Towing and draggin questions...ready for the project!!!

Aight, so i just got back from havoc truck show and saw some nice shit. But also saw plenty of duallies, and it has yet sparked my interest to get one done. So, im looking to by soon. Im wanting newer body style 95-99ish quad cab, wanting to stock floor it to the rockers...on big hole alcoas (22's). Im also looking to tow a few trucks with it...on a 5th wheel. Possibly 2 s-10's and a ranger, maybe a f150 a s-10 and ranger...who knows. I was lookin at 6.5 diesels, but hear nothing but bad things. I wouldnt mind a 454 either..its easy to work on and all...but a gas hog. i know a 350 wouldnt be enough...and this truck will be driven to every truck shiow within 6 hours of me next year (im located in dayton, ohio)...possibly towin 2 or 3 minis on the back. so whats your opinion? diesel aight? go 454? how much can these things motors tow without problems? thanks...

I'm a gas kind of guy go with the 454 their loud and gas milage sucks but a good 454 you can't beat it

and i got some 22s ill sell ya whebn you find a truck( find one soon i need $)

Hows the de-vorce going Dude?

mine was a 6.5 and I thought it was a good runnin truck with enough towing power I needed. Now I do hear alot with them not being able to tow as much as others and not because they aren't rated(they are) it's because they run too hot. There's quite a bit of upgrades you can do and get around 300hp/550ftlb out of it bit it'll cost ya upwards of $2500.

My opinion.. stay away! they're gettin older and gettin mileage and parts fail and they are quite expensive. I ditched mine after the injector pump went south.. was lookin at $1200 for parts alone and for me knowing not much about a deezle it was too much of a job to do. The pumps carry a factory warranty of 10years or 130k miles I think. I refuse to buy another diesel without a factory warranty.. but it is cool havin a slammed dually puffin black smoke

why not get an 01-02 duramax? kinda like matt spences truck. you can find one for relatively cheap for a d-max, the lb7 is a great motor and you can chip it to get more power easily. if not then go with a 454, yeah the gas milage sucks. but you got to sacrafice that for having some power.

my friend just go an 04 dmax quad cab 2 wd it has the lb7 motor and he gets 23-24mpg's on the highway! i get about 21 empty and 19 pulling a single car trailer with another dually on it. (on flat flat flat highway). mines an 07 classic with the lbz. i get about 13 pulling threw hills. just something to think about if you are looking for power and milage. stay away from the 6.5 to. good motor but not to pull that much weight. im a diesel guy....

josh

well the new dmax would be nice..but im not looking to drive this thing daily...just to tow with mainly...

look through here for problems coming from the 6.5 and you'll rethink it.

rethink as in?

I got the 454 with some power adders and i get around 8mpg pulling the wedge. Honestly id like to have a diesel but if i got one it would have to be a cummins. Wouldnt mind selling my beast actually, got the itch to build my other dually.