Tony Wells
Newbie
That is the question. I start with a 90 long bed and although part of this falls outside the official 88-98 range, half of this deal does so I'd like some opinions on it if you guys care to comment.
My 90 is a 2500 with a stock, old and tired 305 and a badly leaking front trans seal. I'm old and broke down (on disability even - bad back and deaf) so really would rather not pull the trans just for a seal. But recently, the pass side exhaust manifold either cracked under the heat shield or I burned through the gasket, so I need to do something. OK enough backstory. Except there is a liftgate involved that I have to keep on whatever truck I drive.
The guy I still do some work for has offered me a running 2000 GMC truck, but it has a heavy duty flat bed on it that I can't use. So my question is, can I move my old 90 model bed, with lift gate, to the later model truck chassis without tons of fab work. I have all the tools and shop to do the swap, even if it does take fab work (machine shop and fab is part of my career and I am a professional machinist) and a volunteer to keep me from really screwing up my back worse (hopefully). But I haven't taken any measurements at all to see where the mounting bolts fall, or if the fuel filler neck and hose are close enough to fit up. I guess it's about the same question as just replacing the normal bed on the newer truck with a 90 model bed. My options are kind of limited really. I like the old truck, but for one thing. It has no AC. Here in TX it's pretty rough to work out of in the summer without it. I've not ever had to do a bed swap, so not really sure how involved it is. I'm over 60 and been wrenching all my life so I'm sure I can do it, with some physical help, but if it's going to require a lot of fabrication, I don't think I want to. I'll then try to find a stock 2000 bed and just transplant the lift gate.
If I can't make this work easily, I really should pull the trans to re-seal it and replace the torque converter just because, while it's out. Then break all the manifold bolts off (j/k) and probably just replace the manifold if it's really cracked, although I could weld it. Or replace the gasket if that's what it is. I would then wind up with a usable, but hot, tired old Chebby truck. Even though it's high mileage (nearing 300k) it still pulls a trailer with a car on it just fine. It's been a durable old truck, but the work it needs is mounting up to a point I have to do something with it to keep it in service. It's just a work truck, and the old bed has a few whiskey dents, etc. But it hasn't ever left me on the roadside so I don't really want to get in to a newer fancier truck. I checked into an aftermarket AC, but they cost more than the truck is worth, so that's out. But I don't use it much, and I've suffered a few summers in it so I'm not wimping out just because of the AC. Just that, given a fair chance, I would upgrade to a newer truck to get it.
So what say ye, wise ones of GMT400.COM???
TIA,
TCW
My 90 is a 2500 with a stock, old and tired 305 and a badly leaking front trans seal. I'm old and broke down (on disability even - bad back and deaf) so really would rather not pull the trans just for a seal. But recently, the pass side exhaust manifold either cracked under the heat shield or I burned through the gasket, so I need to do something. OK enough backstory. Except there is a liftgate involved that I have to keep on whatever truck I drive.
The guy I still do some work for has offered me a running 2000 GMC truck, but it has a heavy duty flat bed on it that I can't use. So my question is, can I move my old 90 model bed, with lift gate, to the later model truck chassis without tons of fab work. I have all the tools and shop to do the swap, even if it does take fab work (machine shop and fab is part of my career and I am a professional machinist) and a volunteer to keep me from really screwing up my back worse (hopefully). But I haven't taken any measurements at all to see where the mounting bolts fall, or if the fuel filler neck and hose are close enough to fit up. I guess it's about the same question as just replacing the normal bed on the newer truck with a 90 model bed. My options are kind of limited really. I like the old truck, but for one thing. It has no AC. Here in TX it's pretty rough to work out of in the summer without it. I've not ever had to do a bed swap, so not really sure how involved it is. I'm over 60 and been wrenching all my life so I'm sure I can do it, with some physical help, but if it's going to require a lot of fabrication, I don't think I want to. I'll then try to find a stock 2000 bed and just transplant the lift gate.
If I can't make this work easily, I really should pull the trans to re-seal it and replace the torque converter just because, while it's out. Then break all the manifold bolts off (j/k) and probably just replace the manifold if it's really cracked, although I could weld it. Or replace the gasket if that's what it is. I would then wind up with a usable, but hot, tired old Chebby truck. Even though it's high mileage (nearing 300k) it still pulls a trailer with a car on it just fine. It's been a durable old truck, but the work it needs is mounting up to a point I have to do something with it to keep it in service. It's just a work truck, and the old bed has a few whiskey dents, etc. But it hasn't ever left me on the roadside so I don't really want to get in to a newer fancier truck. I checked into an aftermarket AC, but they cost more than the truck is worth, so that's out. But I don't use it much, and I've suffered a few summers in it so I'm not wimping out just because of the AC. Just that, given a fair chance, I would upgrade to a newer truck to get it.
So what say ye, wise ones of GMT400.COM???
TIA,
TCW
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