Sad At What My Truck Is Now...

[1976 Silverado]

Well idk where to begin.. This is long and just am sharing a little bit about me... im a 19yr old college student. i first recieved my truck from my father as my birthday gift at 16years of age. i was dumb, immature, unable to handle what i had recieved. it had a crate 350 goodwrench which i thought was the fastest thing around. i would abuse it every chance i got. i ruined the 20'' rims. broke two of them at age 17. with no job my father felt bad and bought me some 15'' american racing rims. me still being an immature idiot went out the first night i put them on. ended up in a ditch on the highway after another car i was racing pitted me. 1 rim was broke into pieces. so my father again bought me rims. he bought me stock 95 silverado rims. and at age 18.. i blew my transmission. after it was rebuilt and being a drunken idiot was driving and reversed into another truck. my bed was torn to pieces. my father said this is the last time i help you. he bought another bed from a truck for me. it is silver in color. so now my truck is blue. with a silver bed and blue tailgate. the right wheel whobbles and im sure i need a new axle. after losing my license for the past year i have learned alot. how driving is not a right but a privilege. my father told me to sell my truck that it wasnt worth it to try to fix it to buy a small car. i was about to purchase another car when i saw an old picture of what my truck once was. i felt so bad and at that moment knew i didnt care how much it would cost i would repair my truck. i looked into lmc website and found all the parts i need for my truck. it will cost around 2,000 for hood both fenders both doors and new bed. i will post pictures soon of what it once was.. and what it is now...

[cableguy0]

First off. the best learned lessons tend to be ones that cost money. 2nd do not piss your money away buying the junk from lmc for 3 times what all the other vendors charge. There are a bunch of vendors on this board that sell better quality parts at a much better price. You can go to the review board and see who has had good an bad experiences with who. I have had great service with gmcpauls just to name one. there are many others who will chime in but save your money and don buy anything from lmc. there are also other distributor such as certi-fit who sell sheet metal dirt cheap.

[thehitchmaster]

there is a lot to learn when your growing up. At least you learned from that and now your moving forward. I sold my first truck, BIG mistake wish i still had it. well get to work and keep us posted.

[1976 Silverado]

well the purpose of me posting this was to find out where else i could buy the parts..

[1976 Silverado]

when i first got it

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by 1976 Silverado

well the purpose of me posting this was to find out where else i could buy the parts..

Sooo, I read your whole story for you to gain parts info then take off ???

There is a wealth of information on this board, And many many people that would bend over backward to give you a hand should you have any problems with your rebuild.

IMO, You need to stick around and start a build thread keeping us all informed of your progress. We really enjoy watching the younger crowed build their trucks and bring them back to life.

It makes some of us older folk wish we were young and single again !


Now, If you decide to stick around.... Welcome aboard !!!

If not..... Best of luck and Cya.....

[1976 Silverado]

i will start the build thread next week seeing as that is when i will get the money to afford this build.. only have 3grand to work with hoping i can at least paint it.

[Restrorob]

Sounds like a winner !!!

[Rollie396]

Welcome!We've all made mistakes,the fact that you've survived them and learned from them is the main thing.That really is a nice truck and I'll be watching for your build thread!

[old Rusty C10]

welcome aboard. You want to try the site vendors captkaos and Tri-proautomotive both sell good parts at fair prices.
How about some pics of what the truck looks like now?
Swapping a rear isnt that bad and the body work usually isnt either. Ive started with a few wrecks and tried t build decent trucks outta them
and dont be so hard on you my kids are 21 and soon to be 23 and both so hav their heads so far up their pooper that one day they will sneeze and blow their brains out, hopefully youve learned a lesson and are sincere in your feelings posted above

[blazinzuk]

I realize you may have the money NOW and want to get it done NOW, but one thing you may learn with projects and a budget is patience is the key. Aftermarket fenders are fine OEM stuff is way better. You need to figure out a way to make sure you keep the money and buy good parts. Time to start cruising your local craigslist a couple times a day. Check wrecking yards, Check this site often in the for sale section, find other sites that have to do with your truck.

Now that you will have the money and have learned several lessons (good for you) time to learn patience your stuff will always turn out nicer

Good luck man

[britnjc]

Your best fitting and cheapest parts will come from local junk yards. You really need to go to you pull apart yard and see all the chevys they have and alot of time you will find excatly what you need and that list of parts that cost you a couple of grand out of a mag. will prob only cost you a few hundred for OEM parts that will fit like a charm. I LOVE JUNK YARDS

[78-5.3]

you could get a lot of good used parts for 2 grand i bet you could get all the bolt on for under a grand in great shape if you looked there out there !!!

[Slick17]

Man, I learned a lesson about the license being a privilege and not right. Mine wasn't recking my truck (good thing) but losing my license after tickets out the ass. So yes. The best lessons are the expensive ones. lawyer's and tickets will make you drive sane. Thanks for your story.

[71swb4x4]

I agree with the used parts suggestions. Some junk yards have quite a few square body parts from the whole Cash for Clunkers fiasco.

[85Bowtie]

Sounds like your dad did alot more than he should have for such irresponsibility. Hope you get the right parts and learn how to drive like someone that deserves to be on the road with the rest of us. Good luck.

[BGRAFX]

Sounds like need to search craigslist!!!

[munger]

thats why my first rig was a 86 nissan for 200$
and that thing is bulletproof
the odometer stopped at 192000 7 years ago and its still all origianal

[1976 Silverado]

i took pictures of what it is now but for some reason it wont let me upload them. ill try to use a different site (photobucket) for example to see if that lets me. ill be on after i get home from school about to go now.. Thanks for your support!

[Panelman55]

I'm leaving NOW to go to the scrap metal yrd, its cheeper than the junk yrd on some stuff. I get good parts but I have to do the labor which is no problem. It helps me save money and that way I can get more stuff. I'm fixing one up to sale and the OG gm parts are the best. IMO used but not used up. I also sell things I don't want on my truck, and sometimes you can get parts off the site. Keep your chin up and save your $ it always pays off. Also if you know of guys that race trucks they often have good used parts for really cheep.

[Mr.Scary]

76 silverado, welcome to the boards from Dallas, TX!!! your story is sad but true, but sounds like you mellowed out now and are ready to get started bringin that truck back to life so thats coo, i agree with the guys here as far as buying everything new from LMC thats prolly not the best idea, if anything i think you will get the best bang 4 your buck going junk yard diving and im pretty sure all these guys can vouch for that as well. and like britnjc said all the parts will fit perfectly!! so thats a plus

[Panelman55]

HAY I spent one hour in the scrap yard and for $35.00 I got a hood that is PERFECT and a back glass. I had a slider. I don't like sliders. The yard owner said I'd break the glass trying to get it out, but I didn't. I also got the flasher relay, it was free. Could have gotten more but I really don't need much more.

[87Bob]

You've learned your lessons, you've grown up, now get to work! We all have had to wait till we had the time or the money or both to build our projects. Good luck take your time and in the end you'll be proud of your accomplishments. Show your Dad your serious and he'll be there to help I'd bet on it.

[Conundrum]

Hey 1976 Silverado, I noticed you are in Emporia KS. You might hit up the swap meet going on in Wichita this coming weekend for some good oem parts.