73-87chevytrucks.com
General Site Info => Welcome => Topic started by: RMC_SS_LDO on June 25, 2008, 08:35:33 pm
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Evening all!
We just got our "new" addition home this week- a 1987 Chevy 1/2 ton Silverado 2WD. My mother found and bought the truck about a year ago with the intention to fix it up and use as her daily driver, but her health turned very bad and has been unable to drive since.
We got the truck as a 1st vehicle for my daughter (15) and this should be a good project for her and I. Really, I am stoked about it and she's glad to have something to drive!
It's in pretty good shape (all things considered). After a new wiper motor, 4 new tires and a top-off with tranny fluid, she made the 200+ miles home with no real problems (AC even works, albeit not much air flow). With the 350 and 700R tranny, it runs OK (ran at 75+ on the interstate) but needs a lot of TLC. I pulled the RPO codes and it looks like this thing was a fully loaded Silverado package from the factory, including dual tanks!
I will apologize in advance for the loads of dumb questions, but looking forward to getting the old girl back in pristine shape!
v/r
Allen
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Welcome and congrats on a cool truck. post pics soon
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Welcome from West Texas. Sounds like fun. My daughter has claimed my choptop, but I still have a few years ( shes only four) to change her mind. Maybe she'll want momma's car instead.LOL
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Welcome from New Hampshaa
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Welcome to the site!
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Welcome
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Thanks for the welcome!
I am getting tags for the old girl tomorrow and the real journey begins. My daughter driving freaks me out a bit, but she actually has a pretty good head on her shoulders.
I actually got a solid estimate yesterday for all of the paint and body work. Looking at about $2k for everything to put it back solid with original colors (black with silver inset). The shop I talked to is owned by a long-time friend that specializes in restoration work so it will have zero bondo or glass in the body when done. My daughter nearly had a heart-attack when she heard the total without even touching the interior :o !
I think mechanically, the engine just needs to breathe better (new TB, cats and exhaust) and a through tune-up since the mileage is horrid right now (around 12MPG). I seem to recall these trucks with a similar set-up (TBI350, 700R4 w/3.08 rear-end) running in the high teens when running right..... ???
The wife and I are already at odds about this truck. She is dead-set against putting any money into it, leaving all of the resto cost to my oldest daughter. I sort of think that is BS since the intent is to keep the truck and pass it along to our other girls (now ages 12 and 7) down the road. Seems like a bum deal for the oldest, plus I intend to drive it too and feel like a little load-sharing is in order.
Since I married a big mean guinny woman, I may need to tread lightly or find a more effective approach..... ;D
v/r
Allen
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The rule I have is at 14 she will get the option to build a car with me like she wants, or at 16, she will get whatever I can get a deal on. I have learned from watching other friends of mine, when the kids have to work on it, they take care of it, if it is just given, count on you spare time doing repairs. And I could care less about the kid being a girl, girls pay closer attention, try harder, and argue less than any boys I have taught. (Plus their reaction times are quicker)
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....when the kids have to work on it, they take care of it, if it is just given, count on you spare time doing repairs. And I could care less about the kid being a girl....
That's actually the funny part. Angela has helped me with the bikes (ElectraGlide and Softail) and the cars (300 SRT8 and '08 Tahoe). Her boyfriend was stunned that she pulled the wheels, swapped pads and re-installed the wheels (at proper torque no less) on the SRT8! This was at 14....
I think the fact that this truck came from her Grandmother (who she is close to) adds some to her interest as well. As I mentioned before, I'm half-tempted to take the truck down and have the paint and body work done all at one shot and take my lumps from the wife later. Angela can re-work the interior and most of the mechanical on her own time (and dime).
What say ye?
v/r
Allen
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pics man pics
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welcome aboard!! sounds like shes gonna have one nice ride. post pics so we can all drool over it...
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Evening from the UK!! Dont worry about asking daft questions - I've asked loads and always get a reply, even if a few take the wee!! ;)
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Welcome from Dayton Ohio!
I fixed up an 4.3 litre S-10 Blazer 4X4 for my daughters first car. She wanted a BRAND NEW mustang!!!! When I drug home the blazer on the trailer with the intention of fixing it and selling it for racing money she fell in love with it and so it became hers. I put patch panels in and repainted the original white but spent more on the radio speakers and i-pod adapter then anything else! My advise is make sure it is safe, reliable and easy for her to drive and DON'T spend a lot on paint and body stuff now. I'm sure she will be a good safe driver but stuff happens. I'm guessing she will drive it daily? School, shopping mall, work? Parking lots do a number on the daily drivers and it's a big vehicle so it's prone to others carelessness.
By all means enjoy the Father Daughter project.
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Here's last Sunday's full tune-up.
Angela is working the left side plugs......
v/r
Allen
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thats a tidy looking truck dude! Bare feet ??? i hope you let the old girl cool down first ;D
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Go Angela! lol
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thats a tidy looking truck dude! Bare feet ??? i hope you let the old girl cool down first ;D
Cooled for the most part, but still warm enough to help get the plugs loose. She found out the manifolds and plugs hold heat for a while :D
It was her idea but it worked out pretty well.... When we got done, she didn't need a shower, it was more like a job for the power-washer!
We started by popping the brake vacuum line and a can of Seafom in upper end of the motor and went thru almost a full can of carb cleaner to break the old junk loose. After about an hour soak, we took her for a "spirited" drive. We won't have any mosquitoes in Camden County any time soon! :o
Got back and tackled the plugs, distributor, fuel filter, oil change and various odds and ends. Old truck actually running pretty strong! We've got a leaker (oil) from somewhere, but we'll hit that after I get back from Iraq (deploying for a year, starting in July).
I think everything now is cosmetic for the most part. We just need a new exhaust to let her breathe better!
Had a good time, Angie is learning more and having fun ripping stuff apart. What's not to love!
v/r
Allen
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wow man, she doesnt mind workin on her own ride i can see! that's awesome. that is one pretty Silverado too...love that color pattern...
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Ha, those pix remind me of when my wife and I were first married. Her truck needed a tune up, and I was working on my Super Beetle's carbs. She came over and said she would change the plugs, so I said ok, set her up with the tools, and went back to work on the bug. (She'd taken auto shop, so I knew she knew what to do) Well, a half hour passed, I finished the bug, and looked up to see what she was doing. Well, I didn't see her anywhere, so I figured she'd given up, and went inside. (She knows how, just is limited in strength at 5ft and 100 lbs soaking wet) Well, I walked around to the front of the truck to see her in the engine bay, sitting on the fenderwell, putting the last one in. I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. Thank God, I am tall, because I would never fit in there. Thats a good kid your raising there, I hope my daughter does the same.......Nice truck, and Thank you for your service to our Country. My best friend is in Iraq, and our prayers are with all of you guys, and gals. Need to set her up on here so we can keep up with the progress, and help her anyway we can. Thanks and God Bless
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yea, i'm pretty small myself and i can get inside my Sierra's engine bay when needbe...lol. BTW, not to thread jack, but do you still have Bugs choptop? i'm a HUGE air-cooled Bug fan...
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No, I traded my baby for a 66 Chevy stepside which I later traded fro a 83 GMC crewcab dually. I miss that bug. It was a 71 super beetle with a 1777cc dual weber setup w/ a stinger exhaust. It would fly, and still get 26+ mpg. Hope to build another sometime...
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yea, i've had a few of 'em, but my favorite was a '72 Super Beetle with a 1776 dual Kadrons. i forget the name of the exhaust it had but it was a performance muffler that tucked under the apron...quick lil bugger. it was a teal color that looked green if you looked one way, blue the other...really pretty car...had white/black interior...man i miss it...my wife now hates 'em, i told her "tough stuff, i will get another one...soon"
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Shoot that's a nice ride! Good shape overall, F.I., A/C. A pick up is as useful as a big hammer, put that woman in her place and spend as much as you want on it. (I can say that being 500 miles away! he he he heck!!)
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welcome