One of our recent truck renovations

[JimLewis]

Someone asked in the other thread how it's possible to get a nice paint job for $1000. Well, here is the transformation of a truck we bought 1 month ago.

http://www.cybcon.com/~jimlewis/ChevyTruck.html

Note: You don't have to use old trucks. That doesn't really even matter. But my point is, if you don't have a lot of $, you can still look nice.

[Gr grass n Hi tides]

I can't get that link to work :-(

[JimLewis]

Sorry, I fixed the problem with the link. Works now.......

[jason r.]

Jim, all I can say is "AWESOME"!

I'm shipping my old truck to you!:D

[yardman1]

Looks real good jim.:D

[HarryD]

Im a Ford man but the late 60's early 70's trucks is when Chevy made a heavy duty truck :D

here jim
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2409509805&category=39409

[LAWNGODFATHER]

How much was to Armeral?

Looks as good as new now.

Also in the other thread I read that someone said with the old trucks you need to keep a machanic around.

My answer to this is, not on these older truck, there is not much to break on them.

[Gr grass n Hi tides]

That is a sharp looking vehicle.

I'm making out fine with my 1989 Bronco, which is not exactly a spring chicken but it does look nice. I wish I could post a pic but I don't have a scanner :-(

One thing I can add about coming into great vehicles at reduced prices would be check out your local town auctions. Once, I picked up a 6 year old Crown Vic for $200 that was listed as having "transmission" trouble. The real problem was a broken $2 clip where the accelerator rod connected. It had 56K miles & all i did was put a new battery in it plus a tank of gas, then drove it for 3 years with no trouble! At that same sale a friend of mine picked up a Toyota 4WD auto shift for $800, which would have made a great work truck, and also an old fire engine for $100......that ran!!!!!!!!

[Art Stubbs handy 58]

Nice Truck, you are right, it does'nt take a $40,000 truck to look good...:D

[Green Finger]

Hey Jim,


Nice Philosophy. I have learned how to be professional on a tight budget. But you seemed to have mastered it. Good way to be. I bet you have a high net. :blob4:

[1MajorTom]

Looks nice.
Just wondering about the maintenance of this truck. I see how the outside looked before. How bout under the hood before, did anything need repaired?
Believe me, not knocking older trucks, because we run one, but I know there is maintenance involved in older trucks. Still beats paying a new truck payment. Can't justify one for this line of work.

[JimLewis]

Maintenance on these is very low. They usually have a Chevy 350 V-8, the most popular and easiest to work on engine ever made. A simple 4 bbl carb. A 350 Transmission. Disc Brakes in front, drums in back. Everything on them is simple. And plenty of room to work on.

They really don't break down much. And most of the time, when something does start sounding funny or acting up, we can wait until the weekend, drop it off with the mechanic Friday night, and have it back on Monday morning good as new.

Once in a while, a tranny goes out. My tranny shop puts in a new one with a heavy duty torque converter and a shift kit for $850.00. In and out in one day.

And about every 4 years (or 200K miles) an engine finally goes out. That's a 3-5 day delay and about $2500. But then you have a truck that will last another 200K miles and runs perfectly! As for the 3-5 days, we just rent a truck during that time.

Otherwise, nothing major really goes wrong with these. Just the usual - brakes, batteries, alternators, starters, etc. And those are all quick fixes.

[AGG Lawn Maintenance]

Jim you are my inspiration. I am planning on expanding alot this year and was planing on getting 3 new rack body trucks. But for what? At about $30K + truck. I have a very established company, but why not just buy some older trucks out right. Thats how I always buy all my equipment. My uncle can weld and paint real good. I also just found out that there is a company about 15 minutes away from me the put in new motors. You still will be way under the costs of a new truck. And if someone crashes into (like they did to a friend of mines new truck) Your not as mad as you would be with a $30k truck.
As a matter of fact I had a guy fall asleep at the wheel and hit one of my newer trucks side view mirror and pull the door shell out. I told him he should have ran into my other truck that was also at the job sight. The other one is an 1985 Dodge Ram. It would have cost him alot less. It ran him about $1,600 as opposed to about half of the for the other truck. I told him the older truck I could have gotten a door from the junk yard for cheap. ($40- up)


Travis

[GraZZmaZter]

Great job Jim!

I think this only adds to what i was talking about yesterday. Why buy new?

This thread has me nearly convinced to not buy a new truck for the business. Sure they are nice, but lets face it they get beat up. I wouldnt be nearly as peeved when one of the older Chevy's gets a ding or a scratch, compared to a brand new one.

Less overhead also means more toys for me!

[Mykster]

Link won't work for me.

[JimLewis]

http://www.cybcon.com/%7Ejimlewis/ChevyTruck.html

This link might work better....

[LB Landscaping]

Very sharp looking Truck Jim, nice job!!!

[PaulJ]

Great looking trucks jim

YOur story brings to mind my dilemma

Until last fall I was driving a 77 GMC. straight body nice to drive.

But every month it was a different repair. and really hurt my small cash flow.
in the last year and a half i was driving it I had replaced or repaired:

power steering
ujoints
brakes
water pump
fuel pump
timing chain
alternator
starter
battery
tires

Then last fall a head gasket let go.

The truck still runs (even after sitting all winter)
but not very well and used a lot of water and gives off a nice whiter cloud of smoke.

estimate for head gasket replacement is over $700

or have the engine rebuilt for close to $3000

or just try to sell it as is.

I did buy a 96 F-150 last fall with 69000 mile on it thinking I would get away from all the repairs but no it has needed things also. Not quit as much bet close.

I am actually thinking of putting a rebuilt engine in the old GMC and trying to sell the new ford.

Cash flow is still the biggest problem. I wish I could do the mechanic work myself but I don't have enough knowledge or time or place to do it or the proper tools.


I do have a mechanic I trust but he needs to be paid to.

Sorry for ranting.

I'll try to find a picture of the truck.

[Mykster]

Thanks Jim, the link worked. Truck looks nice.

[Gr grass n Hi tides]

PaulJ -

If you do put an engine in the older truck, go with the Jasper brand. They are the best. They have a web site - jasper.com. I put a Jasper ($2,300) in my 1989 Bronco a year ago and it runs like a top. They come with a 3 yr., 75,000 mile warranty (Jasper makes great transmissions too).

I don't know what size motor your old truck has, but you might also think about buying an old car that runs well (engine) and replace your truck motor with it. I had an old Crown Vic with a 351 that I was going to use in the Bronco, which would have converted just fine, but I decided to go with the warranty. My mechanic took $800 in trade for the car which helped a lot.

The expense really hurt, but I figured for the same money I would be back at square one buying a different used truck and someone else's problems. The way I went, at least I know what work has been done.

[Alan]

That is one good looking truck, and being GM it's not going to be hard to keep the mechanicals up to par. I'm running the big brother to it, a 71 GMC 5500. The 5500 got a makeover in 99 and it's due for putty and paint again this summer.

I have a few "philosophies" about running older trucks. First off, I do it,, but I'm also a relatively good wrenchhand.

I've heard it said that "Customers like seeing new trucks on their jobs" All I can say to that is BS!, the average customer sees shiny paint and has no clue as to the age of the vehicle. The ones who do realize the age of the rig are, most likely, vehicle enthusiasts who are apt to be more impressed with an older, restored rig than a new one.

Some repairs I don't think of as being a penalty for owning old. Among these are:

Brakes
Belts
Hoses
Any routine maintenance

Those things are going to be there in any vehicle over a couple years old.

Some parts replacement will also happen (potentially) on anything off warranty. In that category I put these things.

Power steering pump
Brake boost or master cylinder
Radiator
Wiper motor
Suspension parts
Minor body repair and painting

While these will be more common in the older truck they are also a one time fix and will last for the duration of the trucks' life.

Finally there's the big stuff which is most likely in high mileage rigs and is unrelated to age.

Engines
Transmissions
Axles

Again, big ticket stuff, but most likely a one time expense.

Major body repairs are pretty much unique to older vehicles and are related more to age than mileage.

I don't count any of the normal maintenance on the debit side of owning old, those will be there on brand new or nearly new. I use a number of $200 per month over the long term. I figure that if I can keep one running for that price I'm ahead of making payments in the $4-500 range to drive a new one. More so in light that the payment book is going to way outlast the warranty and I'll be into the intermediate level of fixing while I'm still paying off the loan.

As an example, last spring I bought an 88 K-3500 SRW for $2,000. Body is good to excellent for the age, but needed minor rust and dent fix and new paint. I found out after the purchase that it uses oil bad. OK,, heart transplant is going to happen soon, but I've run it for a year already. The engine will go in for $2500-3000, new GM engine, 50k warranty. Reasonable expectation will be well over 100,000 miles or five years. That eats up $50 a month out of my $200 budget. Body work will get done this summer, I'll have under a grand in that and it's good for at least 3 years. $25 a month over that time frame.

At any point I can get rid of the truck for what I paid for it, probably more. And I get to keep the money, no loan to pay off. I save a little more by not carrying collision insurance. I figure I'm not apt to stack it up and if somebody else hits me they are on the hook for the cost.

With fresh paint it will look as good as a new one. Heart transplant will take care of one huge potential repair and worst case on the transmission is another couple grand. So I can have a heavy chassis that does the work, has a good percentage of availability. I figure the total dollars spent over the next five eyars willbe way less than it would be owning (me and the bank) a new truck.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love a new ride, but my ego can stand being in something that works and isn't costing me huge dollars.

[OlsonBro]

I like that truck alot. Looks great after the new tires and wheels. I'm impressed with the transformation.

How's the engine and drive train in that truck?

[JimLewis]

How's the engine and drive train in that truck? Great, so far. The engine was rebuilt fairly recently, the seller told me. And that's all I really needed to know. The drivetrain is solid, as far as anyone can tell. I had my mechanic shop (excellent AAA sponsored shop) look everything over when I got it. They said it looked great. If the tranny ever goes out, they're a pretty easy fix. One day at my Tranny shop and $850 will get me a nice rebuilt Turbo 350 Tranny with a heavy duty torque converter and s shift kit. Then we can litterally haul azz! :D

[Green Pastures]

Jim,

That is a great job. Thank you for sharing that with all of us. WOW!

[lawncare3]

Jim,

That's the best looking truck I have seen fot that price.

It's also in my price range.

As ppl say don't judge by looks just judge by charcter and is this case the engine sounds like it has a lot of charcter.

Great job and good luck with your new purchase. :)

[Qdriver]

First of all,.. WOW......The end result is fantastic!

I like what Alen said.....

I've heard it said that "Customers like seeing new trucks on their jobs" All I can say to that is BS!, the average customer sees shiny paint and has no clue as to the age of the vehicle. The ones who do realize the age of the rig are, most likely, vehicle enthusiasts who are apt to be more impressed with an older, restored rig than a new one.

Maclawnco referred me to this thread and I thank him as well.

I will be starting my operation spring '04. I was thinking about buying a new diesel Crew cab truck. For fuel performance and future growth. (this will be my only transportation for business and personal & I have three children still in car seat age)

After seeing the transformation I will prolly do the same and save some money at the crucial start-up phase. Maybe after awhile I will invest in that new diesel crew cab. For now I guess the wife's mini van will be the sole kid-mobile.

This site is such a wealth of information! I thank the developer for making it possible!!!

[Doster's L & L]

You did an awesome job on the new old truck! That truck needs to be on a showroom floor instead of pulling a lawnmower. She's a beaute!!

[JimLewis]

Yah, it was a beauty back then. Unfortunately, these trucks get beat up a lot over the course of a year. Lots of little dings near the truck bed on the sides and tailgate now. Still looks pretty nice when she's clean though.

[scott's turf]

The one problem I have found with older trucks is body rust. I have had my 92 F250 in the shop every year to clean up rust and paint. I have been told once the rust starts it is very hard to stop it. In fact there are a lot of body shops around me that won't do rusty vehicles unless it involves totally replacing the body panels.