A dilemma ( kind of a fun one though)

[blazinzuk]

So couple years back I got a dually from a friend, he gave it to me for doing some work for him in the past.

86 crew cab, truck came from Las Vegas so no rust. I planned on taking a couple trucks apart to get parts and pieces to build it up as it came with no motor trans t case and some other important bits.

Fast forward to now and I think I will be able to try to finish it up, get the heads done for the motor, finish building it and start assembling it.

Now the dilemma I face is I went out and looked at it trying to come up with a budget for it. I have done projects before and they can really nickel and dime you to death, and adding all this stuff up is scaring me a bit that I am forgetting something.

Now at the cost I am at to finish stuff out, I could come really close to buying one. Not a nice one to be sure but if it had a solid drivetrain, that could be swapped into my truck and it would have the vast majority of missing pieces that I don't have.

What would you do. If I bought one I would probably drive it for a year and save some more to do some nicer stuff when I do the final swap.

Got to do some more adding up and pondering just not sure which direction to go right now

 

[ChrisPerry]

Is it a manual trans? Prob not.

If it is I would build my own motor. pick up a used sm465/205, and piece together the rest.

If auto....... pick up a 454/4l80 2wd truck or sub, and do a divorced style Dodge or International np205 (can't remember if Chevy did the divorced style). With the long WB of the CC I figure this would be the cheapest/easiest way out while still having a bullet proof drivetrain.

 

[blazinzuk]

Is it a manual trans? Prob not.

If it is I would build my own motor. pick up a used sm465/205, and piece together the rest.

If auto....... pick up a 454/4l80 2wd truck or sub, and do a divorced style Dodge or International np205 (can't remember if Chevy did the divorced style). With the long WB of the CC I figure this would be the cheapest/easiest way out while still having a bullet proof drivetrain.

I have all the important bits Chris, I have a 454 mostly built needs heads still, have a 465 and a 205 but adding up all the stuff that is missing, lots of stuff gets misplaced after starting on this 3 years ago and the money that was stowed away for it had to go other places, so it got shelved.

Motor mounts nuts and bolts hoses connecters all that crap adds up pretty quick.

Plus getting the heads done up right, don't have a rad for it, don't have any mounts have to find some crossmembers no exhaust for it etc etc etc.

I need to come up with a budget but the one thing I certainly don't want to happen is to be 500 short of getting a running truck and still have it sit.

Of course that can happen buying a used truck too.

Like I said I really need to figure out everything I still need and pencil the whole thing out.

Towing Horton with the Jimmy got old the first mile I did it. Need to get a tow rig that I can do some distance with

 

[jekquistk5]

The little things are killing me right now. I spent 150 bucks on nuts and bolts last week. Damn beadlocks!

 

[imiceman44]

Hey Eric
Since you know what you are doing, make a list of the small bits and pieces as you said and post it up, see what you can get them for from us here.
I know I have a bunch of the stuff you mentionned and you know I will take care of you.
I think you already have enough that you can have a nice truck that you can trust for maybe the same money you would spend to get an unknown to you truck that might need lots of work too.
At least it's how I see it.

But lets see the list first and the budget you figure.
And obviously if you have enough work to do that could bring money in, you need to figure roughly how much time you'd be spending on it and add that in.
now if you were not working much and have the time to kill then you don't count it since it is your personnal hobby and working on it isn't cutting in on your money making job.

I have all the important bits Chris, I have a 454 mostly built needs heads still, have a 465 and a 205 but adding up all the stuff that is missing, lots of stuff gets misplaced after starting on this 3 years ago and the money that was stowed away for it had to go other places, so it got shelved.

Motor mounts nuts and bolts hoses connecters all that crap adds up pretty quick.

Plus getting the heads done up right, don't have a rad for it, don't have any mounts have to find some crossmembers no exhaust for it etc etc etc.

I need to come up with a budget but the one thing I certainly don't want to happen is to be 500 short of getting a running truck and still have it sit.

Of course that can happen buying a used truck too.

Like I said I really need to figure out everything I still need and pencil the whole thing out.

Towing Horton with the Jimmy got old the first mile I did it. Need to get a tow rig that I can do some distance with

 

[BoondocK5]

Now he asks! I've been emptying my GM truck storage bin AKA, my garage. I've still got a bunch of stuff, so lets hear it!

I have most of the interior trim stuff, white abs plastic, you take it or I sh!tcan it.

 

[tRustyK5]

Yup, I have an assload of sundry bullsh1t items here from my crew and my collection. Let's see the list and see if CK5 can't collectively help you out with the lion's share.

 

[Jason4x4]

Put it together, so that it is what you want, not what someone else wanted.

 

[blazinzuk]

Great advice guys, i will put together a list this weekend, gotta finish a set of gears and tear down on another truck