Low-mileage 1985 GMC pickup is a diamond in the rough

Graeme Andrews calls his '85 GMC pickup "a real diamond in the rough." DALE EDWARD JOHNSONREGwp

When Graeme Andrews of Regina went looking for a used truck a few years ago, he didn’t really expect to find anything with less than 100,000 kms.

“I was looking for an older truck that had not been driven until the wheels had fallen off,” Andrews recalls.

He looked at lots of ads. Then one day he found a 1985 GMC truck for sale in Saskatoon, with just 24,800 km.

“I remember being very interested because of the claim of unbelievably low mileage. The owner was a tow truck driver who shared the hobby of restoring old trucks with his dad. I was told the truck has changed hands many times in its life and I don’t know how many owners it has had,” he says.

For a time, it’s believed this truck was used at an Esso compound in Saskatoon, which may help to explain its unusually low mileage.

“This truck is a real diamond in the rough because it has not had any major restoration and is in very good shape,” Andrews says.

One ad for new 1985 GMC trucks said, “A GMC truck means business. To get the job done, you need a truck with the business sense to handle it. That’s why GMC’s pickups mean business when you do. Engineered to handle a variety of work situations with room and versatility to spare, these trucks have long been the reason many business owners choose our trucks to get the job done.”

Another ad said, “Spend all day touring or working and you’ll appreciate the quiet cab and the comfort of the new cushion contour and new back angle of the standard bench seat….Four generations of truckers have purchased, used, and approved GMC trucks, and for 1985 there’s even more to like…’85 GMC Pickups are distinguished by a fresh, new front-end treatment.”

In the mid-1980s, as trucks were growing in popularity, they were also becoming more luxurious. For example, there was a long option list for 1985 GMC trucks, including such goodies as air conditioning, clock, dome light, power door locks, power windows, side trim mouldings and tinted glass. Sound system options included an AM radio, AM/FM radio or AM/FM/cassette stereo.

However, Andrews’ truck is unusual because it is so basic. There are no power accessories – not even a radio or a cigarette lighter or a dome light.

“Compared to a modern truck, this has nowhere near any of the features that would come standard now. There is no headliner or air conditioning. The only options on this truck are the 305 V-8 and the three-speed automatic transmission. The original red paint would have been an option, too. It would be nice if the truck had a 12-volt outlet and gauges for engine temperature and volts. It only has the warning lights on the dash. However, being featureless and carbureted, it is easy to work on and fix,” Andrews says.

Andrews — who has a 2007 Chevrolet Impala for winter when he parks his truck — got the truck bug when he was a kid.

“I was certainly influenced by my dad and his old ’79 GMC. We used to go on long summer camping trips and he drove this very large truck with a camper in the back. When I was younger, I always wanted to drive this beast. I thought it was the coolest truck ever. It is a GMC 2500 and has a crew cab and an eight-foot box,” he recalls.

He’s had to do a bit of work on his truck since he bought it.

“I have replaced some vacuum hoses and the electric choke, had the radiator re-cored, put new tires on it and welded in a new driver side floor.”

His truck now has just over 34,000 km.

“Many people comment on the truck because they or their dad owned a truck like it. Every time, they remark on how good the body is, how good the vinyl dash is — and that there is no way that the odometer is right.”

As for the future, he hopes to someday have it repainted the original colour.

“The small amount of surface rust underneath needs to be cleaned up eventually,” he adds.

There are only a few downsides of owning a such basic, low-mileage truck. For example, Andrews says on the highway, conversations require shouting over the engine and wind noise. The other thing is, “wanting to drive such a gem of a truck, and yet not wanting to drive it to keep it as preserved as possible.”

Andrews says his truck is very easy to maintain, and “it’s a head-turner because of its condition and lack of features.”

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