Trucks ????

[UNCLE BOB]

Do any of you guys use older or modified trucks ? all I've read about are new trucks.

[MJ]

'90 Dodge 1/2 ton. I think it's just that most guys like to talk about new trucks rather than old(er) ones. I was talking to the wife tonight about whether to buy a new one or put a motor or transmission in this one when it needs one. Going to be hard to justify $25,000 to push snow.


Mick

[UNCLE BOB]

No doubt, M.J. I paid $1500,00 for my truck w/ plow whole truck 90%restored $800.00 tires 3 weeks old not to mention other 85% of truck all new parts.I just love plowing snow.

[Chuck Smith]

Mine is an 80 GMC K/25. I paid $1500 with the original plow in 1994. I put a new 350 motor in it in 1996, and a 350 trans. It has the original NP 205 t case in it. Haven't bought tires yet, still 1/2 tread on the Coopers. Put a used clean bed off an 87 on it in 1997 (paid $250). I have a set of clean doors for it in my shed (got them free). I would guess other than gas and maint items, I put about $4,000 into it. The first winter I had it, 94 - 95 I made twice what I invested. To date, I have made at least 20 times my investment from it. How many guys that are a 1 truck operation can say they made 20 times their investment in 5 years with their $35,000 truck? (is that crickets I hear?) :-)

~Chuck

[UNCLE BOB]

Chuck I heard those cricket's all the way down here in Md.I usually make more than I paid for the whole rig every snow and that's with a meyer's

[Edited by UNCLE BOB on 01-23-2001 at 09:19 PM]

[wyldman]

We run some new,mostly dodge/cummins and some old.I still think the older ones are better,much easier to fix in a hurry.We usually start with an older Chev or GMC.Rebuild the motor,trans and case,all new u-joints,and a complete rewire.We just wire up what is neccesary.Add dual batteries and a 200 amp ambulance alternator with serpentine belt and you have a bulletproof truck.Helps when you own a repair garage as well.Body parts are cheap too.The newer trucks (Dodge Crew cab 2500's/diesel) are better for pushing big snow,but the smaller older trucks do most of the average work.BTW a well built 350 with a good driver can actually get good gas mileage too.

[UNCLE BOB]

I have 350 BORED 30 OVER TRW 10:1 PISTONS CRANE FIREBALL CAM 194 VETTE. HEADS EDELBROCK CARB-CLEANER COMBO. DUAL TANKS $35.00 WORTH OF GAS AND A $3.00 BOT. OF OCTANE BOOST FOR MILAGE,AND I go 30+hours plowing no problem!!!! you could'nt give me a new truck. sorry.

[tux]

UNCLE BOB;
as far as older trucks go i have had good experience with them. my truck is a 77 gmc and it has plowed for 24 years. i got this one 8 years ago and paid 2800.00 with a 4 way myers on it.i figured the blade was around 1500.00 and the truck 1300.00. i told my wife if i drive this for 2 months with no problem i got it for free. that was 8 years ago. i figured the payments on a new one would be around 650.00 a month.the trick is you have to be able to do the work on it yourself and enjoy it,the repair rate at a shop will kill you. also i only do a few local driveways i am not a commercial plower.don't get me wrong the new ones are great and very reliable but for my use this does me fine and i am not worried about turning the key tonight and heading out anywhere.now if i didn't have to get that newer one for my wife every 2 years i would have money in the bank.

[MJ]

Bob, About a month ago I went to the local used car dealer where I got the Dodge PU (and the Chev 1/2T before that). Told him to keep an eye out for an 80's 1 Ton dump. Just not impressive as talking about getting a decked out C10 or 3500. I agree, though, it's easier to make my money back. I plan on put a V box on the one ton. Need to decide whether to get a new 8' or look wimpy and keep my 7.5.

Mick

[matthew Urban]

Uncle Bob,
I' ve got a 92 F-150. Upgraded springs, charging system, exhaust, shocks, ignition, k&n air filter.....
Its not the oldest here, but its not the newest either.
This truck's been great to me and even with what I've put into it I still couldn't buy new, so I'm really happy with it.
So far it hasn't met a snowfall it couldn't handle, and it hasn't met a stuck car or truck it couldn't pull(within reason).
For what I do I can't justify 6 or 7 hundred a month.

[tux]

Bob i can't let my 350 sit in the driveway for 30 hours and only burn $35.00.

[UNCLE BOB]

It's all in the gears you have tire size and trans. gear ratios. I drive my truck 1+week's on 12-15 gal's @ $1.40/gal.

[zipp669]

bought a 84 k-20 scottsdale in jan 95, with e-47 meyer, new gm engine in nov 96, 2 auto tranny rebuilds..last was april 98, beefed it to a 400 turbo, added 1 t leafs in nov 98 , raised it 4" with those leafs & added 235/85r16 tires bauer built retreads for $80 tire..tires have ben on 2 yrs & still r like new..& they have some bite. on the rear I have a Daniels pull plow...
in the box I added a truckcraft dump box
this beast weighs with plows about 11,000 lbs
put pro wings on the 7.5 meyer so it is now 9.5 wide & added 2 more springs
This old truck is a horse and needs some new sheet metal which i plan to do this summer when not pulling mowers around or ia dot seeding work.
knocking on a 100 year old oak tree i have yet to get stuck in just snow and goes thru everything deep heavy ect, pushes tons of snow. I guess you cant beat old trucks cuz they arent plastic or fibergalss and they will take a beating..you can add weight or just about anything to them.. only thing i wish sometimes it had was aosi...but that can hurt too..my 83 chevy 3/4 t has it helps some & doesnt too...this is my older story ...I could say more but dont want to ramble

[tux]

bob;
i know the diff's make a difference my 77 is a 350/th350/203 trans/with 256:1 diffs. the 256's are the lowest gears GM made in those years{as far as i know) put it in 4 low and don't even worry about the ratio your sucking gas not to mention the RPM.if you can get that MPG with the mod's on your 350/383 more power to you.

[MusGuy]

I have a 86 Ford F250, Rebuilt 351 Windsor, and a set of Holly Double Pumpers on the top..... 4 Speed Tranny Manual, with big fat Firestone AT Tires (only bad part... does not bite as well as I would like).... Not Recalled... C8 8' Meyer Plow, E60 Pump, Full Cab Mars Bars, and Huge Chrome Step Bumper, Picked it up for $3,000.... Not bad

[wyldman]

We build our plow motors just to get good mileage.All are 350's,9.0:1,stock 194 heads with exhaust port work,SMALL cams (.390 lift/194 dur) advanced 6 deg,stock exh manifolds,2 inch duals,performer intakes,modded holley 600's (vac sec) and a reworked dist.

Running 235/85R16's and 3.42 gears with turbo 350,most get 18-20 MPG on the highway,and will use a up approx 20 Gals for 12 Hrs of non-stop hard plowing.

With even a stock 350,we were getting 14-16 MPG and 20 Gals would barely go 6-7 Hrs

I still find it hard to believe you go 30+ hrs on $35.00,especially with eveything in that motor

[slplow]

Bob, my old man ran a 1960 jeep fc150 with a 7ft fisher for 30 yrs. some guy bought it and it still around.He also had a 64 j2000 pickup.

[jason2]

I'm running a '75 Dodge powerwagon, 1/2 ton shortbox. It has a 440 with headers, and a 750 cfm Edelbrock. Tranny is a NP435, t-case is a NP203 with part time kit. It has a Dana 60 in back, an 8-lug Dana 44 up front with 3/4 ton springs all around. It rides on 33x12.5x16.5 BFG AT's.

It has a Western 7.5 Pro-plow. I paid $3500 for truck and plow this fall. So far it's been working great. A couple minor problems. Broke a bellcrank other night. Had to plow without a clutch which wasn't much fun. Finished my route, waited for wrecking yard to open, and laid down 20 bucks and got another bellcrank and was up and shifting again. Also some electrical problems which were easily fixed. But all in all a tough old truck that I have no fear of beating on.

[Ted]

'77 Dodge M880 (4x4, 3/4 ton) Military Issue...camo and all. Added a 100 amp alternator this year plus I picked up a used Meyer E-60 to replace my E-47H that I've been using the last 3 years or so. Just wish we'd get more snow!

Ted
Landisburg, PA

[CCLC]

$25,000 to $30,000 is a lot to spend on a new truck just to use for snow plowing. We always buy new trucks for 2 reasons. #1 is reliability. With the size and types of snow customers we have we must be done on time. We can't afford down time. New trucks just have the likelihood of not breaking down when they are needed most. Reason #2, we have a use for these trucks year round. If we only plowed snow we probably would not buy new.

[JohnnyZ71]

I also agree, I love my truck and the bonus side is that it can plow. I can make some extra money and drive a brand new truck. My truck was $33,000 and I haven't had one problem yet. As far as older trucks, I know several, no wait, tons of guys that went the old truck route, also these were guys that did their own maintenance and know a lot about fixing vehicles. All of these guys trucks always had problems, needed this part or that part, whether small or big, who the hell has the time to fix these little things, plus the older trucks ride like garbage, are uncomfortable, and guzzle more gas. I would rather not have any headaches, have happy customers, and be riding in comfort when I have to sit 6 hours in a truck. Just my thoughts.

[MJ]

Ted, where did you get your M880?

Mick

[Mike Nelson]

Just my opinion!!

You can pay the Bank or you can pay the Mechanic!
By paying the bank I can go to work without worries.Followed this pricipal for the last 12 years.
Good Luck

[75]

I use my 1975 GMC C-35 for plowing, actually the whole truck has been rebuilt and modified over the years I've had it. A good friend of mine uses a 1980 GMC with a 7-1/2' Fisher as well. Compared to the modern trucks, it's true that "they don't build 'em like they used to" which works both ways: I like the fact that older ones are built that much stronger, however you can't beat the new ones for fuel mileage and driver comfort. Since I don't mind doing my own repair work (both major and minor) keeping an older unit going isn't a problem. The fact that I don't have a long list of contracts to fulfill helps too - if I did I would be looking at something a lot newer!