I may be retarded?

[Rusty Nail]

I'm not convinced - but maybe.

Anyone remember the red '97? Pretty peppy 262 with transmission issues.
154k. Anyways .... I just bought a complete '94 extendo cab short bed with a quarter million miles on it. My '97 has a 3.42 open "swinging weight" diff in it which I hate with passion. The '94 I just bought has cooooooool wheels on it, a 3.73 posi, bigger rear brakes, a rebuilt 4l60E and a BRAND NEW gm crate 350 with 8,000 miles on it. Former owner told me they paid damn near four grand for engine and install at Chevrolet.

It rear ended some plastic p.o.s. on the highway and it's totaled.
I paid NINE HUNDRED for the entire wreck.
Am I retarded to want a t.b.I. 350 instead of a vortec 262? Not terribly difficult to swap. Tell me something I don't know regarding and I'll spare you the other details about the wrecked '94.

 

[skylark]

I can tell you that according to your signature, you get 26mpg. I wouldn't screw that up for anything!

 

[Rusty Nail]

26 HIGHWAY mpg is accurate @ 3 grand on 26 inch tall rear tires with 3.42s =70 mph? Speedo says 80.
I USED to drive 65 miles round trip to work but now it's shaved to 3. I burn a quarter tank in a week.
The '94 was just too much money to pass up with a 350 that's got a warranty dude. 3.73s AND bigger brakes? That will all be "free" by the time i'm done parting out what's left. Frame is bent, I had a home for it too. I've got an old boy on the hook over the 262 even.
Hell, maybe I am retarded. The red truck is friggin hot though and a brand new 350 would certainly increase its' value. I'm gonna end up with a truck worth twice what I paid for it. There are no smog laws / safety inspections here...

Swap one motor mount, a harness and computer? Trim the exhaust from brown truck (extendo cab) - change rear bumpers, swap seats, I'll sell the airbag...the cab, the bed, I may or may not hold on to the pretty nice interior parts to sell them but I'm not sure it's worth it. Run it across the scales = Win/win.
Seems pretty easy. I can get decent coin for the complete 262 without trying.

What am I missing?

I MAKE money, my truck value increases...I'm retarded? I could help a bunch of truck guys in the process.

I'm trying desperately to talk myself out of throwing that TBI block in the blue '77, the 'Vette engine in the hotrod and running its' 362/350 in the red and buying another trans. That swap would cost a lot of money though, it's not hard to talk myself out of it! Still...it would be cool....

Worst part about it is the speedometer and the passenger side airbag? Only GOD knows what the ABS will do...

One of my buddies wants me to do the swap and trade him the truck for a '97 three door with a vortec 350 and a 5-7 drop on 17s. Tough call. Not really.... 5-7 is WAY too low even though a three door IS pimp.

I'm still sitting on the t.p.i 5 piece intake, '85 computer and harness. So many options!

 

[poncho62]

Find another frame, front end....fix 94 and then see which you like better...sell the other...or keep both

 

[Rusty Nail]

Huh. Fix it? I had not previously considered that option....sure it's possible but the old girl DID take a pretty good lick.
It DOES start/run/drive though.
Huh.

In aside, the '97ABS is a stand alone system, yes? I also had not considered the rear pinion mounted sensor... I should have a look.
Pumpkin and brakes only? The ABS computer wouldn't know the diff. Get it? LoL...the diff?

 

[Rusty Nail]

All these views and no replies. I had expected something different. Oh, I dunno, like jumping at the chance to call me a retard?
The lack of chastisement leads me to believe I'm NOT retarded!
Hooray!

 

[Colton_HD]

I would rebuild the 94 and have two trucks


Sent from my Big Block iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[1low95GMC]

Post some pics of the damage

 

[Rusty Nail]

I don't know how...

I gots an android? For my job but I just clock in and out with it.
I did NOT buy this truck to fix it. The body shop it was in wouldn't do it either. This is intended to be a donor truck for a 350+trans+rear swap. The cab back is in great shape - there's no rust in Oklahoma. I know some of you dudes like extendo cab short beds but it's not my style. It won't come apart until next year prolly, it's too cold already now to start. It's chock full of great new parts, p.o. loved the out of it. Ima strip it to the bone and vulture as much is possible so the step side can have its' come-up. It's a money makin deal, I don't need or want another vehicle to dump dollars in.

 

[Rusty Nail]

The driver side frame horn is bent almost 90 degrees , straight down. The passenger side fender is undamaged. I played with it a bunch today, someone COULD fix it, I'm sure. In reality a person would have to dump all that time and money in it and they would be lucky to end up with a truck that was worth what they had in it. I can't quantify it. The ends in no way would justify the means. However as a strictly parts / donor truck it's worth well beyond what I paid for it and I've started taking it apart already. It's pretty rad to run a pair hood to hood and take parts from one and 180 to put them in the other...I'm in heaven!
Washer bottle, bigger - newer battery, underhood storage box, wired factory work light ?! (Effing cool!) in this truck. Donut tire and carrier.
I bought 1 tire and swapped the wheels, interior buckets WITH 2 armrests each...now she'll have to wait until Sunday....I need a plan while it still starts, runs and drives.
SO HAPPY to score the 15×8 DEEP Progressive 5stars, the cool under hood toys, get my frigging bed back (had a full size in the bed) and ditch those terrible conversion seats that were on a bracket! (You know what i'm talking about) I don't care much ATM they don't match. So what my dash is grey and my seats are brown? LoL!
Good bye ghetto / broken console with tape slots and cup holders that only fit a two liter bottle...get that WOOD out of my truck. Grr.