New to me Truck, What's first?

Seems like I have a good starting/shopping list. Does $3000 sound like a good starting budget to do brakes, suspension, fluids, and ignition upgrades? I'm probably going to start in the front with the brakes and suspension and then work my way back. If I have the front systems working then I can at least back it out and turn it around, lol. Not a lot of room in the garage to pull half axles.

Lots of great advice above.
Clean it first.
Brakes.
Alignment (fix what is worn out to get a proper alignment).
Shocks.
Assuming you get it running with no check engine light:
Make sure all the lights work.
Mount the spare tire where it's intended to go.
Get a factory lug wrench and scissor jack mounted in the factory locations.
Get the factory gauges working properly.
Now it's up to you:
What's more important?
- Dash, seats and carpet
- Window tint
- Exterior trim and cosmetics
- Exterior lighting
- Paint
- Stance
- Wheels and tires
- Stereo
- Torque and horsepower
- Gearing
- Exhaust tone
The aftermarket is flooded with options for the above bullets, but you won't enjoy any of them if you don't confirm the basics first.

RustBudget said:

Fresh pictures with 10 year old camera.

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Love the colors. My 89 scsb c1500 is identical in color.

The_Family_Tahoe said:

Assuming you get it running with no check engine light

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Only 11 codes! 31 32 33 35 41 42 43 51 52 54 55. I'm glad I bought a ODB1 capable scanner, lol. INNOVA 3170RS, It can even do smog tests on newer vehicles and it has a internal battery, so I can scans codes, save them, and take it inside to read up on them.

The_Family_Tahoe said:

Torque and horsepower

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There's most likely a rebuild/swap in the future for the tranny, but the engine just needs ignition work to get it back to stock (not great) performance.

There seems to be quite a few electrical gremlins that need addressed, which I'm not looking forward to. I'm mechanically inclined, not a mechanic nor an electrician.

RustBudget said:

Only 11 codes! 31 32 33 35 41 42 43 51 52 54 55.

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With that many codes, I'd record them (you have, of course) then clear 'em and see what comes back after driving for a day or a week.

The "50" codes are probably the most important/scariest. IF (big IF) those codes come back, you're probably better-off to fix those BEFORE spending time, money, effort, and enthusiasm on the others.

MAYBE all you'd need to do is remove and reinstall the PROM/MemCal. "Reseating" components sometimes clears up problems. Be careful to use appropriate static-electricity safeguards so you don't fry the integrated circuits.

Schurkey said:

Sure you don't have a six-lug 2500?

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If you look in his first pic, the badge on the side says "2500", and in his first post he stated it's a K2500.

I would put the truck up on stands

inspect everything underneath
exhaust system
brakes
fuel lines
electrical
frame
axles
suspension
driveshafts
lighting
steering
hubs
cv joints

then get in the engine bay
most likely you’ll need all new rubber everythig and everywhere

tune up plugs wires distributor
all fluids flushed. Brakes, coolant, power steering , axles,
filters changed. Fuel, oil air.

when you buy a vehicle that old and if it went through a few owners most likely it’s gonna have each owners special custom touches or ideal of repair or neglect.
rarely do you buy a old car that’s been meticulously maintained. I would check everything. I bought a 1995 S500 from a. Family member and it’s a creampuff. But I still ordered new coolant hoses, fluids and filters. I already checked everything else. There is nothing wrong with the hoses and filters but if I do it I know it’s done and I don’t need to guess if it needs changing

RustBudget said:

Other than basic fluid and filter changes, are there any common trouble areas that should be looked at and addressed if it's original?
1988 K2500 RCLB 5l v8 700r4 Silverado Trim, Assembled in Canada
First thread start, so I hope I'm doing this right.

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alpinecrick said:

Change all the fluids--ALL the fluids. And all the filters.
PS fluid
Trans fluid and filter
Transfer case fluid
Diff fluid
Coolant
Brake fluid.
And for the sake of humankind change the fuel filter so you won't be blaming the fuel pump when it quits and cutting an access hole in the bed........

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what kind of a retard cuts the bed to get to the fuel pump. Just remove the bed or the tank. Christ it’s not that hard

1989GMCSIERRA said:

what kind of a retard cuts the bed to get to the fuel pump. Just remove the bed or the tank. Christ it’s not that hard

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^^^X2, you don't even have to remove the bed. Just remove the bolts on the left side and all but one on the right, but loosen it. Disconnect the tail light harness, fill tube, and ground(s). Then tilt the bed up and prop it with a 2X4 high enough to get to the sender unit.

Cutting the bed of a pickup is bad enough. I've heard of guys cutting the body on the Suburban/Tahoe SUVs.

That way if the car rolls over in a collision, and the gas tank ruptures, the spilled gasoline has a nice entryway into the passenger compartment.