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1987 Chevy Custom Deluxe 4x4

blackbronco92

blackbronco92

Registered Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
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Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Let me first start off by saying that I just realized I am probably going to ruffle some feathers with my Screename.. haha, I didn't really think about changing it when I registered onto the board here!

I'm a regular member over at FullSizeBronco.com. I have alot of respect for the optional top - 2 door - fullsize SUV community, whether it be GM or Ford. Or Dodge minus the removable top part after 1980 anyway.

I've got a 1992 Bronco XLT, 6" BDS Suspension lift, 35" Pro-Comp Mud Terrains, and quite a few mods with new paint and sheetmetal as well. Anyway, I won't go into to much detail on the Ford, but here's a quick pic:
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I joined up over here because I recently picked up this:

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It's an '87 Chevy 1/2 Ton 4x4 Custom Deluxe. She is pretty base model.

4.3L TBI V6, 700R4
Manual windows/locks, rubber floor, no A/C.. All the usual work truck options. Has a 7 1/2 ft. Western plow.

The neat part about the truck is that it's got 44k original miles and runs and drives like it. It's an old plow truck but if I pulled the plow off you'd never know it. Was owned from Day 1 by a university in the UP of Michigan. Pretty well taken care of but has the typical michigan sheetmetal rot. Has an extraordinarily solid underbody and frame. I bought it to use as my work truck / winter truck, as I don't drive the bronco in the winter due to road salt.

I don't have any huge build plans for the Chevy, but first things on the list are to either paint the mirrors black or replace with chrome. Get some chrome or polished aluminum rims with 31" Cooper Discoverer STT's, and start gathering some new sheetmetal for it. I've already got brand new front fenders, and the hood is fine. I just need doors and typical chevy cab corners. The bed is salvageable with a little work. Looking forward to browsing the classifieds here to source some parts for the small project underway.

What do you guys think of the 4.3 in a setup like this?

As for later on down the road, I may source a 350 for the truck, but I think it will be fun to have another truck with an underdog motor. And the 4.3 is one of the best V6's of any manufacturer IMO.

Anyway, Opinions, suggestions, badmouthing.. all is welcome. Looking forward to hanging out here with you guys so long as you don't mind a mostly Ford guy being here. To redeem myself a little, I did used to wheel a Chevy a few years back before I built the Bronco.

'87 Suburban, 350/350, 4" Lift, headers, and lots more. She began to lose compression on me and the motor got pretty tired. Had meant to fix it up but didn't get to it before a large tree did. Just about flattened the whole truck.
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Welcome...get a K5 and you'll never go back!!!!!!! I had a 4.3 and it was a great motor...should do until you decide you want something bigger.
 
Specs on the '73, '74 or '75 truck in the background please.
 
If the 4.3 runs good then keep it. Just work on the body. Are you going to use rustbullet or anything to try to prevent rust.
 
dfl701 said:
If the 4.3 runs good then keep it. Just work on the body. Are you going to use rustbullet or anything to try to prevent rust.
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Think that's a little late :D but yeah i know what you mean

Welcome and looking forward to see how this goes. I almost bought a truck just like that (former plow truck) but backed out. ;)
 
I had an 86 K-10 4x4 like yours only it was a 4 speed. My 4.3 had a carb on it and unless the TBI made a 180% improvement over the carb, then it won't be too long before you'll want that V-6 out and that 350 in.
 
thatK30guy said:
Specs on the '73, '74 or '75 truck in the background please.
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That's a 1974 F-100. I bought it from the original owner. It came with all of the original paperwork, owners manual, even dealer delivery papers. Original keys, etc.

The truck was 100% stock right down to the hubcaps, with the original 302 and C6 trans. 112k miles, original AM radio. The only thing that had been changed was the exhaust, it had a single in dual out muffler. He had used it to haul a small travel trailer from Michigan to Texas and back a few times per year. I loved that truck and had a blast with it, but unfortunately it was one of the toys I had to sell when I bought my house last year.

In this pic you can see she was a little rusty around the edges but overall it was in awesome shape for a '74.
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As for the Chevy, the 4.3L runs pretty well. With only 44k on it, it's got a bit of power and it doesn't smoke or leak anything. Gas mileage is fair for a full size truck. I've only owned a few GM trucks, I've had an '87 Suburban which is pictured in the post above, a 1991 Z71 SWB with a 350/700R4 that had 179k on her. I got it in on a trade a while back and sold it. So as you can see, aside from the suburban this is really the only other GM truck I've really owned to drive and work on. I have had more than my fair share of Bronco's F150's and Rangers though. I've owned 4 Full Size Bronco's, couple-a bronco II's, few Rangers, and at last count something like 18 F150's. (Many I bought, fixed, cleaned up and sold for hobby)

Of all the drivetrain combo's in the Fullsize Ford's, I most preferred the 300 Inline 6 with a 5 speed. The 300 Inline is a big 6 and drinks gas like it, but it's one of the most reliable engines out there and is full of torque. In fact, it's what's in my Bronco pictured in the original post.

So I'm excited to have this truck with the 4.3L and see what I can do with her. Should be a fun road ahead.
 
blackbronco92 said:
Of all the drivetrain combo's in the Fullsize Ford's, I most preferred the 300 Inline 6 with a 5 speed. The 300 Inline is a big 6 and drinks gas like it, but it's one of the most reliable engines out there and is full of torque. In fact, it's what's in my Bronco pictured in the original post.
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I have to agree to an extent. The only Ford i've ever wanted was a FI 6 cyl with the 5 speed and 3/4 ton. It was an old work truck for the tree trimming compnay i worked for. That thing would crawl almost anywhere in the woods with A/T tires even.

:waytogo:
 
snuffy74 said:
I had an 86 K-10 4x4 like yours only it was a 4 speed. My 4.3 had a carb on it and unless the TBI made a 180% improvement over the carb, then it won't be too long before you'll want that V-6 out and that 350 in.
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The TBI 4.3L is pretty peppy. The 80's carbed engines in general were gutless smog machines..
 
jonathon said:
The TBI 4.3L is pretty peppy. The 80's carbed engines in general were gutless smog machines..
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Yeah, I'm actually pretty impressed with the power that the 4.3L puts out in this truck.

The last 4.3L I drove was in a 1994 S-10 Blazer, and I remember that truck had some balls for what it was. I thought this fullsize pickup would really dog that down, but so far I am impressed. I mean I know 44k miles is low, but the truck was a plow all of it's life, so some of those are some hard miles, but it's seemed to handle it very well.
 
Welcome. Dont worry about driving a Ford. there are acually quite a few of us Ford drivers here. I have 2. 87 Mustang 5.0 & 93 Crown Vic. Used to have a nice lifted/locked 85 Bronco But sold it after I bought my K5.:D
 
Well. It's been a touch less than 3 years since I last logged in. Thought I'd update the post here a bit.

I sold the Bronco over a year ago. Hated to see it go but had to get all my priorities in line. You guys will be happy to know, I've still got the '87 Custom Deluxe that I joined here with. I used it as a Daily Driver for 2 years, then got a job with a company truck so I parked it. It's been sitting about 6 months, fired it up the other day and she's still as good as the day I bought it, and aside from cosmetics, pretty close to as good as the day she rolled off the assembly line. No longer have the plow setup, I sold that a while back too. During the 2 years I DD'd it, The only thing that went out on me was the fuel pump, so I replaced the tank, pump, sending unit, and wiring harness. ran all new rear brake lines, new drums, wheel cylinders, shoes, etc. Whole rear brake system is new.

Currently, the '87 is in the garage, I'm replacing ball joints, u-joints, and tie rod ends to get it all tightened up in the front end. This morning, I picked up a set of factory aluminum wheels from a '91 Suburban (not sure what you call them, but they're the ones that look a little like the Eagle Alloys series 058). Now looking into some rubber to wrap them with. Most likely BFG A/T's... 31x10.5/15's? I guess... I dont know, I need to do a bit of research to see what's the largest size I can clear stock, and what the 4.3L is willing to push... Really gettin me back in the spirit of it as I havn't done much wheeling or anything the past couple of years. I'm ready to get back into it now, and I'll be an active member of the community in the meantime. And since it's been a couple of years, once again, don't hate me about the screenname.
 
Nothing wrong with the screen name, we don't discriminate here. I too like the full size bronco and ramchargers. I also have love the early broncos and scouts.
Now as for your Chevy, did you carefully check for frame cracks around the steering box and front end. It may only have 44k miles on it but it may have been plowing for many of those miles and that puts a lot of unintended stress on the frame and front springs.
 
rampage said:
Nothing wrong with the screen name, we don't discriminate here. I too like the full size bronco and ramchargers. I also have love the early broncos and scouts.
Now as for your Chevy, did you carefully check for frame cracks around the steering box and front end. It may only have 44k miles on it but it may have been plowing for many of those miles and that puts a lot of unintended stress on the frame and front springs.
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When I first picked it up 3 years ago, I did a pretty good inspection on it, especially in the front end areas. The frame checked out fine, near the gear box and both front frame horns are solid. The passenger side front frame horn had been repaired years ago. Looks like someone smacked a curb pretty hard with the plow and torqued it up, they straightened it out and welded a brace over that section. That repair looks well over 10-15 years old. And for the past 3 years I've driven it, it's never had any issue, tracks straight, alignment is on, and only just started wearing the tires unevenly now that the ball joints are about shot, and I'm replacing those as we speak. The odometer quit on me, but I'd estimate I'm at about 60-65k on her now.
 
as the fenders look pretty rusted in the front around the wheelopening,you could trim it upp some and run 33" without any problems,I put 35" on my burb with no lift,but that caused some rubbing on the rear part of the innerfender/bolts,damn,it still looked rusty after some serious trimming:haha:
 
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