TODAY is a Great Day to visit our Store and order the parts you need for your truck ! ! !
Both of my 79's do the same thing. I run 195 degree thermostats in them and it doesn't overheat and produces decent heat in the winter. I just chalk it up to a quirk of owning something old.
A guage is the thing on the dash that shows the temp of the coolant... What you call it? :-D