Still debating on whether to put my built up 400+ HP 460 or my Allis Chalmers industrial diesel engine in it.

Allis Chalmers is a name I won't soon forget. Only thing Allis Chalmers I have encountered was a 250hp 2pole induction motor I was called out to look at. That thing was scary; unbalanced or bent, not sure, but it threatened to end me.

2006 4wd supercrew lariat. $15986

105150 miles...
2007 silverado 1500 2wd short box crew cab. 74681 miles. $15896


Both were from a car dealers website here in texas

those are both about 2X what I expected to pay, given my 10y/o grasp of the used car market. I told the wife we could free up some money by me selling my prius and buying a truck. I told her I could find something reliable for around $5-7K. Yeah right! I'm probably going to pull the trigger tomorrow on an '05 GMC with 134K miles; $7,500. It's really clean compared to the other trucks I've looked at in that price range.

I went to look at this 2003 chevy for $7k and what a waste of time that was. "only 115k miles" - yeah 115k of the most brutal miles a human could inflict on a machine. Headlights are just sitting in the grill; you can pull them out.
AC does not work
Lights in the dash do not work (probably unplugged to hide a check engine light)
exhaust leaks loud enough to hear inside the truck with the windows up.
torque converter probably puked; it doesn't move when you put it in gear, until push the gas about an inch.
Sound like I was rolling a coffee can full of rocks every time I turned; I wonder how long they drove it with bad wheel bearings.
Under the hood was painted with rust where apparently the radiator exploded and they never bothered to clean it up.
Under the truck was leaked oil, transmission fluid, AND power steering fluid.
The interior smelled like cat shit, because there was cat shit in the interior, and cat hair, and cat piss.
The driver's door was falling off.

I read about the chevy 6.0 engine before I went to look at that truck and on forums they were saying it's one of the most dependable engines made in recent times. It was said numerous times "the engine will outlive everything on the truck." From what I saw, that's absolutely correct. The only thing not broken on that truck was the engine. Although it was leaking from the head gaskets, it still ran just fine. It's a great engine that just needs a new truck installed on it, for $7k.

 

It looks good, but I am surprised you don't get flack from the THP over that color scheme.

That's the color scheme we are required to run in order to be legal. State Constable, State Trooper, I guess that's to correlation..
We also must have blue lights that are visible for 360 degrees and a multi tone siren.

 

What makes you think it's worth less than $5k? Here's an '03 (close enough) extended cab s10 with 174k miles and they want $7k for it.
http://m.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=391923074&zip=77450&endYear=2016&pageLayout=list&sortBy=distanceASC&startYear=1981&searchRadius=50&mmt=[CHEV[S10PICKUP[]][]]

...and it isn't even a 4x4

I hope you are right, although I don't plan on selling or trading it. Here's what KBB "thinks."

 

That's the color scheme we are required to run in order to be legal. State Constable, State Trooper, I guess that's to correlation..
We also must have blue lights that are visible for 360 degrees and a multi tone siren.

I didn't realize that there was a spec for constable vehicles. The only constable vehicle I see around here is a guy in Jackson driving a real old Crown Vic. Next time I see him, I'll pay more attention to the paint.

 

Here's a link to the Tn Constables Council..Scroll down for pic..http://www.tennesseeconstablecouncil.org/
Some people just have a Sheriffs magnetic star on the door, I have an old pair of them, but in order to be 100% "legal" it has to be like the pic. When I took the truck to the vinyl lettering shop I didn't have to specify anything they already know the 3 schemes, Sheriff, Police, Constable..

 

Good Grief !!! 4 yrs. ago, i snagged a 2006 Dodge Dakota " club-cab" with 34K miles. for $7400... It's one of those "mongrel" 3.7 liter 6-speed standards that was traded between dealers three times before I got it on a private sale from a guy that had it for 2 months... --
I have the "carfax"

It has been a creampuff to me... it hasn't skipped a beat or a shift in all that time... I have hauled 3/4 ton loads of dirt or stone in it to landscape the property... it never complained ... I guess I'll hang on to it !!!

 

I hope you are right, although I don't plan on selling or trading it. Here's what KBB "thinks."

View attachment 81615

NADA has provided values more in-line with what I've seen in the marketplace while KBB is "out to lunch". NADA says yours is worth $5500:

 

Here's what i ended up buying today. Pretty sweet deal IMO compared to all the other trucks i looked at in the same price range. There was only one issue i could find; the damper for driver's side ac/heater didn't work. It blew cold on passenger side and hot on driver's side. I told him I would take it if he replaced the damper motor, so he did, and I took it. Runs great, not a single problem I could find. Time wil tell...

 

Here's what i ended up buying today.

Shucks, I thought there would be a pic in your comments.

 

Shucks, I thought there would be a pic in your comments.

DOH!!!

http://ls1tech.com/forums/vehicle-classifieds/1773986-2005-ccsb-sierra-2wd-5-3-stock-sold.html

 

DOH!!!

http://ls1tech.com/forums/vehicle-classifieds/1773986-2005-ccsb-sierra-2wd-5-3-stock-sold.html

Good looking truck..What motor does it have? The price sounds good, better than what I could find around here..

 

I've been looking at this truck for towing my big trailer. Now, many will see this and say it looks like too much truck, but I think it would be perfect. The added stability and safety margin would worth it. And I could totally see me cruising down the highway, the T444e engine not even straining to pull up a steep grade. It's configured perfectly. Now for the bad; the transmission is going out, and the drive train has in excess of 350k miles on it. So, I'll probably just pass and look for one that's less used.

 

Good looking truck..What motor does it have? The price sounds good, better than what I could find around here..

5.3L vortec.

 

I've been looking at this truck for towing my big trailer. Now, many will see this and say it looks like too much truck, but I think it would be perfect. The added stability and safety margin would worth it. And I could totally see me cruising down the highway, the T444e engine not even straining to pull up a steep grade. It's configured perfectly. Now for the bad; the transmission is going out, and the drive train has in excess of 350k miles on it. So, I'll probably just pass and look for one that's less used.View attachment 81796

If you're going to take it that far, why not just trade your trailer and van off for a motorhome and a mini cooper?

 

If you're going to take it that far, why not just trade your trailer and van off for a motorhome and a mini cooper?

That's a good question, and I'm still considering just that. The reasons I would keep the Truck/TT option are many and I won't bore you with all the details. For one, I can take the truck in for service while remaining in my TT. Another big reason is, when I'm on a job site, I use my van for over-nighters in the local area, which allows me to explore and stay out overnight without having to drag the trailer along. There are certainly advantages of trading for the MH too.

 

I've been looking at this truck for towing my big trailer. Now, many will see this and say it looks like too much truck, but I think it would be perfect. The added stability and safety margin would worth it. And I could totally see me cruising down the highway, the T444e engine not even straining to pull up a steep grade. It's configured perfectly. Now for the bad; the transmission is going out, and the drive train has in excess of 350k miles on it. So, I'll probably just pass and look for one that's less used.View attachment 81796

Would a truck that size require a Commercial Drivers License? I'm not sure where the line is drawn for a CDL , 18k lbs, I think, but not sure.

 

gerty,

The limit for non-cdl truck is 26,000 lb GVWR. This type of truck would come in just under the limit.

 

Today, I'm going to order ball joints for my Aerostar. I just can't find anything with less mileage than the van I already have, for less than $10k. Again, we're down to, "Why would I pay thousands for a car/van that's more worn out than the one I already have?"

 

He sold that pickup because he wanted a daily driver?

Here i thought pickups were daily drivers, especially in Texas.

 

He sold that pickup because he wanted a daily driver?

Here i thought pickups were daily drivers, especially in Texas.

He's a gearhead; when he says "daily driver," I think he means a racecar with an air conditioner. From what I put together, this is probably what his wife was driving. It had child car seats and diapers in it when I went the first time.