Talk me into, or out of, it...

[someotherguy]

Is this hydroboost?

Yep. Pretty sure all GMT400 3500's are? I don't think I have any factual data to support that but I've never seen a vacuum boost 3500 in this body style.

On that note, you can see the HB and lines in this pic. A totally obliterated and sleep-deprived me, trying to get multimeter leads on the CTS which isn't nearly as easy on a big block due to position.. I mean, I know the thing is bad, it appears to be original and is corroded green. My buddy couldn't resist getting the first "working on it" pic.

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Richard

 

[skylark]

Yep. Pretty sure all GMT400 3500's are? I don't think I have any factual data to support that but I've never seen a vacuum boost 3500 in this body style.

On that note, you can see the HB and lines in this pic. A totally obliterated and sleep-deprived me, trying to get multimeter leads on the CTS which isn't nearly as easy on a big block due to position.. I mean, I know the thing is bad, it appears to be original and is corroded green. My buddy couldn't resist getting the first "working on it" pic.

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Richard

I haven't seen any under hood pictures of your truck yet. I've never seen a vacuum booster on a 3500 but that time that you don't ask is the time that you need one.

 

[454cid]

Yep. Pretty sure all GMT400 3500's are? I don't think I have any factual data to support that but I've never seen a vacuum boost 3500 in this body style.

I'm pretty sure the 88 with a built big block with aftermarket fuel injection on Chevytalk is vacuum.... can't remember the guys screen name, right now.

 

[454cid]

Probably same truck? I'd been eyeballing this one a week or two now. Most of my driving is back and forth to work, which is about 26-30 miles (depending on traffic/route on a given day) and a good chunk of that is freeway. I don't think I could tolerate the combo of non-overdrive trans / big block / and what are probably 4.10 gears. If I did convert to auto it'd be 4L80E but then that means I'd have to dig up some wiring harness, PCM, etc. that could be tough to source. My first choice would have been the same truck as an automatic but I'm OK with manual.. for now.. (wait until I get the current cost on rebuilding the NV4500 and you'll hear me complaining otherwise)

Richard

Ok, so more freeway than I was thinking. My thought was for the simplicity of not having the electronics, or the cost. I suppose swapping to 3.73s would ease the 1:1 ratio, but then that's also more cost/work.

 

[bluex]

I'm pretty sure all dually trucks are HB. I've seen several single wheel 3500s with vacuum. I had one as a parts truck an I'm fairly certian @frito-bandito truck is vacuum as well, or it was before his swap. Now I guess if it was a higher gvwr single wheel it could have gotten HB but the one I had was pretty basic bare bones level.

That's for gas since diesels were all HB, that I've seen anyhow.

 

[skylark]

I'm pretty sure all dually trucks are HB. I've seen several single wheel 3500s with vacuum. I had one as a parts truck an I'm fairly certian @frito-bandito truck is vacuum as well, or it was before his swap. Now I guess if it was a higher gvwr single wheel it could have gotten HB but the one I had was pretty basic bare bones level.

That's for gas since diesels were all HB, that I've seen anyhow.

See, there is the exception. I even had a 98 K3500 sclb with the 350 and it was hydroboost.

 

[frito-bandito]

I'm pretty sure all dually trucks are HB. I've seen several single wheel 3500s with vacuum. I had one as a parts truck an I'm fairly certian @frito-bandito truck is vacuum as well, or it was before his swap. Now I guess if it was a higher gvwr single wheel it could have gotten HB but the one I had was pretty basic bare bones level.

That's for gas since diesels were all HB, that I've seen anyhow.

Negative, mine came factory with HB even as a single wheel, but mine has always been a C3500. I've had a C2500 that was vacuum though

 

[someotherguy]

A little progress.. guess I should make a post in another section or something? This is just the "no cost" stuff until I get the title work sorted out.

Grille guard removed

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Ricey tailights replaced with original style (a little cracked and beat but they're OK) - I found the tailgate marker lights disconnected, hooked 'em back up, and only one works, LOL.. tried checking connections and there's power so I guess most of them are simply burnt out and need replacing (sealed units.) I pulled a whole whack of useless wiring out that had been hacked in, wiring is pretty much 100% factory now other than one remaining hacked-in trailer harness.

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Quickie trash removal and vacuuming of the interior, looking a little better. Seat looks "OK" in pics but it's actually very worn, the dirty-looking part of the seat is wear right through the material.

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First pass at stain removal from the door panel. It's worn pretty badly at the top but I was going for getting some stains out of the area below that. Maybe take another shot at it before saying it's done. I'll have to come up with a better grab handle retainer than the huge washer they've stuck on there..

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Fought like a ******* for several hours using drill, grinder, cutoff wheel, sledgehammer, pry bars to get the pos homemade "wrecker unit" popped loose; it's -almost- there but it was time to clean up and go out for dinner so I had to shelf it. It's literally holding on by the only strong weld on the whole thing. Once it's out I'll have to grind the welds off the top plate of the gooseneck hitch so I can bolt that part back into the frame.

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Found a couple other things like a loose (and totally rusted/frozen) exhaust clamp I'll have to replace so the pipe isn't rattling against the transmission crossmember, and hunt for the harness end of the O2 sensor as it's just hanging there unplugged. Oh, and I disconnected the fresh air/recirculate actuator so it'll quit complaining until I replace it. Finally all the rotted blue painter's tape has been removed/rubbed off the windshield and gasket, man that stuff was a pain. Dude left the tape on there way too long.

Richard

 

[454cid]

Wow those front lights are FRIED!

You mentioned wrecker unit before, but I didn't know what you were talking about.... was this truck used for repo work, or just a cobbled together way to move vehicles around a property?

 

[someotherguy]

Wow those front lights are FRIED!

You mentioned wrecker unit before, but I didn't know what you were talking about.... was this truck used for repo work, or just a cobbled together way to move vehicles around a property?

Who knows? It's some kind of completely home-made monstrosity. As old and cobbled as it looks, they never even bothered to clean all the spent welding rods out of the bed, so that was my job, too. The receivers bolted to the bumper look more like re-purposed parts of a bolt-on RV style tow hitch that you would normally see on the front bumper of a tow-behind vehicle. Obviously a few parts of this whole setup are missing. The winch is beat up enough I'm not sure if it even works anymore, not really interested in it. I'll see if I can power it up though to determine if it has any resale value at all.

The front lights definitely look toasty but I'll see if they'll polish up, before chucking 'em. I'm tempted to update to the 94-up grille so that would rule out re-using the park lamps, though.

Richard