Looking at a truck for sale tomarrow...few questions EDIT: Pics added to 1st post

[muddermilitia]

Hey guys I'm going to look at a truck that's owned by the local Park District. It's a 1988 C-20 3/4 ton 2wd crewcab longbed. 350 engine, carb. Automatic. Some rust, driver's side floor has been replaced. 42,000 miles. Minimum bid of $750.

So my 1st quesion is, carb? I thought in 88 everything was fuel injected.

2nd, Will this still be the old body style since it's a crewcab or will it be the IFS body style?

3rd, Th400 trans right?

If I get this I plan on using it as a tow rig to pull the trazer. Possibly a 4x4 conversion and possibly a shortbed conversion

EDIT: I bought a camera and took some pics

 

[YZEATER]

should be ifs body style, fuel injection, 700r4 tranny.

 

[muddermilitia]

Well I'm going to look at it tomarrow so I will know for sure what it's got.

 

[gone huntin]

88 Crew cab should be old body style.

 

[muddermilitia]

88 Crew cab should be old body style.

You are correct, I've been looking around online and all the 88 crewcabs I have found were the 81-87 body style

 

[USSkoval]

I've never heard of a carbed 350 in '88. Just a carbed inline six. Some people see the tbi unit and an old round air cleaner and think it's a carb.

 

[muddermilitia]

I've never heard of a carbed 350 in '88. Just a carbed inline six. Some people see the tbi unit and an old round air cleaner and think it's a carb.

I hope you're right, the guy told me on the phone that it had a carb, I don't see why they would have swapped out the TBI

 

[abig84]

its probably a 87 and hes confused, i bought a 95 sonoma a while back and the guy told me it was a 94, and was wondering why parts were different for it

 

[Midwestern4x4Parts]

It should be TBI 87+ is TBI ... 87-88 are both still ****ty v belts though.

 

[muddermilitia]

Ok I went and looked at it. It's actually a C-30 1-ton 9k lb tow rate SRW. It is fuel injected. 42,000 miles, has some surface rust here and there, no big holes. There are some dents in the fender and one of the doors. It has new tires and just passed inspection. It's your tipical work truck. The park district used it to tow a trailer with a bobcat on it.

But here's the deal, it's a silent auction. Minimum bid of $750. I have to place a bid, put it in an envelope and drop it off to the park district office by monday. I'm thinking of offering $1,900. What do you guys think

 

[YZEATER]

so which body style is it, old style correct? carb? tranny?

 

[muddermilitia]

so which body style is it, old style correct? carb? tranny?

Old body style and it was tbi with th400 trans

 

[lectric80]

Whatever you bid, make it an odd number. If you are planning on 1900, make it 1901.38 or something, that little bit could be the difference in getting it or not.

 

[muddermilitia]

Whatever you bid, make it an odd number. If you are planning on 1900, make it 1901.38 or something, that little bit could be the difference in getting it or not.

Thanks for the tip, my dad just told me the same thing. I really like this truck so I think im gonna bid $2059

 

[lectric80]

I have used it with success in the past. Both blind auctions and e-ghey, and it works to have just a few cents on the end of your bid. I have won auctions by .11 just because the other bidders weren't certain how high it would go.

 

[muddermilitia]

Cool thanks, I'll post back on monday to let ya know if I get it

 

[muddermilitia]

Well I won the bid and its in my driveway. Still gotta get plates and insurance on it. Rides pretty good and goes straight down the road. I did notice the trans slipping a little so a trans rebuild may be in the future.

I have a new set of front fenders and front doors that Im going to swap on next spring. I'm planning on repainting this satin black and I wanna turn it into a tow/service rig. A tool box in the back, on-board air, on-board welder, and various storage boxes. I'm going to try and borrow a camera this weekend, then I will have pics up

 

[lectric80]

Congrats, what was the final auction price you went with?

 

[muddermilitia]

Congrats, what was the final auction price you went with?

$2059. My dad and I were the only ones to show up the day of the bid opening. There was only 4 other bids and the next highest bid was $1200 Oh well, I still feel I got a good deal on it. Im gonna keep my eyes open for a utility box on craigslist

 

[lectric80]

As long as you feel you got a good deal, it doesn't really matter what the other bids were. You got what you wanted and for a price you feel is fair, that is a good deal in my book.