Why do I put up with old trucks..

[RIDDLA]

No don't give up

[wwotr]

Originally Posted by tantrumpipeline

If you think that's bad just get a new one,atleast the old ones are cheap to fix, you can do most of it yourself, and they are attention grabbing even bone stock or in pieces. I buy a new diesel every two years for work and that's not because I want to, they are junk! I can't afford to run past my warranty as they are too expensive when they break down, and they seem to do that more often than not. I even bought a F@!D this time because their service dept is open 7 days a week, atleast if this one breaks down as much as my 07 Chevy did there will be a place to fix it under warranty. You will regret selling it, I regret all my sales, maybe not at first, but eventually you will say"whay in the F!@% didn't I just keep it".

You know about 3 Months ago, I was seriously looking to sell my 72 GMC Short/Fleet and buy an 08-10 Dodge Challenger. My Wife said that I just needed to get out and drive my Truck to "Bond" with it again.
Smart Woman....I don't know WHAT I was thinking!!!
Only downside, was it got up to 95 Degrees today with no AC on my Cruise. The Irionic part is, that only about $400.00 stands between me and some AC in my Truck.
I'm running a 94 350 with a new AC compressor (Serpintine Belt) and I have an AC Cab.
My AC guy checked it out abd the whole AC wirring Harness was there tucked under the Fender.
As soon as my $ettlement comes in (30-45 days) and BAM....AC!!!!!

[wwotr]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Here are my answers: Car payments suck. Insurance is dirt cheap on an old vehicle. It won't depreciate in value any more as compared to buying a new vehicle which depreciates every time you blink.

Yea I think I'm paying about $197.00 a year for "Full Coverage" through Farmers, but if my Truck is Totaled, they'll pay me
the going rate (about $6-6K).

By the end of this year I'll be switching over to "Declared Value" Insurance for $250.00 a year, they will insure my Truck for up to $29K. If it gets stolen, Totaled ect...theres no "hagaling", they just pay me what I insured it for, (currently about $12K), and theres no inspector that comes out to appraise it before hand, UNLESS I want to insure it for OVER that $30K threshold.

[cam.man67]

I can dig what you're saying man, old trucks do require a careful eye and regular work. But, if you think about it, what you get for maybe a little less mechanical reliability is a truck that you yourself can work on, for cheaper than an newer vehicle would ever cost you. Don't give up on your truck yet!

[evilways]

All I can say is, I am not very old myself, and I have been around family and friends working on old cars and trucks since I was in diapers, so I have seen many wrenches go flying and picked up some nasty words throughout the years, and heard that’s it I’m selling it and then an hour later back working on it. These trucks and cars are not always the easiest to work on, but at the end of the day/week/month/years, you can say YOU did it, you made it run, or you did that paint job, and learned something doing it. So I say stick with it, I did. And honestly I am glad I did, so I am not just another Joe on the road with the same car as the one in front of me, Heck my truck is a turd compared to most trucks I see on this forum and I still get looks and comments about her and I know the reason its going down the road is simply because I made it happen, and one day she will be where I want her. If you want to enjoy the looks and comments then you will stay on it. And by the looks of it you got a darn nice start to a good looking truck. If not get a new car or truck and be done. Oh and be sure to send that truck my way, I’ll put in the wrench time.

[Cole Trickle]

Its a tough call....

When I was your age I bought a 1986 Honda Civic with 110K miles on it. I worked at souplantation washing dishes and saved up $2500. I wanted and looked at both a 64 El Camino and 57 Chevy Apache (projects) before I ended up with the car. My dad is not a car guy and told me no way was he allowing that junk in his drive way and I was forced to buy a Honda.

That Honda was the biggest Pile of crap ever (beat on by previous owners)...Over the next 2 years I replaced,Tires,Clutch,radiator, Motor Rebuild and invested/wasted well over 4K of hard earned senior/college working $. That car left me stranded numerous times. The last straw came when the tranny started to go and I got an estimate of 3K to replace it.

I begged my mom and she co signed for a 96 chevy 1500 WT (V6 manual).The dealer gave me next to nothing for that car and I put almost nothing down.

Moral of the story is I should have told my dad to F-Off and bought that elcamino. I probably would have had the same issues but atleast it would have been cool and still been worth something when all was said and done and I upgraded to something new....lol

At this point in my life (34) there is no way in hell you could get me to drive a beater. I commute 70 miles a day and like the reliability/warranty of a new vehicle. We also spend thousands of miles a year on the road between so California and the River and I would never take my family through the desert in a car that wasn't top notch.(I have broken down in the 115 degree heat in my youth and its a bad look)

I would look for a cheap/reliable daily driver and keep the C-10.

[LeatherMan69]

I would just count your blessings that you are starting off at a relatively young age. Also that you have a dad that helps you out and is interested in it as well. Im 24 almost 25 next month and i've loved this stuff since i was a freshman in HS and I never had any chances to do cool stuff like this. My dad is a carpender and doesnt know squat about what looks cool or anything car related for that matter. So until i found some "father like" figures that loved that stuff i did i finally got to do it. Now im workin on a 69 chevy and had moments like yours but wouldnt trade it for a new one! My truck is a pile of rust and is gonna cost me a **** ton more than what'll be worth but the fact that IM gonna be doing it and makin a kickass ride is worth more than a shiney new paint job and 20,000 miles with a 500 dollar car payment

[Nova70]

I had some problems with my truck when I first got it but I stuck with it. Biggest reason I love the old trucks is because they're cake to work on, specially with a lift. I dropped a starter in less than 5 minutes in the school parking lot, ran across the street to get my new one, put her in and 10 minutes later I was on the way home. Lets see you do that with a new truck.

[RemingtonSteel]

you will hate yourself if you quit on your truck i was right there with you! working on an old work truck thinking what have i gotten myself in to damn other kids with their nice "newer" cars. but let me tell you its so worth it in the end weither you build a nice restored truck a hot rod or a show stopper. you have so much pride when someone says nice truck and you say thanks i built it my self! dont lose faith still to this day i get in "fights" with my truck and want to send it down the road then i go get the part i need replace it cause i know every bolt on the truck and fire it up and hit the open road with no where to go...

[red69ss]

get the truck running and drive it for now ,when your out of school and working and can afford to buy an economical car, do it and keep the truck to fix the way you like . you will regret selling it if you do. my first car was a camaro it stayed tore up partly because it was wore out and partly because I drove like a fool ,after putting a pile of money in it and 4 transmissions I got tired of it and sold it and bought a honda ,I still reget it 15 years later . that car is the reason I know what I know about cars now, me and dad did all the work on it just like your doing now ,you are earning priceless memories and knowledge that you can't get in a honda.

[RemingtonSteel]

i too Really do miss my ole Z28 but being a dumb kid i racked up a few costly tickets and had to sell the car to pay for them.

[71 super]

I have read your build thread and then read this, and I think you need a little tough love. Suck it up and finish your truck! You are putting deadlines on stuff that you should not be putting deadlines on. Deadlines are for people who can afford them, a high school budget has no dead line. I noticed that you have a punch list in one of you build pics., why not make a entire punch list and concentrate on making the truck reliable? You have a fresh motor, decent parts for most of the body. You improved the steering and brakes and a three speed trans. Make sure you rebuild the front end, change the rear dope and keep good tires on it and the truck will last through college. You have gone too far to quit and honestly if you sell the truck you will prob. end up nearly giving it away therefore you will not gain much to get into someone elses modern headache. At least you know whats wrong with the truck and have at least some idea how to fix it. Ride the bus a few more weeks its free and that is money you have to spend on the truck, heck make the gf come get your tail if you have to ride to school, you have hauled her, right? Go work on the truck and quit whining.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Ok guys, I know I was being dumb.

Ive done alot, rebuilt frontend new tires motor working on trans its just always lil crap that gets me..lol..and the lack of knowledge on my part

and dad doesnt really help at all, every so often i can get him to give me a hand but he is right back inside soon as he can...

I got a gas line today hopefully thats it (was leaking at the screw in fittting) then I got some pointers on the starter problem..will keep yall updated

thanks - john

[bigguy69]

if i was closer we would throw us a thrashing session and get that thing runnin! hang in there man!

[67chevy1series]

well old blue if GMotors said that when they fired your truck up in the factory do you think you wouldnt have it right now and if im not mistaken that is your first truck and it is the most advanced truck for its time

[Rat Bastid]

thats alot of whineing for such a young guy......im just sayin....if everything was easy,it wouldnt be a challenge!.......suck it up kid

[GRX]

Hey, at least you can fix it yourself. No diagnostic computer necessary.

[bhammer]

Bro, it's frustrating as hell, trust me I know!

My first truck was a 1955 Chevy First Series with 60k original miles on it with an inline 6. I had to work on that thing at least once a week. I am from Vegas and I vividly remember taking a date to the strip in it for dinner and having it break down right in the middle of Las Vegas Blvd with a million cars around me honking and yelling at me. I had 3 "mexicans" stop and help me push it into a parking lot and they loved my truck and gave me a hand getting it running again, really nice guys. Sadly, I ended up selling the truck after I graduated and man I regret selling that truck every single day. I too was just sick of fixing it all the time. I sold it and bought a 97 Silverado, I loved it for a few months then when the newness wore off and the reality of 5 years of $250/mo payments sunk in I was pissed I sold my 55. Owning an old truck is a labor of love. It took me a while to realize it but you will ALWAYS have to work on it; there will ALWAYS be something wrong with it. They should change the old saying about the two things you can always rely on in life being death and taxes to death, taxes, and car trouble. I have always had an old vehicle in my fleet in some way or another. I currently have a 46 Chevy Truck, a 72 LWB C-10, and a 69 GMC LWB C-10. Everything I know about cars I taught myself due to necessity. They weren't going to fix themselves and I was too poor to pay someone, I went to the library and rented a couple shop manuals and studied and taught myself. It is a great way to learn some valuable skills and also to keep up on a kick ass hobby. How many kids do you know in your school have a bad ass ride like yours?? I was the only kid in my class and my classmates loved my truck. If I were you man I would just take a step back, take a deep breath and have some patience. If you get frustrated or stuck, walk away and come back later. Patience Grasshopper. It will all be worth it in the end. Good Luck!

[bhammer]

Oh yeah, and it does help to have a parent who is into old trucks. I was lucky, my pops was always ready with the wrench and a flashlight whenever I needed him. It kind of sucks to go it alone but it will be worth it. Don't sell the truck, if you do put it on the classifieds here and let one of us have at it. By the way that 55 I was telling you about, it's like a ghost haunting me. I sold it to a guy who lives around my part of town so I see it driving around once in a while. It's saying to me "why did you abandon me you weak little woman?" It's torturing me. I tried to buy it back but the dickweed wont part with it. He is smart, he knows what he has.... Grrrrr...

[RemingtonSteel]

the thing that helped me the most along the way was my best friend who has a 73 stepside. having someone to ***** at while working on our tucks made it that much better. being a car/truck guy i know you got to have some buddies that like to work on stuff to dont got to do it alone.

[oldblue1968chevy]

yeah I have a few buddies that are into old trucks..really dont work on em together or anything....everyone (mom dad close family) says I need more reliable transportation soon!

I just gotta keep my hands offa it and i'll be ok

[70cst]

WOW...Lots of experience, good advice, knowledge, and wisdom in these threads. In the end RIDDLA...you will have to make the decision. Good Luck!!!

[big_al_71]

Originally Posted by 70cst

WOW...Lots of experience, good advice, knowledge, and wisdom in these threads. In the end RIDDLA...you will have to make the decision. Good Luck!!!

I agree with the post above...when in doubt ask someone if not sure post it here, take your time. I would not say that these trucks are easy but they are not complicated at all.

[evilways]

I feel you, I bought my wife a new car, but she drives it to work, so my truck has to run on a daily basis. If something happens, it’s a long night and an even longer day at work running on little to no sleep. If I plan on working on it, I try to make sure it’s something that can be done on a weekend, if I can’t figure it out I make some phone calls or jump on here, most of the time these guys will holler back pretty quick, or heck you might find your question in the faq section depending on your issue. Once you get your little things figured out just drive it and wait for the bigger projects when you can squeeze them in. Don’t just give up, and say the ole “I wish I would of kept it” down the road, I am sure many of these guys have been there done that. If it is totally unfeasible to keep up with it, then maybe this is something that should wait till down the road for you to get into. Like the others said only you know what you want and need to do. Good luck

[blime81]

Great advice in this thread.

I bought my 72 when I was 17. It was my DD and let me tell you I had my share of problems, breakdowns on the side of the road etc etc. I delivered pizzas, hauled wood and gravel in it to make $ to buy parts.

My folks aren't mechanically inclined at all so I had no help. I heard over and over "you need something more reliable blah blah blah".

I can honestly say that at 17 I should have listened to my parents more but I'm glad I didn't on the truck. I joined the Marines and drove that truck as a DD for a few more years.

Over time you get to know it's quirks and before long you'll be "in tune" with the truck. You'll know if something isn't right. Slowly but surely you'll replace all the old stuff and upgrade to better stuff and in the process get to know every nut and bolt.

Now I drive a newer truck and can buy whatever parts I need without having to shovel gravel but what I want most is to finish up my air ride so I can have my old truck as a DD again!

Lots of things in my life have changed but that truck has remained constant! Stick with it. You won't regret it.