Cheyenne W/T upgrade ideas

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SteveOfromFL

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I have a 1990 Cheyenne 5.0L w/t and I need some custom grille ideas as there isn't much to choose from anywhere. I plan on keeping the 7x6 single beam headlights instead of the 4 lights everybody swaps to. And please send me some engine upgrade advice
 

kennythewelder

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I painted my 93 WT grill white to match the truck, leaving the mech inserts black, when I had it. It looked good once it was painted.
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frito-bandito

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Is a Cheyenne not a Cheyenne, and a W/T ( work truck) a W/T and not both? Or did that change when I ordered my 96 Cheyenne?

There are differences between both, but everyone refers to the sealed beam headlight grilles as WT grilles...kinda like how the chrome 5 lug wheels are referred to as “SS Wheels” lol
 

kennythewelder

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Being an old man, and a Chevy Guy, I remember when the 400 trucks first came out. I wanted one SO BAD. It only took me 11 years to get my first one. I bought my 93 WT in 99, and my 97 Silverado in 2002. Sold the 93 in 2009, and still drive the 97 everyday. I followed these trucks very close. At first, the Silverados had the 4 headlight set up. It didnt take long before our local Chevy dealer started ordering all of there trucks with the Silverado grills. Only WTs and some 2500 -3500 trucks didnt have the Silverado grills, on there lot. IDK if this was a local thing, or something that GM offered company wide. I have never been good with time lines, so what years all of this took place, IDK, I went to the local dealer quit a bit back then. I do remember talking and asking about the difference between the WT, and other packages. I also remember when the 95s came out, and the salesman walking around the lot with me, call out what truck was what between the 95+ and the 94 back. I ask how He could tell without opening the door. Thats when He pointed to the dash. Square VS round.
 
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HotWheelsBurban

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Being an old man, and a Chevy Guy, I remember when the 400 trucks first came out. I wanted one SO BAD. It only took me 11 years to get my first one. I bought my 93 WT in 99, and my 97 Silverado in 2002. Sold the 93 in 2009, and still drive the 97 everyday. I followed these trucks very close. At first, the Silverados had the 4 headlight set up. It didnt take long before our local Chevy dealer started ordering all of there trucks with the Silverado grills. Only WTs and some 2500 -3500 trucks didnt have the Silverado grills, on there lot. IDK if this was a local thing, or something that GM offered company wide. I have never been good with time lines, so what years all of this took place, IDK, I went to the local dealer quit a bit back then. I do remember talking and asking about the difference between the WT, and other packages. I also remember when the 95s came out, and the salesman walking around the lot with me, call out what truck was what between the 95+ and the 94 back. I ask how He could tell without opening the door. Thats when He pointed to the dash. Square VS round.
Yeah those square dashes remind me of the early style iMac that had the screen on a pedestal. My mom's 81 Monte Carlo had that same style dashboard.
I guess if a given dealer had a lot of commercial and fleet business, they'd have more base trim level trucks on the lot. On the other hand, if said accounts were in the habit of special ordering their trucks, they might not have too many basic models on display. We still had our parts store in early 87 when the 88s came out, but we were in no position to buy new trucks. We still had the 78 and 81 GMC trucks that were going good. But I remember seeing the first 88 Chevy trucks in late February 1987, at James Wood Chevrolet in Decatur, Texas. The dealership was out on US 287, at the edge of town, and Dad and I were up there for a car meet. The way I remember it, they were all the quad light grille. All lined up at the front edge of the lot, like around 25 or 30 of them. They looked so different than the old square body trucks.....and they still do!
 
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454cid

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I didn't like the 400's when they first came out. I felt they were a sell out of what a real truck was.... narrower, IFS, rounded and more car like. A truck was a Sqaurebody or 67-72, to me. The 400's were what really propelled the 2wd custom truck craze. I'm not sure they really helped the 4x4s as much as that was already pretty big with the older trucks.

Ironically, I've never owned a Sqaurebody or a 67-72, only my 99 400 (and a 81 LUV, and 89 Comanche). My dad did get a 90 GMC 400, and then a 96 Chevy, bith 1/2 tons. The GMC was pretty basic, but I don't recall the trim level.... it wasn't a W/T, but did have the H6054 glass headlights.
 
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