1992 Chevy basket case

I had been searching for about 2 months for a truck to blow my tax refund on. The plan was to buy a full size truck, with at least an extended cab, that could pull my 19' flat bed trailer, my gooseneck livestock trailer, and a pull behind camper. I have three kids, and since I work nights, I drop the older ones off at school in the morning, and take 2 of them to daycare on my way in to work. Having a back seat, and being able to haul/tow were probably the two most important things.

My fiance was really trying hard to stick to an impossible budget for this new truck. I looked at everything from $1500 farm trucks, to almost spending $10k on a nice 4dr Dodge Ram. I found this dually on my local craigslist. It was really cheap, and after talking to the seller for two days, it seemed to be a decent truck. The seller promised me that the engine and transmission were in great shape, that the tires were all good, that the truck should pass inspection as it was, and it shouldn't need any major repairs.

So, me being excited about finally owning a Chevy dually, and thus being impatient, PLUS needing to go pick up my trailer, and haul my boat to the lake, I got in a hurry. I know better than to get in a hurry when buying something expensive off of craigslist. I've been burned pretty bad before on bad craigslist deals. I REALLY know better. Anyway, I had the seller meet me at my work with the truck, because after two days of pretty much non stop texts and phone calls, I felt pretty confident I was getting a pretty good deal, and the truck would be a nice daily driver/project.

So, I test drive the truck. The body is a lot more rough than I expected, and the interior is pretty dirty, and somewhat tore up, which I knew immediately I had been told it was all nice and clean. It shifted hard out of first, but it's an old Chevy. I've owned literally probably 25+ old Chevy's, and it's not uncommon to drive one that doesn't shift quite right, so I told the guy that bothered me, but I was excited, and let it go. It needed a tune up, but the seller didn't seem to have enough mechanical knowledge to tell me if it had ever been tuned up since he owned it. Then he told me that he had a transmission put in it, and he didn't think it had been installed correctly. When I asked about how the truck had been lowered, he didn't know that either. He again told me he didn't know anything about how to work on the truck, and he wasn't sure what had been done to lower the truck. He assured me the truck still pulled a trailer well, and was road ready. He then also told me that he put on the new hood, passenger front fender, new center link, and tie rods. That didn't make any sense, since he couldn't change his own spark plugs, but he knew how to replace suspension and body parts?

I handed over $2k cash, he signed the title, and I was glad to have a truck again, and glad that guy had left. The truck sputtered under load a little, but I know old Chevy's well enough to know that a good tune up would take care of it. Initially I was really excited because I thought this was a good truck. I drove it all day Saturday with no trouble.

Sunday I tried to pull my boat. No dice. Transmission can't handle it. After a long, drawn out ordeal, the transmission is going bad, it's pretty obvious.

Monday, a transmission line busts open and spits nearly all my fluid all over my driveway, and down the street. I get it fixed immediately, but the damage is done. By Monday afternoon, the truck was dead in my driveway.

I contacted the seller, he immediately was defensive, and acting hateful, even though I was being polite, and at first I was just asking questions about the installation of the transmission, and the lowering of the truck. He kept getting progressively irritated with me, so I chewed him out pretty good for lying about the truck, and then set about figuring out how I was going to afford a rebuild for a 4L80E.

Yesterday, my buddy who's doing the transmission job for me, pulled out the trans, and looked the truck over. The lowering job was done by putting 1/2 ton leaf spring packs on the rear, with 2" lowering shackles, and then a set of 215/85r16 tires. The passenger side tires are bald. The drive shaft was in a bind, and has what appears to be a giant sledge hammer dent in it. The center support bearing is shot, and the drive shaft was jammed up against the tailshaft housing on the transmission. We aren't sure how the front was lowered, we haven't pulled the wheels off to have a good look. Just from poking around it appears the front coils were cut. The truck sits like it has about a 3/5 drop. I liked the way it sits, but now I want it lifted back up to stock height. I want to use the truck to haul, I need that more than I need a pretty lowrider. I really wanted it lowered, but since I'm shelling out good money for a transmission rebuild and a set of 6 truck tires, I don't have the money to do the lowered suspension correctly. My buddy has his own shop, and also happens to be into Chevy duallies. He has a parts truck, and a small parts yard, full of one ton parts. We're using that to rebuild my truck. It'll have to go back to stock for now, until I can afford to lower the truck properly.

Fortunately, the engine runs good, just putting plugs and wires on it got it running great. I have a whole pile of parts to put on the truck, everything from a whole set of Michelin tires, to a complete tune up, some MSD ignition parts, a B&M shift improver, and some other odds and ends. I'm going to clean up the body, and paint it. I'm also going to update the bumpers, grill, mirrors, and all the outside lights. It'll be clean inside and out when I get done. Unfortunately, it'll also be tall for awhile.

Here's a pic of me and the truck, right after I bought it


Here it is 3 days later, leaving on my friends flat bed

There's been several updates on the progress of the truck.

transmission is at the rebuilder, it was a mess, and is being rebuilt with some upgrades to make sure it lasts a long time for me. It'll be done Monday or Tuesday of next week.

The driveshaft was in a bind and it wore out the yoke on the main driveshaft. it also has a giant dent like someone hit it with a splitting maul. so I'm dropping off the driveshaft to have it shortened and rebuilt to fit the truck.

I'm leaving the truck lowered for now. I just ordered a set of rear belltech 8535's 2" drop shocks. Also had to order a Dorman 924-402 passenger side rear shock mount, because the stock shocks that are still on it are bottomed out. The passenger shock shaft has blown thru the top of the shock, and ruined the top shock mount.

Also discovered that the catalytic converter had been replaced with a straight pipe, and the muffler had been replaced with a little turbo muffler. Its all bolted together and it leaks real bad. its getting all welded up, and I'm going to put a new muffler on it, probably a magnaflow, maybe a flowmaster 40 series.

I got a new set of tires for it, waiting to be put on. that's it for now. I can't do any body work, or cool upgrades to it until I get the truck running decent and reliable. I'm scared of what I'll find when I pull the front wheels and try to figure out how it was lowered. it's probably going to be expensive to redo correctly lol

ps sorry for the bad grammar I'm posting this from my phone and its difficult to catch the auto correct

this is the yoke on the main drive shaft, at the end that goes into the differential. not good.

man o man..ive been there lol. i jumped the gun on mine, knowing better. but the excitement took over. just hang in there man. it looks pretty good. your on the right path for sure. keep us updated.

Thanks for the kind words, I need some encouragement. I've been ready to pour gas on the seats and throw a match on it for about the last week.

At first it seemed like putting all the suspension back to stock was the way to go. But, now I think I'd rather not waste time or money on lifting it back up, if that's not really want I want. I'm wondering how rough the truck will ride with a 5/7 drop.

A 5/7 drop should ride better than a stock suspension, my 79 that I used to have was better after the drop kit was installed. My 91 will be better anyways because I'm going to skip the drop kit and go straight to bags this time around. Keep going on the truck, it sounds like you already have the worst of it figured out. Lookin good

not a very good picture, but you can see the trubo muffler, and how they bolted adapters on it to make it work with the bigger exhaust pipe. this set up is not staying on the truck. im reusing the straight pipe and having it welded from y pipe all the way back. i really wish i could afford headers right now, and could do true dual exhaust, but that will have to wait. i think that's going to remain on my short list of upgrades though, because i want this truck to run as good as i can possibly get it to. it's no good to me if i slam it to the ground, and it isnt fast and loud too!

thanks man!

just got this tonight. i wish i could afford headers, and dual exhaust, but this will get me down the road for now. i did make plans tonight for flowtech headers mated to a home made x pipe, and straight piped into a pair of these thrush 2 stage mufflers. this will still sound good by itself though!

also still kicking around how i want to finish the suspension. im thinking about brand new 1 ton leaf packs in the rear, under axle, with lowering blocks. i'll already have the belltech drop shocks on the truck in the rear. i could also leave the 2" lowering shackles, and if i did a 3" block that gives me a 5" +/- drop in the rear. then drop spindles, and drop coils in the front, with matching belltech drop shocks. pretty simple, but i'm wanting to piece it together, with the parts that i want, when i can afford it, instead of spending a big chunk of cash at once. i've pretty much blown all my money on the transmission and tires.