I'd love to cut a bit of firewood, but...

[mn woodcutter]

I see all kinds of trucks that would be sweet for a 12v cummins conversion!

 

[Goostoff]

I would seriously consider a 12 valve conversion.

5mpg is redonkulous while towing. I always thought the 454 got the same crappy mileage loaded or unloaded. It wouldn't differ.

I would honk near 20k on a gooseneck and get 16-17 mpg with my old cummins.

If the 454 has sentimental value put it in something fun.

That's just my .02.

I do have a soft spot for the all mighty big block chevy. I would love to do a 12 valve P pump but by the time I can ever afford to do the conversion it is time to use it again and I cant afford the downtime. I might look into buying an engine this spring or summer and maybe store it until next winter and swap it next winter. This all hinges on weather or not I break down and buy a semi this spring. That will all depend on what the guy wants for it this year. He has been trying to sell it for 4 years now and he keeps dropping the price every year. If he drops it again this spring it will be in my budget range.

 

[audible fart]

Its actually a 93 Chevy C3500 that origonally had a 6.5 diesel and 5 speed. I bought it with a blown motor and built a 454 and put it in. Last somer I did a facelift with the 99 GMC grill. Next year I am going to put in a TH400. The 5 speed just doesnt work for me with all the hills and short trips I do with it. All it does is pull the trailer. Probably only put 500 miles a year on it. It gets a good solid 10 MPG on the highway with the cruz on empty. Pulling the trailer it gets a consistant 5MPG. The last pic is what it looked like when I got it.

The new grille was a great idea and looks much better. But you are KILLING me with the automatic trans idea. It is so hard to find one with a standard trans, and good freaking god th 400's are pieces of shet. My 96 5.7 2500 is a 4l80e and if it was either an extracab or quad cab i would strongly consider swapping in a 5 speed. I'm a 5.7 guy. I've had tbi injection 5.7's. But my current one is a vortec, and is far better than the tbi's. If i ever get a 3500 srw or dually, my dream combo is either built 350 vortec or 355 vortec with a 5 speed. I've heard/seen/read enough about the 6.5 to avoid them, and the 454's seem to be good for infrequent use vehicles. But with what i've already hauled with my relatively stock 5.7 vortec it would suffice in any configuration for my uses. Especially with a mild cam and springs. I've gotten 17mpg strictly highway unloaded and frequently get low 11's towing. For a $700 truck that's just fine for me& keeps me in the 350 camp.

 

[Goostoff]

The new grille was a great idea and looks much better. But you are KILLING me with the automatic trans idea. It is so hard to find one with a standard trans, and good freaking god th 400's are pieces of shet. My 96 5.7 2500 is a 4l80e and if it was either an extracab or quad cab i would strongly consider swapping in a 5 speed. I'm a 5.7 guy. I've had tbi injection 5.7's. But my current one is a vortec, and is far better than the tbi's. If i ever get a 3500 srw or dually, my dream combo is either built 350 vortec or 355 vortec with a 5 speed. I've heard/seen/read enough about the 6.5 to avoid them, and the 454's seem to be good for infrequent use vehicles. But with what i've already hauled with my relatively stock 5.7 vortec it would suffice in any configuration for my uses. Especially with a mild cam and springs. I've gotten 17mpg strictly highway unloaded and frequently get low 11's towing. For a $700 truck that's just fine for me& keeps me in the 350 camp.

The 4L80E requires more electronics than I care to mess with. This truck isnt even fuel injected anymore.

That trailer you see hooked up to it weight in at just shy of 16,ooo pounds when we leave for the weekend. I live in a deep valley and have a steep hill that is 3/4 long with a stop sign at the bottom, so I am at a dead stop at the bottom. There is another stop sign at the top of the hill. I get to go another 2 miles and find yet another stop sign. Then I get to go another 3 miles and I get another stop sign. This is all up and down hills with a dip at the bottom of every hill so you have to slow way down to keep from breaking a sprring or blowing a tire. Now that will get me to the highway where you would think I can get up to speed. Nope.. I have to climb yet another hill from a dead stop. Now I get 4 miles of highway before I get to town and have to slow down again. Now we are back on township side roads again for another 3 miles to the campground where we are now on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Going home is pretty much the reverse. Thats the reason why I get 5 MPG. If I could travel on good highways I could probably squeeze out 7 or 8.

I wont even get into the problems of trying to back into a tight campsite while backing up hill. The TH400 is my best option. I can pick one up for about $75 and the local transmission shop knows how to make them bulletproof. He owns an NTPA pulling truck and the TH400 is what he runs.

 

[audible fart]

Isn't 16k well over the gvwr for that era dually? I was under the impression they had about an 11 or 12k gvwr. My 96 2500 has an 8650 gvwr. My issue with automatic transmissions in general is that even after being "bulletproofed" they go a couple years max and need "rebulletproofing." But, you bought it before i could, so have at it, lol. Your 99 gmc grille looks so good i almost regret putting a new stock chevy replacement 96 grille in mine. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Goostoff]

The whole 16k isnt in the back of the truck. I think there is only about 2300 of that on the pin. I think the truck weighs about 8,000 so I am still under 11k GVWR of the truck. I am however pushing the limit of the towing capacity. I'm not sure of what the combined GVRW is for the truck but I can actually stop it better than I can pull it. This is the reason why I have had my eye on the Freightliner. LOL

I have always loved that style of GMC grill. It is one of the best looking trucks ever made. I think it ranks right up there with the 78/79 Ford. I picked up everything I needed at the local you pull it yard for about $30 and painted it myself. Thats how the grill itself got painted as well as the air deflector. I am in the planning stages of a home brew cab spoiler/racerback type of thing. My twist on it will use the 1/4 windows out of a 2 door S-10 Blazer as well as the rear hatch glass with a box underneath the whole thing. It will be designed to be a firewood box to keep my wood dry in the rain as well as make the truck look cooler. It will look something like this.
.

 

[benp]

Isn't 16k well over the gvwr for that era dually? I was under the impression they had about an 11 or 12k gvwr. My 96 2500 has an 8650 gvwr. My issue with automatic transmissions in general is that even after being "bulletproofed" they go a couple years max and need "rebulletproofing." But, you bought it before i could, so have at it, lol. Your 99 gmc grille looks so good i almost regret putting a new stock chevy replacement 96 grille in mine. I hadn't thought of that.

The turbo 400 is a good tranny that will hold what he's putting to the ground. I would think that heat dissipation would be the major concern over seriously heavy duty upgraded internals.

 

[Goostoff]

I have no problem keeping the tranny cool. aux coolers , fans, and cooling tranny pans will get rid of heat. I use a good full synthetic tranny fluid at the shop too.

 

[audible fart]

I've never had a 400 auto, but i've had several turbo 350's and enough 700r4's including a very expensive brand new "bulletproofed" 700r4 that kept me on my back cussing more than richard simmons at studio 54. The 4l80e i've had for the past year is the first one i've owned. So far so good, but i have no faith in autos. My friend has a 3500 van that eats a 4l80e about every 3 to 4 years like clockwork and he constantly changes the fluid&filter way before chevy's recommended schedule for doing so because he claims the shifts get squirrley unless he does. I've changed my fluid&filter 3 times over the last year just in case, because i constantly tow a 6x12. I just don't like automatics based on loss of control alone, not to mention my godawful history with them. But i don't deal with extreme hills all the time.

 

[Deleted member 83629]

i cut wood yesterday and it was a little muddy but i survived only a little standing water in the low spots.

 

[Deleted member 83629]

I do have a soft spot for the all mighty big block chevy. I would love to do a 12 valve P pump but by the time I can ever afford to do the conversion it is time to use it again and I cant afford the downtime. I might look into buying an engine this spring or summer and maybe store it until next winter and swap it next winter. This all hinges on weather or not I break down and buy a semi this spring. That will all depend on what the guy wants for it this year. He has been trying to sell it for 4 years now and he keeps dropping the price every year. If he drops it again this spring it will be in my budget range.

buy a semi? just get a c4500 it will pull it for half the price of a semi a good semi is 25,000 plus here with a little less than 700,000 miles.

 

[Goostoff]

i cut wood yesterday and it was a little muddy but i survived only a little standing water in the low spots.

I got one load out this morning before it got greasy. Did manage to slip on the mud as I was trying to toss a big round in and tossed it right through the back window of the truck. Good thing the old POS has a rear slider so I can just glue some plexiglass over that section.

 

[Goostoff]

buy a semi? just get a c4500 it will pull it for half the price of a semi a good semi is 25,000 plus here with a little less than 700,000 miles.

The semi I am looking at is a 97 Freightliner with about 450k on it. The guy has been trying to sell it for a few years now. He started out wanting $15k last year he had it down to $8500. When he puts it out next spring I will see how far he drops it. Gonna make an offer of $7k and walk away. If he takes it I will buy it. If not I will continue building the Chevy. Its already singled and has a bed on it to fit my golf cart. There are 3 bucket seats in the sleaper for my 3 boys and all. Just need to find a good solution for the dog to get in cause I cant lift him anymore.

 

[olyman]

I do have a soft spot for the all mighty big block chevy. I would love to do a 12 valve P pump but by the time I can ever afford to do the conversion it is time to use it again and I cant afford the downtime. I might look into buying an engine this spring or summer and maybe store it until next winter and swap it next winter. This all hinges on weather or not I break down and buy a semi this spring. That will all depend on what the guy wants for it this year. He has been trying to sell it for 4 years now and he keeps dropping the price every year. If he drops it again this spring it will be in my budget range.

there are tons of semi tractors all over the place for sale...any reason you want your friends???

 

[Goostoff]

there are tons of semi tractors all over the place for sale...any reason you want your friends???

In a nutshell because it is only 6 miles fom my house and it is already completely set up for my needs. Oh and its cheap too. It doesnt belong to a friend though. I just been watching it sit out along the road with a for sale sign in it.

 

[chipper1]

The semi I am looking at is a 97 Freightliner with about 450k on it. The guy has been trying to sell it for a few years now. He started out wanting $15k last year he had it down to $8500. When he puts it out next spring I will see how far he drops it. Gonna make an offer of $7k and walk away. If he takes it I will buy it. If not I will continue building the Chevy. Its already singled and has a bed on it to fit my golf cart. There are 3 bucket seats in the sleaper for my 3 boys and all. Just need to find a good solution for the dog to get in cause I cant lift him anymore.
View attachment 467589

I'd go talk to him before spring and see what you can work out. You might get it for cheaper than you had hoped. If he puts it out that cheap it might be gone before you get to it. Best to be a little ahead of the pattern you've noticed, the early bird gets the Freightliner .

 

[Goostoff]

I'd go talk to him before spring and see what you can work out. You might get it for cheaper than you had hoped. If he puts it out that cheap it might be gone before you get to it. Best to be a little ahead of the pattern you've noticed, the early bird gets the Freightliner .

I would love to but he has it put away in indoor storage for the winter now not to mention that I am still a little short on the funds so I have to save money through the winter and add my "projected" 2016 tax refund to get the rest of the money. I pay cash whenever I buy something cause I dont like owing anyone anything.

 

[chipper1]

If anyone can appreciate that I can. I pay cash for everything I can. I owe a small amount on the house and thats it. I love the freedom.
I wouldn't wait til he normally puts it out though. I would talk to him before the snow melts and get a deposit down til he gets it out of storage and has everything in working order.
Do you need a CDL for that if it's not for hire. Here in Michigan I'm pretty sure you don't. I'd have my ducks in a row and know all the ins and outs of the licensing process/cost, insurance, and registration before I even approached him. I'm sure you planned on that already, but I'm thinking out loud . It's really bad in person because I talk through it with myself out load, sometimes even answering lol.

 

[Goostoff]

If anyone can appreciate that I can. I pay cash for everything I can. I owe a small amount on the house and thats it. I love the freedom.
I wouldn't wait til he normally puts it out though. I would talk to him before the snow melts and get a deposit down til he gets it out of storage and has everything in working order.
Do you need a CDL for that if it's not for hire. Here in Michigan I'm pretty sure you don't. I'd have my ducks in a row and know all the ins and outs of the licensing process/cost, insurance, and registration before I even approached him. I'm sure you planned on that already, but I'm thinking out loud . It's really bad in person because I talk through it with myself out load, sometimes even answering lol.

No CDL needed for private use in WI. I looked into all the neccisary fees needed for the truck last year. He still has it licenced as a commercial truck at an anual cost of $300. My plan is to put a bed back in that can be folded up to retain the use of the bucket seats. Install a microwave, and get a portashitter . This will make a habitable space where it can be registered as an RV. In years past the RV registration only $15 a year. Last year they changed it to where anything that can be driven under its own power will go by GVWR. I havent checked on the fee for that yet but I am sure it will be cheaper than commercial tags. My dually cost me $106 a year now so anything in the range will be fine. Ins. company says my rates should be pretty close to the same. I drive by his house twice a day so I will now have an problem being the first one knocking on the door when it gets put outside for the summer.

 

[chipper1]

Sounds awesome.
Now all you need is a sine wave inverter for the flat screen, computer, microwave,
satellite dish. Then a little honda eu2000 for keeping them batteries charged. But you've probably been thinking about all that if your thinking
I've seen a few real nice semi conversions.