Cheap ECLB 454

[89RCLB]

Gonna go and look at this truck this truck tonight.

https://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/6135457502.html

 

[Justin S]

Hopefully their idea of a "decent offer" is actually decent

 

[89RCLB]

So I bought this truck for $400.00 bucks. The 454 is seized up (kinda sucks) but for all intents and purposes it's a parts truck for my '89 GMC. Whatever I don't use will be parted and sold. It has a 4 speed manual tranny that was rebuilt 1200 miles before the engine seized up, so that should bring some decent money when I start parting it out. My brother has an '89 Scottsdale 2WD RCSB that will benefit from this truck as well. I should be able to make my money back and then some!

 

[89RCLB]

Oh, and the guy is gonna haul it to my place for free

 

[89RCLB]

Can't believe everything someone tells you... When I went to look at the truck last night the guy "guaranteed" me that the 454 was seized, said he hooked a battery to it and it wouldn't crank, so I took his word for it. At that point I'm thinking, "ok, so the engine is toast but it's still a helluva parts truck for cheap, and easy money parting it out after I get off of it what I want". But if you're like me, you don't always believe everything you see, hear or are told.

So I got the truck home today and tossed a battery in it, while I'm messing with the negative battery cable I noticed that the connection on the frame (which I'm not sure is factory, but there is a another cabling coming from the A/C compressor bracket to the same connection point) is extremely loose. I tightened the bolt and connected the negative terminal to the battery. Had the grandson sitting in the drivers seat and told him to "hit it", and the damn thing cranked! I already knew the oil in the crankcase was in milkshake form so I didn't bother with actually trying to get it running. But the fact that it isn't seized is a good thing. Was also told that the tranny was rebuilt, nope! It does have a brand new clutch in it with about 250 miles on it, though. I found a receipt under the front seat from the transmission shop that installed the clutch.

The truck has 134048 miles on it and overall is in decent, unmolested, rust free condition but does have some bumps and bruises body wise. It's got 3.73 gears in it and an SM465 Trans and the L19 454.

Next up is pulling the intake manifold to inspect the gaskets and see if that's where the coolant is getting into the oil and then go from there. I'm really wondering what the rod and main bearings look like also, it's been sitting for two years with coolant in the oil so that can't be a good thing for the bearings.

Sorry for the novel...

 

[Daly]

Good deal, I'd love to find a big block with a stick.