new guy - Advice needed on what to consider if purchasing

[joe8806]

Hey there guys,

New guy from texas here. I plan on buying an 87 shortbed chevy when I get back from deployment as a daily driver and fix her up along the way. I'd liek to get it in decent shape as to not have to worry about reliability, and durability issues down the stretch as I restore here and there. I'd like it to be a single cab, shortbed 4x4. I was wondering what things you guys take in consideration and things to look when looking to make a purchase like this and progress to a good restoration. I was thinking possibly maybe a 350? I hear tr400 or th400 trannys are good to put in them. as well as a good set of 3.73's in the rearend. Whats a good place to buy parts for these things? I was thinking about painting it gloss black with chrome mirrors, silver/chrome trimming, possible guard bed rails, rhino bed liner, clear tail lights, billet grille, 4-6 inch lift with mickey thompson wheels and tires. Does this seem possible within a manageable budget (6-12k)? anything else I need to add?

[68Timber]

Spend more upfront for a complete and everything works truck. You'll be happier in the long run. Little things like dashboards and seatbelts can be a pita, I'd consider good seatbelts in the correct color a must - you can't buy these, only generic stuff. Dashes are pricey. You're in a good area to find a truck with little or no rust, make the most of that advantage. Other than that, shop hard and look at a lot of trucks.

[RandyP]

You could also find one like that already done. Once the price gets up a little higher, they don't sell as fast except to someone who really wants one. I'm staring at craigslist right now locally. I found 3 somewhat in the range you're talking about. One being an 87 SWB 4x4 350TBI with a 6" lift, and it's black. Guy says "on a scale of 1-10 it's a 9". Granted he wants 11k for it.

Patience pays off no matter what direction you want to go. There is always a vehicle out there with your name on it. Good luck on your search, and I hope you get home safe!!!

[chevymotocross]

Atleast you're in Texas where rust should not be a huge, if at all a problem. If I were to do the square body thing all over again, I would have bought a truck from the non-rust belt states and trailer it home. Sure, the paint could be faded, maybe worn driveline/engine but I think mechanical things are easier to fix than rotted metal.

[RandyP]

It is sort of funny though, to us a truck with rust means it needs the lower cab corners replaced. To you guys on the coast and up north, it means cab corners, rockers, floors, fenders and bed sides. After seeing the pictures of stuff from these regions, *wow*. We do have it good here for older stuff. Not Arizona good, but pretty good.

[jdurant]

I think like Bruiser said--look at a bunch of trucks. Often, pictures are decieving and when you get there it is a total piece. You'll probably see a bunch of those, but don't get discouraged and don't settle. You'll know when you see your truck. And you should totally be able to have a super nice truck for less than that budget.

[85Bowtie]

If square bodies are as plentiful where you're from in TX as they are here, you have the upperhand in getting what you want as a buyer. Buy a complete, unmolested truck and do what you want with it. Really though, they aren't hard to find. I wish mine was rare.

[HTX86chevy]

HERE IS A LINK FROM CL .... SEEMS TO BE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND ITS IN THE HOUSTON AREA. http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/1763842578.html

[joe8806]

Seems that recently these sellers are thinking these trucks are made of gold. WHen going up to a seller, what particular things should I take a look at in consideration with these particular trucks?

[tucsonjwt]

I would agree with getting one that has a good body and interior. If you search the threads here for 5.3 conversion, that seems to be very popular with a modern transmission. One thing you should know is that although these trucks are old, the trim and some mechanical parts are still relatively expensive and sometimes hard to find. Browse classic parts.com and LMC.com to get an idea of how much parts cost (and most of these are "imports".)
If you have your mind set on a square, there is no sense in considering anything else, but $12k can disappear in a hurry when you run into some mods and repairs. $12K is about 1/2 the cost of a well equipped new Silverado LT, and you will spend your time driving it, not fixing it.

[Davidmichael]

agreed with the others. spend the cash up front and get something clean. I did and I don't regret it a bit.

[joe8806]

Does 6-8 grand sound like ballpark average for these trucks in decent shape? What parts or rust spots are known as the weak links on these bad boys? How's the towing as well? I had a 1990 C/K 1500 Step Side and the best thing about it was the variety of parts and how so many other parts would fit inside. Are these similar in that fashion?

[875.3CHEVY]

when getting 1 of these trucks check the frame theyre bad about cracking around the rear shocks and steering box.i was about to paint mine and found the steering box moves the whole front part of the frame.mines a 87 2wd and i know 4wds are more prone but the newer ones are a little better.

[trevor73402]

You've been given some good advice by the others. I looked for along time before I found one that suited me. I didn't want anything except a SWB 4x4. I also wanted one that was fully restored. It took me a while but I found my '84 K10 out in eastern Kentucky. I flew out there just to look at it and make sure it was what I wanted. I knew as soon as I seen it that it was "my" truck. Yes, I paid a little more for it, less than $9K, but everything on my truck is new or restored from the frame up with many more new parts rather than stuff that's just been cleaned up and repainted. It will save you alot of headache in the long run to spend a little more up front. I'll post a pic of my truck and a pic of a truck that belongs to another member here (hope he doesn't mind). I think they are kinda what your looking for. His is lifted already, mine is not but soon will be. These are both extremely good examples of SWB 4x4 squares.
Good luck in your hunt.

[iroc12valve]

Very nice truck there trevor
as far as advise just look at the frame behind the cab and at the steering box,
take a look at the fluid levels and the tire pressure, if these are right then your probly gonna have an easier time with it.

keep in mind if you find the truck that you want but it has a crack in the frame you CAN get it repaired (welded,braced, re-welded) it'd probly cost about 500 at a good welding shop, and you can use this as a bargaining tool