1988 3+3 3500 2wd: Advice on Purchase

[NastyBuzzard]

So a friend of mine is selling his 88 3+3 3500 2wd truck. It is a work truck, has a 350 tbi (runs but needs headgasket replaced), th400 trans which works ok, has brand new tires all around, new fuel pumps and distributor. Seems fine, no rust anywhere to be seen except on a few dings that have chipped the paint. Supposed 105k miles on her, she came from a farm in Newberry, SC.

Anyways, he needs to sell and is asking $1500 which is what he paid for it. I am thinking he will let me have it for about $1000-$1200.

If I purchased it I would want to swap it over to 4x4 at least, possibly 6.0 swap or cummins if I could ever find one for less than $5k.

Thoughts, would it be worth it? Interior isn't perfect, the front seat has wear, dash is cracked, typical stuff for a work truck, has A/C, tilt, but manual doors and windows. Tan vinyl interior.

[TexasJeff]

I think it is well worth the $1500 that is he is asking, I would pay that in a second.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by TexasJeff

I think it is well worth the $1500 that is he is asking, I would pay that in a second.

I don't disagree, if the bed was in better shape and I didn't have to immediately replace the drivers side headgasket, I would pay what he asks. I have always wanted this truck but he is selling it at the worst time for me! Just my luck he wants to sell it while I'm building a shop and have a bunch of other real high expenses going on.

[95 S_Trucker]

In this area, a truck like that with out an engine or transmission will sell for 2000. And they have rust here.

I'd give him 1500 before he changes his mind.

[Guilty-by-Design]

Originally Posted by 95 S_Trucker

In this area, a truck like that with out an engine or transmission will sell for 2000. And they have rust here.

I'd give him 1500 before he changes his mind.

that's how it is here too and if is anything but a long bed they tack on another 1k-2k

i say if you want it buy it, i know i would jump on it if it were for sale around here

[NastyBuzzard]

I gotta source some parts to make it 4wd. Guess I will call him later about it. I just am not a fan of the 400 trans... I was really shocked to see it had just a stock 350 tbi moving that heavy of a truck.

[Ghostwhite]

I would also pay $1500 just to have around, I have an 88 R30 DRW with a 454 TBI and love it.

That truck would sell for $2500 around here.

[MalibuSSwagon]

ohhh man! I'd buy that in a heartbeat for $1500, but hey if he'll take less.

Myself I wouldn't bother with 4WD conversion, just drop in a 6.0L or 8.1L and use it for a tow rig.

[andrewmp6]

If the truck ain't ate up with rust i would buy it.

[tucsonjwt]

x2 on $1500 being a good price. Of course, it will cost a boatload of money to get it really nice, like any old vehicle. As was mentioned, as long as there really is no rust it is a good buy - but I would check very closely under the truck (cab corners, floor pan corners, etc. - the usual suspects.) A true no rust vehicle of that vintage would be a rare find and worth spending the money to restore it, especially with a modern cummins diesel.

Having said that, from a practical point of view, a modern crew cab diesel in good shape, if you can find one, would be money better spent. All of the non drive train parts run up the bill in a hurry and you approach the cost of a good used modern truck in a hurry. You have to really prefer old squares to spend the money on them.

[NastyBuzzard]

Yeah I definitely prefer old squares... I called him last night and told him that right now with me doing a LS swap, building a shop, and everything else I got going on I could only toss him a $1000 for it right now but if he isn't in a hurry I can get closer to what he is asking in a month or two. He said he wasn't in any kind of hurry and he may go ahead and put a head gasket on it.

[Bigstevex4]

Id buy it ya put in head gasket unless you got loads free cash dont get to carried away. If you want make it a 4 wheel drive you need a whole other truck thats 4wd is the easy way if there is such a thing.

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by Bigstevex4

Id buy it ya put in head gasket unless you got loads free cash dont get to carried away. If you want make it a 4 wheel drive you need a whole other truck thats 4wd is the easy way if there is such a thing.

Yeah I don't have free cash or anywhere close to an unlimited supply. I have a lot going on (see my sig) plus I am building a shop and have a lot of other expenses as well as fixing to fork over about $1000 for our august vacation.

Anyways, there is a k5 in town that the body is trash but it is sitting on 8 lug axles (d44 front) with hangars and everything I need for around $400.

I am not sure I can own a 1 ton crew cab that isn't 4x4... I own a 04 ccsb that is 2wd and sometimes I ask myself why I have it then I remember it is our family vehicle and is just for hauling the family around.

[Bigstevex4]

The k5 souds good a good 44 axle 8 lug front can cost that. But i hear ya got a 90 jimmy i need to get running just need a fuel pump couple flat fixed. valve stems rotted off.

[NastyBuzzard]

So my buddy needs the $ so he dropped the price some more, so I went ahead and gave him a couple hundred dollars for it. We will be moving it to my house soon and I will pay him off over time.

[80SPORT]

The 3500 is good in one way as you get the hd frame

But the spring perches on the rear axle are different width than 2500

So if you convert to 4x keep the original housing and just swap gears

The Dana 44(before 77) or corp 10 bolt from a 2500 bolts right in at the front(the correct Dana 60 is VERY hard to find.

Best to find a 78-80 2500 4x for parts...then you get a floating rear 14 bolt the same a 3500 for the gearset

[NastyBuzzard]

I see here it said that its a 3500 but for some reason the other day he was saying that it was a 3/4 ton. I don't know for sure... Anyway to tell from that picture?

Also, are the 2500 frames different than 3500? I have another 88 crew cab project that was made a short bed and switched to 5 lug but it has a frame that is a lot taller than my 87 single cab 1500.

[NastyBuzzard]

Here is a picture of my other one.

[NastyBuzzard]

Here is a picture of the rearend of the 88 3+3 I forgot I had. I am not sure if it is 14 bolt full floater or not. I don't think it has a posi.

[farmall]

From the 1st pic it does not look like a FF rear.

[NastyBuzzard]

I thought if it had the bolted part near the center of the hub that made it a full floater? I think it is an open rear as well.

[foamypirate]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

I thought if it had the bolted part near the center of the hub that made it a full floater? I think it is an open rear as well.

Yes, if there are 8 bolts holding the axle in on the hubs, it's a FF.

[NastyBuzzard]

Look what found its way into my yard last night.



So the fenders say it is a 3500 but the VIN & everything else says it is a R25.

It has been a long time since I have drove anything without 4 gears and OD, trans felt good but only 3 gears seem weird now.

[foamypirate]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Look what found its way into my yard last night.



So the fenders say it is a 3500 but the VIN & everything else says it is a R25.

It has been a long time since I have drove anything without 4 gears and OD, trans felt good but only 3 gears seem weird now.

For what it's worth, I believe the 3/4 ton Crew Cabs actually used a 1 ton frame. Nice truck, by the way! I'm working on swapping an LQ9 into my 88' R20 crew.

[NastyBuzzard]

I have a Lq4 I want to drop in this one!! Just cant decide if I should keep the th400 or try and find an older model 4l80e or what exactly. I wish it was 4x4. May make it a short bed but keep it 8 lug.