The last Voyage of the stock 1980 El Camino

[billyjack]

You'll love it Chuck, even before you can change gear ratios.
20+ years ago, I bought a 2wd Shortie GMC pickup with a 350 diesel. Out came the diesel and in went a junkyard Olds 350 and Turbo 400. It dragged our Sprint Car and trailer all over the hills of Western PA, West VA. and Eastern Ohio with ease. Fuel mileage with 3.40 gears and no overdrive was pitiful, but the torque was so satisfying to drive.

Bill

 

[DRIVEN]

I appreciate your thinking. In my humble Opinion GMC should have used Olds engines because of their torque values, and it would have made a lot of difference between Chev and GMC other than upholstery fabric!.

They did, in a couple of instances. In '55-59 GMC used 324 and 371 Olds engines. And in the '70s the 403 and 455 were used in the FWD motorhomes.

Those were not technically pickups though. And the 350 diesel was mentioned above.
But I agree completely. A 455 would have made a great engine for towing applications.

 

[Oldscarnut]

You'll love it Chuck, even before you can change gear ratios.
20+ years ago, I bought a 2wd Shortie GMC pickup with a 350 diesel. Out came the diesel and in went a junkyard Olds 350 and Turbo 400. It dragged our Sprint Car and trailer all over the hills of Western PA, West VA. and Eastern Ohio with ease. Fuel mileage with 3.40 gears and no overdrive was pitiful, but the torque was so satisfying to drive.

Bill

I do love it! Since I have always enjoy torque over RPM HP. Ford and Dodge always got with wide block strokers at 360 Cubic Inches. My Jimmy always had to be revved up, wheels spinning to climb a steep hill, while my friends Bronco would literally idle to the top. It never made sense to have as SBC be the truck engine. Tows went to 454 and 400.

 

[ssn696]

Technically, the GMC motor homes were towing with the 403 and 455...they used the same TH475 FWD transmission from the El Dorado and Toronado, I believe. That's what GM used to keep the floors low so the overall height would be closer to a van than a school bus.

 

[Oldscarnut]

Technically, the GMC motor homes were towing with the 403 and 455...they used the same TH475 FWD transmission from the El Dorado and Toronado, I believe. That's what GM used to keep the floors low so the overall height would be closer to a van than a school bus.

Yes they were, FWD, air ride, and 455 with almost 500 foot pounds of torque! Way ahead of the rest at the time

 

[olds307 and 403]

I do love it! Since I have always enjoy torque over RPM HP. Ford and Dodge always got with wide block strokers at 360 Cubic Inches. My Jimmy always had to be revved up, wheels spinning to climb a steep hill, while my friends Bronco would literally idle to the top. It never made sense to have as SBC be the truck engine. Tows went to 454 and 400.

The sbc blew especially with 2 something gears in trucks. My 78 1/2 ton with 2.76 gears and a sbc 350 was pitiful, two different ones both sucked. I threw a high mile but good running 81 Olds 307 Vin Y. More power off the line and at least 10 more mph on the top end. This was with manifolds and the awful crossover.

 

[Oldscarnut]

The sbc blew especially with 2 something gears in trucks. My 78 1/2 ton with 2.76 gears and a sbc 350 was pitiful, two different ones both sucked. I threw a high mile but good running 81 Olds 307 Vin Y. More power off the line and at least 10 more mph on the top end. This was with manifolds and the awful crossover.

GM had some bonafide pinheads!