Elite Dealer

1979 GMC C/K Series

Michigan

$10,995

Vehicle Details

Make

GMC

Model

C/K Series

Year

1979

Mileage

1,234 miles

VIN

SMA427

Body Type

Pickup Truck

Transmission

Manual

Fuel Type

Gasoline

Engine

350 V8

Description

1979 GMC short bed pickup. Has a V8 350 Motor 4 speed transmission. Has ridler wheels 20X8.5s in front and 20X10s in the rear. Has new windshield, new chrome front bumper. Comes with brand new rear axle flip kit not yet installed.

I had big plans for it and I hate to see it go but I have other priority projects to fund. Nice pickup that needs a little work. Please Note The Following **Vehicle Location is at our clients home and Not In Cadillac, Michigan. **We do have a showroom with about 25 cars that is by appointment only **Please Call First and talk to one of our reps at 231-468-2809 EXT 1 **

GMC C/K Series Buyer's Guide

Full guide

Robert Halloran

Classic Trucks

1960–1991

~3 min read

Updated Apr 2026

The GMC C/K Series covers every payload class of the professional-grade truck lineup — from the half-ton C15 through the one-ton C35 — giving buyers a complete picture of the most capable and best-supported classic truck platform in American history.

This guide covers

✓ 8-point inspection checklist

✓ Common issues & what to avoid

✓ In-person inspection guide

✓ Market pricing by year & condition

✓ 4 FAQs answered

✓ History & fun facts

Read the Full C/K Series Buyer's Guide

GMC C/K Series Market Overview

Based on 29 GMC C/K Series listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

Listed Now

$20,423

Avg. Asking Price

1961–1986

Year Range

Price Position on Our Site — Average Range

This car: $10,995

Low: $6,495 High: $50,995

Transmission Distribution

Automatic 59%

Manual 24% ◄

Condition Distribution

Excellent 7%

Good 7%

Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 29 listings →

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GMC C/K Series Buyer's Guide

Robert Halloran here. When most people think about the classic GMC C/K, they think about the half-ton C10/C15 — the truck that's become the darling of the restomod scene. That's a fine truck. But the C/K Series extends well beyond the half-ton, and some of the most interesting — and undervalued — examples wear the C25 and C35 designations. Three-quarter-ton and one-ton GMC trucks were the backbone of small business America for thirty years, and they deserve a proper buyer's guide of their own.

The C/K platform ran from 1960 through the end of the classic era in 1991 (the OBS generation continued to 1998, but the pre-1991 trucks are the collector targets). In that span, GMC built a complete range of work trucks that shared the same basic architecture across every payload class while offering genuinely different capabilities. Understanding the full family makes you a smarter buyer at any price point.

What to Check Before Buying

✓

Frame Rail Inspection — Inspect full length of both frame rails for cracks — one-ton trucks bear real stress and crack at predictable weld points.

✓

Rear Axle Type — Identify rear axle (14-bolt GM full-float = 1-ton; Dana 60 = heavy 3/4-ton) — verify it matches claimed payload rating.

✓

Rear Spring Sag — Check rear spring pack for sag — overloaded springs deform permanently and are expensive to replace.

✓

Front Dana 60 (4WD) — Inspect front axle U-joints and check for seal leaks — heavy 4WD use wears front axle components faster.

✓

Cab Corner Rust — Probe cab corners — universal on northern-state trucks regardless of payload class.

✓

Floor Pan & Rear Cab Mounts — Check floors and rear cab mounts on Squarebody trucks (1973+).

✓

6.2L Diesel (if equipped) — Test glow plugs and check for injection pump leaks — cold starting should work within 30 seconds at 50°F.

✓

Powertrain Codes — Decode firewall tag for engine and payload class — verify it matches claimed specification.

Common Issues

Frame stress cracks on one-ton trucks used for heavy towing — inspect the full length of both rails. Overloaded rear spring packs that sag permanently. Rear axle seal leaks on the 14-bolt GM full-float rear axle. Front axle wear on 4WD trucks from heavy use. Cab corner and floor pan rust identical to half-ton trucks. 6.2L diesel injection pump failures and hard starting from glow plug system issues.

What to Look For

Inspect the frame rails on heavy-duty trucks carefully — one-ton trucks were used for actual work and accumulated real stress. Check the rear axle for seal leaks and verify the axle rating (a 14-bolt GM full-float is correct for one-ton; Dana 44 rear means a lighter-duty application). On 4WD trucks, test front axle engagement and inspect the front Dana 60 for worn U-joints. Verify the heavy-duty spring rating (overloaded springs sag and cause uneven tire wear). Check the cab for the same rust patterns as all C/K trucks: cab corners, floor pans, rear cab mounts on Squarebody trucks.

Price Guide

1960–1966 C/K Series three-quarter-ton: $10,000–$22,000. 1967–1972 C25/K25 with big-block: $18,000–$38,000. 1973–1987 Squarebody C25/C35: $8,000–$20,000. One-ton dually (DRW) variants: add 15–25% premium. 4WD adds $3,000–$7,000. 6.2L diesel models: add $2,000–$5,000 novelty premium. Heavy-duty trucks typically sell at 20–35% discount to equivalent half-ton C/K trucks.

Did You Know?

The GM 14-bolt full-float rear axle in one-ton C/K trucks is rated at 10,500 lbs gross axle weight — the same axle that military 2.5-ton trucks used in modified form. The 292ci inline-six was used continuously in GM trucks from 1963 through 1990 — a 27-year production run for an essentially unchanged design. Some fleet-operated one-ton Squarebody trucks have documented mileage exceeding 500,000 miles on original engines.

Elite Dealer

$10,995

1979 GMC C/K Series

Michigan

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