any opinions and specifications would be great, I have to get an A so I don't fail.         Thanks guys  

It really depends on how you define "best".  67 to 72 had a stronger frame than 73 to 87 because they had notch out frame in front to clear emission style exhaust manifolds. The 4x4 version automatic or stick had NP205 Tcase which were very sturdy and still sought after too. 73 to 79 had full time NP 203 4x4 with a automatic and 205 with stick. 1980 they all had 205 again and then in 81 they went to a lighter Tcase. Most 67 to 72 GM 3/4 and 1 ton trucks had a Rockwell 12 inch ring geared rear axle which was likely the strongest rear axle ever placed in a GM P/U. pre 67 had divorced Tcases and a very sturdy frame and drive line but crude creature comforts. My favorite best would be 67 to 72 (I owned three in that range long long ago when they were pretty new) Second best it would be a toss up between a 87 old style truck and a 88 to 99 classic. 87 had old body style and frame but had modern fuel injection. 88 on had cleaner lines and road and handled much better and was a nice truck over all too and arguably best GM truck made in last 20 years. Third place would be a Silverado and last place would be current trucks as they smell of cost cutting and poor design (for one thing, they moved ABS control module front a protected area under hood to under driver on frame rails in mud, spray, salt and thrown rock area) and body styling too. Also sometime around 2004 GM quietly moved fuel filter INTO gas tank on gas truck meaning what was once a simple thing to change now required fuel tank to be dropped to change moving it out of realm of most home mechs.  

i would have to agree w/snow and say the 67-72 GM trucks were the best fallowed by 73-87 1/2tns/73-91 1tons for there strong drivetrain...i have a 1993 chevy k1500 4x4 and its been the most reliable 4x4 rig ive ever owned w/over 162000 miles on v6 and 5spd tranny ive never had a problem...
but the most important thing everybody doesnt like to here about or talk about of the 73-91 models is that the retarded engineers narrowed the frame and stuffed the gas tank on the outside and many people died in firey crashes...ive owned quite a few of these models and it was always in the back of my mind,other than the gas tank on the outside of the frame it was the strongest trucks ive owned...  

I'm with snoman and kieth on this matter

to bad they didn't make more of these extracabs, not quite as roomy as the 88-up but makes thing more liveable without the long wheelbase and 5 acre turning radius. this one came stock as a 454 th400-205...d60 up front and 10.5 rear 14 bolt. it now has a 6.5td engine and a gervendor overdrive...

good luck on the speach, we'll all be here if you need some specific or general info..

 

ya know I had forgotten about the pinto thing...I believe they were extreme cases and probably had other factor involved besides just the impact, the vapor is what ignites though not the liquid....that would be interesting to dig some of that old news up!  

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I shouldn't have any trouble writin a speech about about the 67-72 pickups. Now, I just have to convince the teacher to let me do a brake lock in the parking lot for the demonstrative speech.  

man if you could power brake the old truck in front of the teacher that would be cool...i did that once in high school w/my 68 chevy c10 2wd after the school repaved the parking lot i went and did about 4-5 donuts and a big smokeshow and wouldnt you know it the maintanace man saw and i got in trouble! so do it in frt of the teacher and you probably could get away with it being a school project!  

I'd say for saftey reasons and personal experience in the matter...forget it! do it at the track  

i agree with mudb8,its gonna looke real cool when ya break sumthing in front of all you buds,and the cuties.thats a no pooper! experience talking here..emberrassment stinks,and it will be remembered.maybe  

Ya, she wouldn't go for that anyway. When I asked her about it she gave me one hell of an evil look. lol, o well  

people got hurt from a blown tire and other debris in my case ....BTW.  

By the way, I got an A for my speech. She said she gave me the A mostly because she didn't have a clue what I was talking about.  

LMAO...musta been a good presentation!  

must a been charlie browns teacher! lol