Yes.Good Luck, is your dad going with you?
Matt's ongoing truck search...again (UPDATE POST 66)
- Thread starter nubuilder
- Start date
Any report yet?
nubuilder
Why buy new when you can restore?
Perfect Truck!.....rough shape (pic heavy)
Well, I looked at the truck. The more and more I looked at it, the less I was happy.
First I saw the rims which were fairly pitted from being driven in WI for 153k and 10yrs. Then I noticed the spare tire in the bed, which was the wrong size. Then I started noticing rust, rust bubbles, scratches, and that someone had used a rattle can on it to touch it up. Dead giveaway was paint on the frame, had primer in some spots (door jamb), and paint peeling off where rust typically is (rockers, bed sides by the tires). There was a good scratch on the front of the bumper and one corner along with lighter scratches throughout the truck.
Then I got to the interior. Damn was it dirty! The "could be shampooed clean" interior wasn't so clean. Along with the stains/dirt spots, the interior plastic was pretty scratched/scuffed up. The latch for the sliding rear window was gone. At one point, the 3rd door's bottom latch must have rusted in place. Instead of removing the door panel, they cut two 3" slits in the door jamb (at the bottom where the handle is), bent the sheet metal, replaced the latch, and bent it back.
Took it for a spin. The clutch was HORRIBLE! Definitely would need to be replaced this summer. I'm assuming it when into 4-Hi when I pushed the button, and I know it went into 4-Lo. Had slop in the steering, but not nearly as bad as my Silverado (so it could probably go another year, maybe two, without fixing). And the G80 worked (tested it on gravel).
I'm sure I'm missing the problems with it, but that's all I can remember right now.
The most depressing part was this truck was THE PERFECT TRUCK minus the rust and dirty interior. Yes, I know that's what makes the truck, but I couldn't live with it for our agreed upon price of $4k. If it had been $3k, I might have bought it.
Below is a pic of the RPO codes.
The truck had manual windows and locks (which I'd kinda prefer), fog lights, 3.42 gears, and a G80. In addition, it had the center part of the grill PTM'd the way I'd like it (from the factory). The options this truck had made it perfect to me, but I couldn't live with the body and interior condition.
I apologize for not cropping the pics (don't have access to my program I use), but they are shrunk down.
Back bumper had rust bubbling up from under the plastic around the ball. If you look closely, someone painted the right license plate lamp cover green and not the other. Also, the left side of the bumper is bent down.
Spare tire carrier is busted which is why the tire is in the bed.
You can see the glue where the latch is supposed to be (to the left of the right vertical black piece).
Here you can see the "scuff" on the tip of the bumper.
All in all, my perfect truck, but I can't live with the condition the body is in and the interior for the price.
Well, I looked at the truck. The more and more I looked at it, the less I was happy.
First I saw the rims which were fairly pitted from being driven in WI for 153k and 10yrs. Then I noticed the spare tire in the bed, which was the wrong size. Then I started noticing rust, rust bubbles, scratches, and that someone had used a rattle can on it to touch it up. Dead giveaway was paint on the frame, had primer in some spots (door jamb), and paint peeling off where rust typically is (rockers, bed sides by the tires). There was a good scratch on the front of the bumper and one corner along with lighter scratches throughout the truck.
Then I got to the interior. Damn was it dirty! The "could be shampooed clean" interior wasn't so clean. Along with the stains/dirt spots, the interior plastic was pretty scratched/scuffed up. The latch for the sliding rear window was gone. At one point, the 3rd door's bottom latch must have rusted in place. Instead of removing the door panel, they cut two 3" slits in the door jamb (at the bottom where the handle is), bent the sheet metal, replaced the latch, and bent it back.
Took it for a spin. The clutch was HORRIBLE! Definitely would need to be replaced this summer. I'm assuming it when into 4-Hi when I pushed the button, and I know it went into 4-Lo. Had slop in the steering, but not nearly as bad as my Silverado (so it could probably go another year, maybe two, without fixing). And the G80 worked (tested it on gravel).
I'm sure I'm missing the problems with it, but that's all I can remember right now.
The most depressing part was this truck was THE PERFECT TRUCK minus the rust and dirty interior. Yes, I know that's what makes the truck, but I couldn't live with it for our agreed upon price of $4k. If it had been $3k, I might have bought it.
Below is a pic of the RPO codes.
The truck had manual windows and locks (which I'd kinda prefer), fog lights, 3.42 gears, and a G80. In addition, it had the center part of the grill PTM'd the way I'd like it (from the factory). The options this truck had made it perfect to me, but I couldn't live with the body and interior condition.
I apologize for not cropping the pics (don't have access to my program I use), but they are shrunk down.
Back bumper had rust bubbling up from under the plastic around the ball. If you look closely, someone painted the right license plate lamp cover green and not the other. Also, the left side of the bumper is bent down.
Spare tire carrier is busted which is why the tire is in the bed.
You can see the glue where the latch is supposed to be (to the left of the right vertical black piece).
Here you can see the "scuff" on the tip of the bumper.
All in all, my perfect truck, but I can't live with the condition the body is in and the interior for the price.
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Damn. Thats no good. 
NMRam
Still Here Because I'm Not There
Sorry to hear that it wasn't what it sounded like. Hopefully you will find something. Maybe you should shop a little further south, so you don't have all the rust!
No prob. 
Sorry it wasn't in better shape.
Sorry it wasn't in better shape.
nubuilder
Why buy new when you can restore?
The biggest thing stopping me from going south is distance = gas. I really don't want a truck from a farm (which I think is where this one came from) or from a big city with bad traffic which would mean it has been beat on just as much (clutch wear and over revving to accelerate in heavy traffic). So Chicago is out. I don't think I should get an Iowa truck either due to all their gravel roads and also salt usage. I really don't know where to look.
nubuilder
Why buy new when you can restore?
Thanks Carl.No prob.
Yeah, it was the perfect optioned truck that I want, but the body and interior said "I don't think so!"
Can anyone help me on this:
The shifter on this truck was DEFINITELY farther back than my current S10's. I thought they used the same trans for all the S10's, or is there a different one for the 4x4 models? That wouldn't make much sense since I would think all they would change is removing the tailshaft and putting shorter driveshafts in the trans itself.
On a good note, I'm still debt free. I'll probably put the truck search on hold (unless I find the perfect S10 again) and focus on some repairs to my truck. I need to order about $325 of front end parts for the Silverado, and I might have just found a 14-bolt too!
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Sorry it wasn't quite the perfect truck
...don't give up! Keep lookin.
...don't give up! Keep lookin.
RebelThunder
Speak English or GTFO
You make no sense to me.
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kennythewelderOfficially Retired, B31-3 (6 G ) certified
