Rig idea, would love CONSTRUCTIVE thoughts

[AKMark]

Partially thanks to the fuel prices as of the last few years and vehicle age, I've come across several (including one the folks might be getting rid of) 88-95 Chevy trucks in decent shape. Now, I should note, this would be for a rig build, not a DD, at least at some point.

I started thinking about this as the folks are looking to upgrade their current farm truck which they've had for over ten years. They bought it less than a month before I went to basic training. I drove it to the senior prom and every time I go home, help give it the mechanical attention they love to forget to give it.

Their truck is a 93 K1500, regular cab, 4x4, 5-speed, 4.3L Vortech. The cab is getting rusty in the corners, but other than that, it's in great shape, and even with 150K on the clock, it runs and drives GREAT! It got a new trans about three years ago when they didn't notice the puddle that it left after sitting in the garage for five months during the winter and it didnt' make it to town.

My thoughts on what I'd do are this.

1. Replace the regular cab with an extended or crew cab that doesn't have natural air conditioning.

2. Pull the bed, and create a tube flat bed, shorten frame to rear leaf hangar to get a better departure angle.

3. Sas the front, D60 preferred, Driver or pass drop, I don't care.

4. 14FF rear

5. 4.88, 5.13, or 5.38 gears. (Yes 5.38's are out there, two guys I work with have gotten them in the last few months, with little to no wait time)

6. I may also pull the 4.3L and replace it with a 350

If I don't get their truck no problem, they are all over, and going cheap. I'd love a truck to wheel with, but need seat belts for 5 minimum. If I didn't get theirs, I might find a K2500 or K3500 to start with so fewer parts would need swapped.

This is just one of the many ideas that has run through my head, and I was wondering what everyone though?

[naturalbornmudder]

you dont wanna know what I think...

[AKMark]

You are right. :D

[naturalbornmudder]

since you don't this is the perfect time to crap on yer car-hood.

I would be more interested in getting an S-10 Blazer or something of the like from the same era. You could still get the 4.3L, 5 speed, etc, so that way you could concentrate more on the SAS, and full width swap in. I would definately stick with the axle choices you spoke of, I would just pick a different body to put all that work into.
If you got the folks truck, then it is definately the way to go; bob it, soft top it, add in a rear seat with seatbelts and full cage to mount the seatbelts to, install a mojave heater for those cold Alaskan rides, and go with it.
If you do not get the folks' truck, save yourself the work and buy something already covered.

[AKMark]

Hmm..... The S-10 Blazer was another thought at one time, but we'll just have to see.

[ARCTIC_EXPRESS]

quit buying chevys havent you learned your lesson yet???

[ajpthng]

I think he learned his lesson about stayin away from the 6.2 since he said he was going with a 350 ;)

[AKMark]

If you think I've had problems with 6.2L's, don't let me talk about the Bronco II, and the 2 Bronco's that served as the farm vehicles that I drove. Let's just say, that all three, didn't last one year. All had less than 100K, but all three were junk. I'm scared about how much dad spent on those. He finally bought a 87 Dodge pickup, that served me fairly well for another year till it's problems overcame dad's wallet, and the 93 Chevy in question was purchased. It has served the farm for over 10 years, been driven 65K miles, (total of 153 on the clock) and besides the transmission which rusted internally when it sat parked for an extended winter, it's been a great truck.

I'll quit buying Chevy's when I cannot find them anymore. The heartbeat remains steady, even if some of the motors don't.

[ChevyKev]

I like Nate's idea of the more narrow body of an S-10 blazer. Though that is a squeez with car seats or bigger kiddos.

Especially if you're keeping the 4.3 - if you're going to a 350 then look for a ful size with one already rather than doing a swap - IM stuff may come into play. I know it is supposed to be going away up here, and you're trying to get back here, but... until both happen I'd plan on keeping it IM legal.

If keeping the 4.3 and going fullsize, definitely plan on a doubler.

In doing a SAS the easy thing is to spring the front, but think about coils and a 4 link setup. That'd be something more unique and should flex better.

[AKMark]

Good ideas, I found a 95 Crew Cab with a NV4500, and a 454 for $1500. The bed was shot, but other than that it looked decent. If it's still around when the 97 leaves, I might pick it up and use it to move back (if that happens soon) and get something else not long thereafter. Yes I know the 454 is a gas hog, but the power is nice.

[naturalbornmudder]

is the 454 fuel injected? What is the rate hp of a f.i. 454? A crew cab would have plenty of room for the Haroldson clan. Since the bed would be shot, you could narrow and make a tube cage hatchback for it, complete with narrowed tapered bed and hatch-up lid configuration. I have seen this before and it was a nice setup for carrying recovery gear, camping gear, and coolers without the full cab effect you get with a suburban.

Kev, you do have a point that the seat in an S10 Blazer is narrower than its full sized counterpart. For my family, we tried out the ZJ rear seat with 2 carseats and Cheyenne sitting on the end. There was ample room for all 3 kids. Of course, there is a varying opinion on "ample"

[arcticmutt]

You must of just gotten a dodge that was a dud :D




If you think I've had problems with 6.2L's, don't let me talk about the Bronco II, and the 2 Bronco's that served as the farm vehicles that I drove. Let's just say, that all three, didn't last one year. All had less than 100K, but all three were junk. I'm scared about how much dad spent on those. He finally bought a 87 Dodge pickup, that served me fairly well for another year till it's problems overcame dad's wallet, and the 93 Chevy in question was purchased. It has served the farm for over 10 years, been driven 65K miles, (total of 153 on the clock) and besides the transmission which rusted internally when it sat parked for an extended winter, it's been a great truck.

I'll quit buying Chevy's when I cannot find them anymore. The heartbeat remains steady, even if some of the motors don't.

[arcticmutt]

early 90's 4 door s/10 blazer
chevy 400
turbo 400
np203/205
dana 60
corporate 14
:D
But thats only if you want to stay chevy

personaly

dodge durango
5.7 hemi
727
np203/205
rockwells
:D

[Fix_It]

well the major flaw with this idea is you started out with chevy and got worse from there .. chevy is great as long as you get rid of everything chevy under it ..lol

just like jeep !! yeah i went there !

[AKMark]

Wow, lots of interesting ideas here.

Nate the CC was a 95, I would hope it's fuel injected, otherwise I don't know how he passes smog here.

The potential buyer of the 97 may be backing out, leaving me with his non-refundable deposit, which would pay to fix the windshield and turbo.

[ChevyKev]

If you pick up the 454 I have a Jacobs electronic performance ignition system for it... NIB! :D

[AKMark]

Hmmm.....

[arcticmutt]

On pirate there is a guy that put a CTD and rockwells under D50 :D

[naturalbornmudder]

Mark, 2 streets over from you, April spotted a black early 90's Chevy extended cab Z-71 4wd for 4000

[sevenslats]

I had a 1/2 ton 88 truck once. hated it.
I never planned any drivetrain swap, but I hated that truck.

[AKMark]

On back burner, had the deal for my 97 go south.