in a tough situation

[Matt Man]

Well as of right now i have my c30 crew cab dually No rust very solid everything works and only needs seats redone and paint and it is a finished motor/trans only have 20k on them.

I could trade my truck for a 74 k20 long bed with a 350/400 has 44 up front and 14 bolt w posi, Ac doesnt work needs some parts but compressor is there and the unit is on the firewall. Has a crappy paint job on it and the body work was half way done good, might need a driver door as the bottom corner was a little gooey, needs the dash gone through, has a little bit of rust, needs some carpet and door panels. Also has a 87 front clip installed which i dont mind for, has a 6 inch lift with 35s and 4:10 gears front and back.
Worst case is i could sell this truck for more than what my c30 is worth if it turns out to be a roach.

c30 positives: i know the truck in and out, im the 2nd owner, Everything works, no rust mostly done.
c30 negatives: Needs paint and seats redone Hard to park at school could use a little better mileage not worth as much as the k20.
74 k20 positives: Suspension is done motor/trans runs very good, could see better mileage, easier to park, more desirable if i need to sell, NO SMOG!
74 k20 negatives: Worried about whats under the crap paint job ( bondo ) , some of the body parts dont line up at all Ac doesnt work, Needs some more tlc than my c30 does.

What would you do?

[dman1982]

sounds like your in a pickle here....i think alot of it has to do with if you enjoy working on your trucks, i know i do...when stuff doesnt have to be done...but as soon as i HAVE to fix something i hate it.

i would assume that your truck is 2 wheel drive...four wheel drive is alot more desirable, id say do it man...worse case you just sell it and get another truck

[68longhorn]

I like your C30 and since you know the truck, I'd probally keep it. Are you into 4 wheeling? Towing/hauling? Cruisin? Showing?

[dman1982]

like i said....a pickle...but it does depend on what you like to do

[ERBSIX]

Originally Posted by dman1982

but as soon as i HAVE to fix something i hate it.

AMEN! I am exactly the same way. I love turning wrenches until the truck craps out and I am forced to fix something.

Originally Posted by 68longhorn

since you know the truck, I'd probably keep it

AMEN again.

I would say keep the truck that you know and have already done work on. The mileage thing hardly matters, definitely don't let that sway your decision.

The biggest thing is that you know your C30 and it's reliable.
If you have a second vehicle to rely on if this new one goes down then I would consider it, but if not, then I would say no.

Also, paint and seats is a tiny issue man.
Being the second owner of the truck is a huge positive for it as well.

Just figure out if this is a new "kick" you're on and the BIGGEST thing, is will you REGRET this decision down the road?

My vote is to keep the C30.

We all get dissatisfied from time to time. But we love our babies none-the-less.

p.s. That is a gorgeous truck!

[GmtGmt]

keep your C30 in the condition yours are in hard to find today
and you will surely be the loser in the trade thats for sure

[ERBSIX]

Originally Posted by GmtGmt

keep your C30 in the condition yours are in hard to find today
and you will surely be the loser in the trade thats for sure

Seconded...

Gmt, don't you think his C30 would be worth more in the future too?

Where is the idea the K will be more valuable coming from?

[dman1982]

no matter what you do...your last truck will be your favorite, if you get this new one..it will be a pain....then youll love it, then youll trade it for something else then miss it like crazy..always happens, same thing happens when you switch units in the usmc...hate the unit your with til you get to the next one. id still trade....but then again i love to wheel and deal...if i was you id have him throw some cash your way or parts...make it worth your while ya know?

[JimmyFloyd]

I would keep the C30 as well. I would choose seats and paint over potential body work any day. Being that it's already jacked up, you don't know if it has been beat on in the past, and which parts arre jerry rigged to work for now, or which parts are getting ready to go.

[Matt Man]

yea im gonna skip the trade i think my truck is way too clean and i only need seats and paint then its gonna be a nice cruiser. Thanks for the input everyone.

[ERBSIX]

And the peasants rejoiced!



p.s. Do you have any more pictures of your truck?

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by ERBSIX

And the peasants rejoiced!



p.s. Do you have any more pictures of your truck?

Lol thanks for the congrats i was told by at work and my dad and every person in this thread to keep what i have i think its a sign lol.





and when it was stock: door panels used to be blue before i painted them black ug http://s392.photobucket.com/albums/pp9/mattman9101/

[ERBSIX]

That is a sweet ride.

Really nice paint and body.

Interior stock?

I love the drop.

[RandyP]

It's a 74, one of the most beautiful front ends chevrolet ever put on a truck. Wait... they changed it out. Oops. It is a challenge to find a good 73/74 grille, they do not make them aftermarket.
It's been painted, woohoo! But, I wonder what they covered up? Rust you say? They have that in California? Or was it imported? Another reason to be worried about what they covered up. I'd be scared of it. Maybe do the magnet test around on it, might show you a few things.

The rest is my opinion and only my opinion. I do not like lifted vehicles. I have these short legs you see, even on my stock 2005 Z71 I have to have running boards, it's a way of life. Plus, according to my wife, guys who lift their trucks are not well endowed. I've never ventured down the path of lowered trucks, but she would probably say "oh yeah" with a big smile and gleam in her eye. Any time I look at a truck to buy, and it's lifted, I look at the cost of what it's going to take to get it back where it belongs.
So, my conclusion is, keep your truck. You know exactly what you have now and what the potential is and a rough idea on the cost to get it there. As far as value of each, in my opinion, yours is of greater value both now and when both were to be 'finished'.

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by RandyP

It's a 74, one of the most beautiful front ends chevrolet ever put on a truck. Wait... they changed it out. Oops. It is a challenge to find a good 73/74 grille, they do not make them aftermarket.
It's been painted, woohoo! But, I wonder what they covered up? Rust you say? They have that in California? Or was it imported? Another reason to be worried about what they covered up. I'd be scared of it. Maybe do the magnet test around on it, might show you a few things.

The rest is my opinion and only my opinion. I do not like lifted vehicles. I have these short legs you see, even on my stock 2005 Z71 I have to have running boards, it's a way of life. Plus, according to my wife, guys who lift their trucks are not well endowed. I've never ventured down the path of lowered trucks, but she would probably say "oh yeah" with a big smile and gleam in her eye. Any time I look at a truck to buy, and it's lifted, I look at the cost of what it's going to take to get it back where it belongs.
So, my conclusion is, keep your truck. You know exactly what you have now and what the potential is and a rough idea on the cost to get it there. As far as value of each, in my opinion, yours is of greater value both now and when both were to be 'finished'.

Have to agree on the 74 clip i love it, rust in california? yea but no where near as bad as in the northeast still a bugger, lifted or lower a truck is a persons choice but have to agree on that i put too much work into my truck to trade to a roach.

And ERBSIX the interior is stock except i painted the door panels black and black carpet truck was complety stock just used when i got it Dash pad is shot.

[GmtGmt]

Originally Posted by ERBSIX

Seconded...

Gmt, don't you think his C30 would be worth more in the future too?

Where is the idea the K will be more valuable coming from?

no dont get me wrong

C30s is harder to find in great condition unless they have been restored because most of them where work trucks the K30s are even harder

K20s if aint a crew cab there are more in better condition then the truck his describing

[glock35ipsc]

Good choice, that's a sharp looking truck. You know it's quirks, what is needs and what it doesn't need.

[RandyP]

I know you feel like you have a land barge when you try to park it, I feel your pain. Heck my DD is probably 2 foot shorter almost than your dually and I always look for the "easy to escape from" parking spots, even if it means more of a walk to the front door.
Your crew is a good looking truck man. After seeing it, just drives it home more and more, gotta keep her! I wanted a square crew cab, but single rear wheel. After a lot of looking, and finding only old worn out farm trucks or trucks that had been used for long hauls, I went with what I got instead. Just a normal old 1/2 ton. I still regret not keeping up the search, but I love what I got and can't wait to see it done and cruise in some style singing a Beach Boys song.

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by RandyP

I know you feel like you have a land barge when you try to park it, I feel your pain. Heck my DD is probably 2 foot shorter almost than your dually and I always look for the "easy to escape from" parking spots, even if it means more of a walk to the front door.
Your crew is a good looking truck man. After seeing it, just drives it home more and more, gotta keep her! I wanted a square crew cab, but single rear wheel. After a lot of looking, and finding only old worn out farm trucks or trucks that had been used for long hauls, I went with what I got instead. Just a normal old 1/2 ton. I still regret not keeping up the search, but I love what I got and can't wait to see it done and cruise in some style singing a Beach Boys song.

Yea i park far away anyway more of a work out anyway LOL. I felt i got extremely lucky with this truck when i bought because it was never messed with until i got it, original owner replaced it with ALL THE RIGHT STUFF THAT IT CAME WITH.

[ERBSIX]

Don't forget that if you get to park closer you might start gaining weight!

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by ERBSIX

Don't forget that if you get to park closer you might start gaining weight!

Need to lose some anyway 6,2 260 hah

[Acrophobia]

Your truck is WAY to nice to trade. I totally agree that you need to keep that rig. I have always liked the square crew dually's and ones in the shape yours is are a rare thing.

[engineco713]

Sorry to high-jack the thread but I thought I would get good input here. I have an 86 C20 regular cab 350 c.i. with a 4 speed and granny gear. I can drive a stick with no problem but I am not sold on the stick and think I would like it to be automatic. I just got it a few months ago as it was my Dad's and he past away in April. It wasn't running when I got it. I got it running and I am just starting to restore it and don't want to get to far in then decide to change tranny's. I understand it is a rare transmission but don't know for sure. Should I keep it or go automatic? It's still a little rough but here is a pic of the truck.

[GmtGmt]

the 4 speed w/granny gear is a great tranny for these trucks
if you prefer auto insted just like myself convert it its not very rare tranny
i didnt convert mine because its a diesel i think the 4 speed w/granny gear suits the 6.2 diesel better then auto

[RandyP]

Shifting was fun when I was a kid. I've out grown it though and prefer the automatic 100%.