1998 K3500 Crew Cab "Collecting Parts"

[konajoe]

This thread is for the general discussion of the item 1998 K3500 Crew Cab. Please add to the discussion here.

 

[konajoe]

I watched this truck sitting in someone's yard for seven years. One day i finally stopped and knocked on the door and able to purchase the truck, it even came with a free pine tree. As it turns out the truck has been parked since 2006. The owner said it ran when parked and was replaced with a dually at the time. The truck has 130k on the odometer and the cab & chassis is in surprisingly good shape for a New England vehicle. The utility bed is junk, the floor is completely rotted away.

 

[konajoe]

Today she was freed from her 14 year sleep and brought home.

 

[konajoe]

She's a basic truck with A/C, tilt wheel and cruise control.

 

[konajoe]

Power washed off the barnacles & grime today

 

[konajoe]

I'm still undecided on the build direction for this truck

Stock with an 8 foot bed on 285s

Or

Camping/Wheeling build... SAS, custom trail bed and 37s or 40s

 

[mrk5]

Option 2 sounds like more fun.

 

[Truckman4life]

I vote option 2. I love a nicely built flatbed truck. Way more useable.

 

[konajoe]

Seriously thinking of going this route, this truck is a good candidate to build a clean trail/camping style rig

I really like the Aussie Ute Tray flat beds with side storage boxes, slide out rear draw and short removable sides

 

[Truckman4life]

Yeah they build some cool trucks over there. I like tube style flatbeds also. I think they can be made pretty functional. I always run into needing a gooseneck or fifth wheel so I can't have all those neat boxes up high.

 

[konajoe]

Stock Wheelbase is 168.5" -28" + 1" forward for the ORD front axle brackets = 141.5"

Basically the stock extended cab short bed wheelbase

The tire is a 37x1350x17 and the tape measure is about where a 5' bed would end

Think this is too short?

 

[sweetk30]

my ex: project STUBBY was getting a 4ft bed and wheel base around 133" and std cab long bed is 131.5" i liked how it was looking untill things happened and it got parted .

i think your 5ft bed will be a good length .

 

[mrk5]

Might depend a lot on where you plan to carry the spare. Laying flat in the bed, it will take up quite a bit of space.

 

[konajoe]

Might depend a lot on where you plan to carry the spare. Laying flat in the bed, it will take up quite a bit of space.

A valid point... need to do more research and sketch out some ideas. Perhaps a little more wheelbase and a 6' bed would be better.

 

[mrk5]

I've had plenty of fun wheeling with a 164" wheelbase. I haven't had to turn around and go home because of it. That being said, I've heard trails back east are tighter than what we have around here.

 

[konajoe]

Yeah trails in the Northeast can be tight with lots of trees at times. If i were to run a pickup bed it probably wouldn't stay dent free for very long.

 

[konajoe]

Picked up a few more pieces to the puzzle today. I found someone parting out an unfinished project... ORD kit, Kingpin 60, crossover, F&R leafsprings and shocks.

 

[konajoe]

So whats better than one GMT400?

While looking around for parts for the crew cab i stumbled across this 98 2500 Ext cab long bed. I couldnt pass up a deal on this one so i dragged it home. She needs some TLC but not bad for a New England truck.



Especially when i found this under the hood.




Power washed it, she's got some dings & dents and a little rust but overall not in too bad shape