issues with old tow rigs...

Or spend a little more for a late 80's-early 90's Fuel injected 460. That will tow 10x better and you can get AC waytogo

 

don't need AC... right now I drive a rig to 4x4 spots with no doors, top, tailgate, AC, heat, radio etc etc etc. I don't really need all them luxuries. Also, if I get a tow rig that is over 25 years old, I don't have ANY emmissions testing at all... I can run all the whizbang super zoot mad HP mods I want. If I run a newer rig, I pretty much have to leave it stock and/or use all the "50 state legal" upgrade parts (read: a rip off). In this case, older is definitely better...

j

 

Unless you go diesel...... rotfl Just had to say it.

Just go and find some 70's BB gasser in what ever shape you want, pull it's doors off, disconnect the radio, rip that A/C garbage out if equipped and you've got a Jek towmobile... waytogo opcorn:

 

This is my daily driver, it's a 1988 Chevrolet V30, 454 E.F.I., SM465, NP205, Dana 60 front w/4.10s, Dana 70HD rear w/4.10s (non-posi/open :doah, for what I do it more than fits the bill, however I do wish it had more power, and a 5 or 6spd. transmission,........keep in mind though that my parents own a Duramax, so you can see why I wish I add the two things mentioned above, better gas mileage wouldn't hurt either!

 

Well... I've read a lot about motors in this post but not much of anything else. Of the old trucks (25+ years old) which ones seem to have the best suspensions for towing? Brakes? Frames? Any cooling or transmission issues?

I've seen many old 3/4 ton Chevys hauling loads that would set new trucks on the bumpstops...

 

Thats basically impossible. An old 3/4t pickup is not going to have more carrying capacity than a neweer 3/4T truck. A load that is held up in an old 3/4 will be held up just fine on a newer truck. Put a load in the back of a newer 3/4T that pushes is weight limits and it will squash an old truck, especially if the older rigs springs are worn out in the first place.

Since you are a member of CK5, you already know the reliability and strength of the TH400 auto in the GM's. All the big three pretty much used the same suspension setups through the 70's and 80's that I can think of. 4 leafs all the way around. THe Ford TTB setup supposedly wears tires funky and doesn't track well but my grandpa has had ok luck with his TTB equipped Ford. Each brand used either a GM used their 14BFF in a lot of their HD pickups, FOrd has it's Sterling, and DOdge only used Dana. BOth GM and FOrd also used Dana in some applications. Basically the drivetrains are darned reliable in all of the older trucks regardless of brand. There probably isn't much of a difference on braking, all used large drums in the rear and disks up front. Any of the big three are good trucks.

 

I say find the old shell of a truck you want, damn the condition of the motor, and drop in a late model motor. Late 60's C20 with an 8.1 and Allison? Suh-weet....

Or just go with a crate motor, 502 or something. BB were not too common in the 70's, so just get the truck you want and put the drivetrain you want in it.

Marc

 

Not trying to be a Dick but the money tied up in late model drive train and the install even if you did the work yourself would probably come to cost the same as if you would have just bought a later model truck.

 

I was thinking the same thing, because I've done it with a vehicle. By the time you completely rebuild the drivetrain in an older 4wd truck you might as well just get something newer and have cash left over. I know if I could get all my money back for my K5 I would have been able to pay for my '01 Cummins in cash and had money left over.

 

Not if you like to buy new trucks.

 

Never said to do it to save money, I just said it could be done if one really wanted an older TV. I know how rebuilding something nickles and dimes you, but comparing building up a K5 wheeler to building up a TV isn't really a fair comparison.

Whatever, I was just contributing to the conversation.