Just an observation. My son has a 1985 C10 pickup. Pretty nice truck has factory AC, power windows/locks, Silverado trim level etc. Has the 350/TH400 combo and not a power house but gets the job done. Here is where I made a dramatic realization- went with him to get a round bale for my horses and first thing I notice is the truck rides decent (it is a 2WD) and the hood slants downwards making visability MUCH MUCH better then newer trucks with the huge hoods etc. I was like hey I love my RAM and Sierra Denali but this old '85 C10 does everything they do with better visability and almost as much comfort- just less bells, whistles and power. I could see everything on the road and parking was easy - guess that is why my RAM has front and rear park aids because you can't see anything!
OLD TRUCKS VS NEW TRUCKS
- Thread starter GMBoy
- Start date
And the avrrage guy can fix it on the side of the road.
I’d take an old truck ANY day over a new POS that comes with a hefty payment. No thanks.
Old school for the win. Here. There. And anywhere.
Old school for the win. Here. There. And anywhere.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
So I have owned a 71 K5, 85 square body, 1989 GMC 1 ton, 88 Chevy 3/4 ton, 97 Chevy 350 1500, 02 2500HD, 17 3500 HD and the current 24 2500HD. I'll be brief. Everything before 02 was eh. Your memories are only remembering the good stuff, Kind like when you retire from the Military. The 24 is amazing, brakes, power, comfort. No way would I hook up to The float or my travel trailer with the OBS stuff and before and pull in modern traffic. Crap brakes, intake leaks, spider injection. 3 and 4 speed transmissions, TBI. You fine folks can keep that old stuff.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
How bout we just talk about mileage. The GM gas 6.6 has been out since 2020 a bunch with 200,000 to 300,000 miles on them and tow 15,000 lbs. No Carbed or TBI truck with a 350 or 454 is doing that. Reliably or keeping up with modern traffic. My 89 GMC had a 454 replaced at 54,000 mile. It towed a whole 5500 lbs 5th wheel, second engine was better. Lets talk about how long none lock up turbo 400s and 350s live behind that weight. 700R4? Nope. I have had plenty of old trucks. When you are talking 3/4 ton and up I do not agree at all. Trucks are for work. New trucks do it better.
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4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Did you really just say no 350 or 454 is going to make it 200,000 miles?
What planet have you been living on?.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Here is my current micro fleet of little old to nearly new. 2002 f350 w V10 and 4.33 rear, 2004 navigator with a 32v V8, 2015 f350 w 6.2l V8, and a 2019 f350 dually with a 6.7 diesel.
All these trucks perform well do cross country hauling with fully loaded trailers without fear.
The dually is a beast and has features beyond belief. But the sleeper of the four, the Navigator with the 32v V8. Earlier this week I did a trailer tow 1750 miles across numerous mountain rangers with a loaded 7500 lbs trailer, and the interior of the Navigator was loaded with tools.
The 2004 Navigator towed like a dream, the air suspension was wonderful, and the fuel mileage very impressive. But, no air suspension parts available for the Navigator, and many other parts are discontinued. Makes keep the Navigator on the road questionable.
All these trucks perform well do cross country hauling with fully loaded trailers without fear.
The dually is a beast and has features beyond belief. But the sleeper of the four, the Navigator with the 32v V8. Earlier this week I did a trailer tow 1750 miles across numerous mountain rangers with a loaded 7500 lbs trailer, and the interior of the Navigator was loaded with tools.
The 2004 Navigator towed like a dream, the air suspension was wonderful, and the fuel mileage very impressive. But, no air suspension parts available for the Navigator, and many other parts are discontinued. Makes keep the Navigator on the road questionable.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
They do, but not towing like new trucks. I had 3 of them.I put lots of miles on all of them. The TBI trucks were horrible. Intake leaks, TBI adapter leaks, a/c
Failures, crap brakes, the frames sucked. I can go on and on. Honestly I think the last 6.0/6l90E GM trucks were their best 3/4 ton and up gassers GM has made.
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Tell me how your 2024 holds up in 39 years. Btw those 6.6 gassers have been failing with under 10,000 miles, how are those transmissions holding up? not well.
I agree! He has a friend with an 87 and the FI makes a difference. My son is just going to go the Holly fuel injection kit down the road. We are also 4WD only truck guys but this one came along in a unique way - we were restoring it for a girl who was going to give it to her Dad. We already did all the work mechanically and I mean everything was done. The next step was interior and paint but she got in a huge fight with her dad and she said hey sell it I am done. Mind you she already bought the truck and was paying us to restore it - she let us have it for $2500 so even as 2WD we bought it.Yeah and manufacturers took advantage of the federal mandate of BUCs to make rear visibility extra poor, esp in SUVs
My problem with your exact example is carburetion. Move a couple years to TBI and I'm in! And it's gotta be 4wd here in CO
You didn't say anything wrong for sure. I agree. My post was more nostalgic and how you can see better and the trucks were not so big as they are now.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
They also make and sell a lot more trucks now then they did in the 80s and 90s so it Is logical to see some failures because they make so many. The 10 speed is pretty good and please show me all the 6.6 failures. I'm on 3 large sites and it is few and far between. If you think that never happened to a 350 or 454 we are certainly not on the same planet, you only have to talk to the RV guys and farmers.
Who is towing 8 tons with a half ton. Apples to oranges.
Come park your 3/4 ton in a downtown parking ramp and get back to me on how awesome they are.
I personally believe anything over GVWR of about 5 tons should be a commercial license. I see 5th wheels upside down in the ditch on a regular basis on the interstates here, or driving their 5th wheel around like its some sort of sports car. And yes, I have driven much larger myself, including class A. Grew up around such things and have driven almost everything at one point or another.
I have a few questions here!
1) Were you using Synthetic Trans Fluid?
2) Did you have a Deeper Trans Pan with more capacity?
3) Were you running an External Trans Cooler, like a Derale Trans Cooler that has the Stacked Plate setup?
