90s chevy trucks

[85_Ranger4x4]

I've never experienced any gremlins with GMs up to 02.. bailout era is regarded as being the worst era in terms of electrical nonsense.


I will say.... the overwhelming majority of old trucks up here are GMs and the occasional dodge. Ford's (apart from 1 tons) seem to dissappear into thin air once they hit 15 years or so. I honestly don't remember the last time I saw an f150 like @85_Ranger4x4 got rid of a few months back.. but I've seen 2 dozen 20 year old silverados today.. easily.

Pretty even around here.

I still drive by my old one about every day when he works. My brother's old 97 is still around town too.

Both are still daily drivers. My truck was still good, if it was a super crew I would happily still have it.

 

[bilbo]

I've never experienced any gremlins with GMs up to 02.. bailout era is regarded as being the worst era in terms of electrical nonsense.


I will say.... the overwhelming majority of old trucks up here are GMs and the occasional dodge. Ford's (apart from 1 tons) seem to dissappear into thin air once they hit 15 years or so. I honestly don't remember the last time I saw an f150 like @85_Ranger4x4 got rid of a few months back.. but I've seen 2 dozen 20 year old silverados today.. easily.

That's how it was in ND too. The vast majority of trucks were GM. I would see four or five of them to each Ford new, old, or otherwise. Dodges were about the same as the Fords. Down here I'd say it's 50/50 or maybe even slightly in the Fords' favor, they seem to be much more common.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

What i see the most...
1- 99-07 Chevys
2- 11+ F150s
3- 01-? Rams
4- 92-96 F series
5- 3rd gen rangers

 

[1990RangerinSK]

I have my dad's 1992 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 (3/4 ton). It's a regular cab with 8' bed, 2WD, and 5.7 (350) TBI V-8 with automatic. It has about 230,000 miles. I inherited it after he passed away in 2010. He bought it used and it supposedly had been a North Carolina truck (that is, not from further north).

Chevrolets this vintage have real issues with rocker panels and cab corners rusting, and this truck is no exception. In some other states it wouldn't pass inspection. The fenders front and rear are also rotting above the wheelwells. I see some frame rust and wonder what shape the bed is in under the plastic aftermarket bedliner. Again, this supposedly had not been a northern truck from the salt belt...

The engine has a serious rear main seal leak and also a transmission leak, so fluids require constant topping. Dad had the same problems with both when he drove it. I did a tune-up about 5 years ago with new plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor, but recently it began running rough.

Rust took out the rear brake line, which I had a mechanic familiar with these trucks replace. I also replaced the tailpipes, radiator, and alternator soon after inheriting it.

The truck has had several nuisance electrical problems, most of which just happen to drain the battery. I've replaced the "heavy-duty" emergency-flasher relay under the dash three times because it likes to overheat and fail. The air conditioning never worked while Dad had it, though he tinkered with it and tried to fix it. The blower only works in high speed, and I had to replace it recently.

To its credit, the Silverado starts and runs easily with a turn of the key. But it needs enough work and I'm concerned enough about the rust issue that it's going to be retired to a salvage yard soon. My fear is that I get in it one day and my foot will go through the floor.

I prefer my Ranger any day.

My point is that these old Chevys do have serious weak spots, and you should be aware of them. The cab rust is common even on much newer Silverados here. Be warned.

That truck is dying a slow and painful death. It's suffering. Please, for the love of all things good, shoot it and put it out of its misery.

It really is the kindest thing to do.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

Id drive the piss out of an impala like that

I'd shoot it and put it out of its misery.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

That truck is dying a slow and painful death. It's suffering. Please, for the love of all things good, shoot it and put it out of its misery.

It really is the kindest thing to do.

Agreed. I didn't mention the light coat of rust on the roof, or the headliner that fell down and had to be torn out, or ...

All of this is why I intend to junk it. My only real cost to keep it is insurance, tags, and fluids, and I was recently using it to get up an overgrown driveway to clean my belongings out of my mother's old property. If the truck got scratched a bit, that didn't matter. But any serious work at this point would cost more than it's worth, which is no more than $1,000 in its current condition.

It wasn't much better when Dad was alive either. He had bought it to be able to pull my grandfather's trailer for hauling antique farm equipment to shows, but all that's in the distant past.

With any vehicle there comes a time when it's too much hassle to keep it going.