Vehicle Description
During its more than 30 years of faithful service, this 1982 GMC
Sierra Classic 1500 Restomod has plied its trade for only three
local Texas owners, and has never had occasion to stray far from
home onto salted roads that might otherwise mar its sturdy
foundation. A recent restoration featured a fully swapped-in
Cadillac Escalade AWD drivetrain, freshened two-tone paint job, a
dialed-in exterior, and a shiny new set of 20-inch wheels leaves
that have left this shortbed looking sharp and running great. This
former workhorse draws nothing short of admiring glances these
days, and when those onlookers get a load of the modern drivetrain,
the drool starts to drip.
This sturdy pickup is beautifully clad in a stock-spec black and
silver two-tone finish that looks particularly sharp all these
years later, thanks to a well-applied refresher just a few years
back. An accident in the truck's past required a little surgery,
but they did the job right and used steel, not filler, specifically
on the cab corners, driver's side of the bed (toward the front),
and the bottom of the fenders when they were straightening out the
bodywork. They got this baby straight, lined up the gaps, smoothed
out the metal, and only then coated it with deep, lustrous paint.
With its tendency to show every imperfection, black paint is the
saboteur of many a paint job, but there's nothing to diminish your
enthusiasm here, and the silver running the lengths of its sides is
topped by red pinstripes that are looking good as well. It's not a
perfect trailer queen, but rather a strong driver, but it feels
right at home whether loading up at Home Depot or rolling up to the
local car show to compete for a trophy. The front grille is very
clean, setting the tone up front with the help of the chin spoiler
and bumper guards that keep things interesting, and the shortbed in
back conveys the notion that this is a very capable truck that's
very much ready for action as soon as you get it home. The inside
of the bed was painted black to match the body, so it may not be a
bad idea to drop a liner back there to protect that straight
sheetmetal, and the look of the single cab and shortbed set-up will
always be a fan favorite. Up front, the stock bumper features those
aforementioned vampire-style bumper guards, oversized side mirrors
are at the flanks, and a newer heavy-duty chrome bumper was added
out back as the perfect endcap. Add in the trim around the wheel
wells, the body molding on the lower portion of the truck, the
tailgate trim, and all the correct GMC badging, and this
super-clean truck has plenty of bling to go around.
The gray cloth-and-vinyl interior is another strong feature of this
Sierra Restomod. It retains its factory look, down to the newer
plush, padded bench seat that features a tuck and roll look and
shows no serious signs of wear. Take a deep breath while inside and
you'll have all the confirmation you need that this truck performed
its duties for a non-smoker - unlike so many vehicles from this
era, it even has a fresh smell inside. Just beyond the factory GMC
steering wheel, the original dash area also presents well with a
slight patina, including its original instrument cluster housing an
assortment of still easily readable gauges (along with an auxiliary
gauge below), an original AM/FM/Cassette radio at the center, and a
straight pad sitting on top. The air conditioning system looks to
have been converted to modern refrigerant and is currently blowing
cold, and although there's not a ton of options you do get a tilt
wheel and seatbelts. The plush carpets sitting below are a nice
touch that add a little class to the interior while insulating the
cabin from the elements, and a taut headliner above gives the cabin
a very finished feel inside.
Underneath the hood is where the real party begins, where a
powerful 6.0L LS Vortec V8 was swapped-in from a 2004 Cadillac
Escalade. It's a near-perfect fit, like the modern LS motor always
belonged inside this engine bay, and with all that added horsepower
and torque this truck is now an amazing performer out on the
streets. Electronic fuel-injection and a cold-air intake system
help the engine perform, while modern components like power
steering and power 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS mean this Sierra is
a true Restomod with terrific road manners. Underneath, there's a
lot of modern hardware, including upgraded shocks, swaybars, and
even front and rear axles that make what is now an all-wheel drive
system. A throaty exhaust system from the same Escalade now
provides the truck's soundtrack, and for added safety the filler
neck and gas tank were relocated to the rear of the bed. Flashy
20-inch chrome wheels set the truck's tall stance, and they're
wrapped in 275/55/20 radials with plenty of grip.
Whether for it be for recreation or work, this 1982 GMC Sierra
Classic 1500 Restomod is ready to report for duty. Call today!
