This is the definition of a hardcore pickup truck! It's not too big to drive every day but it will go almost anywhere with its brand new 36" bias-ply Goodyear tires and dual beadlock wheels. And almost no rust: just the rocker panels. But it gets better: The suspension is built from Diy4x.com parts and is super soft. For the front I used 56" long leaf springs from the rear of a 3/4 ton suburban; stock length is about 49" so the new setup is super flexy. There is way too many things for me to type out in complete sentences so I'll list everything in point form. It comes with tons of spare parts because I built it from two separate vehicles. I got a BC Assigned VIN for it when it passed safety inspection. Why am I selling it? Because I just traded my 400 hp '79 Malibu for a modified '96 Dodge Cummins. That truck is good offroad and is also fast so it replaces both the Malibu and the GMC :-).

Features/repairs:

Dual 20 gallon fuel tanks (both replaced with brand new tanks and new sending units)
Power windows (that work!)
4-speed manual transmission - the heavy, iron-case SM465
NP205 transfer case. Also a big lump of iron.
4-bolt main 350 engine
Full floating 10.5" ring gear 14 bolt rearend with Eaton Gov Lock
10 bolt front axle - not exactly a feature but it does the job.
All-new parking brake cables
Front and rear brakes done - master cylinder, calipers, pads, rotors, shoes, wheel cylinders, hardware/spring kit. I didn't replace the drums.
Brake booster swapped for newer one from an '89 Suburban. Holds vacuum for many months.
Heavy-duty clutch intended for diesel/snowplow application.
Front driveshaft extended, rebalanced, U-joint replaced, and CV joint rebuilt.
Rear U-joints replaced.
New Chinese hood
Wiper motor/pump assembly
Water pump
Chrome one-wire alternator.

Modifications:

Suspension: about 5 to 6 inches above stock. The front is done with extended spring brackets from Diy4x.com. They are meant to allow the use of 52" rear springs in the front, giving a softer ride and more flex. But I took it a step further and extended the extended brackets! Then I used 56" springs from an '89 Suburban. The front is so soft that it floats over everything. The rear is simpler with a shackle flip kit from Diy4x.com and the stock springs left in place. It's not as soft as the front but is a lot better than using typical lift springs. Or blocks. Blocks suck. Both front and rear use Pro Comp ES9000 shocks. I also put polyurethane progressive bumpstops in the front. I will include the ones for the rear because I didn't install them yet. The swaybar is connected using detachable drop links that I built myself.
Engine: Stock long block 350

Summit Racing 1104 camshaft (224/224 @ .050" duration)
Cloyes timing chain
Summit Racing 1-5/8" long tube headers
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold
750 cfm Rochester Quadrajet carb
Open element K&N air filter
Makes lots of power at the top end but is a bit lacking in low-end torque.
True dual exhaust
Gets about 10 mpg if you remove the extra 6.2 turbodiesel engine in the bed (more on this later).

Wheels and tires: Military surplus Humvee beadlock wheels (the older style 8 bolt ones) with the matching 36x12.5-16.5 Goodyear bias-ply mud tires. I used 1.5" bolt-on wheel spacers to account for the increased offset. They have worked great and never came loose. I wore out a set of used tires that came with the wheels and then bought 4 brand-new tires. They still have the little rubber nipples on the outside tread blocks. I put new O-rings and nuts on the wheels and they don't leak one bit! They still have the original magnesium runflats inside. If the auction winner doesn't want this wheel/tire/spacer set, I will knock $1000 off the price. But in that case you will need to bring your own wheels and tires.
Bumpers and winch: The front bumper is made mainly of 1/4" wall C-channel steel and diamond plate. But it also has a large plate on the front made of 3/8" thick steel. Perfect for pushing Honda Civics around!

The winch is an older Ramsey RE8000 worm drive that works great, especially with 150 ft of brand new cable. The worm drive is far more durable than the typical planetary-driven winches. Has a brand new solenoid cover and controller. The rear bumper is just a heavy-duty steel diamond plate unit.

Hella H4 conversion headlamps. They look very nice and shiny.
Aftermarket tachometer.
Mickey Thompson cast aluminum valve covers

Extra parts:

Canopy: In really good condition, even has bug screens in the side windows.
2wd steering box: for building a crossover steering system.
Complete hydroboost braking system, including power steering pump.
2 extra wiring harnesses.
The crown jewel: a complete 6.2 liter diesel engine with a custom turbo system. The engine ran great in an '89 Suburban but blew a head gasket even with ARP headstuds because of too much boost (15+ psi). It has custom-built mandrel bent headers that connect over top of the engine and blow into a turbo from a 6.5TD Hummer. I even have a downpipe and intercooler piping but no intercooler. The heads are from a 6.5 diesel and the intake manifold has been modified to eliminate all the emissions equipment. The engine needs rebuilding, which is why I hadn't put it in yet. I have two flexplates (TH400 and 700R4) as well as a flywheel for a manual tranny.
Dual sidemount propane tanks if you want them. They still hold pressure and have some propane in them. Use them, shoot them, scrap them, or whatever.
All sorts of little odds and ends packed in Rubbermaids.

Things that could be improved:

There are some parking lot dents in the bodywork: nothing serious
One of the fuel filler necks doesn't have a door, just a hole cut into the box (it came off a parts truck). I have a fuel door for it that can be welded in place.
There is no headliner or carpet.
The seat has a couple rips in the cloth but is overall in good shape for such an old vehicle. You'll have trouble finding a better one. It's still very comfortable.
The rocker panels are rusty and should be replaced.
There were some rust holes in the floorboards but I patched them up. One of the patches is neatly welded in place but the other is screwed and siliconed. Sorry about that. I got lazy.

This truck is ready to drive but it comes with parts to make it even better! I will upload more photos this weekend and link some Youtube videos. Thanks for looking! Tell your friends ;-)

Auto blog

Chevy Silverado edges Ram 1500 in Consumer Reports two-truck shootout

Tue, 17 Sep 2013

Forget Corvette versus Viper. When it comes to important head-to-head comparisons, fullsize trucks are where domestic automakers really care. And until the redesigned Ford F-150 makes its debut, the Chevrolet Silverado is going to have plenty to brag about thanks to a new Consumer Reports shootout against the Ram 1500.
It was a tight race among these V8-powered titans, but the all-new 2014 Silverado (and its GMC Sierra twin) barely edged out Ram's updated pickup with a score of 81 points - enough to make it the institute's top-rated fullsize truck on the market. Its narrow victory over the Ram, which finished just three points back, was due to its superior fuel economy, better towing and payload capacity and conveniences like a lower step-in height, easy-to-use tailgate and rear bumper steps that make loading and unloading less of a chore.
Importantly, CR notes that buyers with less heavy-duty truck needs might actually prefer the Ram over the Chevrolet, since its high points include a smoother ride thanks to its coil spring rear suspension, dominant infotainment system with Uconnect, and a big thumbs up for the available Hemi engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.

GM recalling 22K Silverado and Sierra trucks for seat issue

Wed, 09 Oct 2013

General Motors will recall 21,721 of its new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups over front seats that could move if the vehicle is hit from behind. Affected vehicles all feature manual adjustments for the two front seats, according to a report from Automotive News.
Of the nearly 22,000 vehicles covered under the action, the overwhelming majority - 18,972 -- were sold in the United States. A further 2,575 were sold in Canada, while 103 were shipped south of the border to Mexico. Finally, another 71 were sold outside North America altogether. As of right now, there are no reports of injuries due to the defect.
Naturally, Chevy and GMC dealers will make the repairs free of charge, although it's not clear as of this writing if GM will be notifying owners or just addressing the issue at the truck's first service.

GM reportedly recalling select 2014 Silverado, Sierra pickups over airbag issue

Sun, 21 Jul 2013

General Motors is recalling 843 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Crew Cab pickups, due to a fault with the vehicle's airbags. According to GM, the airbags may not inflate properly in the event of a crash. There haven't been any crashes or injuries associated with this recall, which is always good. Naturally, repairs will be free of charge, and GM will begin contacting affected owners soon.
GM has a lot hanging on the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Not only is it banking over $12,000 per vehicle on these trucks, as reported by Automotive News, but GM is counting on the Sierra and Silverado to take the fight to cross-town rivals Ford and Ram. The F-150 and Ram 1500 have been on a tear over the past few years, with fresh updates, advanced powertrains, and plenty of solid press while the GM trucks have been waiting for the 2014-model-year upgrades.
It's still entirely too early to judge the Sierra and Silverado, particularly as those 843 recalled trucks make up barely two percent of the over 40,000 units moved so far. But, as AN rightly states, these trucks are the most important vehicles to come out of GM since bankruptcy, with about 60 percent of global profits relating to pickups and SUVs. Starting an introduction of such a big product with a recall, however small, is not the preferred way to do things.

1980 Gmc 2500 Pickup - 350/sm465/np205, 6" Lift With Humvee Wheels/tires, Winch! on 2040-cars

GMC Sierra 2500 for Sale

Auto blog

Chevy Silverado edges Ram 1500 in Consumer Reports two-truck shootout

GM recalling 22K Silverado and Sierra trucks for seat issue

GM reportedly recalling select 2014 Silverado, Sierra pickups over airbag issue