The Old Truck Dilemma, What To Buy?

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StokerDon
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Post by StokerDon » Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 7:38 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 7:15 pm
Donny, did you ever get that poor Porsche finished up?
:lol: :lol:

If I did, you'd know about it! It's pretty despicable really, I took it apart last March and I think I have everything to put it back together. I just need the time and some ambition!


Out of the hundreds of Youtube videos I have posted I get the most comments about the 944 V8 videos. I guess I need to get back at it. :oops:
Post by StokerDon - Porsche 944+Chevy V8

-Don


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 7:56 pm

Well of course--a V-8 Porsche--you betcha--that other project is JUST a pick-up!!!! LOL

 
grumpy
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Post by grumpy » Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 8:24 pm

Driving season is almost here, got to get going Don..

Can’t wait to get my toy out…

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StokerDon
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Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood

Post by StokerDon » Mon. Apr. 04, 2022 6:52 pm

grumpy wrote:
Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 8:24 pm
Driving season is almost here, got to get going Don..

Can’t wait to get my toy out…
Yeah, I know. You will be driving yours long before I drive mine again.
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Looks like you've go the same color scheme as me there Grump!
Black with Silver. :yes:

 
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StokerDon
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Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood

Post by StokerDon » Wed. Jan. 25, 2023 7:14 pm

Well, sometimes life throws you curve balls. A combination of unexpected traffic and a part of the road that was unexpectedly slippery led to this.

My poor truck. I haven't even had it for a year yet. I'm hoping it can be fixed because finding another one for under 10 grand with no rust is gonna be tough these days.
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Tomorrow it gets towed to the body shop that fixed the rust and the roof on my old 3500.
Porsche 944+Chevy V8

The damage is mostly high and even though the radiator is pushed into the engine, it doesn't leak. As long as the frame isn't bent bad, we can probably fix it. I would hate to have to go through the whole truck hunting fiasco again! :x

-Don

 
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Post by Rob R. » Wed. Jan. 25, 2023 7:51 pm

Glad you are okay. Pity about the truck…insurance will likely total it.

 
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Post by lincolnmania » Wed. Jan. 25, 2023 7:51 pm

Well that sucks! Hope you are ok and the frame on the truck is ok.


 
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Post by Idlorah » Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 7:19 pm

StokerDon wrote:
Wed. Jan. 25, 2023 7:14 pm
Well, sometimes life throws you curve balls. A combination of unexpected traffic and a part of the road that was unexpectedly slippery led to this.

My poor truck. I haven't even had it for a year yet. I'm hoping it can be fixed because finding another one for under 10 grand with no rust is gonna be tough these days.

Tomorrow it gets towed to the body shop that fixed the rust and the roof on my old 3500.
Porsche 944+Chevy V8

The damage is mostly high and even though the radiator is pushed into the engine, it doesn't leak. As long as the frame isn't bent bad, we can probably fix it. I would hate to have to go through the whole truck hunting fiasco again! :x

-Don
Just went through the same thing today following my wife to work in the snow I watched her slide off the road into a tree with one of my trucks.

 
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Post by waytomany?s » Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 7:58 pm

Idlorah wrote:
Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 7:19 pm
Just went through the same thing today following my wife to work in the snow I watched her slide off the road into a tree with one of my trucks.
Ok, I assume she's ok, but how's the truck?

 
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Post by Idlorah » Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 8:12 pm

Yes she is both her and the baby are fine, here's the truck. I will get it fixed up sometime.
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waytomany?s
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Post by waytomany?s » Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 8:48 pm

Damn, forgot about the baby. Hope she's not to sore tomorrow. Always takes a.day.

 
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StokerDon
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Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood

Post by StokerDon » Sat. Jan. 28, 2023 9:18 am

Idlorah wrote:
Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 8:12 pm
Yes she is both her and the baby are fine, here's the truck. I will get it fixed up sometime.
Ouch, glad their OK. I hope you can get it back on the road.
Rob R. wrote:
Wed. Jan. 25, 2023 7:51 pm
Glad you are okay. Pity about the truck…insurance will likely total it.
Thanks!
Unfortunately, I have never been in the habit of carrying collision insurance on my cheap old truck that gets driven a couple thousand miles a year. I should have realized after spending 3 times more money than I have ever spent on an old truck that collision insurance was a good idea. :oops:

Its at the body shop that fixed the rust on my old 1 ton Chevy. They say it shouldn't be a problem to fix it as long as the frame isn't bent to bad. No collision means I get to pay for it. But, I either pay to fix it or I pay to replace it.


-Don

 
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Post by Rob R. » Sat. Jan. 28, 2023 9:54 am

Yeah, I hear you. I don’t carry collision on my old Suburban. I DO have comprehensive coverage with full glass because it was only about $40 year more.

 
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Post by ColdHouse » Sat. Jan. 28, 2023 10:19 am

StokerDon wrote:
Sat. Jan. 28, 2023 9:18 am
No collision means I get to pay for it. But, I either pay to fix it or I pay to replace it.


-Don
In my experience submitting a claim ultimately raises your rates. Plus let's not forget about deductible that would by your contribution toward the payment of the fix. But I guess if it was a reported accident your rates will likely increase anyway.

 
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Post by SMITTY » Fri. Feb. 10, 2023 1:03 pm

Don, sorry to hear about the wreck ... but in all honesty, that's God doing you a favor! I wish I saw this thread when you were truck shopping. The GMT-900 series trucks are THE WORST trucks GM ever built. If you enjoy troubleshooting complex problems, and figuring out jigsaw puzzles of which combinations of extensions, swivels, and sockets will work on certain fasteners, and repairing before the 21st century unheard of driveline failures, then you'll love the 900 series.

To be honest, the last solid truck GM ever built was the 400 series. I believe that ran from '88-'94 in half ton pickups, and a bit later in the Tahoe/ Suburban and heavy duty trucks. That said, after 1995 even the 400 series became failure prone with all the OBD-II garbage bolted onto it. Even '95 wasn't quite the same. Better than the 900's any way you slice it, though.

In my opinion, you'd be much better off finding a 400 series, or even what you had previously (800 series) from down south, rust free, fix the worn out stuff, OIL THE UNDERCARRIAGE, then move on with a trouble-free life.


I own a 900 series truck. Bought it brand new in '07. Right off the showroom floor on the test drive, the brakes pulsated enough to about rattle my fillings out of my teeth! Then the door trim fell off a week later. Then the interior developed annoying squeaks and rattles that they just couldn't fix because of the shitty extended cab design with no B pillar. Then the air vents started making strange noises - they did manage to fix that for a few years until I had to fix it again just recently. Then the 4x4 switch began failing - I didn't know any better and let the pricks kick that can down the road until it was out of warranty. Then at 38k the state inspector said my lower ball joints were about smoked. At 50k, the uppers failed, 1 strut failed, front diff started leaking, and engine started burning oil (5.3, LMG). Around 60k the hub bearings got SUPER noisy. I dealt with that until 70k when I couldn't take it anymore. The replacement Moog hub bearings lasted 20k miles. Now running SKF bearings - already passed 20k miles. At 97k I went to change my rear diff oil, and found the tips of all the spider gear teeth in the magnet! Who knows how long it had been that way. Judging from the excessive backlash I had, probably since 50-70k miles. Installed an Ox Locker pneumatic locking diff with 4 spider gears. Then just 6k miles later, at 103k miles, the 4L60E lost 3rd and 4th gear, completely without warning! One minute it was working, the next, it was NEUTRAL.

Recently I started looking into making some big horsepower with a supercharger, since I tow frequently and can't afford a diesel, even used. I talked to a guy down in CT that tunes and builds high HP modern GM engines. When I told him my plan, and how many miles were on the engine, he said I was nuts. Said I'd be lucky to get 20k miles out of that engine after all that money and work! The stuff just ain't built like it used to be. I sold my 400 series with 266k miles on her to buy this toilet. Talk about a mistake!
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