'93 chev c3500 w/ a 502 -or- 08' 5.4l 4x4 f350 superduty. work truck choice?

[tracyb]

i need another cheap work truck... i cant decide.

this truck will probably see less then 5k miles a year.




both trucks are $5k, and both are manual trans. the ford is 4x, but i dont really need 4x. typically i just go for the cheapest superduty i can get my hands on but the chevy has me interested.

the chev is an extra cab, dually. 140k mi, and i'm told the 502 has 20k on it. was a 454 truck. and the only reason i'm even considering it is because it has a 502. 502 just sounds cool. i've always wanted to build a 'muscle' truck (like the 454ss trucks) and maybe after this truck serves its purpose i'll use the motor for that, bu thats a big maybe. i also think this truck is potentially worth more than the ford because of the engine swap, may have better resale in 18-24mo when i'll no longer need it.

ford has 230k mi same as a couple i've had. crew cab poverty package.


so which truck would you all go with?

 

[Yotota]

You sure the GMT400 is a 1500? DRW would make it a 2500 or 3500.

Either way, yes get that one. Because 502. It would be a hoot to drive.

 

[Yotota]

I guess it does depend on how the 502 was installed... Stock TBI vs modded TBI vs carb vs EFI...

Stock 454 TBI kinda sucked.

 

[tracyb]

You sure the GMT400 is a 1500? DRW would make it a 2500 or 3500.

Either way, yes get that one. Because 502. It would be a hoot to drive.

shit, yes its a c3500. i changed the title.

i know it is running tbi, but do not know if its stock or not. i have had basically the exact same truck with a stock 454.... i would take the ford 5.4 over it.

but even if stock tbi, i believe i could just put a carb on it and send it!? from what i'm reading the 502 should be putting out over 500 hp and torques, i've never had big hp vehicle of any kind. and thats another reason it interests me.


i'll be taking a look and talking to the owner of the 502 truck shortly, and will report back in an hour or 2.


i have to decide buy tomorrow. or maybe one will sell and my choice will be made for me

 

[tracyb]

well i didnt get to drive it and only looked it over for a little bit, his mom came by to borrow it to move some crap. i'll go back later and drive it around. but was able to get more info. it sounded great on start up and she got on it as she left... it moved allot quicker than the old tbi454 i had years ago, and made good noises.

(just some background, this is a buddy of mine that has the truck. he runs a small mechanic shop and sells cars there too. all high end stuff, he wouldn't put this truck out to sell with the others. i dont think any of the cars are listed under $50k. he bought the trucking thinking to use the drive train and it pretty much has sat for the 2 yrs since. he needs it gone now because the place next door to the shop he leases just rented out to a new tenent, and the new tenent wont let him use the 18 parking spaces that go with the space. so he's got to unload 18 projects/ things he's let sit around, and needs them gone in a hurry. the ford i'm considering is just a listing i found on cl and fb)




so the truck actually has 130k mi. and he's fine with $4k. its got good/ near new brakes and tires. not known exactly when the 502 was put in but that it is a GM crate motor with papers. maroon interior with captain seats, center console. maroon paint with clear coat peeling, power windows and locks. everything is generally in good condition, doors close good and the hinges dont have bad wear from previous owners letting them sag.

i'm thinking i'm goign to get it, just want to take it for a drive.

 

[total newb]

2v or 3v 5.4l?

3v absolutely not.

 

[Yotota]

well i didnt get to drive it and only looked it over for a little bit, his mom came by to borrow it to move some crap. i'll go back later and drive it around. but was able to get more info. it sounded great on start up and she got on it as she left... it moved allot quicker than the old tbi454 i had years ago, and made good noises.

(just some background, this is a buddy of mine that has the truck. he runs a small mechanic shop and sells cars there too. all high end stuff, he wouldn't put this truck out to sell with the others. i dont think any of the cars are listed under $50k. he bought the trucking thinking to use the drive train and it pretty much has sat for the 2 yrs since. he needs it gone now because the place next door to the shop he leases just rented out to a new tenent, and the new tenent wont let him use the 18 parking spaces that go with the space. so he's got to unload 18 projects/ things he's let sit around, and needs them gone in a hurry. the ford i'm considering is just a listing i found on cl and fb)




so the truck actually has 130k mi. and he's fine with $4k. its got good/ near new brakes and tires. not known exactly when the 502 was put in but that it is a GM crate motor with papers. maroon interior with captain seats, center console. maroon paint with clear coat peeling, power windows and locks. everything is generally in good condition, doors close good and the hinges dont have bad wear from previous owners letting them sag.

i'm thinking i'm goign to get it, just want to take it for a drive.

Shit, if you buy it and don't like it I know there are probably ten guys on here who would buy it off of you.

A legit 502 crate engine could easily get a big carb or standalone EFI or whatever. I am curious what the TBI setup turns out to be.

 

[tracyb]

just got back from driving it. and the mileage on the truck is actually 120k...

i bought it. will bring it home in the morning. its definatly better than the old 454tbi i had. but its not exactly impressive. maybe ill look into that more later. biggest reason i bought it, everything is good on the truck. If I don't want to i'm sure i wouldn't have to do anything other than oil changes for years. tires, shocks, brakes, interior, new battery, everything is good. i've never driven or cant remember ever driving a tbi chev that felt so tight, no rattles or sqeeks, no steering slop at all, brakes grabbed hard with good peddle not mushy at all.

i'll get some picture up tomorrow after i pic it up.

 

[tracyb]

2v or 3v 5.4l?

3v absolutely not.

i was looking at a 3v. but went withthe other truck

 

[arse_sidewards]

The more time you spend driving that chevy the more likely your next truck will be another Superduty.

 

[[486]]

You really wouldn't have been happy with that IDI you were looking at a bit back lol

you got the need for speed and it wouldn't have been able to deliver

 

[Yotota]

The more time you spend driving that chevy the more likely your next truck will be another Superduty.

I mean, yeah, a Super Duty will be a better work truck than a GMT400.

But a manual trans 502 dually truck negates the downsides of the lame GMT400 chassis.

 

[arse_sidewards]

I mean, yeah, a Super Duty will be a better work truck than a GMT400.

But a manual trans 502 dually truck negates the downsides of the lame GMT400 chassis.

The front axle in a 3500hd solves more than any engine combo.

 

[tracyb]

The more time you spend driving that chevy the more likely your next truck will be another Superduty.

I dunno, I really like the '89 sclb c1500. It was what I drove the most until last friday, I wrecked it... the reason I needed another truck.

The fleet now is;

'10 cclb 5.4 superduty
'13 ccsb 6.2 superduty
09 suburban
98 psd e350
92 ex cab lb c3500 502

I drive the van and old trucks for work depending on what's best for the job.

The 5.4 SD is a just in case rig, hardly used since getting the newer SD

The wife mostly drives the burban, and the newer SD when she tows/hauls for me and that rig is also the camper/ vacation hauler.


I really do prefer the older chevs for work rigs. Cheap, I like the ride, get the job done... and replaceable. Also they are smaller, don't forget I live on an island, big trucks can be a pain.

 

[tracyb]

You really wouldn't have been happy with that IDI you were looking at a bit back lol

you got the need for speed and it wouldn't have been able to deliver

Your 100% right.

I just wanted it, knew I'd regret it. Life got in The way and made the decision for me.

 

[Yotota]

The front axle in a 3500hd solves more than any engine combo.

Haha for sure, the front suspension and steering is the weak point on GMT400's IMO. The HD truck beam axle solves all of that.

I don't think the truck in question here is an HD though.....

 

[tracyb]

I brought the truck home, but got busy, and am now picking the kids up from preschool...

When I get back to the shop I'll post pics and such

 

[tracyb]

finally i'm back. its stupid the kids classes start at the same time, but they get out an hour different. so pick up one fuck around in a park for a little and go back to pick up the next, then boogie home and put em down for nap. huge waste of time and were spending close to around 8k a yr on it. works allot better when the wife takes care of it... but life has dealt us some blows in the last month and we're dealing with it.
i dont know how a 9-5 employee would make it all work.
kids are 4 and 5yo 14 months apart. little rippers on the pw50 and trizinger




anyway...
about using an old truck for work, i love it. would rather have 3 shit boxes than one newer. but i dont like takeing my family down the road grossing 20k in a shitbox,( we regularly drive 5-25hrs one way for our vacay trips, last year we spent 80 nights in the camper) they are for work.

the truck i've been driving and dont have time to fix right now;

'88 or 89 cant remember c1500, i love it. would rather drive this than the superdutys. but shes hurt, its worse than it looks needs a radiator etc. whatever its my first at fault accident ever. and the dude i hit was cool with $1k cash, no cops, no report, even though he had a newer dodge and could barely open the tailgate after my dumb ass hit him. thought he was illegal but he's actually got a marine electrical company, and wants me to do some work for him. i doubt i have time.

this is also the truck my wifes grandpa loved and drove until his passing- it will get fixed. someday( maybe when my oldest wants a first truck)

and i use it. people thinks it lowered... nope, shes just heavy.

and on to the new new. (to me)

$4k out the door, seller has dealer licence so no fucking around with waiting at the dmv and paying more taxes etc. 121k miles, got the 502 like said, tranny makes a little noise when luggin in low rpm but its also not been driven much in years, also i dont care. i think its been regeared too. at 70mph on the dash the phone gps says 60mph. i pressurewashed it and thats all so far. its way nicer than i like for my disposable rigs but price was right.

if you can believe it the doors close perfectly, the hinge bushings are good and there is zero wear on the latch like most have as the sag over time. and it needs nothing- the #1 reason i bought it the second i took it for a drive.

theres a crack in the dash. i dont care. the stereo works! probably wont ever get turned on, but there is no working stereo in the c1500 or the van. this truck is way more comfy to drive than the superduties i've had... it floats like a caddy

clear coat dgaf,
and you can see the van to the side too. i love/ hate the van, its given me zero reason to hate it, it always works and has never left me stranded. the only thing i've ever done out side of maintenance was a tranny and it was the easiest tranny i've ever replaced. oil/ filters, its had the same air filter for 50k, and i think one or two fuel filters. only one cps, a long time ago. and i'm hard on the thing.

and just cuz, other trucks, always with carseats etc. the wife isn't home but the burban is most often on the other side of the white truck.

baby girl while climbing all over the look out waiting to pic up brother;

 

[tracyb]

Haha for sure, the front suspension and steering is the weak point on GMT400's IMO. The HD truck beam axle solves all of that.

I don't think the truck in question here is an HD though.....

honestly i hate the front end on these, but the trucks i've got are low mile and are flat out still good. but i know the sloppy is coming, although the amount i drive them, it wont be for a while.

so a maybe thought i had... the white trucks gotten a miss at idle i dont care to fix, its not plugs or wires/cap. it could go to scrap for all i care.

i could fix the front on the c1500 and swap all the running gear from the c3500 to it bed dually and all. the c3500 is getting the flat bed from the white truck if it works, and i think it would be tits to also put the SD running gear under it.

so i'd have a c3500 converted to 4x4 on dooty axles with a monster motor and a the c1500 converted to a dually and a lower gear ratio it needs for running around and part time hauling.


it would be 2 unique is shit boxes i wouldn't have much $ into, and would serve my purpose perfect. i'm dreaming but it could happen. i've done stupider shit when i have a weekend to myself with no customers begging for work.

 

[tracyb]

pulling tape now to see if the flatbed from whitey will work. might pull the bed off before the day is done. i hope it works

 

[Floridaman]

 

[tracyb]

Floridaman

you should do superduty axles and let me know how it goes




i cant see much out of the mirrors on this thing. i'll be getting similar to yours soon.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Pics of the engine?

Is it really a GM 502? 5 seconds on google says they're $8k+ even a short block is $6k.

If so, I can't see how a tbi setup made to put out 170 hp isn't completely choking it out.

 

[Yotota]

Pics of the engine?

Is it really a GM 502? 5 seconds on google says they're $8k+ even a short block is $6k.

If so, I can't see how a tbi setup made to put out 170 hp isn't completely choking it out.

I'm also curious for an engine bay pic, hopefully we can see a casting number. I would hope that the fuel system is SOMETHING better than stock 1993 TBI...

 

[BustedCrank]

Floridaman

you should do superduty axles and let me know how it goes

If you're wanting to use an 05+ set of axles, with the factory coils, you need to widen the front frame rails out about 2" on each side to mount the coil buckets. Am in the middle of doing it myself.

 

[[486]]

can't just move the spring perches inboard on the axle housing? IIRC they're mounted to the inner-c on the narrow axles and on the axle tube on the wide axles

get the wide track one because dually and bonus steering angle

 

[mjlogan88]

That is a nice dually! So clean I'd be afraid to work out of it. A half day of junkyard shopping should get your old 1500 back in action.

The gmt400 chevys make good light duty work trucks as you already know. Low tailgate height, ride nice, just enough power, and cheap parts. I wouldn't want to drag a dump trailer though rough terrain with them all the time, that a superduty job. But for working out of like you seem to do its a good rig.

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

That is a nice dually! So clean I'd be afraid to work out of it. A half day of junkyard shopping should get your old 1500 back in action.

The gmt400 chevys make good light duty work trucks as you already know. Low tailgate height, ride nice, just enough power, and cheap parts. I wouldn't want to drag a dump trailer though rough terrain with them all the time, that a superduty job. But for working out of like you seem to do its a good rig.

We use them almost exclusively at the farm i work at...you can baja them thru the field way faster than the one leaf sprung super duty we have.

 

[woods]

Dad's got a 5.4.

Its a dog.

 

[tracyb]

If you're wanting to use an 05+ set of axles, with the factory coils, you need to widen the front frame rails out about 2" on each side to mount the coil buckets. Am in the middle of doing it myself.

good info

got a build thread going?