After some time of thinking it over, I got me an old truck for scrounging and general use. It will be my 3 car in the house so it will get very little use but Im looking forward to some fun with it. I dont have any toys like some of my friends do so im psyched.
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I'm sure it will pay for itself over and over like my truck did. With all the wood I've hauled home, not to mention all the stone from the mountain that I used in veneering my foundation and building my fireplace chase, my truck has served me very, very well! Heck I'd be totally lost without it!!
Stegman
Feeling the Heat
Sweet. A few years back I bought an old beater Ford Ranger that I used as a third vehicle for a couple of years. I liked it so much I went out and bought a Honda Ridgeline as my full-time vehicle and sold my car and the Ranger.
4.3 v6 and 5spd? Or 305 or 350 motor? Regardless, good looking truck and should do you well. Seeing those dash boards again always brings back memories.
pen
pen
yes Pen 4.3 V6 5Spd. Thing runs nice. Its got lots of power. clutch is a bit high but i can always adjust it or get used to it. I haven driven a stick since i was in High School. Body is got some rust but not too bad, compared to the others I saw this isint too bad. But engine is clean, tranny is good and clutch is good. Shocks are fairly new so Im happy with it.penn said:
Dix
Minister of Fire
Congrats on the truck !! I love driving a stick shift, but got an automatic in the F250 ..easier to pull the horse trailer 
I'm sure it will pay for itself in no time !
I'm sure it will pay for itself in no time !
Thanks Eileen. I have to show Susie how to drive a manual car, that should be fun. But she is as excited about it as i am.
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
Congrats on the new truck! I can't believe you found one with 3 pedals! They are pretty rare and my preference.
KatWill said:
Those old Throttle Body Fuel injected 4.3's like that were storm troopers, especially w/ the 5spd. I drove an s-10 w/ that setup for 200k miles, and sold it. W/ 2wd in that truck fuel mileage wasn't bad at all, doubt yours will be either. I saw that SOB truck on the road the same week that I paid the next truck off (literally years later). In those 200k miles, the check engine light came on twice. Both times I simply needed to remove the EGR valve, spray it w/ carb cleaner, and reinstall.
You'll wonder how you've gone this long w/out a truck.
pen
Yea Pen I got 2WD and Im fine with that. One of my coworkers was going on about how being that i live in the sticks (not really the sticks, im 65 miles north of NYC) and work in White Plains) I would need the 4X4 for snow and stuff. The way I see it is this, I will most likely use it for FAARWOOD and the ocassional trip to the city dump to take junk and trips to the HD to get larger items that dont fit in the small sedan. So I dont really see the 2WD being that much of an issue. I will most likely not be scrounging in backwoods but mainly on peoples yard which will be wheelbarrowed to the truck from their yard so I dont see me getting stuck in the mud.
Yea got it from a guy in Yonkers. A buddy of mine is a mechanic and he knows this trucks history since he has been servicing for the last 6 years or so, so he recommended it to me. I had been looking for either a S10 or a Sierra 1500 with a somewhat strict budget so he kept his ears open.Flatbedford said:
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
Not sure of I agree with you on the 2WD thing. My old Flatbed is the last 2WD truck I will ever own. It gets stuck on wet grass! I had to have Mrs. Flatbedford come pull me out of somebody's lawn with the 4x4 F250 a few years ago...on her birthday! Stay on the blacktop and you should be OK.
Yea thats the beauty of rear WD. thanks for the insight, im sure the Missus wasnt very happy on her birthday. Ill just call you to come get me if i get stuck since you are right down the street . heheheh.Flatbedford said:
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
My wood hauler is 2wd also but I've used it to pull out 4x4's. Of course, that only happened after I bought the tire chains!
I might not be able to steer it worth a damn, but I've dug through wet sod right up to axle and kept moving forward with chains on.
Paid less than 100 bucks for them. Good insurance in my book. Bought a set that has cams built into the sides and they go on slick as can be in just a few minutes (that is assuming you think to put them on before getting stuck). Bought them from tirechains.com. I have no affiliation w/ them, but I've bought 2 sets from them, my father bought a set after he liked the looks of mine, and dad's buddy bought a set after seeing his. All of us had good luck w/ them. It's a Pa based company. However, you might just be able to get a straight set from your local NAPA for a few bucks less.
pen
I might not be able to steer it worth a damn, but I've dug through wet sod right up to axle and kept moving forward with chains on.
Paid less than 100 bucks for them. Good insurance in my book. Bought a set that has cams built into the sides and they go on slick as can be in just a few minutes (that is assuming you think to put them on before getting stuck). Bought them from tirechains.com. I have no affiliation w/ them, but I've bought 2 sets from them, my father bought a set after he liked the looks of mine, and dad's buddy bought a set after seeing his. All of us had good luck w/ them. It's a Pa based company. However, you might just be able to get a straight set from your local NAPA for a few bucks less.
pen
Thanks Pen, that's great information. I will definitely look into chains for sure. I already have a scrounge lined up for Saturday morning so ill be sure to post updates.
KatWill said:
Installing a locking rear diff will change your mind about 2WD trucks Steve. I love my C3500 (And yea Pen, it's got the Rally Gauges!) but agree that it's helpless once the traction conditions start to deteriorate.
OhioBurner©
Minister of Fire
Nothing wrong with 2wd and may save you some mpg if you drive it around empty much. Just either stay on the hard stuff, or make sure to get good tires, and maybe some chains for backup in the winter and some weight. As far as 4wd... in the winter on my 350 I can't even make it in my driveway in 2wd if there is around 1-2" of snow. I try every time, but rarely make it without the lever on the floor. But I have no extra weight and the factory tires on it are terrible in snow.
Does bring back some memories, dad had the chevy version of that truck back in the late 80's (reg cab, 4.3, handshacker, etc).
Does bring back some memories, dad had the chevy version of that truck back in the late 80's (reg cab, 4.3, handshacker, etc).
Put some good mud and snow tires on the rear and carry a set of chains and it will serve you well. A lot of us forget that there was a time in the not so distant past that 4x4 was a luxury. Not saying we didn't get stuck but overall we got around pretty well.
CK-1
Feeling the Heat
- Feb 10, 2006
- 259
4wd has saved me plenty of times. When you have a heavy load of wood on the back thats more weight on the rear. This makes those rear tires dig deeper in the dirt if your in the woods after it has rained a few days ago. Once your back on the street, pop it back into 2wd mode.
Does this truck have a tow hitch?... Tranny cooler?.. Oil Cooler?
Does this truck have a tow hitch?... Tranny cooler?.. Oil Cooler?
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
[quote author="MasterMech" date="1331711203"Installing a locking rear diff will change your mind about 2WD trucks Steve. [/quote]
To the best of my knowledge, there is no locking diff, available for my 42 year old Dana 70 rear. I'm sure it would be a game changer.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no locking diff, available for my 42 year old Dana 70 rear. I'm sure it would be a game changer.
MofoG23
Feeling the Heat
Flatbedford said:
https://www.4wdfactory.com/store/products.php?product=Dana-70-HD-Detroit-Locker
I'm thinking about putting one in my K20 as well...
Locking rears do help, but I can tell you in some cases its not a replacement for 4wd - sometimes you need another set of axles pulling. I was very close to pulling the trigger on a 3/4ton 2wd hauler, but I found my K20 last minute. I'm very glad I found the K20 because I pull my wood from some rough area's...would have been stuck without it several times already.
Anyways, congrats to the OP - wish you luck with the truck...glad to see the 5spd as well! That will come in handy when your loaded down...
Flatbedford
Minister of Fire
MofoG23 said:
That would cost more than my f350 is worth at this point...and I'd still have a rusted out floor.
MofoG23
Feeling the Heat
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