Matt's 1987 LandCruiser

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NotARealK2500

This'll be my last GMT400, I swear!
Joined
Sep 15, 2015
Messages
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Location
Spokane WA
Going to make this short and sweet. I got this truck when I turned 20, and went to college for automotive. It'd been in my family since 1994, as our "mountain rig". Long story short, my dad got laid off some time in 2007 and the thing fell into disrepair as he was strapped for cash; oil changes got longer, maintenance fell by the wayside, and it ended up burning two valves at which point it sat for about 5 years.

I inherited the truck when my dad was going to get rid of it. I was an automotive student at the time, and took it on as a project. I started by redoing the head, getting new valves put in (so it was running on all 6 cylinders) and doing some carb work to keep her tuned. Ran well for a year or so as my commuter truck, before it developed rod knock as the two cylinders that were previously non-functional grenaded their rod bearings.

This is roughly when I got it (the one on the right):
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Engine with 216k on the clock. This thing sounded like a diesel, the timing was so retarded. Blowby probably sent more oil into the engine than fuel. Leaked like a sieve.
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Cylinders 2 and 5 with clearly burn exhaust valves, carbon buildup. Head ended up needing to be cast-iron welded with nickel rod. Ended up cracking worse later on, and needed a new donor head.

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It was at this point, that I bought a minty bone-stock K2500 from my engines professor as my daily driver. 153k on the clock, completely umolested.
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Engine with the new (rebuilt) head installed. Ran it this way for around a year before she started overheating and blowing smoke out the back. Eventually she cracked again and started dumping coolant into Cylinder 1.
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Enter the trusty GMT400 to haul away the engine to be done the right way.
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She's a beaut:eek:
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Decided to rebuild the axles while I was waiting for a new carb. I'm thankful that none of the Chevy platforms post-60s had anything like this. Nothing like gear oil and axle grease puking their lube at each other and spewing everywhere.
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As things were coming together, it hit me that I'd want a daily driver that got above 10-11 mpg, and unfortunately the truck had to go. At least I was able to sell the truck for what I bought it for, even after putting 35k miles on it. After a few days of looking, I found a bone-stock Honda that I modified to my taste.:gayfight:
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Finally got the new carb installed and tuned, and she drives like she's brand new. Also went through the brakes, clutch, 4spd, radiator, etc. etc. Virtually everything under the hood - at this point - has been replaced.
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Immediately after I got the Toyota up and running, I find my Honda stolen (never owning another Honda after this).
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Here's now she's sitting today while it's my new GMT400s time to shine:
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The good news, is that the Toyota is all wrapped up for winter, and I bought another GMT400 (this time a 1992 C1500) as a daily/winter project truck. So all is good :)
 

BerHntr

I'm Awesome
Joined
Oct 7, 2016
Messages
351
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Location
MS
I feel your pain on the front axle rebuild. Had an 85 Toyota 4wd that I built and that job sucked.
 
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