(not a mechanic so guessing where I'd look first)
how are the motor and trans mounts?
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Trucks...
- Thread starter James Hart
- Start date
(not a mechanic so guessing where I'd look first)
how are the motor and trans mounts?
Well, the owner of the 69 C20 changed his mind and is restoring it himself now.
I've changed my focus after talking to the wife... looking at non-jacked up 4x4 Chevy or GMC now... 8 foot bed, automatic and extended cab.
I've changed my focus after talking to the wife... looking at non-jacked up 4x4 Chevy or GMC now... 8 foot bed, automatic and extended cab.
Well, good-bye clutch and flywheel. 60k miles... Lesson: don't let people drive your car/truck is it's a stick., not even once.. I know i was a bit rough on the car, but not that bad... damn it...
Well that sucks.
You should be able to find a 4x4 for a decent price, although the extended cab/longbox wasn't exactly the most popular combo, especially if you're looking at a 1500 series. If you're flexible on bed length you can find 6 foot boxes all day long at a good price. I just picked up a 95 K1500 extended cab/shortbox with a two horse trailer and paid $1200 for the pair. Needs the typical work on the rocker panels and a muffler, but it had new brakes, brake lines, trans cooler lines, fuel tank, lines and sending unit.
I will definitely endorse the 88-95 model Chevy/GMC half-tons. Easy to work on, plenty of Performance and Make-It-Sexy parts that aren't horribly expensive, and can be very nice. I've had two of those trucks, really like them. The only real problem is the automatic transmission, the 700R4/4L60E can be a little weak but with a rebuild can be pretty awesome. I still think that truck has the best interior ergonomics for me that I've ever run across, especially the 95's as they revised the interior that year in prep for putting the Vortec engines in those trucks for the 96 model year.
Peace,
Greg
Damn, clutch I can understand but the Flywheel too?? It's a solid piece of metal!!
Peace,
Greg
Yeah, the wife is bummed. She is really wanting to drive a 67-72 Chevy so after a long talk last night we are going in an entirely different direction now and going to wait and find the right pickup for her.
Well the 2 of you have made this post much easier on my nerves... I've found a real nice 93 K1500 Blazer for under a grand yesterday morning! 171k miles but the top end was rebuilt @ 130k, complete brake and ignition rebuilds in the last year
The wife and I are a day into a major head&chest cold, so I'm not going to see it in person until Monday after work. The original owner says that all it currently needs is the transfer case input seal replaced (slow drip currently), new glass in the passenger side mirror, and some plugs. I hope it's as nice as it seems.
Well the 2 of you have made this post much easier on my nerves... I've found a real nice 93 K2500 Blazer for under a grand yesterday morning! 171k miles but the top end was rebuilt @ 130k, complete brake and ignition rebuilds in the last year
Ooohhh...that's a rare beast right there. If it's an automatic it should have a 4L80E, which is far and above a much stronger transmission than the 4L60E and is pretty hard to kill.
The best part of that particular generation of trucks was all the cheap power you can get out of them. You can gain an extra 30-40 ponies literally in a weekend or two: exhaust system, flip the lid on the air cleaner, and if you're feeling really frisky you can shave and tune the Throttle Body with little more than a Dremel tool, a drill, and a fuel pressure gauge. Total cost...3-400 bucks for everything if you've already got the tools on hand.
The other really nice part about those trucks is that literally every problem with them has been found, fixed, and then they posted about it on the internet
. Peace,
Greg
Yeah, 5.7l & auto... I cannot wait to go check it out. He's sending me some more pictures today since I cannot come look at it yet (I feel like crap!).
I will be doing a big exhaust with glass packs
The wife wants it to "sound like a race car". I'll be putting more all weather highway type tires on it. I'm not looking to push the motor, but the flipped air cleaner lid is something I've done in the past
Sounds pretty sweet. Google exhaust systems for that engine, it's been done to death. My 95 had a single exit Flowmaster, and I still think that is one of the sweetest exhaust sounds I've ever heard, especially in a tunnel .
As far as tires go, you should be able to get at least 31x10.50's on it, my 95 had those and it was a 1500 2wd. You may be able to stuff 33's on it, but it may need a body lift or small suspension lift.
Peace,
Greg
. As far as tires go, you should be able to get at least 31x10.50's on it, my 95 had those and it was a 1500 2wd. You may be able to stuff 33's on it, but it may need a body lift or small suspension lift.
Peace,
Greg
Yeah, 5.7l & auto... I cannot wait to go check it out. He's sending me some more pictures today since I cannot come look at it yet (I feel like crap!).
I will be doing a big exhaust with glass packs
Sounds pretty sweet. Google exhaust systems for that engine, it's been done to death. My 95 had a single exit Flowmaster, and I still think that is one of the sweetest exhaust sounds I've ever heard, especially in a tunnel
I'll definitely read up, need to buy it before any choices are set in stone
I'm liking the look of 285/75R-16 on the stock rims & height (33" diam). Looking at treadwright tires too... I'm a little uneasy about retreads, but I do like the 'green' aspect to the products.
I still prefer the 73-80 pickups (81-87 were ugly with the rectangular headlights) but they're getting harder to find in the salt belt, plus I got a good deal on the 95. My wife has a 98 Z/71 that she loves. Runs decent as-is, and honestly I think the TBI 350 runs better than the Vortec one does.
I'll definitely read up, need to buy it before any choices are set in stone
I'm liking the look of 285/75R-16 on the stock rims & height (33" diam). Looking at treadwright tires too... I'm a little uneasy about retreads, but I do like the 'green' aspect to the products.
285's will be close but they'll fit. If you do any 'wheeling you'll need to trim the fenders a little. I've got 265's on my 95 and Wifey has 305's on her 98, with a 3" body lift and the torsion bars turned up to level the front end out.
I'm going to drive it tomorrow... I'm now thinking the 265 is what I'll end up with. The stock rims are 16x7.
I found drop torsion keys and shackles (2" drop each)... I'm not going off road except for beach or pine forest and the shorter height should make it easier on us and the dogs loading up.
Can you give me the pro & cons of messing with the torsion bars?
I did it on my Dodge to raise the front end a couple inches so it sat level. It stiffened up the ride and made it rougher. I wish I hadn't. The trucks sit like they do for a reason. I tell the guys on the Dodge forum not to do it, or level it out the right way with a kit.
-Mike
-Mike
If you only want to lower it an inch you should have enough adjustment in the stock keys to do that, there's a bolt with an 18mm head that changes how the keys sit. Turn the bolt clockwise to raise, counterclockwise to lower. You probably won't replace the front keys yourself without some special tools, torsion bars are under a buttload of tension, if you're unsure about what you're doing have a shop do it for you. For the rear either you could pull a leaf out or put a longer shackle in to drop it. Shackle swaps aren't difficult unless the truck is a salted up, in which case you'll remove the old ones with a torch.
Whichever way you go you need to have a front end alignment done after you lower it.
Whichever way you go you need to have a front end alignment done after you lower it.
I was figuring on picking up the specialty tool for the torsion bars... and the shackles are something I've dealt with before. I have a local guy who runs a repair shop in a 4 bay (2 wide x 2 deep) garage in his back yard if I get in over my head. Great prices for honest, competent work... but outsources for alignments (which I was aware of the need to do after the mod).
My understanding is that the Invalid Link Removed (or lift keys) allow for the torsion bars to be at the same load as stock height when in the lowered (or raised) stance. This should eliminate the 'rough ride' of tightening them to raise the nose. Am I wrong in that assumption? Also, I assume that loosening them to lower would make the truck sway and bounce more... right?
