1994 Chev K1500 6.5 TD ECSB - Junkyard Rescue!

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gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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I don't really post here, however I do love my GMT400 trucks and prefer them over any other generation of Chevy trucks (I'm not much of a fan of the square bodies but I do like the 99+ NBS trucks). I now own my white truck a year as of today (bought on mothers day 2014) and put 11k on that truck. However I shall introduce my new second truck!

It has a bit of an odd story but my nickname is Stealthy 6.5 with it's low profile and bald tires. Truck isn't registered/insured so it is just a work in progress to make it the way I want it to be, and also have a backup truck if I need it at a moments notice.

So there is this local junkyard in my small town and one day I saw a truck with the two holes in the front bumper and I knew nothing about the 6.5 trucks, as this was the first one I was able to look at up close in person. And it was in a half ton which is even more rare and you don't see many (especially 2 door Tahoes/Yukons with the 6.5). Anyway at first I wanted just the bumper. But then I started asking the owners of the yard about prices and was told $500. I didn't have a full time job (I'm 17) when they told me that but I knew that truck would be mine. Then in January I got a full time job so in April I gave them an envelope and had the title and keys. Truck was actually still registered as Non-Op so I'm in good shape as it doesn't have a salvaged or junked title.

They thought I wouldn't be able to drive it out of the yard but I showed them wrong. A few hours on a snowing day and I drove it through the gates. Truck needed diesel, batteries, and took some ether but I got that thing to fire up and my god the smoke was insane. Truck also didn't have tires and three of the wheel studs were broken on the drivers front.

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Loaded it up on a trailer and took it to a friends house. I was pretty happy with the truck! This thing has a gooseneck and a bumper hitch, and can't forget the airbags!

Plans:
-95+ mirrors
-Headache rack
-Fix door (in progress)
-Captains Seats w/ console or 96+ bench seat
-NV4500 Swap
-Cab Lights (need to install)
-Make it a crew cab short bed CCSB

Issues:
-Needs exhaust pipe hanger
-Replace door with one the same color
-Replace glow plugs
-Leaks diesel badly

Stuff I bought for it:
-Fuel Filter ~$30
-Air Filter ~$15
-Headlight Switch ~$8
-Dimmer Switch ~$28
-PCV Valve ~$52
-Glow Plug Relay ~$60
-Ignition Lock Cylinder ~$26
-Oil & Filter ~$46
-Starter ~$160
-Set of stock headlights $20
-Transmission Fluid 1QT ~$7
-Grille ~$37
-Door ~$72
-Diesel ~$90
-and other stuff I can't remember
 
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gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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So in my plans I had a NV4500 swap. Well I will be picking up a 1992 cheyenne RCLB that has a nv3500 and no engine (originally a gasser). I don't plan to use the 3500 however the truck has parts I'll need like the pedals and stuff. Not bad for spending $50 on a parts truck (another member I know off a 6.5 facebook group found the truck and wanted the bed and rear axle, owner was asking $100 so we split it).

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98BlackSierra

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Damn, I wish there were deals around here like that for parts trucks. Not to mention how clean it is, everything around here is rotten.

Are your plans just to get the truck up and running right for the most part?
 

gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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Damn, I wish there were deals around here like that for parts trucks. Not to mention how clean it is, everything around here is rotten.

Are your plans just to get the truck up and running right for the most part?

Bit long of a drive for sure! 3 1/2 hours one way to get it. It's crazy that nothing here has one bit of rust. I work at a service center and we do smogs, the only vehicle I remember that came in with rust to no end was a 1995 Yukon 2 door with Michigan plates.

As it sits right now she's ready to drive on pavement with the exception of tires. At my work we have a junk pile and sometimes good things come through so I take them! Besides that I want to build it to my liking with a newer interior and a manual. My insurance is $112 a month with USAA and that is with a 3.5GPA grade average in high school so a second truck would be way too much for me to afford at this point in time.

$100 parts truck? Damn I'd have jumped in on that too!

No kidding! Should have a nice selection of parts, the only bummer is it has a blue interior and my 94 is grey.
 
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gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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One thing I didn't mention earlier is that the drivers door never closed properly with bent door pins and the latch was smashed in. I tried fixing it and had zero luck so I went to the pick n pull in Reno and every truck out there the door was gutted. I found a 1994 k3500 with 110,000 miles with a half decent door just this light blue. I spent 3 hours there piecing a door back together with all the interior panels/wiring/and switches.

My friend thought it was held on by two bolts which we later found out held the front fender on and all we had besides that were my pliers. I took off the little o-ring around the door pins and found a gear shifter out of a Ford and hammered the pins out! I was not leaving without that door.

Later that day I put the new door on the 6.5 and wired it all up and it closed properly. Used the door pins from the k3500 as they were not bent.

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So today's project was starting to paint the door. I found out the Duplicolor Silver intended for Chrysler cars actually matched better than the GM Silver and have burned through 2 cans already. It doesn't look the best but not bad and matches well. You can tell but much nicer than a blue. When my friend was painting it he was an idiot and didn't use newspaper or masking tape so it got on the front fender. Maybe someday I'll have the truck professionally painted either the Caltrans orange or the blue that was specific to the 1997 trucks.

I couldn't finish painting it as I had to go home since my mom was making Mothers Day dinner but made good progress!

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gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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So yet another update on this truck. Well since I couldn't go get the parts truck on Sunday the guy selling it said he won't sell it to anybody now which I think is BS but whatever. My friend's dad knows a guy who has some vehicles on his property that he wants either scrapped or taken to the junkyard and from what I know there is a 1990 RCSB with a 4.3 and a 4 speed that I can still get pedals and stuff I need. What I was told was that it keeps blowing the ECM so I may just say screw it, fix the truck then sell it to make a few bucks.

Tomorrow I need to go to Reno and will stop by Pick n Pull. Maybe I can pull a seat from a 95+ truck with the fold down center console to start making the 94 look newer. And a grille, I need one of those too since the front of this truck had aftermarket inserts put in but somebody took the top one out when it was sitting in the junkyard.

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