88-02 or so Chevrolet/GMC 1500

[Tzu]

I have a '00 Silverado 1500 w/5.3 and our work truck is a '00 K2500 w/350 and if I had to do it again, I'd go with the older truck. While my 5.3 is peppy, the 350 would be considered a better engine by me. The older trucks had bad rusting with cab corners but not much else, compared to the '99 and up that some look terrible now with cab corners, rockers, wheel well areas, tailgates rusting out. To me the older trucks are trucks while the newer trucks are built like cheap cars with big engines.

I don't hate my truck, but driving the old style next to the "newer" style makes it easy to see the difference. Should have bought a rust free '98 with the 350 instead of the 5.3. Oh well....

 

[ls1mike]

You are comparing a 3/4 ton truck to a 1/2 ton truck.
I have had 2 half ton 350s, a 3/4 ton 350 and 1 ton 454.
None of them held a candle to the my 6.0 truck. It is just easier to live with and makes more power. I had an 04 5.3. I would take that over a 350 any day. I guess it is preference, but when it comes to actual maintenance. The 5.3 and the 6.0 are just better. Dry intakes, better water pump. No leaky oil pans or valve covers.

Rust where I live is not an issue thank goodness for that.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Yea, thanks. This will be my DD, but I just don't drive much since I'm not couriering anymore.


No rust to worry about here either, but old stuff still has some surface rust underneath the body.

I got my fix on the top end rush I was always looking for when I had some 600cc sport bikes, now I want low end, lugging torque.

This will be my second truck and I am 33. My first was about 10 years ago, a pos Dakota ex cab 3.9 auto...a real dog.


I kind of wanted a sport truck with a short wheelbase so it would be enjoyable around town, Turning quickly and all, but the utility of the 6.0's 8ft bed might be useful in the future as I plan on keeping one of these trucks for a good while.


I like both and was wanting an older truck that will be an antique and get one of those sharp looking license tags ( they look really cool on good looking 3rd gen camaro cars).


I hope my creeper comes in so I can look underneath the vehicles.

I already test drove the 6.0, it had a flow aster and sounded just right and the 3rd gear pulled rediculously strong. It cruises at 60 mph at 2000 rims. The 96 vortec 350 I test drove back in may, pulled 25-30 mph in second gear at like1500 rpm, it had Rey good low end torque.



I'm sure either will be enjoyable to own, maintain, and drive... But, I'm really loving the 03. It's just difficult,since I started my search many months ago dead set on an 88-99 1500.butthenagain,I really didn't realize a truck like the 2500 2003 even existed.

 

[mjoekingz28]

01 ranger, I have about five gallons on 10w30 say power I bought for my Saturn back in may when my company was paying me with a debit/credit card. I don't mind the extra quart, but to be honest, I'm really tired of adding oil since I'm coming from an s series.

Merkava, hopefully the passenger I do chauffeur around will be a pretty little short thing.

U r right Mark, do have to have that bump, knock, beat, tap.

Tau, I don't know about calling the, cheap cars, since they can tow more. It was raining at the time, but after a thorough exam, all I found was a parking brake that would not retract on its own and a failed weld holding the exhaust tip to its hangar.


Ls1Mike, you have been helpful in ore than one of my threads. When my grandfather got his 5.3 automatic back at the millenium I decided to like the 5.3 more than the 350, but after having it on cruise thru the hills I got tired of hearing it kick down. Then I decided more power where you use it is better than more up high. Sure it is faster, but, it doesn't drive and pull as strong unless you are racing.

 

[ls1mike]

Most LS motors don't make peak power until 4400 rpm. That is how they were designed. The 6.0 you are looking at is leaps and bounds above the old 350. You have to considerer gearing as well. Without know the gears it hard to say why one kicks down when the other does not.

A 5.3/6.0 will tow circles around a 350, you just have to use the RPMs. I have towed with all them. You could not give me my old 454 to replace the current 6.0 I have. It is difference between pulling Vantage out here in Washington state at 60 mph with pedal left or 42 mph on the floor with my old 454 (same exact trailer.) My old Vortec 350, well it was not even close to the 6.0 or 454 35 and screaming. It was painful. We are talking 7500lbs.

If you don't like the higher RPMs then you are stuck with the old 350, but after maintaining both you would be hard pressed to give me a reason to go back.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Most LS motors don't make peak power until 4400 rpm. That is how they were designed. The 6.0 you are looking at is leaps and bounds above the old 350. You have to considerer gearing as well. Without know the gears it hard to say why one kicks down when the other does not.

A 5.3/6.0 will tow circles around a 350, you just have to use the RPMs. I have towed with all them. You could not give me my old 454 to replace the current 6.0 I have. It is difference between pulling Vantage out here in Washington state at 60 mph with pedal left or 42 mph on the floor with my old 454 (same exact trailer.) My old Vortec 350, well it was not even close to the 6.0 or 454 35 and screaming. It was painful. We are talking 7500lbs.

If you don't like the higher RPMs then you are stuck with the old 350, but after maintaining both you would be hard pressed to give me a reason to go back.


I couldn't agree more.

Growing up I had many 350 small blocks. Today the 6.0 in my C3 is head and shoulders above anything Chevy I've ever had before.
The 5.3 is also great.
The LS series has proven itself everywhere from towing rv's to circle track racing,and everything in between.
To compare a 350 to a 5.3 isn't really fair. The 350 is out of breath by 4000 rpm in most forms stock whereas the 5.3 is just getting started.

 

[Joe_H]

I fully agree with ls1mike. The 03 will be head and shoulders above the older 350. More power, capability, smoother, quieter, better handling.. Generally, the newer the better when it comes to trucks. I moved from a 350 to an 01 Silverado and couldn't believe the difference, and thats with the little 4.8.

 

[wirelessF]

If you are into sounds there is a greater chance that the stock speakers are "blown" or the previous owner has installed aftermarket speakers. The foam surround just disintegrates from natural causes and pounding bass just blows out the foam.

 

[Tzu]

It appears that I am in the minority on the 350 vs 5.3 differences. That's fine. I forgot to mention that my truck has the 3.42 rear end vs the 3.73 in the work truck. That might make me think the 350 seems quicker, but I don't due 0-60 times or haul heavy loads up long hills on a regular basis. Piston slap was common on those years 6.0 and my 5.3 has it too. Many people could care less about it and some it bothers. I don't like hearing it, but I'm used to it by now. Our 350 is very quiet in any temperature on cheap oil.

The post about saggy doors, broken inner/outer door handles is right on the money for the older body style, but fairly cheap and easy to fix. I just got done doing all 3 on the driver's door at work. To each his own, but if everyone raves about the 6.0, maybe there is your answer. Good luck on whatever you get.

 

[ls1mike]

3.42 gears? That is some highway junk right there. I didn't even know they offered that with the 5.3.

My current truck is a 4.10, my BBC was a 4.10.

 

[wirelessF]

3.73+low stall torque converter+conservative shift logic make the 5.3 feels like a pig. A 4.7l import truck I used to drive seems to have more punch off the line vs my 02 5.3 I'm driving now.

 

[wtd]

Here are my two Classic body 98 chevy trucks. The green one is a K1500 with the 5.7/Auto with 3.73 rear gears that I bought new with 128,000 miles and the black one is a K3500 with the 7.4L/auto with 4.10 rear gears with 106,000 miles.



They did make a Classic style truck like my 98 in 1999 for a short time period. I know because when I went to check out the new design trucks, they had a 99 old body style truck sitting on the lot in a lighter green color than my truck. Window sticker also said 1999 on it.

I think the 88-99 old body style truck looks way nicer than the 99 and up newer style. I don't like the newest versions at all.

The newer engines have good power but they are higher up on the rpm scale. I like the power lower on the rpm scale so the 5.7 and 7.4 are fine for what I need them to do.

Wayne

 

[mjoekingz28]

I'm pulling the plug. Saturday I'm going back to Texas to do another inspection and hopefully drive back an 03 2500 6.0 5spd regular cab with roll up windows.


It's a bit more complex than the classic I was intending to buy, but at 11-12yrs old and 165k miles I think I can get to it just in time before the original fluids that most people neglect to change, degrade the components they are lubricating.

LS1Mike suggested I check the oil cooler lines and fittings, I will also check the oil again and a few things I forgot the first time I looked at it: the paint on the roof, tire psi, the reverse gear, and underneath, but I probably can't get underneath it, all lights and flashers and turn signals, but maybe that's overdoing it! And I plan on some interstate driving during a test run to see how it does at 70-75mph.

It has two sets of wheels: some 16" tractor wheels and some pretty good looking aluminum 16s, two spares all in 245/75-16.

All in all I have been hoping I end up with this truck since it is newer, but not too new to get the afm and other doodad nannies, has the most up I've ever had (had a 97 LT1 with 285), is a heavier duty truck which I didn't intend on getting, but will be there if I do haul or tow, and I've become sweet on having a2500 over a 1500.

It has the NON POWER windows I desperately needed as every vehicle I've ever owned had problems with them. Tinted windows and a flow master that is barely audible at cruise and does not drone at any rpm or throttle opening, pretty tasteful dual outlets w/o shiny tips exiting behind the rear wheels.

Split seats so I can have my subwoofer, and believe it or not, a real live DIN radio on a vehicle from this millenium. It has a new ac delco battery, but no dual setup, too bad. Besides the added complexity, the dual bat is all I'm having to compromise with. I hope I am able to change the clutch when it gives out.


When the owner drove me down the frontage road and 'got on it' it felts like it was bucking somewhat. I don't know if it needs a tuneup or its just how a 2500 rides with tires that call for 80psi, or something worse?


I guess that about does it. So, if anyone has any ideas on what I can look at before handing over the money, let me

I will try to gets some "before" pics before I started working on it and its all tuned-up and pretty!

 

[mjoekingz28]

Just picked her up..... What a thrill!

That 6.0, I kid you not, could probably run around a 15 second quarter mile at around 100 mph. Below 2200 rpm, the vortec 350 kind of stomps on it, but between 2200-3000 rpm, the 6.0 364ci romps. I never got above 3k, there was no need. This is what I've been missing since I last had a V8 in a coupe de ville back in 2005.


I followed my dad back on this 230 mile trip, he had his cruise set at 75and I had no cruise, and with traffic, I had about 500 lbs worth of tires/rims I the 8ft bed.


It has all the luxuries I wanted: intermittent wipers and AC, bonus; it has dual climate.

The upper metal pipe going into the upper part of the radiator on the driver,s side shows sign of leakage, but the coolant level was the same as when I checked it out last month, and it has about 2000 miles on it since then.


Gonna clean it up and change all the fluids and try to grease it when my bone ster comes in.



Pics coming soon, probably in the photo section. Am going to try and document it. Not really a build nor restoration, but a rehab I guess you could say.

 

[Bud_One]

Congrats !!

5 speed... wow! I'm green with envy. That's the only thing I'd change with mine. I love the 4L80-E but I would love it to be a manual trans.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Bud One,

There is an 05 with 80k miles in Waco on the Dallas Craigslist for sale. It's an HD like yours, mine is a plain 2500.

It runs great, but needs a short shifter if you really want to fly, but the 44 mag pistol grip shift knob is ok until I can determine if I can fit a cue ball on it.


Btw, I saw an Indiana sticker on the door and was initially worried hat I was getting a salt belt vehicle, but it just came from the Fort Wayne, Indiana plant. Truck was bought in Baton Rogue new, then to Shreveport, then to the Tx border, now with me, so I am the fourth owner. The radio sounds terrible. It is a discontinued Walmart CD player and I cannot find the bass/treble nor the fader controls. It does have some decent looking Pioneers in the doors, but I can't hear them for the speakers right behind my ear.