Classic Car Values And The Everlasting Square Body

[@johncamara1650]

"This is what we built when we were great." Repeat that.... Thanks Tony. That's why I watch you.

[@adammatis5527]

That hit me like a brick.

[@kennethhorton1868]

True!!

[@AmB39]

So true. Sobering. Sad…

[@jonathangreenwood2842]

That hits home

[@mudduck754]

Still driving the 1975 that Dad bought new in November of '74. Chevrolet C-20 custom deluxe camper special. The odometer is on at 6 th trip around. We're at 78 something. I know every squeak rattle shimmy shake after 46 years of being acquainted with this critter. She's family.

[@throttlebottle5906]

do everything you can to keep it away from the salty rust belt and any salt water oceans.

[@mudduck754]

@@throttlebottle5906 I know better than taking her out on the sand when I go down to the beach property. That's what the old woman's Cherokee is for.

[@williamsanders468]

@@mudduck754 I bet if it was the old woman or that pickup, you’d a chose the pickup

[@TheBeatlesTracks]

That’s awesome man, I’m 16, just sold my 66, hopefully I won’t regret it down the road

[@danhoyland142]

Tony you gotta do a episode on your road trip in this. I think we can all agree we want to see it.

[@kyleburney6059]

Hey Tony I love it when you lay it down like that man! The whole philosophy on all vehicles and why we rebuild them and keep them alive and take pride in things that were built to last! I love the philosophy with the hot rod Angle!

[@danfarris135]

Still got my 75 suburban that dad bought new. I drove it from 1982 till 2004. Literally replaced everything at least once except the frame and rear differential. Still had less than $15,000 total cost including $4600 that dad paid for it.

[@henrytyson4152]

Very nice 👍 my 1974 Chevy C10 has a 68 Cadillac 472 in it from an eldorodo 525 ft. PNDS of tourque from a stock motor"

[@meadmaker4525]

Simple, overbuilt, durable. Everything a truck should be. I enjoy technology, but not so much in my vehicles. The more I look at newer stuff, and the ridiculous prices they're asking, the more I think it's time to start looking back at vehicles like this square body Suburban. It's got character, it's simple to maintain, it's easily repairable or customizable, and it's got a pretty comfortable ride. I think, owning something like this, I'd come to love it and not want to get rid of it, unlike the newer stuff that's out there today which, like you said, is just disposable and fragile.

[@sixtyfourchebby4507]

I daily my 77 GMC shortbox stepside 4x4. Have a yard full of 73-81 trucks of most configurations to keep running costs relativity low. Buying hoards and selling what I didn't need for over 20 years left a few tidy trucks, enough parts to repair accident damage that may occur and an unforseen profit turned RRSP. Remember, that these were never intended to exist beyond useful purposes and people like me never intended to see a demand creating profits. They were used vehicles and in alot of cases used up! It was a byproduct of having fun. Enjoy your hobby!

[@donthomcsi]

My first car was a 52 Pontiac that I was splashing through streams in on a gravel road. The third stream had a foot and a half bank on the far side and I got stuck. That night the creek rose, the waterline even with the top of the doors. Got it out and towed it home. The master mechanic that was learning me at the time said to change out all the fluids and drive it. That's all it needed and it went another 30,000 miles before that engine was toast. Loved that old tank. Replaced it with a 57 Chevy for $50.

[@cousinjohncarstuff4568]

Another you tuber has a 53 chieftain he recently bought, 3 on the tree... Run and drive, original drivetrain.

[@TheBrokenLife]

Uhhhh... Square body owner here... My Dad bought it new in 1974 and it's well past needing its _third_ body and it probably should have had 2 others in between. If you sunk a square body under water for _not much time,_ especially coastal water, you'd be needing a new square body. That's one of the reasons that they're appreciating in value; there are fewer and fewer of them left. That's not a knock against square bodies, but saying that you'd have to replace all of the electronics on a modern vehicle vs. replace the entire body of a square body is really not much of an argument, IMO. That said, that is a super clean Suburban and I'd very much love to fondle it. Being in the south is a great thing.

[@chrism6952]

should be fine in a freshwater lake. its the salt that ruined all those trucks.

[@TheBrokenLife]

@@chrism6952 Natural fresh water isn't laboratory distilled water. All of the dirt and garbage that is going to come in with flood water is for sure going to get in all of the body seams and rust out one of the most rust prone vehicles to have ever been built. On a quiet night you can actually hear a square body rust. In the case that Tony cited, that coastal flood water isn't fresh water either. As soon as the flood water breaches the salt water, you're getting whatever the currents decide you're getting. In either circumstance all of the stuff left inside every body seam is going to collect ambient moisture from the atmosphere and rust it from the inside out from that moment forward. In truth, this happens to every flood car which is why even people that rebuild cars don't touch flood cars. What boggles my mind is selecting one of the most rust prone vehicles on Earth to use an example of one that would survive. I feel like the bigger point here was to show off the cool swap, which is indeed a cool swap.

[@gregfielder4763]

I’m sure he gets a lot of looks b/c of the vintage, but I bet almost no one notices the Buick hood ornament at first glance. That’s something I would do for sure.

[@armedinbama]

I'm a big fan of whimsy. 👍 CHEERS! 🇺🇸

[@j_freed]

It’s like a sleeper modded car except it’s telling you that it’s a sleeper…

[@metalbill]

I'm a Pontiac guy and my 1969 Chevy 4X4 longbed has a Pontiac 400 with a 4L60 overdrive trans. What a great truck combination! The thing will pull nicely and do over 100 MPH. And it's all steel and will last forever here in the Desert. And I'm sitting on a goldmine with all my old cars that all run!

[@jonlennon3348]

I simply love that truck with a buick engine in it. So cool.

[@cutl00senc]

The older I get, the older my cars get….in another 20 years, I’ll be riding a horse! Don’t be surprised if ya see a lot of VW beetles all over the place in the next 5 to ten years….virtually bulletproof cars.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

I have a Beetle...just turned 54 years old a few days ago :) I wouldn't say they're bulletproof (overheating of #3 cylinder is an Achilles heel) but they're definitely easy to work on

[@mexicanspec]

I hope so. I will be providing them from Mexico. Who wants one?

[@dannylinc6247]

Ted Bundy had a super beetle.

[@cutl00senc]

@@dannylinc6247 yeah….600,000 Americans don’t care

[@mexicanspec]

@@dannylinc6247 How did you think to post this in a discussion on an easy car to drive and work on? Also you are wrong, the Ted Bundy car was a standard Beetle, not a Super Beetle.

[@paulcabezola3559]

Sure wish Dodge never stopped building the Ramcharger.

[@yurimodin7333]

if they would have made a 4 door Ramcharger the Suburban would have never stood a chance.

[@cjwebb454]

They made the ramcharger for 2 years in Mexico 99 to 01 they were 2 door, had the same back as a grand caravan and only available 2 wheel drive they didnt sell them up here because of crash test safety and marketing reasons

[@charlesprice7608]

@@yurimodin7333 yea that’s why Chrysler had to be bailed out by the government back in the 80’s also. 😂😂😂

[@77ratduster]

Or Plymouth the trail duster, I lost mine years ago. Broke my heart

[@mexicanspec]

@@cjwebb454 The crash safety was the same as the Ram trucks, as they were a Ram truck. The era of 2 door enclosed trucks was long past by that time in the US. Also, the US needed 4X4 trucks and they didn't come that way.

[@markshackleford2982]

I love my square body I plan on passing it down to my daughter when I'm gone she loves it to.

[@ChrisTheBmxGuy]

Exact reason I got an 85 d150. I wanted a truck. Easy to maintain, fix, and live with.

[@jerjer92]

I bought a rust free but haggard 79 C25 a year ago. I know it had a slide in camper in it, then was used as a cattle ranch truck, then sat for 15 years. I got it and its been a daily driver. Even in -50c it still is dead reliable. Great old trucks.

[@waynebake1123]

I have an 86 Silverado and I'm def not getting rid of it.

[@buick1955]

Your friend did a real nice job on that Buick engine install . That a work of art !

[@speedy_pit_stop]

That is so right. One of the first things I look for in a vehicle is how long it's going to last. I don't find that in plastic ridden, feeble electronics loaded modern vehicles. I can fix them, but I keep classics for me to drive.

[@timhorn902]

The caddy 500 will make it go good to. I helped do a swap in a Suburban. 20 years ago. When I was going to mechanic school. That thing didn't know what a mountain was.

[@Impactjunky]

"this is what we built when we were great" there is a lot of truth in this video as always! I'm coming up on 30 this year and I've still never owned a car or truck newer than an 86 model for these exact reasons. My newest vehicle is an 86 K5 with a 4 barrel 350 I got for only 700 bucks from a craigslist ad. The body is in awesome shape but the motor smokes like a freight train and I had to put a set of hubs in it to get 4x4 working again.

[@ScottKenny1978]

If you're completely avoiding computers, that's a good call. If you don't mind a computer, get one after 1996 so you get the cheap plug-in diagnostic.

[@chrism6952]

@@ScottKenny1978 If you get something computerized from before 96 the codereader is just a paperclip (assuming you can find the manual to find out what code the dash is flashing out in morse code)

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@ScottKenny1978 96 up is OBD II. They're MUCH more complicated than OBD I or, preferably to me, OBD NONE. All vehicles from about 1979 on have some sort of "computer".

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@MikeBrown-ii3pt OBD2 means a $25 scan tool to see what's wrong with it, versus manufacturer specific, $700 tools for OBD1 and earlier computers.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@@ScottKenny1978 Bull! I have OBD I tools for GM and Ford. Even today, you can get them for around $20. For Chrysler OBD I, you don't even need a scanner. You don't need anything fancy for any of them. I also have an OBD II unit and it wasn't very expensive either. On the other hand, if you actually read my original comment, you'd see that I didn't refer to the cost of the tools. I was referring to how much more complicated the OBD II systems are.

[@GLHS592]

One of my best friends has a 1974 Chevy dually with a 455 Buick under the hood. That thing outpulls their 8.1 liter GMC 3/4 ton and several diesel powered trucks.

[@surfitli]

The GM Squarebodies were really cool. THe Squarebody Blazer, Jimmy, and Suburban actually ran all the way until 1991. My parents actually had a 1978 Blazer Cheyanne from 1985-1993. Unfortunately it rusted out. I was a child but I remember when my dad bought it. It actually had Cherrybomb glasspacks when it was purchased.

[@toecuttre]

My folks had a '78 Cheyenne Blazer too! Factory 400 small block! What a great truck!

[@machinist7230]

I would point out that the two door tahoes That were available up to 99, are essentially blazers with a different name plate.

[@surfitli]

@@toecuttre ours was a 350. Headers, Cherrybombs, Rancho Shocks. My father did like it, but eventually the manafolds went back on and it got Refular mufflers. I’m from The New York Area, used to snow a lot more then it does now. The Squarebodies did rust out. That is what happened to this one.

[@surfitli]

@@machinist7230 Correct. They did that in 1995. That was the first year for the 4-door, which became very popular. There also was smaller S-10 Blazer, which by this time was greatly outselling the K-Blazer. In 1995 they dropped the S10 and the compact SUV was the only Blazer. The 1992-1994 Blazer and the 1995-1999 2-Door Tahoe are the same truck.

[@charlesgall7829]

So true about the old iron.Never thought I would hear the words" when America was great" and not just a catch phrase ,but reality.

[@fostercathead]

We've really gone down the tubes. Sad ...

[@charlesgall7829]

@@fostercathead Got to turn things around for our kids sake

[@truckfreak4537]

3 Words: Controller Area Network. Cars made after about 2005 all use it. Every electronic part is on the same network and sharing information. You can get some nifty features (doors lock above 15mph, 4 ways come on after an accident, etc) but once you remove something from that network, the rest of the stuff doesn’t work!!! Love the channel

[@rrfields65]

You forgot to mention that it is fiberoptic connection!

[@chrism6952]

those sound like pretty useless features to me

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

This is why it amazed me UT let go of the Ramcharger. I'll admit I've let a few slip through my fingers too but no more, learned my lesson well!

[@imchris5000]

I have a ramcharger just sitting it had a tree drop right down the center and put a crease the entire length of the roof broke all the glass one day someone will want the moldy heap

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

I couldn't believe it either. Even though I'm a diehard GM Square Body guy, I also have a secret love of the 72-90 something (92 maybe?) Dodge trucks. The Ramcharger would've been a keeper for me.

[@drg5352]

@@MikeBrown-ii3pt 93 was the last year; my brother had one with the 5.9l (360). Probably would still have it if he could have gotten a title. There's an '85 around the corner from me. While I really don't need it, I also don't have any projects right now, and it's a tempting prospect.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@imchris5000 Ouch! :(

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@drg5352 Even more tempting if 4x4! ;) BTW, a "constructed from parts" title may be an option in some states.

[@highoctain113]

1991 was the last year and the most advanced of that rig. I have one right now that I'm setting up to be mine. Diesel, no electronics and ALL MECHANICAL. I love the old square bodies.

[@chaseman113]

My Dad’s 90 suburban was overheated so bad it wouldn’t run from weakening the valve springs. My Dad ended up setting valve lash to make it run. That was 21 years ago and the Suburban is still going!

[@Beandiptheredneck]

This is why I love my 94 fords, they do have some electronics but it's basic and not overwhelming, they're kinda the last hoorah of a real rugged work truck ford ever made in the 1/2 ton segment. infinitely rebuildable and simple enough to fix in the driveway. The way it should be

[@Saan455]

Man I'm 23 y old and and mess with my dad's 85 GMC burb every day just loving the big block sound and that big hunk of a real truck Any way big fan from Saudi Arabia I love your channel and I hate Chrysler

[@Saan455]

@Bulitt Nose I have 1982 datsun 720 crew cab 4WD with teeny tiny l18 1.8 L I learned to drive on it and still driving it from time to time its not about new or old or what. Ist about a car with a character and history. New stuff to me almost feel the same . Nothing really that special

[@Saan455]

And I work on my cars my self

[@wlogue]

1993 D250 cummins 12 valve, sometimes tows my 1961 cj3b, trouble free pretty much. Also own a 1970 Ford C750, never fails me! Rock on U.T.

[@MRR-qv3bw]

I'm 36 years old and I lost my father this past March! We had four Suburbans an 87 two 88,s one with a 6.2 diesel and one 2500 with a 454 and a 95 2x4 with a 5.7. I'm almost in tears at 6:24 when you opened the tailgate all the good memories came flooding in! Thanks for sharing this vid

[@caseydodds4433]

I own a 93 silverado with 130,000 original miles and mint. No rust,no dents,it is my last and only vehicle.

[@stickpd7885]

Good for you , I won't buy anything newer than 92 . I'm sure it'll do what you need it to...

[@NYPATRIOTBX]

In the state of NY, anything 95 and older only requires a safety inspection, no emissions or plugging in to the computer.

[@machinist7230]

The problem is, finding a station that will only do an inspection. Most won't do anything that's pre obdII

[@vincerencher9128]

here in NJ, there is no inspection for 95 and older.

[@cousinjohncarstuff4568]

In Texas, anything 25 or older only make sure lights, etc work as well, no plugging in computer.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

@@machinist7230 Really? I have no problem getting my pre-'95 car inspected here in NY

[@yurimodin7333]

Southern IL here and they don't care what you do as long as you pay that $150 license plate every year.

[@atex6175]

My parents had an 89 suburban when I was a kid. They bought it brand new I've been in love with square bodies ever since

[@thewoodsman5261]

Gotta love the square bodies. I picked up an old 77 GMC Sierra K15 short bed back in November.. From Arizona, original paint, 98% rust free, 98% complete. My daily driver is a 09 Tahoe SSV, The old is so much better than the crap they make today. Love your channel your ignition timing and carb tuning videos will help me along the way. Keep them coming man, we all appreciate what you do

[@jaxes88]

Great video Tony! My 1980 K20 is still running and driving great, I love how everything on it is built so that it can be repaired if it ever fails. It takes a few parts every year but it keeps going. My neighbor had a 1980 K10 suburban like that, it was awesome! With the back seat still up we could put two Honda ATC's inside.

[@mikemclean2709]

My 94 suburban I've had for almost 6 years and she has gone above and beyond of what I expected, I've been a mopar guy/nut but I have mad respect and appreciation for chevy, I need to now rebuild the motor in my suburban but it's so worth it

[@donaldgilbreath4200]

I have an 85 Chevy 3/4 ton C-20 in my possession since 98. And I v also have my dad's 79 B-100 van that my uncle bought off the showroom floor. Both will be with me until I die.

[@sirmitts7865]

Just recently got 1989 Chevy suburban my step dad had one when I was a kid and I thought it was a beast, I had no idea these are going to skyrocket In value. I'm 23 and even I can remember a simpler time when finds like these were sub $1000

[@brentfellers9632]

The wrangler ,and jeeps in general are easy to work on, and have a huge aftermarket

[@dizzledizzle8924]

You where right man, 87 was the last year of the square body. I've got an 87 Chevy square body pick up, 450,000 miles, and I'll never get rid of it. Commit for life, that's damn right.

[@seanfagan6998]

Ok maybe that one will get 9miles to the gallon. I love it. Hate to park it in the city.

[@scottfeltner6066]

Park in the city. Walmart parking lot is small by 90s standards.

[@johndario88]

My 06 Silverado 6.0 work truck model is a gem. Last year before they really started adding all the electronics. I’ll never get rid of this truck. Well till Father Time catches up to it. But here in south Florida it should live on for a while longer. Thanks UT!

[@KoliK0584Stuff]

I fully agree. I love my 82 K10 and I'll drive it into the dirt and rebuild it before I ever sell it. Wonderfully easy and cheap to work on, tough as nails. It gets air/fuel/spark and it runs. No complicated electronics, just basic 12vDC wiring. Sure it doesn't have heated seats(it could if I wanted it to) or many of the other features found on new vehicles, but that's a good thing. Air, Tilt, Cruise, and an aftermarket stereo. Good enough for me. I've been burnt once by sketchy electronics on a truck, never again.

[@shadowknight99999]

I will always love old American iron. Built in America with love! I love my 67 F250 4x4 its as barebones as they come but its all truck and i wouldn’t trade the driving experience for any new car period.

[@biggoleredneck1805]

I got a 86 c10 that's been in the family since 2001 I drove it to high school and I still drive it once or twice a week it got some cool stories behind it

[@rrfields65]

Cheap stuff ain't cool ! and Cool stuff ain't cheap!

[@biggoleredneck1805]

No it's not lol

[@fastinradfordable]

As a classic truck driver I can simply say that I would have been so broke I starved at certain points of my life if I would have indulged in one of these. Thankfully I got a vw rabbit pickup. Swapped in a Tdi. And can easily get over 60mpg. Like, think about it. Yea you can drive one of these for one day. For the same cost of me to drive the same drive, every day, for a week.

[@Thomas63r2]

Shhh...talking about fuel mileage is taboo!

[@JohnPaul-co3zr]

It is great when you have conversations like this, one of my favorites is when you were talking about the change of our manufacturing capabilities, Bing destroyed by the fiat currency and takeover of cheap parts overseas you were standing next to a Pontiac that was about to be destroyed at fire station . I’ve been trying to find that video, but I can’t find it on your channel anymore.

[@RichyN25]

I love my old squarebody chevy, it's the most reliable vehicle I've ever had, and been a daily driver for almost 8 years

[@Sam-zp5rd]

You were right about this, and as a car guy I think it’s sad. I remember in the 1990s I was in a 4 x 4 club and I had a 1974 Jeep CJ5. We did a river crossing that got out of hand. One of the guys had a Suzuki samurai that floated down stream and sunk. We winched it out of the river, and out in the woods we drained all the fluids, separated the water from the oil, and the water from the gas. Took out the spark plugs and pump the water out of the cylinders. Then put the gas and the oil back in it and it started right up and drove out of the woods. Try that with a modern 4 x 4.

[@HansensUniverseT-A]

My uncle had a 1980s black Jimny, what a freaking awesome piece of machinery, easily one of the most cars I've ever ridden in, that thing was bombproof, you would bounce around like crazy in this one, cold as hell in the winter, you could take the top off, he regrets selling it today.

[@machscga6238]

I have a Suburban just like this one... Except it needs a bunch of body work, but easily salvageable.

[@yeboscrebo4451]

I plan on keeping my 69 f250 running for another 50 years. For me its all about freedom, freedom to escape the planned obsolescence schemes and freedom to make my own repairs with hand tools.

[@johnhendrix1692]

Absolutely love those old square bodies... I see you have a new neighbor to your state too.. Is Derek from vice grip garage just moved to Tennessee.. It would be good to see you too in a collaboration

[@Jonhobbs64]

I have a 1976 suburban /454. Had it since 1994. I got it on a trade in for free so I changed the gears and did all the bolt on hot rod stuff and used it to scare the crap out of people who thought they had a hot rod! I still have it and always will! Thanks for all of your awesome information!! Also it would light the 32" Goodyear eagle slicks easy!

[@Thomas63r2]

Except that those other cars were not actually racing you.

[@Jonhobbs64]

@@Thomas63r2 well yes they were ! It would do low 12 second quarter mile passes all day long. Were you there? Do you just troll u tube ? Have you even had a V8 powered car in your driveway? Are you driving your mom's Prius?

[@Thomas63r2]

@@Jonhobbs64 Oh, okay, you had a load of nitrous and were racing 13 second and slower cars. I'm semi retired and haven't run anything for 10 0r 15 years. The last hot rod I ran was a street licensed insured pump gas 496 '65 Chevelle. Full cage, ran 10's on E.T. Streets. Just because your 'Burb had a V8 doesn't really make it a good race car. Yes, heavy can run like a "Farm Truck." If you really wanted to play you should have put that drivetrain in something lighter by 2,000 lbs.

[@joesmith306]

I'm 72 years young, and I never owned a vehicle without a carburetor. I grew up driving them and fixing them. Yes they're high maintenance, but easy to fix. Also it's hard to find good mechanics that know the old cars, unless he's my age, and they're either retired or dead.

[@xpicklepie]

I lucked out and found me a 1977 C20 with a 454. It ran like crap so the guy wanted it gone so I got it cheap. I put a carb and a new HEI in and it kicks total butt now. Even has a good stock windshield (unheard of!) and straight bumpers/perfect grille. Tires had cracking rubber from age, so I put on new 265/70/15's on an old set of 15 x 8 steelies that I've had laying around forever. Black wheel paint and new center caps and it looks awesome!

[@RiverRat-2112]

BTW, Handy hint for Squarebody folks, They make a front license plate holders that fold down into a step and you want one. I will never be without one again.

[@midnight-xpress1136]

I feel that the GMT400 line was still pretty true to the work Truck idea. I feel the GMT 800 line was the softened for soccer mom duty.

[@SophiaAphrodite]

my ex blew up their 6 cylinder in their 1982 Monte Carlo. They had a 1978 Pontiac Bonneville that had frame damage to it but ran. We were able to direct swap that Pontiac 301 into that Monte Carlo. We had to torch cut new trans mount bolt holes and the electrical plug in all worked save for the high beams. You would be surprised what you can direct swap to extend the life of an older car.

[@Fox_Mulder350]

I love the squarebody. My first truck was a 1985 Chevy C10 that I got a couple years ago for $750. Ran great. It had a 262 V6 but I threw in a 350 from a 97 Tahoe. My dad had just rebuilt the 350, the heads were cracked so my dad threw in Summit Racing Vortec heads on it (kind of a cheap performance replacement head). When he put it back in the tahoe (with new sensors and a new stock Vortec intake) it had all kind of problems due too wiring and other computer related issues. Eventually he got to the point he didn't want to spend any more time on it, so I pulled out the 350, sold the rebuilt 4L60E and scraped the Tahoe. I rebuilt the motor with a high-lift cam, kept the vortec heads, port and polished the heads and carbureted it. My 350 is around 430 horsepower. The great thing about chevy is they don't change things as much as other companies. They don't go through a lot of revisions and parts interchangeability is great. small block Chevy is a small block Chevy. A square body is a square body.

[@randomoldguy3967]

My daily driver is an 83 C10 Silverado. I bought it 3 years ago and it’s my 5th Squarebody. Everywhere I go, people try to buy it or express their love for squares.

[@noelstractors-firewood57]

My cousin in Ottawa loved those. Big tires and drive into the woods. My Buddy has a 1997 f150 Ford that he bought in 1997. But was under water. Fresh water, not salt water. Difference. But he still drives it and it looks great. Has done minor body work of course. He owns his own road tractor repair business. And uses it as his shop truck. 500,000 plus kilometres on it.

[@johnrivinius4873]

I'm willing to bet that we will look back at some of the vehicles in the Junkyard now as hot rod donors. A person guts out a modern car and puts in thier own driveline and electronics. We see it already in drag cars. The world of hotrodding is always evolving.

[@k5guy]

Pops had 89 suburban. Loved that thing. What inspired me to buy my 74 blazer. Much love for the square body

[@HansensUniverseT-A]

Oh man i love these workhorses, they're still seen on the roads here in Norway, we need a roadtrip video of this! We want to see this thing move down the road.

[@captainjohnh9405]

YES!!! It is sooooooo nice to have the wiring diagram fit on one sheet of paper!

[@ScottKenny1978]

Maybe with a couple of fold outs, if the diagram also shows the shape of the car.

[@captainjohnh9405]

@@ScottKenny1978 My 65 Fairlane diagram fits on the left and right page of the manual, so yes, strictly speaking, it is two pages. That includes sketches for single and dual point distributors for 8s and the distributor for the 6.

[@94TahoeDude]

I've got my 82 k30 single rear wheel crew cab long bed. The thing is reliable as hell. Driven it hundreds of miles and drive it 30+ miles through the mountains 3 to 4 times a week. I love the squarebodys

[@CSXT8250]

Squarebody G vans, E-x50, and Ram/Tradesman vans are really good. Lot of folks forget them too.

[@mikemurphyseemsliked]

Ive been driving Suburbans (Square) for decades now. First one was a 1989 1/2 Ton Silverado 4x4. Then I got a 1985 3/4 Ton Sierra Diesel Grande 4x4, Today, we have a 1979 3/4 Sierra Classic ... I don't think we ca go without a 'Burb in the garage

[@wildbillfirehands]

Yep, I love my beat up old Black Bomber, '87 Suburban (with rebuilt '89 engine. $500 salvage 6 yrs ago) I just keep it rolling !

[@LarsonFamilyFarm-LLC]

I have a 1989 GMC Sierra 1500 truck w/ 350 motor...daily driver i use...replace-swap engine or transmission and keep going. Perfect for my cattle needs. I also have a 1998 Lumina with the coveted 3.8 liter GM motor...pristine condition....purs at 90 MPH....have to watch the speed...and keep it at 70. Lifelong commitment vehicles.

[@mikeskipworth9464]

What a gorgeous machine.

[@jaychester4280]

In the late 1980's my dad had a '77 1/2 ton Chevy 2WD with a 400 Pontiac and Turbo 400 in it. What a truck! Over the years I have seen nearly every GM engine imagineable shoved into these '73-'87 square bodies, and they all fit like they were made for it. Great trucks (except for the rust issue in the "salt the roads states").

[@ImFastrnU]

Yep. My daily driver is a 83 Dodge Ram w150. And I am in fact planning a rewire from bumper to bumper with a Ron Francis kit. Like Tony says, you can fix ANYTHING on the old vehicles

[@alale923]

My most recent car is a 78 wagoneer. But i really want a square body suburban like dallas’. Great lesson in this video. Thanks Unc.

[@cycleguy666]

I use to think of keeping vehicles i loved forever but it always seemed i would either wreck it or get it knocked out from under me. Or i kept a car so long it would rot out from under me. I still keep vehicles forever but now a days i have 20 year old vehicles and older!! The way to go!! And i can fix it all!!

[@candykid5135]

square body chevy is the most iconic design by gm

[@SuperDd40]

Anything built after 2000 or so is called "transportation appliance"

[@fostercathead]

It's also called, "Junk." :-)

[@ScottKenny1978]

Lasts about as long as an appliance, too. 5-7 years, or length of the warranty.

[@andrewbutton5580]

the real death came 2005 with canbus trash. Thats purposely made to fail.

[@Thomas63r2]

Ha! I was in the car business since the middle 1970's for the next 30 years. You know what I've been hearing ever since the middle 1970's - "that they don't make cars/trucks as tough as they used to." These same square bodies that you are talking about (and that I also like for reasons of easy rebuildability) had lots of critics when new. I heard complaints about everything: bad mpg's, weak transmissions (later square bodies), noisy, unreliable, hate the throttle body FI (later square bodies), paint that flies off in sheets, poor rust proofing, sagging headliners, and much much more. I live in the country, and absolutely everyone drives pickup trucks - and for the stupid money I see people asking for totally clapped out square body pickup trucks it makes more economic sense just to buy a late model used truck. The way I see it, square bodies are being bought more for reasons of nostalgia and cruise night style than for practical truck purposes.

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@Thomas63r2 crud, I know there was significant weight reduction in between major redesigns, too. Had a 1979 Ford LTD. Got sideways after an ice storm and had to replace the driver's side fender, hood, and radiator support after catching a highway sign at 45mph. I could not lift the whole original fender by myself, it was over 150lbs. But the replacement, from a 1980 LTD? I could and did attach it myself. Hood must have been 40lbs lighter, too, I only needed help with it because it was so big. I don't remember the radiator support being any lighter, but it's been 20+ years since then.

[@bhzaddybhzolby1705]

The only thing you have to worry about is the rust. But if you keep up on it just like everything else, that vehicle will last forever. I daily a 75 Suburban in a snow free state and I still get bubbles of rust but I just keep on patching and fixing any rust as soon as it pops up. It's the most reliable and comfortable vehicle I drive. They weren't lying when they called it America's favorite wagon.

[@albertgaspar627]

Considering the shortage of new cars this year due to chip shortage....expect a ton of these underwater cars to get their VINs "washed" and put on the market. Considering your experience with your LA first gen Charger, UT....you might want to do another video on how to figure out if the car someone's buying has been an insurance claim...

[@rrfields65]

DOJ is already on too it , their physically taking the vin's off of vehicles and stamping "Totaled Vehicle" on frame,eng.,trans, and instructing salvage yards to take vin's off wrecked vehicles so that no one can try to get smart by using them on flood vehicles! On top of that state DMV/DOT office will require proof of origin before any title and registration!

[@drivecam101]

Stamping a vehicle and ripping off the VIN tags hurts the legitimate rebuilders and the exporters who send the cars to poor countries and sell them cheap with disclosure of what they are, because their customers want cars they can afford and are willing to deal with the damage.

[@rrfields65]

@@drivecam101 : contact the DOJ Department of Jerkoffs !

[@jon-christiankaczor5384]

I agree with tony about the older vehicles I'm 42 and never bought nothing newer than 04 f150 and hated the wiring issues I had to fix and try and stay with 95 non crossover obd2 or G.E.M (global engine managment) and older

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Burbs, full size Blazers/Jimmys and Crew Cab 3/4 and 1 ton pickups kept the "square body" design through the 1991 model year.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

@Mike LeBlanc I couldn't care less about your "crypto currency" B.S.!

[@genehart261]

Absolutely! With inflation out of sight older cars are hard ASSETS instead of depreciating money pits.

[@n4zou]

I inherited my Dad's first generation 1984 Dodge Ram. No chip electronics, power nothing, and a bullet proof 318 V-8 engine. I'm in Alabama so zero rust. The truck spent 20 years in a shed before I got it. It took me 3 months of work to get it back on the road. It's the now classic tan and brown two tone short bed truck with white wagon wheels.

[@thomasconnolly7452]

I have a 90 Suburban 4x4 with 223000 miles and looks almost new. Great truck.

[@edwardrobertson2958]

I like you. you remind me of me. And my dad. Praise to GM? I know you're a Mopar guy, but credit where it is due. I salute you and your show.

[@middlesiderrider]

You're right about the viability of repairing old cars. In late 2008 I bought a 1971 Pontiac LeMans that had been in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa flood of that year. The car had been under water up to the roof. It sat for months with water in the engine, trans, and rear end. Spring 2009 I started fixing it, and after draining the water, replacing the fluids, and getting the engine unstuck I was able to drive it with the original Pontiac 350 and th350. I even drove it to a car show where it got a lot of attention(still had the high water mark on the sail panels). I spent the next couple years fixing everything on that car and when I was done it had the 455 and th400 from my first car(68 Grand Prix), and a VFN fiberglass 1970 GTO frontend that I bought used(and beat up). I drove the car loaded with all my belongings on a move from Iowa to Utah. I had just over $10,000 into the car and I loved it, and everyone who saw it loved it. Little kids on the sidewalk would jump up and down and wave and girls would scream,"I love your car!". Unfortunately my mom had to go through chemo and I wanted to move back to Iowa to help her, so I was forced to sell the car. I only got $5300. Didn't have time to hold out for more. This was back in 2012. Every time I think about that car or see a 1970 GTO I get depressed. Selling it is one of the biggest regrets of my life. Even if I could find the car, I'd never be able to afford it, as life hasn't exactly gone well since then. My Mom is alive and well though

[@darlenegeorgeboyd8493]

Yes, square bodies are wonderful. We own a '83 C20, '88 4x4 Blazer and '90 4x4 Suburban. Have owned several other pickups and three other Suburbans. They were all very good vehicles. Neighbor has a derelict 4x4 Blazer that may be the next project.

[@desmondmoonbear8149]

Glad I picked mine up recently although she does need work she will run forever 74' GMC k20 with the long bed stepside

[@marcstlaurent3719]

91 for the square body suburban and blazer/Jimmy , pickups changed in 88 the next body style till 98 still the same as in simple truck but with efi like squares from 87 on but more refined but closing hood from side like that good way to bend hood at the hinges as if you don’t keep hinges well oiled they can bend at the point . I agree with Uncle Tony’s words of wisdom completely.

[@timothykeith1367]

I have a '78 GMC Sierra 4wd 1/2 ton SM465. I worked at GM Truck and Coach when the replacements were being planned, internally named CK87 but were delayed until 1988. Those were a refinement of the squarebody, all new body/frame, without much technology, although EFI was included and the Vortec 5.7 after '96 was good

[@culturedredneckgarage3784]

I remember my dad having that era square body...it was such a nice all around truck and the R12 AC system would freeze you out in the middle of July. Such a good truck.

[@rocnnrollbus]

I have a '99 Escalade I daily and a beat up '99 GMC dually that I gotta get runnin'...the body styles after the box Chevys...they have some electronics but still tough as nails and easy to work on...they are still real trucks.

[@romanf5061]

I'm with you 1000%. I've been wrenching for 40+ years, have owned some nice newer vehicles, but as they age the electronics become problematic and not worth the trouble. Tony's right, vehicles have become disposable. At this point, 2003 is my cut-off date, when 'analog' became a thing of the past and we began the trend toward touch-screens and such. Btw, I still own a square-body Chevy we bought new.... They really do last forever

[@aspalovin]

Hey Tony, VGG is in Tennessee now. Reach out and revive a dirty ol' Mopar.

[@frankstalone6495]

To this day I have the same '71 three door suburban my great grandfather bought brand new, passed down to my grandad, my dad then to me. Now my son is helping me work on it and keep it alive. My daily driver is an '87 el Camino passed down by my grandad. It's become a treasured responsibility keeping these treasures alive.

[@jontalbert5448]

my 96 suburban LS at 209k miles just needs a new part now and then. 5.7 with a 4L60E transmission