83 C-10 shortbed looking for a new home

[dmjole]

I moved this thread over to here from the wrong place (sorry, I am new still here and still figuring out where things are.

I have a 1983 short bed C-10 (inline 6 cyl, 3 speed manual transmission--L, 1,2,3). It's a 2wd vehicle, and used to be a U.S. Forest Service fleet truck (still has Forest Service green paint job on it.)
Here it is, in all its 22 year old Forest Service Green glory:


It has a 2bbl carburetor on it, and was originally sold as a High Altitude vehicle (the vacuum line diagram sticker near the radiator shroud is quite legible, and I have a digital photo of it if anybody needs a High Altitude DNJ vacuum line digram.) It has power steering, no AC, no tilt wheel, no internal gauges (other than speedo and fuel tank), although it does have the four round idiot light panels. It has a trailer hitch on it, and an after-market electric trailer brake. There have been 3 owners--the US. government, my father, and me. I have complete service records for this vehicle from 1997 to present.
In 1997, My wife and I drove in this truck from the West Coast of the USA to the East Coast, drove it for 3 years in Eastern Canada (where they salt the roads heavily in the winter) and back again--the 2nd time (Ohio to Oregon) pulling a trailer. It's got over 200,000 miles on it.

We just learned this week that piston #3 has very little compression, and it's time for a rebuild. The truck doesn't exactly drive too well on 5 out of 6 pistons, as you may imagine.
I also know that I need to replace the front rotors, the radiator, and the water pump (got a little leak up there). There is some surface paint rust in places, and some damage to the outside rear wheel wells (due mostly to a younger brother of mine driving it in the snow, with tire chains, and not fastening them down correctly...)

So, now that you've met my truck, what I want to know is this--What would you folks say is going to be an average engine re-build cost? Do I dare tackle it myself? I do not have easy access to a shop, nor rebuilding experience.

I am thinking that it may be time to find a new home for our truck, which has been like a son to me and treated us well. What is the market like for this vehicle? Are there folks out there looking for a short bed of this vintage to modify? I am located in Washington State, in Tacoma (south of Seattle).

[ElGracho]

First off, welcome to the board. I really like your truck. I've seen a few of these around here and they all seem to be in amazingly nice condition, especially since they were driven by government employees. (I am one, so I've seen how bad they can treat vehicles).

Anyhow, before you start spending money on rebuilding the six, you might want to consider a v-8 swap. The mileage wouldn't be much different, you'd have more power and it would add value to the truck if you ever decide to get rid of it, as long as you do the swap correctly.

[Blue Beard]

Welcome to the board from SW Washington State...

[784X4GUY]

Welcome to the board from Phoenix AZ...Later Mike

[rolson1039]

welcome to the board.. if you are not having access to a shop id not want to try to get involved in the rebuilding its going to be a real pain in the butt and youll need specialty tools like a torque wrench, piston ring compressor, valve spring compressor etc etc .its easier to get a good used motor or get one professionally rebuilt.. motor swaps are fairly easy tho

[N2TRUX]

Welcome to the forum dmjole. It sounds like you have more personal value than what the truck would be worth on the market. I would suggest you keep it, and put a fresh motor in it. It's been in the family too long to get rid of it now....

[John39671]

Do you have any other photos you can post here?

[PRUNEDA]

Welcome to the forum from CA

[dmjole]

Yeah, there is more personal value than anything else here. My father gave the truck to us in 1997, so there isn't really any investment value here.

Other people might be interested in putting a different engine into the truck--I don't have the experience or space to do it, and I don't have a motor sitting around nor the money to purchase a new one and just drop it in. Another factor is that because of the arrival of a new baby, the cab is a bit crowded right about now. We're not really looking at keeping the truck, since we don't have the money to rebuild/restore this truck *and* get a new car.

I understand that there is a bit of a market out there for people who love to work on and modify trucks like this. I am not quite sure just what the value of this vehicle is to those people, and I would like to offer a fair price to those who are looking for a truck like this. That's why I came here first, to see what you folks who love to work on these trucks think about it.

John--I can easily get some more pictures (digital cameras are handy things)--what are the things you need pictures of? Right now I have pictures of the odometer, the gear shift knob (yeah, that's right--it isn't often that you get this transmission around--that L gear is a real hauler!), and some other stuff.

[dmjole]

Here are some other pictures. The cab interior is the first one (that's the electric trailer brake below the steering column). The next one is pretty self-explanatory.
If detailed shots are needed of the engine bay, drive train, general body condition, etc., I can get what you need (within reason, of course--taking a picture of the parking brake cables is going to be pretty hard to do).

[ElGracho]

How about some pictures of the bottom of the bedsides and rockers, just to see their overall condition.

[kevinr1970]

Funny, I didn't even notice the WA plates in the other thread???
I am not trying to put down your truck, so please don't take this that way. Where as there is a market for a SWB 2wd truck, yours can only really be considered a "shell" because of the things you mentioned above. Maybe even only a parts truck depending on rust and other damage to the truck?
It sounds like if somone were going to fix your truck up, they would be looking at doing pretty much everything - engine, transmission(? unless someone wanted a 3sp?), brakes, I'm guessing interior and suspension as well with 200k on it. Also, with it being the service green, unless someone really likes that color, they will have to paint the interior as well as the exterior. A lot of labor intensive things to do.
I know what I would be willing to pay for a truck with a dead (or nearly) engine, with no options and sorry to say, it wouldn't be much?
On the other hand, you've come to a place where people can appreciate the potential of such a truck so you might be better off finding a buyer here then somewhere else? Not saying don't try somewhere else because not every swb lover knows about this place yet!
Good luck on selling it.
Oh, you should post more pictures - like one of each side, front, rear and close-ups of any damage or problem areas.

[John39671]

I also pm'ed you last week. I would like to see a pic from the front and of both sides.