1979 Chevy C10 Specs

by Steve Johnson
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The 1979 C10 was Chevy's offer in the lightweight truck division, and they offered it as a 4x2 vehicle. It was a part of Chevy's C/K line that started during the 960's, although the C/K labels were in use by Chevy as early as the 1930s. The C/K trucks remained almost unchanged from 1973 until 1987, with Chevy adding only minor design changes and performance upgrades.

1979 C10 Changes

The only noteworthy changes on the 1979 Chevy truck frame appeared on the new front end, that sported a combined turn signal and headlight bezel and a grille with a new apron.

Trims

From 1973 to 1987 the C10 was available in four trims -- the Custom base model, the Scottsdale, the Cheyenne, and the Silverado. The base model came with vinyl upholstery and rubber matting. The Scottsdale trim had an upgraded cloth or vinyl upholstery complemented by its floor matting, and a floor insulation that was slightly better than the base model.

The Cheyenne model came with exterior upgrades that included a tailgate insert and a package for a deluxe exterior molding. The interior had a top-of-the-line carpet, a fully insulated headliner, and woodgrain accents. The Silverado was C10's top of the line trim. This trim included all the Cheyenne upgrades, together with an exclusive instrumentation panel and a front end designed with chrome accents.

Engine Options and Performance

The 1979 Chevy's base engine was a 250 CID inline-six engine. This engine had an output of 100 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and a torque of 175 foot-pounds at 2,000 rpm. Several engine options were also available -- a 307 CID two-barrel V-8 engine, a 350 CID four-barrel V-8 engine, and the top of the line 454 CID four-barrel V-8 engine.

The 307 CID engine was able to produce an output of 115 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and a torque of 205 foot-pounds at 2,000 rpm, while the 350 CID V-8 had an output of 155 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and a torque of 225 foot-pounds at 2,400 rpm. The top of the line 454 engine had an output of 240 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and a torque of 355 foot-pounds at 2,800 rpm.

Dimensions

The C10 was available with either a short or long cargo bed. The short cargo bed model had a wheelbase of 117.5 inches, an overall length of 191.3 inches, an overall width of 65.8 inches, and an overall height of 65.8 inches. The long cargo bed model had a wheelbase of 131.5 inches, an overall length of 212 inches, an overall width of 65.8 inches, and an overall height of 69.8 inches.

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