The ’89-91 V-trucks used the same basic trim and grille, which mimicked the new style trucks. Shown is a ’90 V-3500 Crew Cab pickup with single rear wheels.
LAST OF THE BREED
’88-91 Solid Axle Chevy and GMC TrucksWITH A GREAT DEAL of horn tooting, fanfare and hoopla, GM introduced a new generation of trucks on April 23rd, 1987. Technically, they were ’88 models, but it’s likely GM wanted to cut into the Ford new model intro. Either that or they intended an ’87 intro and got behind.
The new GM trucks featured a true independent front suspension and a tight, stylish new body, among many other refinements. In terms of comfort, drivability and convenience, they were the best to roll out of Detroit to that day. Those with tinkeritis soon became wistful about the passing of the solid axle Chevy and GMC trucks because the new trucks were not quite as buildup-friendly. Overshadowed by the new kid, small numbers of solid axle GMs remained in production for a few more years.
A lot of the V-3500 crew cabs were duallys. Dated or not, this ’88 GMC is a gnarly-looking truck. These trucks mounted a Dana 70HD rear axle (sometimes a DRW 14-bolt) and a Dana 60 front. They had the option of a 350 gas, a 454 gas or the 6.2L diesel.
Apparently, the GM engineers had their hands full refining the half, three quarter and one-ton lines because improvements did not trickle down to all the Chevy and GMC trucks. The Blazer/Jimmy, Suburban and certain one-ton trucks, (crew cabs and some regular cabs, bonus cabs and chassis cabs) retained the old chassis arrangement and body. Oh, they got a bit of tarting up in the trim area, and they benefited from some of the applicable mechanical upgrades from the new trucks, but they were largely the same-old, same-old.
The 4x4s retained the previous oddball “V” designation adopted in ’87, while the new trucks went back to the old-standby “K” designation. Chevy adopted the same number designation GMC used to classify weight ratings; “1500” for half-tons, “2500” for three-quarter tons and “3500” for the one ton trucks.
These old generation trucks were the most refined of their type, with the powerful new EFI engines and the state of the art electronics that made these engines great. The half-ton and threequarter- ton Suburban continued to use the supple reverse-arch front leaf springs and the 10-bolt, solid front axle. The 10-bolt was upgraded to 30-spline inner shafts... not that it made a difference. They still had the same 1.10-in necked section and the new, 30-spline carrier was actually weaker than the 28 spline unit! The one-tons used the familiar and burley Dana 60 front.
Like the Jimmy/Blazer, the Suburban was not revamped until after 1991. This ’88 shows the old style grille, replaced for ’89 with GMC’s variation of the new truck’s grille. The half ton version had the option of the 350 gas or the 6.2L diesel. The three-quarter-ton model could also be ordered with the 454ci.
For ’88 the front end and much of the trim looked the same as the ’87, but in ’89, they got a grille that mimicked the look of the new K-trucks. From there, the V-trucks were in stasis until retired at the end of 1991. Other than big commercial rigs, there hasn’t been a solid axle Chevy or GMC truck in the lineup since. General Motors hasn’t looked back and neither has the majority of the truck buying public. The high performance four-wheeling public however, who love the new K trucks, but are generally unhappy with the strength of the IFS drivetrain, have traveled back to those thrilling days of yesteryear by installing solid front axles. Will the “Last of the Breed” solid axle trucks ever develop special collector’s status? That’s doubtful, though the crewcabs would be the most likely prospects.
Small numbers of ’88 GMC Regular Cab V- 3500 chassis cabs were released. A handful show up as being produced that year but do not show up later. It’s possible they were actually ’87 models produced late enough tobe called ’88s, or were special orders.
The new grille treatment translated well to the old style Blazer body, as shown in this ’90 model. The Blazer was offered with only two available engines, the smallblock 350 gas and 6.2L diesel. The 350 was the relatively new TBI LO5 engine that cranked out 210hp.