the truck: 1990 chevy c1500 regular cab shortbed
drivetrain: 4.3 v6 and nv3500 5 speed manual
the goal: cheap good looking parts chaser
price: $600 minus the load of scrap in the bed that came with it
when i got it:
the truck: 1990 chevy c1500 regular cab shortbed
drivetrain: 4.3 v6 and nv3500 5 speed manual
the goal: cheap good looking parts chaser
price: $600 minus the load of scrap in the bed that came with it
when i got it:
purchased a rusty 1996 suburban for $600 that has bad headgasket/partially disassembled 454. it will donate parts to all 3 of my other trucks and i will rebuild the 454 for something like the chevelle.
today wrapped up the squished front end delete mod.
prior to fixing the front end, i went through and replaced the entire brake system except the steel lines because power steering fluid had been added by PO to the master cylinder. total cost was under $150 for the brake system repair.
i have discovered a worn idler arm but these trucks all have that, and i have one left from a previous truck to go on.
The mid 90's GMC grille has always looked better thy te Chevy Grille.
I'm digging the project so far, consider me subscribed.
The 4 headlight composites > work truck sealed beams. I like the solid face Chevy grill over the GMC stuff. But either way, I like it. 
Ranger50 wrote: The 4 headlight composites > work truck sealed beams. I like the solid face Chevy grill over the GMC stuff. But either way, I like it.
I'll beg to differ. The sealed beams can be replaced in 5 minutes by some awesome e-code headlights. The composite lights just blow.
What are E-code headlights?
In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:
European beam pattern, more a concentrated spot with a clean cutoff than the flood pattern DOT units everything else gets in the US.
sounds like a winner to me!
temporary tag procured. going to take it on the first (legal) test drive.
the other night i pulled out to go to the development a few hundred yards from my house to test the new brakes on some slow empty streets and as soon as i pulled out and got going there was a cop sitting there. i felt i surely was dead meat with texas expired plates and no rear plate light, but i wasn't speeding so i don't think he even looked.
3 weeks later:
i love this truck. it runs strong, shifts great, and stops better than any other 88-98 chevy i've driven.
today i procured a non smashed red door at pull a part and it's also rust free, so i am going to pop that on here shortly. but my big score was a 15x8 truck rally wheel to complete my pieced together set. now i can mount my 275/60 firehawks for all the way around in the spring.
also i took out the duct taped nasty bench and installed suburban leather buckets. drivers side grey from my parts truck, passenger side tan $25 from craigslist until i can find a matching grey one.
i found the truck came with a full tank of gas - until i decided to see if it really was and went to the gas station. took 7 gallons, and the gauge has still been on F after about 250 miles... gauge has open in the wiring or bad sending unit. not sure yet. wouldnt be so bad but the odometer is also bad. i picked up a new one at the yard today. i guess thats what the PO meant when he said it "probably has over 250k now" when it was reading 218k without actually telling me the odometer was broken.
next up is to pass emissions test on thursday so i can get my real plates.
One of these may become my next fix and flip projects. Keep the updates coming.
Woody - unfortunately, they're mostly rusted out around here. I had an '89 that was very similar (4.3L, 5spd, 2WD, WT package, and red) and the cab corners were gone and above the rear wheel wells was going as well when I donated mine to charity in 2000 (blown HG). If you're doing one to flip, it's probably worth the trip to buy one without rust, and you'll get a premium for having a rust-free truck up here.
I still miss that truck a lot, it was my first vehicle and one of the few I really regret getting rid of.
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