Chevrolet retail dealer pickup commercial from 1978

[GON]

Great to see how pickups were marketed by a retail Chevrolet dealer in the late 1970s.

Looks like the dealer had 80 new "last year- old stock" pickups to move sell. Great to see the prices and the options, to include bragging about a truck having white wall tires. Prices are also discussed in the 90 second commercial.

 

[Bud_One]

That El Camino

 

[Joel_MD]

My dad had a 1976 K20 Scottsdale that he bought new.. I remember it had an AM radio and dealer-installed air conditioning. Dad used it to plow snow in Minnesota, and it rusted very badly. By 1986 there were large holes in the bed and floor. Good memories.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

My dad had a 1976 K20 Scottsdale that he bought new.. I remember it had an AM radio and dealer-installed air conditioning. Dad used it to plow snow in Minnesota, and it rusted very badly. By 1986 there were large holes in the bed and floor. Good memories.

Supposedly there were several years where the GM "Square Body" trucks had inferior metal that casued them to rust quite badly. In fact I think more of GM cars had this issue......think Chevy Vegas....LOL.

 

[eljefino]

I'll take the farmer special, 2wd, 3-on-the-tree, 250-6 please.

Love the lack of bc/cc paint and the white bumpers. Tires must have been a 205-75-15 or so.

 

[gman2304]

I had a 1978 Chevy Scottsdale. Worst vehicle I’ve ever owned! I had to replace the cam just out of warranty and then I had to have it repainted by 1982. In about 1983 GM sent me a letter saying if I had ever had to replace the cam they would reimburse me for the parts and labor If I would show them the receipts for the work. It seems the cams were made of soft steel and were found to be defective. By then I had sold it and never bothered trying to get any reimbursement. I was glad it was gone!

 

[Wrenchturner44]

I had a 1978 Chevy Scottsdale. Worst vehicle I’ve ever owned! I had to replace the cam just out of warranty and then I had to have it repainted by 1982. In about 1983 GM sent me a letter saying if I had ever had to replace the cam they would reimburse me for the parts and labor If I would show them the receipts for the work. It seems the cams were made of soft steel and were found to be defective. By then I had sold it and never bothered trying to get any reimbursement. I was glad it was gone!

Same thing happened to me with a 2005 Chevy Cobalt on the electric power steering motor. I did save the receipts and GM did reimburse me......but I really had to lobby the dealer to cough of the documentation.

 

[Propflux01]

Back when A/C was a huge option. Notice it wasn't mentioned on any of the vehicles

 

[gman2304]

Back when A/C was a huge option. Notice it wasn't mentioned on any of the vehicles

Yes, my 1978 had dealer installed A/C.

 

[Deleted member 89374]

 

[JHZR2]

So much better of a dealership and commercial than all the “pro” stuff we get today.

 

[Corollaman]

I owned a 1978 Chevy 1/2 ton with the "big ten" decal on the sides. Filling those gas tanks on both sides was $$$. Simple truck to work on. Chevy must have sold a ton of 78's they were everywhere.

 

[Sierra048]

Great to see how pickups were marketed by a retail Chevrolet dealer in the late 1970s.

Looks like the dealer had 80 new "last year- old stock" pickups to move sell. Great to see the prices and the options, to include bragging about a truck having white wall tires. Prices are also discussed in the 90 second commercial.

Bought a brand new 1975 Chevy short bed step side P/U with the same engine and zero options. Still remember the $3,999 price tag. That thing was indestructible. Sold it in 1985 to a friend who bought it for his son. Had it ten years and never did have any engine issues except for a water pump, and normal maintenance items. It did start to rust badly and I lived in Florida at the time. I think of that truck often and would take another like it in a heartbeat.

 

[Egg_Head]

Supposedly there were several years where the GM "Square Body" trucks had inferior metal that casued them to rust quite badly. In fact I think more of GM cars had this issue......think Chevy Vegas....LOL.

With the square bodies, it was not so much "inferior metal" as a design that held leaves/mud and moisture behind the front and rear quarter panels.

 

[Sierra048]

Bought a brand new 1975 Chevy short bed step side P/U with the same engine and zero options. Still remember the $3,999 price tag. That thing was indestructible. Sold it in 1985 to a friend who bought it for his son. Had it ten years and never did have any engine issues except for a water pump, and normal maintenance items. It did start to rust badly and I lived in Florida at the time. I think of that truck often and would take another like it in a heartbeat.

Meant to say the price was $3099, not $3999. Didn't catch my mistake earlier.

 

[hank2]

Those 1977 model year trucks were the last year for no catalytic converters on lighter duty 1/2 tons. Outside of Cal. I think that a "heavy" half ton that exceeded 6000 lbs. GVWR (barely) was exempt for 1978 MY. Big push on F150, D150, etc., rather than 100 models. Final phase in for one-ton models and catalytics was about 1983.