Need help spending some money.

[casterbuster]

I got my annual bonus in, and the wife said I could use 1500 of it on the truck, I need some help spending it guys.

Here is the info on the truck as it stands now.

1969 short step

350/400 auto
1 1/4 sway bar
Powersteering
Manual brakes
Drums all around

Bench seat
a/c cab but no a/c
no stereo
fuel tank in cab
beat up front grille
awful rear bumper
ply wood bed floor

It is either spend it on the truck or buy a custom AR 15 for my predator hunting.

I am honestly torn

[Bishops Trucks]

How often will you enjoy the AR-15 compared to the truck. After see'n that you are in Texas maybe the AR-15 would look good in a gunrack on the back window of your truck.

[nutsforchevys]

Originally Posted by Bishops Trucks

How often will you enjoy the AR-15 compared to the truck. After see'n that you are in Texas maybe the AR-15 would look good in a gunrack on the back window of your truck.

LOL! When I was a kid ever truck had a gunrack in the back window.

[casterbuster]

Thought for sure someone would chime in...

I guess it will have to be the AR-15...

Of course like mentioned before with a gun rack it would be an addition to the truck too... hey hey best of both worlds

[Gray Ghost]

If it were me I'd start with power discs and a stereo. I bought a Sony 180 watt package deal [head unit and four speakers] at Wally World for $107 that sounds better than most stereos costing 4 times as much.

Then I'd probably get a new grill and bumper. If you installed the discs yourself you might be able to get all four projects done.

[JAKES 68GMC]

I can help you spend the $1500. Send it up this way!!!

IMO, if the truck runs good and goes good down the road, spend the money on cosmetic stuff. But if it doesn't run or go good, I'd invest the money into the drivetrain. Thats the rule of thumb I go by.

[ratrod67]

Take the $1500 and buy a parts truck that has a bunch of things you want for your truck.(nice grill, bumper, disc brakes, the a/c parts your missing, ect.).

Part the truck out and make yours better.

Take the rest of the parts truck and the parts you removed from your truck and sell them. See how much $$$ you can make back. You might still get the AR-15.

[JAKES 68GMC]

[classicchev]

Originally Posted by ratrod67

Take the $1500 and buy a parts truck that has a bunch of things you want for your truck.(nice grill, bumper, disc brakes, the a/c parts your missing, ect.).

Part the truck out and make yours better.

Take the rest of the parts truck and the parts you removed from your truck and sell them. See how much $$$ you can make back. You might still get the AR-15.

great idea if you have the space, time and energy to part it. All the truck I buy I end up making money on the parts, and I always end up with a handful of decent parts left over to use on other trucks.

Drivetrain then cosmetic. Brakes, tires, shocks, drop, bags, BB, 700r4, Oh thats my list.

[68shortfleet]

Power disc brakes would be my first upgrade, then the A/C and if money is left i might consider a cheap radio. But i cant deal with manual front drum brakes, they just arent safe IMO.

[Green Machine]

Depending on how you do the disk swap, you may need new 5 lug wheels and redrill back axles too. If the drum brakes and all lines are in good condition, I would do other things first. Rear bumper is easy and fairly cheap, fix what is broken or bad first, that would be my plan.

[Ron 586]

You have a problem I've never had.

[8696steve]

Originally Posted by 68shortfleet

Power disc brakes would be my first upgrade, then the A/C and if money is left i might consider a cheap radio. But i cant deal with manual front drum brakes, they just arent safe IMO.

Ditto

[jimmydean]

My truck was engine/brakes/bags. Now i will do some outside, a lot of inside, then last will be wheels and tires.

My thought was run well/stop well/handle well, then sound good/look good. My truck is a driver, so looks are low on the list.

With $1500, you could do all new brakes, springs, shocks, and steering. If the motor is tight, then that's where I would go.

[redhead69]

Whats a bonus?

[pimperout]

wish i had that much to spen on my truck

[Boog]

[and the wife said I could use 1500 of it on the truck, ]
Sounds like it is pretty much decided. She said you could use it on the truck, no mention of an ar15 there. I'll bet she would appreciate you working on the outside of it, new grille and bumpers, wheels,etc. She'll want something nice sitting in front of the house. How's the exhaust?

[casterbuster]

Originally Posted by Boog

[and the wife said I could use 1500 of it on the truck, ]
Sounds like it is pretty much decided. She said you could use it on the truck, no mention of an ar15 there. I'll bet she would appreciate you working on the outside of it, new grille and bumpers, wheels,etc. She'll want something nice sitting in front of the house. How's the exhaust?

What exhaust that stuff is about 1 3/4" diameter with flattened out bends and some 18" glasspacks. I could bend pipe better with my knee. Who ever did the exhaust system couldn't have cared less about free flowing.

She also said she wouldn't ride in it until it had a/c, which she mentioned would be a good thing to use the money on, but I told her a/c would be the last thing fixed.

Oh, and she did say I could spend it on a gun or the truck.

[Boog]

Not knowing what shape your truck is presently in I'd say get it mechanically sound ( so as not to leave you stranded somewhere ), clean it up some and add some new parts to the outside, then make updates and mods to it a little at a time. An aftermarket a/c system will set you back maybe $1200 when all done so there goes most of your bonus funds. Get it later.

[72dually]

Originally Posted by Ron 586

You have a problem I've never had.

In all seriousness, these guys are right, buy a truck and use the parts you need to freshen the truck up, and sell the rest for another bonus

[casterbuster]

Originally Posted by 72dually

In all seriousness, these guys are right, buy a truck and use the parts you need to freshen the truck up, and sell the rest for another bonus

The only problem with that is the truck I have is not in that bad of shape, I don't really need a whole lot of parts to justify buying a whole other truck, Besides most of the trucks left in my area have already been scavenged by
other enthusiasts like our selves.

I don't believe in scavenging brake parts, because when it comes to cutting hairs brakes and tires is all you got.

[Boog]

This thread calls for MORE pics! We need to see what the truck is like, inside and out, under the hood. Then we can go shopping

[weasel29gm]

I liked the part she'd let you spend $1500 on the truck!!!

[72dually]

pics are needed
We'll have that truck tuned up in no time

Its always easier when someone else is spending your money

[68GMC454]

well i see nothing wrong with drums all the way around...you just have to adjust the way you drive...but disks would be nice,,my rule of thumb is i want it to run good,,so i dont break down along side of the road...cosmetics are the last thing i worry about...but if you found a good parts truk with the arts you need,,take what you need,,put the rest of it up on evil bay and get some of your money back...or sell parts on here,,pay for member ship on here if you havent already...but then again an ar15 in the back window would look cool,,maybe a damn good alarm so nobody gets the new gun..