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Junkyard Gem: 1973 GMC Sierra Grande Camper Special

Starting in the 1973 model year, General Motors introduced the "Rounded Line" family of C/K-series Chevrolet and GMC trucks, and sales of the pickup versions continued all the way through 1987. Nice examples of these trucks can sell for large money, but the junkyard teaches us that not all collectible vehicles are worth rescuing and fixing up. Here's a reinforcement of that lesson, courtesy of a first-year GMC C2500 Camper Special with the high-zoot Sierra Grande trim level, found in a self-service yard just outside of Denver, Colorado. I'm no GM truck expert, but I know enough to stay clear of the battles over what to call this pickup. Let's just say it's a three-quarter-ton, rear-wheel-drive third-gen C-Series with really cool badges. Yes, I bought this badge for my garage wall, and it was totally worth the $4.23. GM came up with the Camper Special package during the late 1960s, when removable pickup campers became popular, and for 1973 it included heavy-duty springs and a wiring harness made to plug into the connectors on slide-in truck campers. It also included woodsy-looking badges, but someone pried the ones off this truck before I could buy them. This may well have been a one-owner truck, because it still had original warranty paperwork inside. Here we see that it was purchased new on August 2, 1973 (which happens to be the day that George Brett got his very first hit in the big leagues) by a resident of Compton, California. Yes, that Compton. The build tag tells us that this Camper Special was born at the Fremont Assembly plant in California, which became the GM-Toyota NUMMI venture in 1984 and is now the Tesla Factory. I think most 1973 C/K pickups sold new in Colorado would have come from Pontiac Assembly in Michigan. There was a time, not many years ago, when a genuine 454-cubic-inch (that's 7.4 liters to those of you sweating under the oppressive weight of the French Empire's Measurement System) big-block Chevrolet engine would have been yanked out and purchased within hours of hitting the rows of a yard like this. These days, engine-swappers can get more power with less weight from any number of donor vehicles. If this engine is the original 454, it was rated at 240 horsepower and 355 pound-feet (down from 270 hp in 1972 due to emissions-related changes). This truck had a three-speed automatic transmission, like most optioned-up Detroit pickups of its era.

2018 GMC Yukon Denali gets a sculpted new grille

More than half of all GMC Yukon and Yukon XL models sold wear top-level Denali trim. That's a profitable scenario for the automaker, so, perhaps above all else, GMC needs its premium Denali series of vehicles to continue to stand out in a line of trucks and SUVs at the dealership lot. Hence, chrome, and lots of it. But for 2018, GMC is blessing the behemoth Yukon Denali with an added dose of class with a new multi-dimensional grille. "The new grille, which is flanked by HID headlamps and LED Signature Lighting, advances the design legacy established with the very first Yukon Denali in 1999," said Matt Noone, director of Global GMC Exterior Design. In addition to a sophisticated new look, the grille adds customizable cooling capabilities to the Denali range. Active shutters open when additional cooling is needed, or close to reduce aerodynamic drag when the engine isn't too warm. Further increasing the efficiency of the big brutish 'ute is a new 10-speed automatic transmission. That's two extra gears over the 2017 Yukon Denali, leading to a numerically lower final drive to help save fuel at highway speeds. Inside, Mastique Ash wood trim differentiates the 2018 model from previous years. A 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine remains standard for 2018, as do blingy 20-inch wheels with 22 inchers optional. Related Video: Design/Style GMC SUV Luxury gmc yukon denali

Editors' Picks June 2022 | Acura MDX and the revamped GMC Sierra

This month of Editors' Picks include a pair of excellent vehicles vying for a spot at the top of their respective classes. GM has long disappointed us with its latest generation of Silverado and Sierra pickups, but the 2022 update is a turning point. Plus, Acura rounds out its MDX lineup with a Type S model, and it's enough to earn an Editors' Pick. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in June that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 2022 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate View 44 Photos Quick take: GM fixes the GMC Sierra's biggest flaw this year with a new interior. Plus, it gains the AT4X trim for more off-road prowess and keeps all that was good from before. Score: 8.0 What it competes with: Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pros: Top-notch luxury interior, stout capability, wide range of great powertrains Cons: Ride is flinty/rough, looks that divide From the editors: Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "It really depends on what trim level you spring for with the Sierra. Buy the Denali Ultimate, and the interior is just as good as the competition. If you're not going all out on luxury features, though, at least get the diesel. It's the smoothest operating diesel engine out there, and it's also efficient. This is one great truck when you set it up in the ideal configurations." Senior Editor James Riswick — "The GMC Sierra Denali interior has gone from "They just didn't try" to "They tried harder than everyone else." The Denali Ultimate's design, detailing and materials are particularly impressive. If you want a luxury truck, this delivers." In-depth analysis: 2022 GMC Sierra Review | GM's 'premium truck' is actually now premium   2022 Acura MDX 2022 Acura MDX Advance View 23 Photos Quick take: The MDX is one of the best luxury bargains in the three-row class. It has great looks, a sumptuous and sporty interior and even offers a Type S performance variant.