Newer truck or keep mine?

[Pont406]

For over a year I didn't do much to my truck. Just oil changes, p/s box and drove it hard. It needs brakes and suspension rebuilt. Drums are squaking so bad that cars get out of my way. Maybe I am getting too old but I really missed an a/c. Before I didn't care because my buddy had a 07 Ferd 350 we used for long trips and towing. Well, he lost that truck in order to keep a house. So now I don't have a truck to tow my car to a track. It's about 100 miles one way.
If I fix my truck will it tow 4500-5000 lbs? Only 200 miles round trip. I have all parts to do it but a prop valve, master and rear axles. If it's can tow I might get an a/c later on.
Maybe I should sell it and buy a mid 90s gm truck? I see them for sale cheap.
I am also consern about the frame. It's rusting due to a truck park outside all the time. I might just let it seat and buy mid 90s truck cheap.
I need some advise on these issues.

[Stocker]

Just based on what you have said, I would probably get a newer truck, then park your classic and work on the brakes & suspension (and anything else needing attention) as you have time. It could become a really nice weekend ride, or a great daily driver with new mechanicals, maybe even functional A/C!

That's a very nice-looking truck, btw.... good color, too!

[2tons of fun]

if you are going to bail on a good old truck over some minor maintenace you dont deserve it to begin with.


there was a time when these were the only trucks that were avaiable and people towed with them, and took them on long drives, and used them like a truck and everything.

[QKENUF4U]

LOL you call that rust.... LOL..... it would be way cheaper to fix your truck than to buy a 90's beater... but its your money.. do as ya please....

[Sinister]

I would fix and run what you have. That's not rust BTW. No smog and easy to work on, it's a no brainer.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Just based on what you have said, I would probably get a newer truck, then park your classic and work on the brakes & suspension (and anything else needing attention) as you have time. It could become a really nice weekend ride, or a great daily driver with new mechanicals, maybe even functional A/C!

That's a very nice-looking truck, btw.... good color, too!

X2... Pont406 you have a very solid looking truck ans also like the green. If you need a newer truck as a DD then go ahead a but it but keep your 69-70 and fix it up as you can. Good luck.

[big_al_71]

Sell it !!!!!

[ChevLoRay]

I see no reason to sell it. It's got the power to tow. I flat-towed a '65 Comet with my '64 Bonneville, from Ft. Smith, AR to Tucson, AZ. All I see is some surface rust, which is not a big deal.

[Longhorn Man]

I'm gonna start saving links to these rust posts from the so-cal guys.
You could wipe that off with brake clean and a rag.

[unclewatts]

1. I saw the picture of the underside of your truck. WHAT rust?
2. I should hope that if your towed car is on a trailer and weighs 4000-5000 LBS that the trailer has it's own brakes. If not, I would sure wouldn't tow anything with that truck until you got at least new front disks on it. In any case I would keep the old truck and not buy some new plastic POS. Put your money into a good truck.

[Pont406]

I looked at a couple mid 90s trucks at work and these were a tottal pos. No power and already in need of a restoration. So I am fixing mine.
At the same time my tempest project is on hold. That thing is becoming a major money pit. Couple pics of the tempest.
I took front end apart today. Shocks ac delco Canada and everything else was original. No wonder it was riding like a boat latelly. Not bad for a 40 years of use. Try that in a newer nissan or toyota.
I had to buy a socket set. It took some heat and finally all apart. Control arms need to be sandblasted or acid dip to remove rust. No tires yet.

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I'm gonna start saving links to these rust posts from the so-cal guys.
You could wipe that off with brake clean and a rag.

To me that's a rusty frame. I sometimes mistake red primer or dirt for rust. If I just think a vehicle might have some rust anywhere on it, I run.

[jbristo67]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I'm gonna start saving links to these rust posts from the so-cal guys.
You could wipe that off with brake clean and a rag.

He is just looking for an excuse to sell it. SELL IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tecky11]

ill take it off of your hands for ya!!!!!!

[long67]

You know I have ask myself the same question recently. Heres where i am at , I just had vacation this week and we took the trailer and went camping at the beach. Almost everytime I stopped someone would comment or ask about my truck, had three guys come by separetly while setting up at the first camp spot ,same at the second,thumbs up everywhere. Would people do that if you was in a 90s truck? I don't think so. Keep and fix what you got I have had mine for 23yrs.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

I'm gonna start saving links to these rust posts from the so-cal guys.
You could wipe that off with brake clean and a rag.

Ok LHM...I'm going to get religion in this post as a reply to your comment. AMEN!!!

Originally Posted by long67

You know I have ask myself the same question recently. Heres where i am at , I just had vacation this week and we took the trailer and went camping at the beach. Almost everytime I stopped someone would comment or ask about my truck, had three guys come by separetly while setting up at the first camp spot ,same at the second,thumbs up everywhere. Would people do that if you was in a 90s truck? I don't think so. Keep and fix what you got I have had mine for 23yrs.

long67...you are spot on. The reason I am having the Circuit Rider restored is its going to be "my" truck and the one I will use when I need a truck to haul rocks and trees on the farm..."Just kidding" . I agree you will get a lot more "Thumbs Up" with our trucks then most newer trucks although we do have a few who have some very nice looking square body trucks...but I won't mention names. "N2TRUX" There is a reason the 67-72 style trucks are knowm as "classics".

[Rob H.]

I grew up around these trucks, we used them everyday. I used to haul corn, sand, lumber, whatever needed hauled. I'd like to see a mid 90's 3/4 ton truck haul 3 ton of sand and still be going. I say keep it, and if you think that's rust you should come east, then you'll know what rust really is!

[VanceH]

Seems to me that for what you would spend on a newer 90's truck you could probably find another 63-72 c-20 that could haul you anywhere, then you would have TWO!!!

[roughedup72]

O.K.,O.K., just go ahead and sell me the truck for 1000 dollars. Thats all its worth with all that rust,Besides that it would make a really good parts truck for me I coouldnt imagine having a good old straight truck to start with so just go ahead and send it on over to south carolina. Then go ahead and get you a new truck.

But seriously,Keep that damn truck, Did you bump your head in the middle of the night and wake up with this crazy idea? I haul my boat to the lake with mine and up the ramps without even breaking traction unless I get on it,My boat weighs alot. I'm not sure how much but I know it weighs more than the truck. If the trailer had trailer brakes on it like it is supposed to have, then I would'nt think twice about pulling it across country. I also load mine down over the bed sides with heavey oak wood for heating my house in the winter The problems with my truck are more mechanical than you could imagine but its nothing that cant be fixed with a little time on the weekend. You want do that with a newer truck.
Its a good looking old truck and after market air isn't that hard to install. Disc and a little tlc and you got yourself a top notch truck that will do anything you wont it to do without paying 400-500 dollars a month on a newer truck without mentioning insurance and taxes. Keep that truck.

[cdowns]

with your rust issues maybe just take it to the recycler and crush it

[71tahoe]

Originally Posted by Pont406

For over a year I didn't do much to my truck. Just oil changes, p/s box and drove it hard. It needs brakes and suspension rebuilt. Drums are squaking so bad that cars get out of my way. Maybe I am getting too old but I really missed an a/c. Before I didn't care because my buddy had a 07 Ferd 350 we used for long trips and towing. Well, he lost that truck in order to keep a house. So now I don't have a truck to tow my car to a track. It's about 100 miles one way.
If I fix my truck will it tow 4500-5000 lbs? Only 200 miles round trip. I have all parts to do it but a prop valve, master and rear axles. If it's can tow I might get an a/c later on.
Maybe I should sell it and buy a mid 90s gm truck? I see them for sale cheap.
I am also consern about the frame. It's rusting due to a truck park outside all the time. I might just let it seat and buy mid 90s truck cheap.
I need some advise on these issues.

If your frame looked like your exhaust then maybe you have a point about getting rid of the truck.

I hauled at least 4500lbs of truck and trailer almost 400 miles through hills with a 71 half ton, manual brakes and no trailer brakes. Add power and trailer brakes and you won't even know uratowin!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Pont406

I looked at a couple mid 90s trucks at work and these were a tottal pos. No power and already in need of a restoration. So I am fixing mine.... I took front end apart today. Shocks ac delco Canada and everything else was original. No wonder it was riding like a boat latelly. Not bad for a 40 years of use. Try that in a newer nissan or toyota.

Now you're thinkin' right. A rebuild on the suspension is a weekend job. Adding disc brakes for the safety factor is a wise choice & another easy job w/all the board vendors & parts availability. You can even use newer 73-87 a-arms for additional 'cushion' against road vibration/noise.

I would bet once the front end rebuild is complete & the brakes are done, you'll realize just how great these old trucks can be (when they're in good mechanical condition; not hacked or worn out).

When that's done, search Vintage Air for their retrofit a/c kits. From inside the cab, things appear as if stock a/c was there. There's less clutter under the hood, & the systems are modern w/similar advancements like new trucks.
Other options would be Old Air Products & Classic Air.

I'm glad you decided to keep another great truck on the road!

[long69]

the first dmv renewal with smog check required, you get you'll wish you had that truck back.
not quite 20 years ago(early 90's) i had '66 lemans that same yeller. 389 4 spd.

[Pont406]

Ok, couple questions. I have a stainless line kit but factory line seems to fit just fine. Do I really need to replace lines?
If I do keep original lines then both front lines will share one port on a prop valve and I'll plug the other port. Will this work? Thanks.