My Ford Truck Project (And Other Projects)

[Turbolq4]

When I bought my '15 Silverado, I originally ordered a Standard Cab Short Bed 4wd that was optioned up from a WT. Carpet instead of vinyl and power windows and locks. Other than that it was WT trim. I liked the truck when it arrived, but with rebates and dealer incentives I ended up buying a Double Cab 4wd that was already on the lot for about the same money.

As far as the GMT 900 trucks, I had a co-worker who had an '02 GMC that had to be made with a bad batch of metal. This thing was fairly well taken care of, but he still had to put either rockers, fenders, or cab corners on it about about every year from '05 to '11 when he got rid of it. The body shop that was doing the work was reputable, but the cancer was in that truck bad.

'02 is a GMT800. The 900 trucks start in '07 in half tons

 

[Wageslave]

'02 is a GMT800. The 900 trucks start in '07 in half tons

Aaah, you are correct. My bad.

 

[joesregalproject]

When I bought my '15 Silverado, I originally ordered a Standard Cab Short Bed 4wd that was optioned up from a WT. Carpet instead of vinyl and power windows and locks. Other than that it was WT trim. I liked the truck when it arrived, but with rebates and dealer incentives I ended up buying a Double Cab 4wd that was already on the lot for about the same money.

As far as the GMT 900 trucks, I had a co-worker who had an '02 GMC that had to be made with a bad batch of metal. This thing was fairly well taken care of, but he still had to put either rockers, fenders, or cab corners on it about about every year from '05 to '11 when he got rid of it. The body shop that was doing the work was reputable, but the cancer was in that truck bad.

It's funny, every truck I've personally owned or used as a company truck has been an extended cab and I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I needed the extra space. Initially I started looking for extended cabs just because it's what I've always had but thinking about it, I don't really need it. I can't remember a time that I had more than one other person in my truck at time. And even if I needed to get two other people, the middle flip up seat in the front would probably be more comfortable than the back seat if you didn't have a gearshift in your crotch. I use the extended cab space to store a couple things, but I don't keep anything essential back there. Most stuff goes in the toolbox. I did own one short bed and it drove me nuts. Nothing ever fit with the tailgate shut.

I do like the work truck trims though. A clean base model truck is an underappreciated gem.

As for the GMT800s (the 99-06s), they have their rust issues too. They all need rockers and cab corners. Lots of them need rear bumpers, tailgates, and wheel arches. And there are always exceptions but in general they seem to hold up better than their successors. Pre vs post bankruptcy GM is my conjecture.

 

[DRIVEN]

As for the GMT800s (the 99-06s), they have their rust issues too. They all need rockers and cab corners. Lots of them need rear bumpers, tailgates, and wheel arches.

Not out this way. You might consider opening your search outside of the rust belt. May be worth a one-way plane ticket to start with a rust free truck.

I was at an auction a couple days ago that had a few telecom vehicles being liquidated. Standard cab '03 Super Duty F250 4x4 really had my attention. Must have been a supervisor's truck because it was in really nice shape inside and out and not a spec of rust. Sold for $2200.

 

[fleming442]

Phone trucks idle A LOT!!!!

 

[joesregalproject]

Not out this way. You might consider opening your search outside of the rust belt. May be worth a one-way plane ticket to start with a rust free truck.

I was at an auction a couple days ago that had a few telecom vehicles being liquidated. Standard cab '03 Super Duty F250 4x4 really had my attention. Must have been a supervisor's truck because it was in really nice shape inside and out and not a spec of rust. Sold for $2200.

I'd definitely be willing to travel for a clean truck. Like I said I'm not buying anything that needs rust repair. If that means I have to go newer or buy something from the south or west, so be it. I'm just done fawking around with rust. At least on my own stuff.

I've wondered about those Fastenal trucks. They are all newer and fleet maintained. All Rams, and mostly 1/2 tons but there are some 3/4 tons. I think they are all gassers.

 

[Wageslave]

It's funny, every truck I've personally owned or used as a company truck has been an extended cab and I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I needed the extra space. Initially I started looking for extended cabs just because it's what I've always had but thinking about it, I don't really need it. I can't remember a time that I had more than one other person in my truck at time. And even if I needed to get two other people, the middle flip up seat in the front would probably be more comfortable than the back seat if you didn't have a gearshift in your crotch. I use the extended cab space to store a couple things, but I don't keep anything essential back there. Most stuff goes in the toolbox. I did own one short bed and it drove me nuts. Nothing ever fit with the tailgate shut.

I do like the work truck trims though. A clean base model truck is an underappreciated gem.

As for the GMT800s (the 99-06s), they have their rust issues too. They all need rockers and cab corners. Lots of them need rear bumpers, tailgates, and wheel arches. And there are always exceptions but in general they seem to hold up better than their successors. Pre vs post bankruptcy GM is my conjecture.

The worst thing about the standard cabs in the K2XX generation is there is absolutely no room behind the seats. It almost seems like the back of the cab is form fitted to the seats. In older trucks, there was always a little bit of room to throw a few miscellaneous items behind the seat. In my 2nd gen Ram, there was a tray that ran the length of the seat that could fit a small toolbox or a bunch of loose tools for whatever you are doing. Having that spoiled me a little.

 

[Texas82GP]

That has definitely been my experience with them. GM got really cheap with the materials and fit and finish is sub par. I dont know where they were sourcing the steel for the 900 trucks, but it rusts stupid fast. The drivetrains are probably fine but the bodies and frames do not hold up.

Story time- When I was still in auto body, we had a customer with a 2010 or 2011-ish Silverado half ton. It was an extended cab, 6.5 ft bed, Z71, leather interior, nice looking truck. I think he was a lawyer or a paralegal, he never actually used it as a truck. He wrecked into shitt all the time. I mean he was in the shop probably once a year for hitting something. I snapped more rusty bolts and screws on that truck than I care to think about. By the time it was probably 3 years the old undercarriage looked like it had been sitting at the bottom of the ocean, and it needed wheel arches not long after that. The cab corners were starting to bubble too and he wanted those fixed but my boss talked him out of it. And probably 3 months after we put wheel arches on it he sideswiped a pole and wound up having to put a whole bedside on it. It felt like such a waste to put a new bedside on a truck that wasn't gonna last another 5 years.



I like stripper trim! Gimme steel wheels and black bumpers, plastic floors and vinyl seats!

We don't have all those corrosion issues down here so I wasn't referring to that but I'm not surprised by it. I bought my truck new in March of 2008. Sean bought his in October of 2001. My impression of both platforms has been made over a long time and it's been formed based on the sum of a lot of little things. The dash is one that really comes to mind. The GMT900 dash is garbage. My truck is very well cared for. I almost always have a sunshade up behind the windshield. Still, my dash is cracked in like four places. The problem is so bad that six or eight years ago GM had a program where they would replace your dash for $500 (half price, I think). I didn't do it because the replacement dashes crack just the same. Evidently there isn't enough support and the upper and lower sections of the dash expand and contract at different rates and it causes it to crack. I've even discovered small pieces of what must be the dashes inner structure on the floor mat.

Another think that comes to mind is the door panel. The one in the GMT800 is way easier to work on. I feel like they went backwards with the 900 design. I was also a little disgusted at all the plastic I found when I fixed the front of my truck after it had been wrecked. There is too much plastic in both the 800's and the 900's but the 900's are worse. Another thing that comes to mind is my brother's truck has a drain plug in the rear axle and has one in the transmission pan. Stock. Mine has neither. My brother's truck has a fuel filter on the frame rail. Mine doesn't. Just what's in the tank. I could go on and on.

 

[joesregalproject]

The worst thing about the standard cabs in the K2XX generation is there is absolutely no room behind the seats. It almost seems like the back of the cab is form fitted to the seats. In older trucks, there was always a little bit of room to throw a few miscellaneous items behind the seat. In my 2nd gen Ram, there was a tray that ran the length of the seat that could fit a small toolbox or a bunch of loose tools for whatever you are doing. Having that spoiled me a little.

Yeah I supposed you would want at least a little space behind the rear seat, if only for an umbrella or something.

We don't have all those corrosion issues down here so I wasn't referring to that but I'm not surprised by it. I bought my truck new in March of 2008. Sean bought his in October of 2001. My impression of both platforms has been made over a long time and it's been formed based on the sum of a lot of little things. The dash is one that really comes to mind. The GMT900 dash is garbage. My truck is very well cared for. I almost always have a sunshade up behind the windshield. Still, my dash is cracked in like four places. The problem is so bad that six or eight years ago GM had a program where they would replace your dash for $500 (half price, I think). I didn't do it because the replacement dashes crack just the same. Evidently there isn't enough support and the upper and lower sections of the dash expand and contract at different rates and it causes it to crack. I've even discovered small pieces of what must be the dashes inner structure on the floor mat.

Another think that comes to mind is the door panel. The one in the GMT800 is way easier to work on. I feel like they went backwards with the 900 design. I was also a little disgusted at all the plastic I found when I fixed the front of my truck after it had been wrecked. There is too much plastic in both the 800's and the 900's but the 900's are worse. Another thing that comes to mind is my brother's truck has a drain plug in the rear axle and has one in the transmission pan. Stock. Mine has neither. My brother's truck has a fuel filter on the frame rail. Mine doesn't. Just what's in the tank. I could go on and on.

Jared great input. Your experience confirms what I already thought. In my auto body experience the 800 trucks were always a lot less irritating to work on. Just be glad you don't have the rust element to contend with.

 

[joesregalproject]

Damn I wish this were a long bed-

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 on Autotrader