Custom 1985 Chevrolet K20 Silverado Hides a Major V8 Secret, Looks Charmingly Over the Top

It’s a 1985 model year Chevy K20 Silverado, and that was the year when the grille was changed on the C/K series for the last time – Chevrolet then went with the R/V series in terms of nomenclature. Other changes to the lineup included the body-color grille center on two-ton models, as well as optional cast-aluminum wheels.

This truck was acquired by the seller in 2020 and was immediately refurbished inside and out, with the exterior earning a sleek dual-tone red and black aesthetic, to go with the chrome bumpers, tinted windows, dual exhaust and custom headlights and taillights. There’s even an additional bench seat that you can mount in the bed using custom brackets, but I’m not sure how appealing this will be to potential buyers.

Moving on to the wheels, they measure 20-inches in diameter and can be seen wearing Kanati Trail Hog A/T-4 tires. Obviously, the truck boasts a lifted suspension – hence the mega heavy-duty stance.

Inside, there’s red leather upholstery with black quilted inserts (extending all the way to the door panels), air conditioning, power windows and locks, a four-spoke steering wheel, a set of digital fuel level gauges, Kenwood stereo and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer with two Kicker speakers, two JBL speakers and two Polk speakers.

Now for that V8 secret you’ve been waiting to hear. The power unit in this truck is a 6.0-liter LQ9 Vortec V8, with a dual air intake, FiTech fuel injection, tubular exhaust headers, aftermarket camshaft, Edelbrock ECU and a red-finished engine cover. Not only does it look great, but the output should be more than decent – unfortunately, the seller didn’t provide any performance figures in the ad.

However much it’s packing, everything is sent either to the rear or to all four wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox with a dual-range transfer case.

Now, I mentioned the other custom ‘Rounded Line’ C/K series GM truck from a few days ago, and I think it would be quite interesting to compare them, especially since they’re just a single model-year apart.

The truck in question is, of course, this stunning 1986 GMC K1500 High Sierra, rocking the dual-tone blue and silver exterior. Had it not been for the lift kit on this K20 Silverado, the two would have been even more alike, and to make matters more interesting, that GMC also came with a 6.0-liter Vortec V8 engine, albeit a different one. The GMC was also supercharged, mind you.

Let us know in the comments below which of the two trucks you like more, and just in case you’re looking to make this K20 Silverado your own, better hurry up and bid while you still can.