Possible new member need advice

[DRAGGIN95]

Welcome, and hey as long as it's an OBS you can't go wrong!

 

[bizzo15]

Well i've got a couple rigs to go look at this thursday. The '92 I mentioned earlier in this thread and then a '91 regular cab with a 153k and the 305v8. How much of a difference in power is there between the 305 and the 350? I'm thinking a 305 will more than suit my needs but kinda curious, also what kind of differences in fuel economy will i see between the two motors. I'm also looking at a 2000 1/2 with the 4.3v6 and a 5spd. I realize that is not a OBS but I do like the looks of those year trucks anways.

 

[dcZ71]

tbi 305
170 hp/255 tq
190 hp/275 tq (1993-1995 trucks)

tbi 350
210 hp/310 tq


The 350 will feel a lot better and the fuel mileage difference is not enough to mean anything. 305's can definately still get the job done, so can the 4.3, but you'll be wanting more power.

I wouldn't get the 2000 with a v6 just to get a newer truck, even with the manual it would still be doggy.

 

[bizzo15]

yeah, my preference is the 350 but i'm not going to rule out the 305 or the 4.3. I don't plan on doing a whole lot of towing, mostly just hauling stuff in the bed with the occasional towing.

 

[bizzo15]

Well just a little update. The guy sold the '92 before i could go look at it, so I went and looked at the 2000 and let me tell you that truck had a rough life. Apparently it was a farm truck for most of it's life and then it was sold to it's current owner. The truck has 200k and recently had the clutch and flywheel resurfaced according to the receipts she had. So i fired it up and took it for a spin. The low oil and check engine light was on the truck had decent power for a 200k 4.3L but every single gear grinded on every shift. I pull the truck back in the driveway and ask her about the tranny and she tells me it's just the way I was shifting it and that the transmission is fine. I laugh to myself and begin to ask her about the price. She immediately went from 2grand to "i'll take 1200 for it". I climb under the truck and the tranny is leaking fluid pretty good. I get back up and tell her I'll think about it and that I have a couple other trucks to look at and i'll let her know. Haha yeah right, that poor truck was ready to puke the tranny any minute. So the search is still on, I've got a '91 i'm gonna go look at sunday that seems like a good deal.

 

[dcZ71]

Yeah dont mess with that, should have just told her look under the truck.

Hope the 91 is nice!

Is this going to be a daily driver for you?

 

[bizzo15]

Yeah but I'm pretty sure she knew and was trying to get one over. Either way I knew to steer clear. While I was under there I was checking out the frame for rot and couldn't believe how thin the rear frames are on these trucks, now I know it's not an OBS but are the frames on the OBS that thin also? To answer the original question in the summer it won't be my daily driver as I have an '06 Impala but in the winter it will be my daily driver.

 

[bizzo15]

So i took a look at the '91 today, a younger kid owns it and is selling it because he's going to school in the fall and can't afford the gas. I gave it a pretty good look over and the frame and cab mounts appear to be solid. It has some cab corner rot that either he or the previous owner thought would be a good idea to shoot some expanding foam in to plug it up but it looks like i could removed that and repair the rot properly with out too much effort. The only other rust spots are on the rockers under the doors and above the rear wheel wells on the bed of the truck, otherwise the body is real straight.

Engine bay was pretty clean for a '91 and the motor fired right up without an unusual noise or smoke. I think the oil pressure switch is gone in it though because when I fired her up the gauge immediately pegged. THe oil was nice and golden brown and didn't smell like antifreeze or anything.

I took it for a spin and the engine had decent power definitely could tell it was the 305 though and the transmission shifted fine. Overall it seems like a decent truck. He wanted 2grand for it but I talked him down to 1500 because it's gonna need tires soon and he put a glasspack exhaust on it which i'm not a big fan of but it's not too obnoxiously loud. I told him I'd let him know for sure tonight if I definitely wanted the truck.

So based on what I've said do you think it's a decent deal for $1500?

 

[Greg]

I think it's a pretty good deal.

 

[bizzo15]

That's what i'm thinking too. I mean obviously it's gonna need a little TLC being a '91 from the north but I don't really see anything that's majorly wrong with it to make me walk away for 1500.