88-98 GMT400 Common Problems, Buyer's Guide, and Complete History! Everything you've ever wanted to know about Chevy / GMC Trucks.

Welcome to another stick shift story! In today's episode we're going to cover the 1988 through 1998 GM pickup trucks. Are these old body style pickup trucks any good? Are they worth what people are asking for them? Should you buy one? And what are the common problems to look out for. Stay tuned because this is your complete buyer's guide on the 88 to 98 Chevy or GMC CK1500 trucks.

The 88 through 98 trucks we're dubbed the GMT400 line. Their predecessor was the square body or box body trucks that were built from 73 to 87. These trucks had what GM called a "rounded line" exterior mated to a fleetside or stepside box. They had modern interior saying for their day with soft touch materials and an available all-weather HVAC system. There was a 292 Ci V6, 305 cubic inch, a 350 cubic inch, 400 cubic inch and other engines available in the range.

Developing a great product requires understanding who the buyers are and developing something that they would want to buy. With the GMT 400 series, General Motors designed a classic American pickup truck, modernized. The vehicle had squared off proportions, a strong, old stance, really great color options, and lots of different cab and bed configurations. GM catered the design and functionality of this truck to their buyers, creating a very popular and functional pickup truck.

By 1988, trucks were becoming much more comfortable and offering consumers lots of Creature Comforts that they weren't used to getting in a pickup truck. GM understood that a lot of clients were purchasing these vehicles as lifestyle trucks, something to take the family cruising in while still being able to fit large items in the bed. Because of this, they had to focus on making an interior that was much more modern than before and I offered much better levels of noise vibration harshness and comfort.

The Engines used TBI until 1996, when the engine lineup was changed to the Vortec line. The base engine was a 4.3L V6, followed by a 5.0L V8, the popular 5.7L V8, and the huge 454ci 7.4L V8. Transmission options included a 3 speed auto, a 4 speed auto, and either a 4 speed or 5 speed manual. There was an available 4x4 system called insta-trac that allowed you to shift in and out of 2wd or 4hi at any speed!

The trucks were offered in a stepside or wideside beds, with the straight line beds being offered with 6.5' or 8' lengths. The stepside was only available as a 6.5' bed and had fiberglass sides.

These GMT400 trucks are GM are their finest. Watch this video and find out everything there is about the 88-98 GM trucks!