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Work Truck Build : Now featuring a budget!

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Stomis

Stomis

Professional Amateur
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Posts
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Location
Roseland VA/PtPleasant NJ
Stomis submitted a new Build:

Work Truck Build : Now featuring a budget!

So despite my numerous endless projects Im taking on another vehicle. Not really because I want to, Ok I lied I do want it, but because I need it. For the past week Ive been doing heavy equipment welding/fab repair. It started out as a temporary one day thing working for a friend and kind of unfolded into picking up a very big repeat customer once they saw our work and drive to make some dough. Needless to say because my friend is so busy and I was doing 90% of the work he brought me in as a partner in his already established company with loads of brand new equipment. We went from having a one off side job to 2-3 months worth of backed up work.

We both discussed me getting a truck and knew it would happen. But it only took 4 days of work and having to stuff a mini excavator bucket in my wife grand vitara to say its time to go buy a truck now. Obviously I wanted a chevy. I told him I would burst into flames if we bought a Ford and a Dodge was out unless it was a Cummins and they're just too expensive. So tonight Im going to pick up a 92 GMC 2500 LD, 350/nv3500/241 with 4wd. This is going to be a work truck and its going to have a budget. Im paying out of pocket to set it up in the end as a capital investment into the business for him bringing me in as a partner.

So the start. Heres pictures from the ad.







And the ad:

I have a 1992 K2500, 5 speed manual transmission w/chevy 350. I bought it about a year ago and have dumped a ton of time and money into it, but recently decided to buy a newer truck because I have no time for odd repair jobs that it will require.

There are a lot of nice (and new) things about this truck:

- Clutch and transmission feel very strong
- Great tires plenty of tread - spare included
- PA state inspection (emissions exempt)
- New duralast platinum battery with side and top posts
- New front and rear shocks
- New upper and...
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Read more about this build here...

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I like it.

I'm gonna say you might be better off doing another 5.3 swap in that thing. For the price of building up and staying with tbi it seems silly
 
For what you are using it for I would keep it stock for easy to find parts and quick repairs. Just make it reliable.
 
I like it.

I'd keep the ifs. But I don't hate it as much as a lot of people do. Seen them take plenty of beatings.

:popcorn:
 
Deuling said:
I like it.

I'd keep the ifs. But I don't hate it as much as a lot of people do. Seen them take plenty of beatings.

:popcorn:
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I'm curious why you want to replace the IFS as well. If it's just a work truck what would you be doing with it that the IFS couldn't handle?
 
ashman said:
I'm curious why you want to replace the IFS as well. If it's just a work truck what would you be doing with it that the IFS couldn't handle?
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Keeping an alignment lol. I just really hate IFS 4wd.

Picked it up tonight. Trailered it home 2hrs in the freak snowstorm western jersey/PA is having.
 
So $5000

Truck cost me $1700. Needed a coolant temp sensors and throttle cable, $40. Ordered a new not foggy ebay headlight set, license plate light for the flatbed, and 08-2012 style tow mirrors for $240. Also stopped at tractor supply and picked up 2 black house brand steel 4ft tool boxes and a 4 pin/ 7pin trailer connector to the tune of $480.

$5000
-1700
-240
-480
------------
2580 left.


Im suppose to find out what the bobcat is going to cost me tomorrow. Im kind of inclined to not include my work gear in the cost of the rig though lol.
Tomorrow Im picking up steel and some decking. The bed is coming off and going to the junkyard along with a load of other scrap. Im planning on building it similar to how my old tan trucks bed was but lower and tying it into the receiver. Im also planning on having it bolt and unbolt as I want to pull it off when I have the cab painted and back glass replaced.
 
IMO the 3500s shift and drive way smoother than 4500s.
 
82355 said:
Another vote for just leave it stock.

Martin
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We'll see. All mods will be dependant on whether I feel theyre actually necessary or not. If the front end constantly comes out of alignment and chews my duratracs, there will be SAS.

Richcz28 said:
IMO the 3500s shift and drive way smoother than 4500s.
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Its true but they also dont like towing. I do plan on using this rig for moving around a single car trailer eventually.
 
Cool truck, but being a purpose work truck. Keep it stock, like others have said. Not to beat a dead horse, but Big tires, SAS, engine swaps, all lead to less overall reliability, difficult fixes, and having to source parts.

Honestly, if the NV3500 shifts well, keep it till it blows. Then upgrade to the NV4500.
 
If the front end is worn out and sloppy I don't see a SAS being a bad mod from a reliability perspective :dunno:
 
I would convert the stock ifs to a stock 3/4 ton ifs. The factory ifs is a lot stronger on these trucks then people think, just have a bad rap from the wheelers out there. But from the work truck aspect, plenty strong. If you can find someone doing a SAS then you can convert for most likely for free. Most of it goes to scrap when people do this.
 
beags86 said:
I would convert the stock ifs to a stock 3/4 ton ifs. The factory ifs is a lot stronger on these trucks then people think, just have a bad rap from the wheelers out there. But from the work truck aspect, plenty strong. If you can find someone doing a SAS then you can convert for most likely for free. Most of it goes to scrap when people do this.
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But it is a 2500 :dunno:
 
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