1990 Chevrolet 1500 454 SS

Chevrolet installed a big-block V8 engine from the heavy-duty-trunk line and shoe-horned it into a short-box C1500 Sportside pickup and endowed it with a plethora of performance goodies, and colored in Onyx black. The 7.4-liter Mark IV V8 in the lightweight two-wheel-drive half-ton initially developed 230 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque at just 1,600 RPM. The 'sleeper' truck was capable of zero-to-sixty mph in under eight seconds.

Performance upgrades included Bilstein shocks, a heavy front anti-roll bar, a quick-ratio steering system, and six-slot chrome wheels wrapped with 275/60R15 tires. A heavy-duty radiator provided the cooling for the potent powerplant, and separate coolers were added for the transmission fluid and the engine oil. It used a three-speed automatic transmission with 3.73:1 rear gearing.

Standard amenities included power windows, power locks, sliding rear window, air conditioning, tilt steering, cruise control, cassette stereo with equalizer, and Silverado trim with high-back, reclining bucket seats finished in Garnet Red cloth.

The 1991 Chevy 454 SS gained twenty-five additional horsepower and an increase in torque to 405 lb-ft at 2,400 RPM. It was backed by a four-speed electronic automatic transmission, and the rear axle was lowered to 4.10:1. A tachometer was added to the interior.

Production was limited with approximately 17,000 examples produced, with approximately 80 percent built in 1990. The Chevy 454 SS was one of the first hot rod performance-oriented pickups, soon followed by the 1991 GMC Syclone pickup and the 1992 and 1993 GMC Typhoon SUV.

The 454 SS pickups were built between 1990 and 1993, initially offered in Onyx Black with a Garnet Red interior for 1990 and 1991, other colors became available for 1992 and 1993.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2020