1993 W/T

[manchanic]

Howdy from Fort Worth, Texas. Have a 1976 former tow truck with the 454 for a push truck here at the shop. Call it Bessie. My DD is 1993 W/T 4.3, auto, AC, but everything else is bare bones. 190k on the odometer. Built in Fort Wayne, IN. Call it Ol' Red. Originally a GM employee truck. He passed away and his son inherited and neglected the hail out of it I found out later. I bought it at an estate sale with a "blown head gasket" not running (but motor turned over) and they were asking $1200 for it. Talked them down to $700 but wanted to do $500. Got it back to the shop and pulled spark plugs to do a compression/leak down test and blew a bunch of rusty water out of a bunch of the holes on both sides. Pulled the intake manifold and found block was cracked on inside of both banks below the intake. Found a junk yard motor for $250 with over 200k and a 90 day warranty. Got it in and fired up, then noticed water pouring out of the heater core onto the floorboard like an open faucet. I then realized the PO's son didn't even have sense to bypass the heater core and became concerned that the truck was not taken care of like the daughter had said. Got it bypassed and ran truck awhile, then went for a drive and motor started running hot when I started driving it under load. Turns out the used motor has a head gasket leak at #7 so I pulled the t'stat and have been driving it over 2 years now. The rear drums were so out of round and rotors so warped that I thought the truck was going to come apart when I applied the brake. So almost $5k in total later and I now have a decent truck. Granted about $3k went to my mechanic at my shop for labor. One that will last the rest of this old farts life and maybe go to my son one day if he wants it. Have another 4.3 to rebuild. Heads are already done. All new AC including new evap/heater core and lifetime warranty compressor, new brakes and hydraulics (except hard lines) all around that most of it is LT Warr also, all new hoses and radiator. New PS steering pump and hoses and other stuff I've probably forgotten. Put the $100 topper on it and have been driving it. Been to Tulsa twice and almost to Kansas once. Still has some nick-nack stuff and plan on painting it when I install the new motor. It'll be a kind of frame on restore as it where. Interior is still real nice but seat needs re done and new floorboard pad. This looks like a good site. A 94 K1500 belonging to a customer is what brought me here. Have had a love affair with machines since I was a wee laddy and have been turning wrenches over 20 years, have pretty much every AC Delco cert except heavy line and trans rebuilding. Have owned my own shop since 2014. My specialty is engine management and drive ability diagnostics. Never will claim to know it all but have a bunch of useless/useful crap in my head to offer. I collect International Harvester and small stationary engines as a hobby. Thanks for having me.

 

[MrMarty51]

Well Man, welcome to the forum.

 

[DieselSlug]

Welcome!

 

[Will L.]

welcome

 

[btfarm]

Welcome to The Truck Stop!

 

[BIGR]

Welcome to the Truck Stop, manchanic.

 

[Jaryd]

Welcome to the forum

 

[snarl95]

Welcome