The search for a comfortable tow pig...

[ck80]

Whelp, thay was a waste of time...

Found my deposit "refunded" with a note that the seller's "friend's truck died and he needed another one so he's buying it instead, sorry"

So.... back to the drawing/search board in the world full of flakes and dirtbags.

 

[pagrunt]

Whelp, thay was a waste of time...

Found my deposit "refunded" with a note that the seller's "friend's truck died and he needed another one so he's buying it instead, sorry"

So.... back to the drawing/search board in the world full of flakes and dirtbags.

Possible translation: Found another buyer willing to pay more than you were.

 

[UNGN]

Possible translation: Found another buyer willing to pay more than you were.

No, that is a typical Transaction in Texas. This place has become Flake Central.

 

[ck80]

Possible translation: Found another buyer willing to pay more than you were.

Anythings possible, just glad it was before I'd flown there.

No, that is a typical Transaction in Texas. This place has become Flake Central.

The wasted time and effort to this point all around has me debating just buying something cheap (sub 7k) and average miles (175k or so) from the rust belt that looks ok for now. Then, if/when something better pops up, buy it and unload whatever I buy for now.

If I had the time/ability I'd buy the 72k mile 8.1 out of a junkyard about 60 miles away.

I've got a sf 14 bolt with 4.10s and a 4l80ehd trans already. Driveshaft, harness, and computer and I could just dump it into a square body roller.

 

[UNGN]

I did a autoTempest Search of 2500 suburbans and there was a nice early 90's 2WD one for $3K. I love the the '90's because they had dual Armrests on the driver's Captain's chair. You feel like Captain Kirk driving it. 8.1/4L80 into one of those and you'll get everything you put into it back out.

Did You see this One:
2004 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 4x4 8.1L - $4200 (Aubrey)

This one is on'y about a 30 minute Drive from DFW airport

A good hood would be $40 at the Picknpull, which makes me think the other things wrong with it are nothing.

 

[Supercharged111]

Anythings possible, just glad it was before I'd flown there.



The wasted time and effort to this point all around has me debating just buying something cheap (sub 7k) and average miles (175k or so) from the rust belt that looks ok for now. Then, if/when something better pops up, buy it and unload whatever I buy for now.

If I had the time/ability I'd buy the 72k mile 8.1 out of a junkyard about 60 miles away.

I've got a sf 14 bolt with 4.10s and a 4l80ehd trans already. Driveshaft, harness, and computer and I could just dump it into a square body roller.

I'm not looking forward to the struggle of living in the rust belt again. Out here I can find rot free old crap all day long. The challenge remains to finding something that wasn't neglected, but adding the variable of rust must really make it that much harder. I just pray my old crap doesn't get taken out by some dbag who isn't paying attention some day. Or that I don't get any bright ideas and wrap it around a pole or something.

 

[ck80]

I love the the '90's because they had dual Armrests on the driver's Captain's chair. You feel like Captain Kirk driving it. 8.1/4L80 into one of those and you'll get everything you put into it back out.

I don't want to jinx myself, ****knock on wood****, but, I think the end may be in sight.

I've looked at a LOT more junk lately. Everything from an 88 2500 that turned out to be an ultimate misrepresented turd, to some 04s and 05s full of bugs hack jobs. After dealing with the latest flake today, who turned out to be a 20 year old kid who thought I'd switch from dealing with an advertised price to 'I want the highest bid' not understanding real life ain't ebay, I decided to revert to the idea of eventually needing to do a drive train swap.

Headed out in the AM to see a gmt400 1995 suburban. 2nd owner, currently a 454/4l80e/4x4 with floor lever/4.10 gears. Has stacks of receipts with maintenance records, and it *sounds* like the usual issues have recently been repaired.

Only thing I'm not crazy about is the mileage at 175,000. BUT I can shop for a 496 in the meantime I guess. And I've got a low mile 1994 350 already here that could drop in in short notice if need be.

 

[Supercharged111]

So looking to swap motor because turd TBI 454 or blown up turd 454 TBI?

 

[ck80]

So looking to swap motor because turd TBI 454 or blown up turd 454 TBI?

Right now it's turd 454.

With 175k and never having any work done aside from the usual intake gasket, valve cover gaskets, etc, I can't imagine it's long for this world. I'd expect it can't be far from becoming a blown up turd.

The real question is, assuming it works out **** knock on wood **** do I run it till it blows, or, pull it while running OK and sell it to some redneck who wants it because, "454, yeah!"

175k seems like a lot for a gen 5 454 from what I've ever seen running around.

Seller is nice enough and understands how to sell a vehicle. Probably sent 3 dozen pics and kept asking what else he might send to save us a trip if it wasn't right.

 

[Supercharged111]

175k I'm general seems like a lot for a 454, but they can and do go much longer. My 454 Vortec is sitting north of 150k and, after beefing up the crankcase breathing, is very long for this world. If this thing is decent, you could pop some Vortec heads on, give it a decent cam, tune exhaust, tune and it wouldn't suck. Or you could dump an 8.1 in and kick @$$ from day 1.