So when does a guy say "enough is enough"

[Russell]

Sorry for the rant here, but I'm just sick and tired of everything to do with trucks.

I just got in from wrestling a TH350 out of my truck, by myself (another rant all together, no friends willing to come help) and was about to put the "freshly rebuilt" 700r4 in, when I spilt some fluid, and discovered it to be pitch black, and smelling like it just came out of a steam ship's coal furnace

And you know, it got me thinking about all the times I've been burned like this. Some guy claiming a good part, just for me to find out I just spent my hard earned money on a peice of crap.

I mean honestly, how do some people sleep at night? Can they seriously feel good about themselves taking someone else's time and money, and give them nothing in exhange?

Gah, sometimes I feel like I'm the only one in this world who gives a crap about anyone else.

And thats not the only thing that is making me consider throwing in the towel. I just did a rough estimate at how much I have into my 80. $13 500. Thirteen thousand, five hundred bucks -- and what do I have to show for it? Absolutely nothing! I've got a gutted truck that has a half hearted paint job on the poorly prepped frame, which is probally going to rust out within 2 years anyways, a standard tranny that will probally pop out of gear constantly, a transfercase in need of re-building, a rear diff that has a busted gov-lock in it, and half a body that is still completely covered in rot, not to mention a TPI setup that will probally never run anyways.

Seriously, where the heck did that 13500 go? I know people who have restored a truck 10x as bad as mine, for half as much, and look 20x as good as mine ever will.

I've got university coming up this fall, and I haven't got 120 bucks to my name. I mean, when does a guy just say "screw it" sell everything dirt cheap, and just give up?

Sorry for the rant, but I'm just mad at everything right now.

[dswancutt]

Russell;

I know where you are coming from. At least you can work on your trucks. To work on mine, it is a 4 hour drive to my parents house. I have had my 78 C-10 out of commision with a bad motor for almost 2 years. And the stupid thing is that the motor is complete, just needs to be painted and put in the stupid truck. My 78 K-10 makes your 80 BEFORE you starting fixing it look like a cream puff. I bought another truck last year to donate the body, I need to build the 400 for it and I picked up GM rebuilt transmission that has never been installed for $100.00 at an auction last summer. Add to this the $225.00 79 C-10 that I bought originally for a parts truck, but ended up getting it running and let my folks use, since I have been driving their FORD F-150 (don't hate me) since September of 2004, needs the 6 cylinder replaced because it used a quart of oil every 100 miles. My question is this. Does the Turbo 350 tranny work. If it does, why go to all the time and effort to gain may 1 or 2 miles per gallon on a truck that is a be just a winter beater. Get the thing running, and just drive it. You sound like me, you have too many irons in the fire. Are you going to get your money back on the 80, probably not. Just step back, rethink the 77 and get it going for the smallest amount of money possible and concentrate on the 80 That's all I can recomend.

Doug

[MylilBowTie]

I kind of feel the same with my new 86. Bought it from a friend and I have had nothing but problems so far out of it. I'm pretty sure the engine is now toast, the 700r4 is toast. Got a good deal on a th350 from Dave (beater c10). Went to install it and somehow the convertor came out just a little bit upon installing. That put the transmission in a bind that broke a mounting point. Then I go to install the transmission mount and strip both mounting holes. Go to install the transmission line and the brass fitting is messed up a little. So I go to take it out put a small socket in the center of the brass fitting. I didn't want to mess it up and not be able to get it out. Start getting it out and the socket falls out and goes down into the pan where the fill tube goes. So I get to drop the pan and get the socket that fell in out.

I get all that taken care of transmission in with 5 bolts. Then take it to get some gas then the engine dies thought it ran out of gas. Put gas in it and still nothing. Have to have it towed back to the house. Took parts off of the 84 I got to help diagnose things and nothing helped.

The 84 now needs a convertor or possibly a transmission. I think its the convertor has a broken fin or something like that. Sounds like a rod knock but its not and it gets louder with any load placed on the transmission. I'm hoping that it didn't kill the transmission with it. I have a new convertor on the way I'll just have to wait and see what's going to happen.

This is why I really hate buy other vehicles. For me I seem to get all the real winners. Everything will work okay then everything falls like dominos. Guess I have gotten spoiled a little bit on my 84 having replace/refereshed the whole drivetrain everything holding up pretty well. Then get one that the drivetrain is just junk.

Thats been my last few weeks worth of trucks.

[8bolt]

Do what I do take the tranny back jam it so far up the guys a$$ all that is sticking out is small end then tell him the insallation is free but the remove is going to cost what ever you paid for the tranny.

[Russell]

Well, I might be making a mistake -- But I'm going to stab that transmission in anyways, and see if she is gonna work or not.

Sorry about the whole rant -- I think you guys know as well as I do that I'd never be able to get rid of my 80, lol

[chevyjr73]

how could you spend $13,500 and have a truck in that bad of shape? you should have had a pretty sweet ride with that much invested. where have you gone wrong?

[Prerunner1982]

easy there JR, suppose to help him, not make him feel worse..

russell.. stab it, it may last longer than you think....

[bigblock73]

I can speak from experience...money does not go far when restoring any type of vehicle. I have pondered where all my $$ went since day 1.

This is why I stick with one project and one project only, it keeps me focused and limits the number of automotive related things/parts I spend my money on.

Hang in there Russell, you'll get where you want to be. Personally, Id keep the stepper and sell the other truck...just cause you have money in a project, it doesn't mean you have to keep it, or it is wise to hang on to it just because I have xxxxx into it. Don't flame me, I like both trucks...it is just my opinion.

[SanitysBane]

I just got my income tax papers back...I blew 5 grand on cds, food, and gas. Shadup about 13,500 on a truck. I bought 1 truck the guy said freshpainjob, get some and do the magnet test, bondo wagon buddy! Bought another truck, "2nd owner" and from here. Well after filling 2 50gallon trash cans from crap in the bed and cab, I found out that I am atleast the 4th owner, and the truck has been registered, in a town 3 hours away, again in a town, 1 hour away, I have no clue what crap that truck has been threw, also he said the motor just needed head gaskets, well after cleaning the heads, they need new guides and one head is cracked from the exhaust seat all the way to the intake flange, and the other has bad pitting all the across the chamber, also useless, plus the th350 it came with is completely useless as well, as is the rear end. Oh well, live and learn my friend.

[Slammed66]

I do beleive you say enough , when you are sitting staring at your truck that hasnt seen the road in seven years thru the window at tim hortons at 2 in the morn after a phyco crazy thrash over 4 weeks to finally finish it.and youve just driven it there on it maiden vonyage and its actually working!


it gets better dude trust me Ive been in your shoes, it was way too cool the next day to drive to three hills ( even after blowing the motor in trochu)
and the first guy after you park walks up and asked how much cash to take it home?

Ive been burnt many times, there are tons or arse holes Just keep pluggin away

P.s still keep em both I have a flip kit with your name on it for the stepper , get some spindles and your STYLIN

[Scrubby]

I think we have all been there. Hell, I think I am there every few months or so. Why can't I be normal? Buy a new car and quit messing around with all this junk? It's just not me, and it isn't you either Russell.

Jeff has it right. One project is the way to go. I'm starting to believe that. I would like to restore something, not collect junk that I spend all my time to keep running. I'm going to figure out the one project I want to keep and sell the rest. Maybe at a loss, but I won't be putting money into them anymore, so I will be ahead.

I've got a 75 K10 that I know my dad got the TH350 tranny rebuilt on about 30K miles ago. I don't know what the deal is, but it overheats so much that it shoots fluid out the vent tube on the top when climbing hills. The fluid is always black and nasty smelling, but it has worked great for 30K miles. I would put that tranny in and see what happens.

[Russell]

Originally Posted by chevyjr73

how could you spend $13,500 and have a truck in that bad of shape? you should have had a pretty sweet ride with that much invested. where have you gone wrong?

Mostly buying things 2 - 3 times over till I get a good part. I must come across as a very trusting individual, cause I certainly seem to get burned a lot.

I got the 700r4 installed into the 77, less dropping the tranny pan to re-wire the lockup, the 2 top bellhousing bolts, and interior lockup wiring.

I can only hope the thing works, and lasts for a while =/

Basically, if I can get the 77 moving, and reliable with the 700r4, then I'm not going to touch it again less driving until spring at the very earliest.

My next highest prority is to install the TH350 from the 77 into the 89, and replace the 89's main / rod bearings and the rear main seal. After that I can list the thing for 2000, and hopefully get rid of it all together.

The 2000 from the 89 should hopefully be enough to get my 80 back together enough that I can start driving it, hopefully sometime around spring, when I'll take the 77 off the road again to replace it's cab sheet metal, and get it looking nice. Then contine dding it while I get the GMC's body work done as well, then decide what I want to do with the step side after that.

To get the GMC roadworthy, I need shocks for all 4 corners, a rear carrier swap, t-case rebuild, u-joints for the driveshafts, cab floor hump for a 4x4, all the electrical, and exhaust. To get the TPI running, I need to swap to a camshaft that is EFI compatable, a heated 02 sensor, and a fuel pump relay. Assuming everything else is going to be nice and work this time around...

[79BIG10]

Russell- Like others mentioned get it cleaned up by changing the filter, clean up the pan and get fresh fluid in it. You coulf get more miles out of it than you think. Who knows the PO could have nit ran a extra cooler with the tranny. Just make sure the TV cable is set right and the get it done

I've been asked why I spend the money I do into my truck and not into a new vehicle. These people just don't get it and it's not their fault. This is our hobby. Other people enjoy toy hot wheels, trains, stamps whatever. We enjoy this and happen to be able to enjoy them not just sit on a shelf and collect dust.

I've told this before and it still holds true- My ex-wife and I never could see eye to eye on my truck. I got the truck in 1996 and met her in 1998. The truck was mine and only mine. VERY VERY rarely would she drive it when needed. She had her own vehicle to drive. Well the engine gave out in it so I parked it for two years. She kept telling me to sell it off and get something new. I wouldn't do it so we shared a car (plus financially we couldn't get something else like she wanted). So eventually I got a bonus from work and spent the money on the new engine, exhaust etc. to get the truck going. She wanted to get some things for her but it was my money. I bought the engine she about flipped. The engine cost more than the truck was ever worth running. But after hard work and friends' help we got it rolling. I was so happy. Even then she wanted me to sell it. I eventually told her "That truck was here before you and it will be here after you!!" She shut up after that. Sure enough later on we split and she's stuck with a truck payment and I've got my truck with no payment and I can work on it 90% of the time.

My girlfriend actually sees my point of view now in keeping it around. It's paid for I keep telling myself no matter what happens. Sure it needs paint, interior redone etc. but it's mine and no one else can tell me what to do with it. Cheap insurance, easy to fix with usually readily available parts, and if I don't know how someone on this board knows how to fix something. Plus no computer on board to fry out and have to get replaced.

[N2TRUX]

Bad hair day, huh Russell. Just do like I do, and learn from burn. Count all the money you have spent as going towards a valuable education. You just have to make sure you learn from your mistakes and move forward.

I bought a set of 2.5" Ramhorns off of Ebay from a guy that had a 97% feedback. They looked good when I bought them, but appeared to have some muffler cement around the bolts on the exit flange. Turns out the were both patched back together. I got to buy two new ones, then have them polished. The end result is the worlds most expensive set of RamHorn manifolds.
Lesson learned= Don't assume you can trust someone with good feedback....

[chevyjr73]

Originally Posted by Prerunner1982

easy there JR, suppose to help him, not make him feel worse..

russell.. stab it, it may last longer than you think....

and that sounds less harsh than what i mentioned?
i wasn't tying to make him feel worse just trying to figure out where he sunk that much money into.
hope it all works out for you.

[cliffsta]

Yeah, when money starts running dry and problems start jumping up i get the feeling i'm wasting my money sometimes. I don't have a running total off the top of my head (i'm at school right now) but I've put between 2000 and 2500 in to my truck at least with another 5 grand to go i'm sure. but i Do see the progress i've made and if ya cool and look hard i bet there's lots of things you can appreciate about YOUR truck, on top of the fact that it is YOUR truck, yours alone.

Cheer up bud you got a nice truck and you're making headway, i always read the posts by you about your truck.

[Slonaker]

Whenever I buy used parts, I go in assuming they will be bad. If the price is low enough to take a chance, I go ahead, but only after asking a lot of questions. Why are you getting rid of this part? How long have you had it? Do you have receipts to back up your claims (if they say rebuilt/purchased recently/etc.). If the answers don't add up, I pass.

You'll find out that if you have to buy two used parts to get a good one, you probably could have bought a new one. Keep that in mind when dealing with individuals you don't know. It is unfortunate but there seem to be more crooked people dealing parts than in anything else I have ever done. Not everyone is crooked, of course, but the car business seems to have more than its share of crooks.

Slonaker

[1969owner]

its worth a try.....like you said, how do these people sleep at night? i couldnt do anyone wrong much less sleep, feeling satisfied.

[corn]

Ive done it, & Ive done it MANY times! Im doing it again & will do it MANY more times. Its my only hobby. I dont really keep track of how much I invest in a vehicle because like I said, its my only hobby. I dont golf, fish, hunt, gamble, drink, do drugs, play sports... I tinker on an old jalopy & it usually costs me twice as much to do it half as nice as just spending the cash to hire someone to do it for me. Dont sweat it Rus, its all part of the game. You went & got grease under your nails & now you're hooked. Sell all those junkers & buy a GEO. Next year you will have another old truck & will be out in the garage freezing your butt off & lovin every (well every other) minute of it...corn

[72MARIO]

If it makes you feel any better I had $16,000 into my 67 truck all I had was a frame including motor and tranny and a rotted cab. Hey I got it done with another $15,000.....

[SSC's76]

We are all hard headed so it doesent matter, enough is never enough.

Ive got that much invested into the 76 and guess what it's all getting torn down again as soon as I get my firebird road worthy again.

Speaking of fun I spent all day tuesday fixing the wiring issues with my bird that Ive owned since 2-00 and just patched in the past. I wraped the loom back up after getting the stero wires re ran and the 10,000 other wires taken care of and my RR blinkers dont work! Also I still gotta see whats going on with the motor that I built a year ago, I figured it would be cool to have a 4 bolt 327 even found a vette 350 to built it on since they came with factory windige trays. The oil pan vibrates and it makes a freaking horrible buzzing noise when it's cold. Since it's a thirdgen I have to pull the engine or face likely oil leaks. Not to mention my heater in the truck keeps blowing fuses, always at night and always when it's under 10* and many miles from home with no light then my window decies to act up when picking up my pizza at the drive though still miles away from home.

I guess what Im trying to say is we all feel your pain! Lets go buy some Toyota' and Honda's and be done with it.

[phantom dually]

I learned along time ago to buy new whenever possible. I hate to take a chance on something breaking cause I wanted to save a few dollars!!

[82 Silverado 4X]

We spend all the time and money doing what others think foolish because there is no way that any truck is going to beat us. We do it for the challenge.
Don't let it beat you.
Don't give up. Keep going and you will beat it.

[Russell]

Well, I got the tranny buttoned up, and the truck on the road again.

I think the tranny is gonna be ok. She doesn't slip at all (yet!) and the overdrive is awesome.

All the TCC lockup, overdrive etc seem to be working correctly, and to tell the truth, I've never driven a 700r4 with as positive of shifts as this sucker has. It isn't lazy at all.

My only complaint is that it stays in each gear a bit too long if you are driving it nicely. I think it is probally a TV cable issue though...

[MylilBowTie]

Did you change out the burnt fluid?