Author Topic: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC  (Read 20051 times)

Offline rainman15

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My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« on: April 20, 2009, 08:54:32 PM »
This is my 1984 GMC High Sierra 1500, regular cab short bed 4x4.  The truck belonged to my late

father-in-law who passed away in November 08.  He left the truck to me and my wife.  It is in decent

condition.  There are several reasons why this truck is very special to me, other than the fact that it

was in the family for so many years.  I actually know the original owner and can trace the history of

of this truck back to the day it left the dealership lot in Charleston SC.  The truck has all the original

documentation, all original stickers are still in place including the sticker on the drivers inner fender

under the hood that gives all the options and specs for the truck, and best of all it has only 108k

original documented miles.  It is a 305 4brl that has never been modified in any way. The ac still blows

ice cold and has never been charged.

It received a decent repaint in 1990, though after 19 years it is due for an update.  It is an

oddly optioned truck too with a rubber floor mat instead of carpet, but it has power windows and

locks...

It has dual gas tanks, one on each side of the bed so after you have to fill one tank you have to

turn the truck around to fill the other.  Weird.

There is some rust in the rockers and cab corners but thats it.  The bed is perfect as is the front

clip.  I will return the truck to its original silver and dark blue two tone by the end of this year when

I do the complete restoration.  It will be completely restored to the way it looked originally when my

old friend Gary drove it home from the dealership in March 1984.  I can't wait to see the final

outcome and of course I'll post and share the pictures here.  The first pictures were taken after I

spent some time with the buffer bringing the old paint back to life.  It doesn't look that good in

person but it looks decent for now while I get the parts and supplies together for the restoration.

The bottom pictures are of what it looked like before I buffed it.  The stickers on the bed sides will

also be coming off.  They look stupid, but if you knew my old father-in-law they'd make sense.  He

was really goofy but really cool old guy.


Here is the link to my website and one picture below taken right after I buffed it.  http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3315583

« Last Edit: April 20, 2009, 08:57:43 PM by rainman15 »
84 GMC High Sierra 4x4 shortbed
09 GMC Sierra SLT
09 Mercedes Benz C-350
60 Chevrolet Impala

Offline Captkaos

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2009, 11:06:21 PM »
The paint buffed out nice!

Offline choptop

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2009, 07:45:01 AM »
Sorry for the loss of your father in law. Nice truck with a cool history.
76 C10 Choptop,76 C10 Swb
85 C10, 85 K10, 85 K20,86 C10,86 K10 (all extended cabs)
86 C30 extended crewcab

Offline JRConnieK10

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2009, 09:33:18 AM »
Welcome from Ohio. Nice truck sure looks like it took a little bit of elbow grease to bring the shine back.
'85 K10 LWB 350/SM465
BUILT NOT BOUGHT

Offline dirtmod0

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2009, 05:38:23 AM »
 nice truck sure you will have some good times in it.

Offline oldwhity

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2009, 09:37:15 PM »
Welcome from Maryland. Cool history on the truck.
Rob G.
81 Chevy K20 4x4 LWB stepside
I enjoy long quiet walks..........in a junkyard!

Offline 4x4HighSierra

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2010, 08:57:10 PM »
What does the 2 x 8 mean ???
1985 GMC High Sierra K10 mild 350 and rebuilt 700R4 with transgo shift kit

1985 GMC Sierra Classic C10 TPI 350 swapped in and 700R4 and 6 inch drop, with front drop spindles and a axle flip in the back and c notched frame

1995 Chevy Tahoe LT stock

Offline rainman15

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Finally picked up my 84 GMC 4x4 short bed
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2010, 02:36:09 PM »
November of 08 my father-in-law passed away.  He left me his 84 GMC high sierra 4x4 short bed.  He was the 2nd owner and I actually found the truck for him down in SC which at the time belonged to a good friend of mine who was the original owner.  I can trace the truck back all the way to the day it left the showroom.  It obviously isn't perfect, rockers inner and outer and cab corners are an issue, as is the small rear section behind each rear tire, but the rest of the truck is in very good condition.  The drivetrain is original and perfect right down to the a/c which was blowing at a crispy 30.5 degrees (according to my digital sensor) on our 200 mile trip home.  My father-in-law always said he wanted the truck to look like brand new again, and I'm gonna make that happen! I took these pictures during our trip up to my home in Virginia last weekend.









« Last Edit: April 21, 2010, 02:37:51 PM by rainman15 »
84 GMC High Sierra 4x4 shortbed
09 GMC Sierra SLT
09 Mercedes Benz C-350
60 Chevrolet Impala

Offline rainman15

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Re: My new 1984 4x4 shortbed GMC
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2010, 09:28:16 AM »
My father-in-law had a really weird sense of humor.  His reason for having 2x8 on it instead of 4x4 is they both equal 16.  You'd have to know him, always had a joke for any situation, though they were very rarely funny.  I still miss the old guy though.  He was cool.
84 GMC High Sierra 4x4 shortbed
09 GMC Sierra SLT
09 Mercedes Benz C-350
60 Chevrolet Impala

Offline rainman15

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Dropping the 84 at the body shop Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2010, 08:49:19 AM »
Well after 18 months of waiting and buying parts I finally moved back to Virginia from my temporary job in NYC, so now I get to start the restoration of my late father-in-laws 84 GMC 4X4.  It goes in on Monday to begin total disassembly and frame up restoration.  I originally wanted to at least do the metal work myself but it is just too much for me to do in my garage and its getting worse the longer I wait to have it done.  It has been a real joy driving the old truck though.  I've driven all over the north east coast from CT to NC and all through the 5 boroughs of NYC and long island.  The old girl never missed a beat.  

Short list items for the body shop are the new drivers door sheel, inner / outer rockers, cab corners, outer floors and kick panel patches, lower patch forward and rear of wheel on drivers side bed and behind tire on passenger side bed.  It is going back the original colors dark blue and silver but I'm adding a bit of metallic and it will be base clear this time.  I'll replace the grill, bumpers, tail light housings, emblems, rear glass, dash pad and door switches when I get it home. I'm going to refinish the original door panels myself.

These are the before pictures.  I'll post progress and after pics when available.





« Last Edit: June 22, 2010, 08:51:17 AM by rainman15 »
84 GMC High Sierra 4x4 shortbed
09 GMC Sierra SLT
09 Mercedes Benz C-350
60 Chevrolet Impala

Offline greatdane

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Re: Dropping the 84 at the body shop Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2010, 12:33:19 PM »
Very cool! I am going back stock two tone colors also-maroon & silver. I am interested to see how yours turns out! Glad to here someone is ready for paint...
'84 GMC Sierra Classic SWB 2WD
'08 Chevy Silverado Ext Cab 2WD
'74 AMC Matador 2dr Coupe

Offline team39763

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Re: Dropping the 84 at the body shop Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
« Reply #11 on: June 24, 2010, 11:07:13 PM »
What trans and gears are in that?  Sounds like you've enjoyed it for many many miles.

Offline rainman15

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Need help to determine what the original paint scheme was on my 84 GMC
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2010, 07:53:07 PM »
Hey. This is my 84 GMC High Sierra that I received from my late father-in-law.  The original paint failed / flaked off so the truck was stripped and painted around 89-90.  I have no pictures of the truck from before it was painted.  The original owner is no longer with us to ask, and my mother-in-law isn't willing to help (long story). 

OK, so I want to restore it to original condition and it is in with my body man now.  The problem is we don't know where the paint breaks should be or where the original colors were placed.  The build sheet which is located on the inner drivers fender under the hood has the following clues, and I'm typing it exactly as it reads so incomplete words are intentional.   

A01 - Tinted Glass - All Wind
B3W - Preliminary Price Inf
C60 - Air Conditioning-Fron
GQ1 - Rear Axle-Standard
K34 - Electronic Speed Cont
MK0 - 4-Spd Auto Trans W/ov
NY7 - Transfer Case Shield
PA6 - - Styled Wheels
UF2 - Cargo Area Lamp
U58 - AM/FM Stereo Radio
V76 - Front Tow Hooks
YH6 - Sequoia Special
ZQ2 - Operating Convenience
ZY5 - Exterior Decor Package
X00 - Blue Custom Vinyl Be
A28 - Sliding Rear Window
CD4 - Inter. W/S Wiper Syst
E63 - Fleetside Pickup Equi
G80 - Locking Differential -
LE9 - 5.0 Liter V8 Gas Engi
NL2 - Auxiliary Fuel Tank
N33 - Comfortilt Steering w
TT5 - Halogen Hi-Beam Headl
U35 - Quartz Electric Clock
V22 - Deluxe Front Appearan
XUZ - 31X10.50R15/B SB Rad
YUZ - 31X10.50R15/B SB Rad
ZUZ - 31X10.50R15/B SB Rad
Z62 - Sierra Grande Equipme
29 Midnight Blue 17 Silve

OK, so given this information can anyone tell me for sure what type of paint scheme this truck had?  Maybe even photoshop the attached picture to reflect it? 

84 GMC High Sierra 4x4 shortbed
09 GMC Sierra SLT
09 Mercedes Benz C-350
60 Chevrolet Impala

Offline markdilljr

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If it anything like mine which is an 84 C10 it is silver on roof and below body molding. Something like this, I know its dirty as heck but thats when I first got it.
Ride Rank, Make Bank

Offline rainman15

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I think that is probably very close to what it had, but I found the remains of a large pin stripe between the bed and cab and inside the jam of the tailgate that is about even in height with the door handles which is leading me to believe it was silver in the center between the moldings and the door handles, plus silver on top.  I'm unable to find a picture of one painted that way from the factory though.  

Oh yea, I took a much longer look at the pictures of yours and noticed you still have your build sheet on your drivers inner fender.  Does it say anything about paint combinations or themes? 
« Last Edit: June 28, 2010, 08:28:19 AM by rainman15 »
84 GMC High Sierra 4x4 shortbed
09 GMC Sierra SLT
09 Mercedes Benz C-350
60 Chevrolet Impala