1978 GMC ½ Ton Short Bed Stock 454 Truck w/ 8.1L 4l80E Fresh Build Chevrolet C10

GMC C15 Sierra Classic 1978 Description

Not like every other short wide on the road:
1978 GMC ½ Ton Short Bed, Stock was a factory 454 Truck, now with a Vortec 8.1L and 4l80E.
Originally I bought this truck in over 10 years ago from the second owner (friend of the first owner who had passed away). The truck had just under 120K original on the odometer, and was stock except for being lowered and dual exhaust and in great condition always being well taken care of. I have retained its original colors white on white and blue interior. Has just 136K original miles on the truck.
In stock form this truck is a rare "Heavy Half" Sierra Classic that came with the following options:
Big Block 454
TH400 Transmission
12 Bolt Year End
¾ Ton 9 Leaf Rear Springs
Gov-Loc Positraction
2 Piece Driveline
Dual Fuel Tanks
Oil Cooler
"Large" front brake option (most had this)
Air Conditioning
Power Windows and Locks
Cruise Control
Delay Wiper
(no factory tac, sorry)
The interior is still in great looking condition with an awesome 1000+ watt stereo system with newer Sony Bluetooth head unit. Everything works great (except the cruise which I have not yet gotten around to hooking back up yet). Last year when the stock-ish 454 was no longer enough power I completed an engine/trans swap that turned out to be a full frame refresh with rebuilt rearend and new wheels/tires. I wanted the truck to be as derivable and reliable as it always has been and at the same time a bullet proof tire burner ready for any level of showing off. The build started with a clean 2004 2500HD that had been in an accident and written off with 26K on the Odometer and an 8.1L 496 Big Block, I got the very clean complete engine assembly and started from there:
Engine:
2004 8.1L Vortec Big Block (496ci) with factory fuel injection
note: in stock form this engine is 340HP / 450 ft-tq., now around 400/500
Custom wire harness and ECM tune from Street and Performance (hotrodlane.cc)
Ported Factory Aluminum Intake
Comp Cams XR270HR Hydraulic Roller
Comp Cams Valve Springs
Trick Flow Pushrods
Transmission:
4L80E by PACT (transmissioncenter.net)
Level 2 Build with their HD Converter
PACT tail housing with mechanical speedo provision (retains the speed sensor to ECM and
has a mechanical output for the stock speedometer).
New Driveline by Driveline Service of Portland (driveshafts.com)
Rearend:
Stock 12 bolt rearend with complete rebuild by Padden Drivetrain
Auburn Posi
Auburn 3:42 Gears
Yukon Axles
Exhaust:
All new 3" mandrel bent duals with full length headers and flowmasters, 4" exhaust tips just barely sneak out before the rear bumper. This thing sounds great at idle/cruise and mean mean mean on the throttle.
Brakes:
all new stock front discs, Rear Discs with parking brake (new: Booster, Master Cylinder, rear disc brake proportioning valve) (retains factory 5 x 5 bolt pattern)
Suspension: Rides smooth and Handles Great
McGaughys 2.5inch drop spindles
McGaughys 2.0inch front drop springs
McGaughys front drop shocks
Rearend Flipped with Drop Shackles
New Air shocks in the rear (you might still want to haul something)
Every other suspension / Steering component is new
Wheels and tires:
Rear: 18 x 9.5 with 295/45/18 Nitto NT555's
Front: 18 x 8 with 245/45/18 Nitto NT555's
(Also comes with a set of 15x10 and 15x8 White Rally Wheels with Good Tires (sorry not
mounted right now and pic does not show the included disc brake caps))
Other: Frame and suspension components have been epoxy painted. New Radiator, have maintained the factory oil cooler. Master disconnect battery switch (fresh batter too) for storage, new aftermarket AC compressor, keyless entry, this truck could be an awesome rock solid daily driver, or you could warm it up and take it out for Smokey donuts.
Won't find a truck like this, please let me know if you have any questions.
This truck is not 100% show but is certainly 100% go go go all day long. Does run awesome but I bet a chassis dyno tune would get it in the low 12's. You could tune the ECM to slam the tires when it shifts if you wanted. Throws an engine code "no traction control device" which should have gotten deleted from the ECM as there is no ABS on the truck (code just needs to be deleted from the ECM, does not affect how it runs at all). Always garaged and covered, has not been out in the rain since build (or five years before that either). Could use a new windshield, no cracks just pits, and a new rear slider.