Let’s take a hard look at all the good and the bad about the classic Chevy K10 “square body” pickup truck. We purchased our “Big Green” 1985 K10 project truck nearly two years ago. We have since did an engine swap, exhaust upgrade, fuel tank replacement, and interior redo among other things.
The truck used to have a 305 cu-in V8 that was quiet and slow. Now, it has a 350 cu-in ZZ6 V8 from Chevy Performance parts that is rated at 400 horsepower. Transmission is still the same 4-speed manual.
The K10/C10 trucks of this era got the design right, but not everything is peachy when it comes to the hood hinges and rust prone fenders. The truck uses an engine battery with side-mounted posts that are often difficult to deal with.
The truck dual or saddle-bag fuel tanks. There is a fuel tank on each side of the truck. It gives the truck great fuel capacity, but it’s not convenient to fuel up as you need to turn the truck around at the fuel pump to fill both. Also, the fuel switch/regulator that controls which tank is feeding the engine has a tendency to leak or fail.
Just as with most K10 trucks (K10 means that it’s a 4×4 half-ton truck), this truck had a suspension lift when we purchased it. It’s a very basic block lift, and it makes the ride downright jarring and uncomfortable. It does look good, although this is a long-bed truck. Regular cab short bed trucks are more desirable.
Chevrolet actually called this generation of their trucks – the “rounded line”. Watch the video below to find out why.