Big block, loud growl, and looks that turn heads everywhere it goes. It is a 1970 GMC Sierra Grande, with a big block under the hood, a low-slung, boxy silhouette, and the irresistible orange and white color combo that make it one of the most interesting vehicles in its owner’s garage.
The 1970 GMC Sierra Grande served as GMC’s top-tier luxury trim package, equivalent to Chevrolet’s luxury-oriented trim package, Cheyenne, featuring an upscale interior, unique badging, and various V8 engine options.
Back in 1970, the V8s were offered alongside the base inline-six cylinders. The V8 lineup started with the small-block 307-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) power plant and went as far as the 402-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) Invader V8.
This 1970 GMC Sierra, which belongs to car enthusiast Ross Cameron, rolled off the production line with a big-block V8, which was swapped, at some point, for another big-block V8, a 454-cubic-inch unit. GM did not introduce the 454 V8 to its pickup truck lineup until 1973 with the debut of the next-generation “Square-Body” trucks.
Photo: Magnacars | YouTube
Ross is actually more than your usual car enthusiast. He is the founder and owner of Lift King, an auto garage equipment company based in Calgary, Alberta, specializing in two-post, four-post, and scissor car lifts.
Rather than keeping his facility private, Ross acts as a community coordinator for Calgary’s car scene. He frequently opens the doors of his Lift King commercial facility to host automotive meetups, charity pop-ups, and outdoor car shows for local car clubs.
He is famous in the car community for also owning an impressive replica car collection inspired by the Fast & Furious franchise, but also various restomods. The 1970 GMC Sierra Grande in white and orange falls in the latter category.
Back in the day, the Chevrolet C10 was way more popular in both sales numbers and mainstream recognition over the years. While the trucks shared the exact same General Motors chassis, body structure, and major mechanical parts, they targeted entirely different segments of the market.
Photo: Magnacars | YouTube
Chevrolet regularly outsold GMC by a massive margin, often by a ratio of 4-to-1 or higher. For example, in 1970 alone, Chevrolet produced nearly 500,000 trucks, while GMC production was only a small fraction of that total.
This GMC Sierra Grande truck saw the light of day as a long box, but it was cut into a short box during restoration. It also received a new suspension that pulled it closer to the ground, as the truck said goodbye to its off-roader credentials.
It still features its original “Deluxe/El Camino style” two-tone exterior color combo in custom orange and pearl white, refreshed with the restoration and rides on five-spoke Ridler wheels. Disc brakes up front provide the stopping power.
Even though the Sierra Grande (RPO YE9) was already GMC’s absolute top-of-the-line luxury package, a buyer in 1970 could still heavily customize their truck with a massive list of standalone optional equipment.
Photo: Magnacars | YouTube
The truck features every single factory option available in 1970. For the 1970 model year, GMC actually offered a famous factory “Deluxe Houndstooth” interior option for the Sierra and C/K series trucks.
The upholstery resembled Porsche’s high-end Pepita fabric weave, combined with premium leather. Furthermore, this truck features the elaborate Wester-style scroll detail embossed into the outer edges of the vinyl that covers the interior door panels.
The Comfortilt Steering Wheel adjusted the height of the steering column to multiple positions. The Four-Season Air Conditioning made it comfortable in hot summertime, while the Deluxe Instrument Cluster replaced the basic warning lights with a full set of mechanical factory gauges that indicated the battery status, oil pressure, and coolant temperature.
Buyers choosing a Fleetside bed could spec the truck with premium Southern Yellow Pine wood planks and steel skid strips instead of the standard stamped-steel floor. The bed was rebuilt to look like the original setup.
Photo: Magnacars | YouTube
It happened in 2018, when it was restored. The truck was then auctioned off through Barrett-Jackson. Someone bought it at auction and hardly ever touched it. That is the one that Ross bought it from. In fact, it was more of a trade than a typical sale. Ross wanted his Sierra Grande, and the man wanted one of his custom cars.
“It runs and drives awesome,” says Ross about his 56-year-old truck. He takes the GMC for a spin to show TJ Lamb of Magnacars that the vintage truck is still a perfect cruiser today. The moment he turns the key, the V8 roars back to life, filling the air with an angry growl.
Ross loves the GMC Sierra Grande to bits. However, he decided to let it go and says he will miss it when it is gone. But with cars always coming to his garage and going out of it, he never keeps anything for long. He will move to something else that he will probably love just as much or more.
