nv4500

[94Sierra4x4]

Hell yeah, mine took a lot of abuse as well. I'm only an hour and a bit from Comox, born and raised in Port Alberni.
The rear air bags are awesome. Hauled an 8ft camper a lot, from ~10 psi in bags to ~100 lbs it would pick it up a good 4". Rode like a brick if ya forget to deflate the bags once the camper was off though lmao. But definitely was a worthy addition at the time because of hauling the camper aswell as towing boats & etc.
Once hauled a 10ft 3/4 ton camper about 25km, was a bit sluggish and top heavy but it held the weight like it was meant too.

I can imagine they would need modification if I wanted to lift my truck at this point, something to take into consideration

 

[sewlow]

Been following this thread. Didn't realize that the NV4500's are so hard to find, & expensive when they are. Guess I'll have to stick with the NV3500 that I have now for a while. Should hold up O.K. behind a 4.3, even with a small turbo. Maybe 200-225 HP. But that's a mod that's a ways down the road.
stepside90, where abouts are you in the Okanagan? I lived in Penticton/Summerland for almost 18 years. S'land, mainly. Grew up on the coast, but I consider there, 'Home'. Love it there. Not so much here.

 

[94Sierra4x4]

I couldn't find one for even close to a reasonable price, best was ~$800 for a unknown condition, had been sitting for almost 10 years.
Decided to send my nv3500 to Edmonton for a full rebuild.. quoted $1500. Nobody on Vancouver Island would even quote me a price. And, local shops didn't have the tools required.
For the price, and the fact it lasted from 1994-2012 behind the 305, and with me behind the wheel since I was maybe 12 or 13, I think it was worth the rebuild.
If I don't slam the shifts with this heavy truck it should hold to the test of time.
Considering how its driven the nv3500 should last just fine behind a 4.3 with a small turbo, mind you 200-225hp is probably 50hp more then what my 305 pushes nowadays..
I would only consider doing the Nv4500 at this time IF: I was going to replace the bagged 305 with a mildly built 350 crate.

If its a pure daily driver, with no towing, 4-wheeling, or excessive use of power in less then ideal conditions, I would not worry about any more than an nv3500.
However, if its a 4 wheelin machine, towing/hauling rig, etc, i think the nv4500 would be an asset.

The Coast is my home sewlow, spending time on the water on the West Coast of Vancouver Island is absolute tranquility. 4-5 times on the water this year, I have seen Eagles swimming with fish to large to fly away with, whales breaching completely out of the water, less then 100ft away (almost got wet from one!) and unreal salmon fishing.
What better life is there!

 

[sewlow]

My Grandfather went to sea when he was 15, finally got of a boat for good when he was 97. Merchant ******. Been around the world more than a couple of dozen times. Sailed the North Atlantic during the war. 50% of those sailors never made it. Who knows how many kids in the world have the same nose as me!
My Dad was the youngest first mate of off-shore tugs on the coast of B.C. 17. At 19 he was the youngest captain on the coast. The last ship he captained was the last steam powered tug left on the B.C. coast. The 'M.V. Master'.
For years after that, he owned a 56' 'Monk McQueen' that was built in 1947. Used it as a floating hotel/fishing resort up in Kingcom inlet. River's inlet, & Hakai for 7 months of the year. I was a crew member. Initially, I went to stay for 10 days. Ended up staying for 3 months. After that, for the next 13 years, I was full time for the duration of the season. The stories I could tell. And Dad's got way more!
I 'am' a son of a son of a sailor!
But to me, the Okanagan is where I belong!

 

[stepside90]

Yah they are just a pain to find man.I just keep my eyes open in the scrapyards and got a couple buddies who do that sorta thing so i tell them to keep their eyes open too.Hoping i can get one before winter if im lucky. Thats not too bad of a price for a rebuild.I mean mine is behind my 350 and it holds on..Im sure i dont want to look inside it tho.Poor 3500 haha
And funny you should say that, because Penticton is home for me actually haha Bout a block away from the SS Sicamous actually. Yah i love it up here..i just cant stand the heat tho haha I miss the coast for that reason for sure.

 

[sewlow]

Apologies for the thread jack!

I lived on Churchill right behind 'Salty's', for years. The 'ex' was a manager at 'Slack Alice's.

 

[stepside90]

Haha whoa..what was your address on churchill? What kinda place was it
and really eh? did ya hear bout Slacks burning down then? Penticton went downhill without it haha

 

[sewlow]

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/31759308

I paid $375/mo. for this place. Small. About 800 sq.', 2 bedrooms. Brand new 2.5 car garage in the back. Used to sit on the front porch & watch all the tourist girls in bikinis ride past on those 4 seater bike things. If I got bored (!) of that, I'd go sit in the back yard & watch them go past in the other direction.
Buddy of mine owned it. He bought it for $40,000 in '93. Offered it to me in '98 for $65,000. I said 'nope'. Now I'm saying 'DOH!'

 

[sewlow]

Yea, pretty sad about 'Slack's'. I could tell some stories about that place! Got a couple of friends that are kinda lost without it. The 'Mug' just quite isn't the same! Neither is that place by the driving range.
Did they figure out if it was caused by financial combustion?

 

[stepside90]

haha ah u wont believe this but..so that house is right beside an apartment building on sydney right?..well if u went to your backyard and looked up the alley towards Sydney..there is a house on that corner..1003 Dynes..my place. Man i wish i coulda bought that place! Sweet Deal.
And no i stoppped paying attention to if they figured it out.I was pretty sure and so was everyone in pen that knew the people there that it was the combustion.Oh hell, Mug has nothin on it lol gotta go to Kelowna now