New guy from Georgia, Potential 1st time Classic Truck Owner

[WhiteJimmy]

Sorry for the long title!

Anyways, I have the opportunity this upcoming weekend for sell my truck (2002 GMC Sierra Z71) for a 72 4x4. The current owner restored it 10 years ago, and since then its got 4000 miles. Its a rebuilt 350, and 4speed transmission with Granny gear. Ive talked to the guy and he says that there is not a thing wrong with it mechanically, and everything is new on it.

My main reason for posting on this new forum is to seek advice: is it worth it??
Is it worth going from a 2002 truck to a 1972 truck, assuming that both are dependable enough for daily driving? (If i get the 72, it would be my daily driver for ONE YEAR, until I graduate college and start a job. Im 21 now.)

Do you have any regrets with going to an older style truck? Any advice for me for when I go and look at it?

Thanks guys for any help..ive lurked around here for a while & this place is a great group of folks!

[69GWC]

Well one thing is everything on the 72 is simple to work on and simple (normally) to diagnosis.
If they rebuilt the whole truck I would think it would be reliable for sure.
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[PanelDeland]

If they're in comparable shape,the only downside I see is MPG.The 72 will be lucky to get 12 mpg.The other thing to remember is that fewer 72 trucks had A/C than 2002.Personally I love driving an old truck and I don't miss a payment(well at least not much ) but I do generally drive my Dodge during the heat of the summer.I plan on A/C down the road for the 68.

[WhiteJimmy]

Yea, the owner said that it gets around 12 mpg, but I think I could swing that for just 1 year (especially since this body style is my DREAM truck).

And I'm not sure about the A/C. Ill ask him when I talk to him next. But if I got it now, then I would have until about April/May to figure that out.

As a side question, what is the difficulty/cost of installing A/C into one of these trucks?
Thanks a lot y'all!

[Stocker]

Welcome to the forum. 69GWC is right, compared to newer rigs these trucks are easier to work on. You obviously need time, tools, reasonable mechanical abilities, and a place to work on it.

I would take the '72 (any used vehicle, for that matter) to a trusted mechanic for a once-over before committing to it. Make sure it has working A/C if it's gonna be your daily driver. Same for anything else you might want, like power steering (fairy common but not a given). Give it a good test drive and make sure nothing feels or sounds like it's about to come apart or fall off.

Good luck with whatever you decide. And post a few pics if you can.... it's always easier to give advice if we know what you're looking at!


edit: I still type too slowly.....

[Secret Squirrel]

All you need to do is look at my signature block to see what I prefer to drive. I am all for these older vehicles, but as your friend and mentor here are some things to think about ...

You said "Ive talked to the guy and he says that there is not a thing wrong with it mechanically, and everything is new on it."

Most people will say that exact thing when selling a vehicle. Some people flat out lie and others just don't know any better. To echo what was said before, take it to a mechanic to get an inspection. A few little things here and there "that only a trained eye would spot" could end up costing you $$$ down the road. The truck may drive great, sound awesome and still leave you on the side of the road broke down (been there).

Ask the guys/gals here ... it's way too easy to drop 1,000 to 2,000 in replacement parts on these old trucks, not to include labor or the new tool you'll need to fix. From Ball Joints to Bushings to Main Seals everything mechanical needs to be looked at. You'll learn eventually, like we all did (some of us the hard way), but until then invest in an inspection. Literally talking about hundreds of areas to inspect that the average person does not think about.

After a mechanic (Not the sellers Uncle Skeetor) checks all the rubber, hoses, boots, body mounts, electrical system etc, etc then you go over the body with a refrigerator advertisement magnet to check for excessive Bondo patches, any place that should be metal where it does not stick means it has had an excessive amount of filler used (as a general rule). There could be huge rust holes fiberglassed over and you'll never see it with your eye. This takes away from the value of the truck and could mean it will eventually rust through etc etc.

Example scenario ...

Based off what you said in the post ... "assuming the worst" a 10 year old restoration that had 4000 miles put on it the first year then sat for 9 years may need all the seals in the engine replaced (if not lubed by running the vehicle they dry out). That could mean the engine needs to come out and apart? Add up Parts + Labor + Time + Taxi rides ... and your dream truck is now a nightmare. You'd be mad as all get out and hate all chevys for the rest of your life! The seller was being completely honest with you, but you did not ask the right questions. It takes years and years to learn this stuff. No list available because it is all case by case ... one guy will tell you don't buy it if there is white smoke coming from the tail pipe (the engine is shot) and he'd probably be correct. However that same guy who is now "on site" noticed there is a real strong smell of fuel in the oil (which "could" explain the white smoke cause he had a friend who said fuel makes oil very thin allowing it to blow by the rings). three hours later you've changed the oil and added a new mechanical fuel pump and no more smoke ... oh and the seller took off $2000 due to a bad engine. You gambled and fixed it $75 dollars ... the moral is nothing beats a mechanic on site.

Bottom line ... A mechanic will be able to give you a warm fuzzy or some leverage if there are a lot of small things wrong. Then you can talk the seller into giving you cash plus trade to offset the additional cost you will have to invest in the truck (especially if he feels bad for misleading you intently or not).

I don't want to scare you, just mentor you so you make an educated trade. It is not all bad, "fact" the 72 will go up in value while your 02 goes down. Older cars are easier to resell in my humble opinion. People that want them tend to have money when they look for one.

Is there anyone nearby that can go with you to ask the right questions, before you go to the mechanic? Since this is a dream truck you'll tend to buy with your heart instead of your brain (I know these old cars and I still buy with my heart ... addictions suck!). A friend/mentors job is to make you look past the shinny paint, polished chrome and Edelbrock intake/Valve covers!

If you still want the truck after all the luster is knocked off and the bad has been pointed out then it's a win/win, I did my job and you got your dream truck with "less" unforeseen surprises!

Sorry to ramble and bounce around, I was going through 15 years of good, bad, great, not so great memories to try and give you some sound advice.

Final thought? After all is said and done, I would not trade any of the memories for a boring reliable car. Truth be told, if it wasn't for cars breaking down and people needing help I'd never see my friends or meet new people!!

Could you imagine how long the post wold have been if one of these old timers (with three or four times more memories) reflected on life ...

Short version ... Trade for the 72, but only after a friend tells you it is a piece of crap and a mechanic takes too much of your money.

[WhiteJimmy]

Thanks a lot guys. My girlfriend's dad is a mechanic so I am hoping I will get him to come along with me.

From what I have seen (and "heard") and for what the price of the truck is...it sounds like such a sweet deal. But I am trying to use my brain and trying not to get my hopes up.

[Tinkermc]

that's right make sure you''re thinking with the right head on this one, welcome to the board and I bet you will love the new ride.

[PanelDeland]

Good call on taking a mechanic with you.Especially one who can play "Devil's Advocate".Having someone with no emotional involvement i.e. Hasn't already fallen in love with the vehicle,will help a lot.