*** 1998 Silverado, California Truck, Clean!!! *** on 2040-cars

NO RESERVE AUCTION

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The age-old tale of additional kids and the guy who has to get rid of the toy to accomodate...

new baby causes me to get rid of this baby.  They say there's an ass for every seat; seems we have too many asses for the number of seats in this 3-seater. 

It took me three years to find this truck.  Largely because I know them - I've had a '94, '95, '96, and 2 '98's (all reg cab, 2wd, shorty - this is the first step side though)  Yes, I could find others in similar condition/similar low miles, but they would ALWAYS be decked out in someone else's style.  Too many bolt ons, or butt-ugly aftermarket paint/graphics, or done some type of performance mod. that you would be crazy to trust, etc.  This one was clean and simple.  Only mods were the deep tint on the side/rear glass, true dual exhaust with dual cats/o2 sensors (definitely CA emmission compliant), and a receiver hitch.  What red-blooded American couldn't love that ?!?!  Since I've had it, I shaved the rear cab pillar Silverado emblems, shaved the tailgate Silverado emblem, swapped the gold grill bowtie for a black/red Sport version, put a vinyl bowtie/pinstripe on the tailgate (EASY removal if it's not your thing -- not baked on by the sun -- truck is always in the garage), and put the American Racing Torque Thrust II's on it.  Interior is stock, but loaded.  Mechanicals are stock.  This thing is just begging for a 2/4 drop, but I just don't have the time or money to do it. 

So, other than my crazy/disgusting mods, I have put a few bucks into it for preventive maintenance...based on age more than mileage, at about 41,000 miles, I installed...new plugs, plug wires, cap, rotor, pcv valve, (air cleaner looked great), tensioner pulley, idler arm pulley, serpentine belt (couple old extra belts behind the seat for an emergency), and wiper blades (Peak).  Changed the oil every spring I owned it prior to first start-up (stored in heated garage - 42 degrees F).  I have not done a flush/fill of the cooling system - tested out at -20ish degrees F the couple times I looked at it.  Couple weeks ago, local shop put on new rotors/brake pads on the front, new shoes/adjust rears/drums still had plenty of wear left, and front-end alignment.  Brakes and alignment were a result of buying the truck on ebay...they were both bad when I bought the truck, and absolutely no mention of the problems by the seller.  Ebay is full of crooks and liars -- this will likely be the longest-windedest listing you will ever stumble upon.  It is the product of me being screwed every time I've bought (3 including this one), or almost bought (I've driven to TN and walked away from a truck that wouldn't have made it out of the TN mountains, much less back to WI), a vehicle on ebay.  This is my effort to inject a little balance to the used-car scam otherwise known as ebay. 

This is not a perfect truck, but you will find none nicer on ebay, or elsewhere.  It had been used as a truck -- someone had the nerve to actually haul stuff in it at some point (haha)...it has a below average amount of scratches on the interior tailgate, interior bed walls, and a few on the top edges of the bed.  I never hauled anything with it, just towed a 4' x 8' or my 6' x 10' trailer a dozen or so times.  No dings/dents in the bed as far as I can see.

The rest of the body is also dent/ding free.  It has several scratches on the rear cab edge behind the passenger door, next to, and below, the door handle (see pics).   I think this was the result of a half-assed attempt to unlock the truck from the outside.  I also say that because when I bought the truck, it also had interior door panel damage, pick (probably a metal clothes hanger) holes/scratches on the door panel above the lock assembly.  I replaced the door panel a few months ago, but didn't have time to try to deal with the scratches.  I would take it to a dealer's fixer to be touched up.  I knew a couple guys in the Milwaukee area, but now I live an hour north -- no time to go down there.  Rest of the body I'm sure has a minor scratch/rock chip here or there.  No biggie.  Let me put it this way, I constantly am approached by people in parking lots with positive comments on it.  They are always surprised to learn it is original paint, and not a newly restored truck.  Also regularly get thumbs-up on the freeway.  Local chiropractors should be giving me a percentage from all the rubber-necking it causes. 

Pics were taken BEFORE I had time to clean the interior...I was trying to beat an incoming storm to take them.  Interior is nice, no rips, oil stains, etc.  Drivers seat leather is wearing thin in a couple small places from sliding in/out of it (see pic).  From my experience, this truck has every option available for the year except a digital temp in the rear view mirror (has compass only) - oh, and no heated mirrors (maybe Tahoe/Suburban only?).  Leather 60/40 seats with power lumbar support, pw, pl, pmirrors, cruise, tilt, cd/cassette/am/fm, tachometer.  Everything works (tape player? never tried it).   Behind the seat is the factory storage tray (drivers side and middle), and the factory jack equipment in the enclosed housing (pass. side).  No amp/loose speakers behind the seat -- this truck has NOT been high-schooled or farmer-rigged!  

Other "bad" pics....already talked about bed scratch pics and pass side cab pics...the third to last pic w/ a close-up of a front rim bead shows a small dent/curb damage.  BOTH front rims are like that.  I bought them for cheap at a swap meet a few years ago.  Ride has a minor vibration at times as a result...haven't tried to re-balance tires -- thought it was pointless.  I can say difinitively it is the rims causing the issue.  I had some staggered truck rally rims on it 15x8 in the rear and 15x6.5? (van) in the front for several thousand miles.  It drove smooth as glass with those tires/rims.  If interested I would sell the truck with the rally's instead for $500 cheaper -- contact me.  The AR rims are a bit spotted/milky...doesn't show in the pics.  It is not chipping/peeling, etc., just dirt or oxidation.  Most, if not all, of that will clean/polish up.  I don't have the right products in my garage (or TIME!), or experience with these rims, to mess with it.

Last "bad" pic is shown in last 2 pics of the rear bumper.  Looks like a trailer mishap -- two small dents just left of the step in the bumper.  Again, like that when I bought it.  That's it -- all of the above fix it or drive it as is and forget about it.  More stuff's just going to happen to it - its a truck. 

Now, all that said, check out the other listings on ebay.  No one has the nerve to talk in depth about the flaws of their trucks, they figure by the time you see all the things wrong with it in person, it's too late and you'll just eat it because they already have your money.  I'm the only one with the balls to be honest.  Listings for $4,000 or $6,000 with statements like, "This truck needs nothing", or "Flawless", or "Mint".   REALLY???  What complete bullshit. 

Ebay limits listings at 24 pictures.  I would have liked to include the 40 to 50 that I took.

So much time on flaws...did I mention this thing has 41,000 original miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?  And clean, several underbody pictures, see those white and blue factory chalk marks, original decal on the driveshaft (I actually never noticed that sticker until I saw that picture)?  I have never owned a cleaner truck.  Cleaner that my wife's 2010 by far.  All that baloney about CA vehicles is NOT baloney.

Truck is a blast to drive and very quick (no, not race-for-pink-slips fast, but FUN-as-HELL-to-DRIVE fast).  Exhaust sounds amazing.  Usually don't use the radio so I can listen to the truck.  Just yesterday, my son said, "Dad, turn the radio OFF."

Your personal, or third party, inspections are WELCOMED and ENCOURAGED -- BEFORE the auctions end.  Please remember, you are bidding to BUY a vehicle, not for the right to LOOK AT a vehicle.  I will do everything in my power to work with you, your inspectors, your shippers, etc.   Drive ANYWHERE!  Truck is very reliable.   I would be willing to meet the buyer at the Milwaukee airport (MKE).  Fly in and drive it home!  (There's an Amtrak station downtown too)

Please contact me via this listing, or by phone at (920) 533 - 5252.  Calls from 8 am - 8 pm CENTRAL TIME only please (sleeping baby here).  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE figure out your time zone differential before calling.  You will get absolutely nothing from me other than Irish temper if you wake up my kids.

I don't want to sell this truck, and I won't if I have to give it away.  My buy it now is quite a bit less than I have into it (purchase price I paid + cost of parts only).  If I made about twice what I do per year, I could somehow justify keeping it.  If my son wasn't 10 years away from driving, I could "hold onto it" for him, but that's just too long.  My best advice would be have it inspected and/or buy it before I think of a legitimate reason to keep it. 

If you've made it this far, congatulations!, and, seriously, Thank You for your time!  Again, contact me with any questions, or for information I didn't include.  

Thanks - Tim

NO RESERVE!, BID TO WIN

* Also, I will likely update this listing several times with additional information/corrections...look below for that throughout the week so you don't have to read the whole listing again hunting for changes.