Sell truck and buy new or old school:advise?

[Tim240Z]

Hi y'all,
I know that I am asking a biased group, but here goes anyways:
I have come to the point where I am looking to sell my 71 C20 to replace with a double cab or suburban. I love my truck and this is a very tough decision. I always thought I would keep it for ever, but my 6 year old son and I are going to start kart racing and the 3 of us (wife also) would need to be able to ride about 1.5 hours 1 way to the track. My truck would be a bit cramped. My dilemma is this: Should I get a new (06) double cab Chevy truck (about $25k), or get an older suburban (67-72)?
There are obvious pros and cons to each:

New truck:
Pros:
Nice and comfy with all the creature comforts and safety equipment (airbags, anti-lock etc)
Reliable
Space for 4 people
Good fuel mileage
Cons:
Emissions testing (limited mods, and I have a hard time leaving things alone)
Car payment
Extra insurance (due to car payment)
Dealership service for warranty integrity
Lack of real quality of new vehicles (our trucks were built to last)

Older Burb
Pros:
The obvious ones we all know and love, styling, classic, easy to work on, etc
no car payment
no extra insurance
no emission testing
Lots of space and can still be used as a truck to a certain degree
Cons:
Heavy and thirsty on fuel
old technology and almost a complete lack of safety equipment
Lots of work to get it up to snuff
Reliability won't be as good as new truck, not without a lot of work.

I found this one nearby:




Seller wants $2800. 4 Speed manual. I would likely do a 6.0L/4L80E swap (LSx)

This is what I would be replacing (71 C20 with L31 Vortec, 5.7L/4L60E)


or this:

[jsbgump]

I am gonna keep my 68 short fleet and still buy a new chevy crew cab half ton hopefully this chistmas or fist of the new year

[67ChevyRedneck]

I'll probably get flamed, but I love my '00 Z71. If you have to constantly drive that far ESPECIALLY with the wife, you want the comfort and fuel mileage. My vote is new truck. What do you expect to get out of the 71? If you can swing it I'd try to keep it and get the new truck. Fuel prices are getting so high, if you wait a couple of months GM may be trying to give trucks away!

WIth the burb just the engine swap alone would probably cost 3 or 4K and it would still get crappy fuel mileage.

By the way, your pic is of an 03-05 truck, the 06's have the HD style hood and it makes them look A LOT better imo.

[Green Machine]

If I was doing it I would keep the truck and try the cart racing thing for a while. Might just go OK. Sometimes kids change there minds and don't want to do things anymore, then the reason for switching vehicles would be gone. Wouldn't be the first time that happened. Just my 2 cents.

[davidh]

That suburban looks fairly clean and solid. Take it find a motor and tranny from 88-95 TBI and overdrive. old school cool with update improvements.
I think you'd be able to recoup most of your $ if you sold it, if you did the work yourself.
I might be driving one of my brother's suzuki samurais this summer. Last year I drove it on weekends and would spend $12 month on gas. Yes, it's going to get ridiculous on gas this summer. The farmer's here are going to have bad crops anyway because of drought. Now the fuel prices. Might not even get harvested.

Yes, new trucks are going to be cheaper. Just think if its sept and they have all these 06's left. Im sure they'll be a bargain.

[Tim240Z]

Here is the thing, and one of the reasons I have never even thought about selling my truck before this. I use a Company truck during the week and only drive my truck a little on the weekends (usually short trips to HD etc). This kart racing thing is a new kink, though. With such low use, it makes buying a new truck a very tough decision.
For your other question, I am not sure what I can get for my 71. I don't want this thread to become a "what is my truck worth" thread as it will likely get deleted.
I was thinking $8k+. Here is what I have in her:
~99 Suburban 1500 5.7L vortec (70k miles on it now).
~Remanuf. 4L60E with upgrades and new TC. (less than 500 miles)
~Newly overhauled 2 piece driveshaft (new Universals, new center bearing, new yolk etc) less 500 miles
~New cowl hood and fenders
~New paint
~new radiator (Heavy duty)
~New headers and exhaust
~New Autometer gauges
~99 Burb second row leather seats and 3 point belts
~New wood Steering wheel
~Tilt column
~Cab tank delete and filler hole shaved
~Brand new 16x8 Eagle alloys
~sliding rear glass
~new tonneau cover
~Custom autosound stereo (virgin dash)
~it is an AC truck, but I have not yet hooked the new engine's AC to the truck .
~New shocks and track bar poly bushings.
~New windshield and rear glass gaskets (installed new, post paint)
~ZERO rust anywhere, not even surface rust.


I hear what you are saying about the expenses incurred with a new project.
Suburban: $2800
Drivetrain: $5000
Paint and body: at least $3000
Brake upgrade: $500
Misc. other stuff:$1000
That puts me at almost $15k.......
I think the decision is becoming more clear.....

[72armyswbtruck]

NO don't do it, you'll hate yourself later...

[Trifelynn]

Well, I just bought my 05 GMC Sierra Z71...

Wow, what a truck, you can see it in my avatar, and a bigger picture in my profile. Wouldnt have done anything different, except keeping the 1971 2wd blazer I sold to get it. Although the blazer was not NEARLY as nice as yours, in fact, it didnt have a motor, tranny, front clip, had rust...etc, etc...

I still wish I wouldnt have gotten rid of it.

I will tell you, I got my truck when GM was handing out trucks....like candy...got it for 22...with everything but leather and buckets. I dont like either one, so it worked out great for me. Unless you REALLY want the 4-door, I would go with the ext cab. 4-door adds about 5k to the price, if my memory serves me correct, and you get a shorter bed! Only a few inches, but still....I also fir full size men in my truck, and it isnt the BEST fit, but for a 6-yr old.....I think he will be just fine in t he back, with a lil DvD screen in the roof

Anyways, I say go for the new one...I get 19 freeway mileage! for a 4wd truck...cant beat it. Although, if you can swing it, keep your honey, you will regret it...and do exactly what I did. I am now looking to replace the blazer...LOL I give you 6 months, if you sell it, before you have a new one in the gay-rage

[Tim240Z]

I think if I go with a new vehicle, I would look at a SUV (tahoe or something). No point having 2 trucks. I plan on getting a small enclosed trailer for the karts anyways....
Thanks for tips guys. yeah, I hate to think of selling the 71.....
Tim

[jimmydean]

I would build out the classic long before I get myself a new truck. I am buying the wife a new truck next year, but for me it's old iron or nothing. I can't leave things alone either, so if it's mine, it is getting changed. If I cut up a new truck, I feel bad.

[kndall]

I agree with what was said above. Keep what you got until you and your son are absolutely sure he wants to race. I have a few friends that their kids wanted to cart race (track is about 10 min away) and after a month or so of getting spanked by the exp. racers they didn't want to do any more.

[Tim240Z]

Originally Posted by kndall

I agree with what was said above. Keep what you got until you and your son are absolutely sure he wants to race. I have a few friends that their kids wanted to cart race (track is about 10 min away) and after a month or so of getting spanked by the exp. racers they didn't want to do any more.

Damn good point!!!

[hotrodhomi]

Quick, someone needs to post a pic of a *****n burb before this guy buys something else.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by Tim240Z

I think if I go with a new vehicle, I would look at a SUV (tahoe or something). No point having 2 trucks. I plan on getting a small enclosed trailer for the karts anyways....
Thanks for tips guys. yeah, I hate to think of selling the 71.....
Tim

I'm definately in favor of you keeping your truck! If you do want to get a new vehicle, which it sounds like you do, I highly recommend the Tahoe. I'm pretty sure there's a guy on here that had a horrible experience and got his money back on a lemon law or something... but anyway, 3 guys at work drive them and love them. One is an '04, an '03, and a '99. They all have at least 60K on them and noone has said anything about problems. They ride nice and get decent fuel economy for an SUV and you can get some killer deals on left over '06's right now. If I didn't buy my Z71 I wanted a Tahoe.

[weasel29gm]

" Easy to sell hard to replace'' thats my motto!! Keep your truck buy a late model burb for 5-8 grand. Don't selll!!!!

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Keep it if you can swing it because there aint nothing like these olde trucks youll regret it if you do sell it.Just my $.02
Shane

[pound41]

I am not in your dilemna but I have a 03 GMC 2500 HD Ext Cab 4x4 with the 8.1 and Allison 5 speed auto. Most of my contracting friends have versions of the 6.0. We haul weight. Tools etc. I swear I am at the pump now more than I was with my 75 1/2ton full time 4wd. We have a car property tax that we pay every year. Business trucks get No Break it costs me $1200 for that truck plus my lovely monthly payment and the depreciating value of it everyday. . I bought it because I have 3 kids and it allows me to take them to school and go directly to my jobs. Instead of driving them in the 71 Blazer and then going and switching to the work truck. I would serious consider and old suburban modernized with new suburban seats. Practice a little start making a new truck monthly payment to yourself for a few months to get a feel for the payment then make a decision.

[vtblazer]

I decided to own only old chevy trucks awhile back and it's been pretty cool so far.

My biggest biatch is not having an over-drive automatic.
(bites on the highway)

I'm wanting do the same conversion you mentioned (6.0L/4L80E)
If I had those in a 67-72 truck I'd have no complaints ever.

[CG]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=195887

check out this burb

[tom71]

find an old burb that s got all the good stuff in it, fuel injection , ac ,etc . youd pay about 25,000 to 30,000 for a new truck , find a burb in finished condition , id be happier that way

[chevy71super]

I am not sure about your wife but mine is much happier riding in my 03 Silverado than my 71 Cheyenne and to tell you the truth on longer trips so am I. If you can possibly swing it keep your 71, you will regret in a year or two that you sold it. Get a classic vehicle policy for it, cost is only about $175 a year.

[wibilly]

i'd have a hard time parting with that truck in faver of a payment book. thats like a dubble whammy if you ask me i say keep it and buy the burb best of both worlds and always somthing to drive while updates are made to either one but thats just my way of thinking i won't even have a mortgage on my house i like my money to be my money rather than mail some to everybody

[409biscayne]

Originally Posted by weasel29gm

" Easy to sell hard to replace'' thats my motto!! Keep your truck buy a late model burb for 5-8 grand. Don't selll!!!!

I totally agree . Don't sell the 71 , there's so many mid to late 90's burbs in my neighborhood they are going cheap , if they can sell them at all . My 05 ram / diesel 4x4 probably depreciated at least $10k in one year . I bought my girls karts when they were young , the never did race but they loved to go out to the track and run 'em . Then i got hooked on them , ended up racing shifter karts for 5 years , most fun i ever had . Good luck with your decision .

[chickenwing]

Keep the truck. Deal with the discomfort for a while until you are sure you need more cab space. When you are sure. Still keep the truck.

[Old Yeller 1970]

Every single person I've ever talked to who had and then sold a truck like yours regreted it later. I'd find a way to keep it and buy a used truck or Burb. If you buy one only a few years old, they will have depreciated enough to match the money you could get from your '71. Otherwise that 8 grand from your '71 is going to do nothing but pay depreciation on a new vehicle.