Check out my new purchase guys. I've always wanted a flatbed, saw this one for 1,500 bucks and couldn't pass on it. It has a 454, 4spd manual trans, air, and tons of torque. I plan on making it a stake bed, possibly using oak or pine. The only weird thing for me is the tranny. First gear feels like a low gear on my Blazer's transfer case. Also the gearing is kind of weird, it screams pretty good at 65 in 4th gear. I may need to swap out some more highway appropriate gears since it will be used on the highway from time to time.
(http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL1168/4007052/8881398/122077608.jpg)
(http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL1168/4007052/8881398/122077590.jpg)
(http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL1168/4007052/8881398/122077559.jpg)
1st gear is probably the second gear. It's a 1 tonne dually, so I'd say you have a low gear, for when you're carying a full load. When you're empty, I'd just use the second cog for starts.
Looks to be in decent shape, though. :D I drove my '86 to work today. 19 years old, and still a beauty to drive. (wasn't '87 the last year for the C-x0 bodies? It may be different if this was a fleet vehicle, because I know they continued the C bodies for Suburbans quad cabs, etc.)
LJS30,
You probably have a "granny" gear. Most times, they don't even number the granny gear, the pattern goes G-1-2-3 and so on. You actually take off in what looks like the second gear position, which is where 1st is. The granny is for pulling away with a FULL load, and it probably tops out at 5 mph or so. It should pull a house with a 454 and a granny, and I'd say the only limitation you have on what it will pull is traction to the ground. Anyway, nice looking truck. And yes, they did continue the 1-ton (3500 and up) C-series up til '91, I think. Good luck!
Fordman3
The 88-91 3/4 ton Chevy trucks and Suburbans were no longer called C/K series - they became the R/V series. The new style trucks got the C/K name
Does anyone know how I can find out what gears I have in the rear? Like I said earlier it screams at 65MPH, like it may have 4.10's.
Ah, I see. The Silverado trim and emblems are throwing me off though. :confused:
No idea on the rear. I bet it's heavy and indestructable. :) Unlike the pos timex. :yuck:
Chev 3500 trucks usually have 4.10 4.30 or 4.56 rears.
Most duallies with a towing or hauling package came with the 4.30
On that truck 1 (low) is a "granny gear" used for towing heavy loads, pulling stuff, really steep hills (like loading docks).
For normal driving start in the second lowest gear. If the shifter is L-1-2-3 start it 1. If it is 1-2-3-4 start in 2. Those trucks all have many shifters for the same tranny / shift pattern.
You may be able to swap a 5 speed with overdrive out of a newer 1 ton truck. I believe they still have a creaper gear and overdrive. If memory serves me right your truck has a hydrolic clutch as aposed to the z bar of the earlier years. That should make the swap easier.
One of my first summer jobs involved driving an old late 80s 1-ton GM flatbed. 454 with a 3+1 tranny.
It was handful with 10,000lbs of concrete on the back. Anything above 45 mph resulted in a death-wobble. It probably would have been more fun to drive had it had any maint. done in the last 10 years.
Sounds like fun... :giggle:
Anyhow, Nice purchase, that thing is a beast. And I agree, pretty nice looking for it's age.
Hmmmmmmmmm wonder how that 454 with an RV cam installed would perform. :)
I'm proud of us! 11 replies and no "Chevies are gay!" comments. Don't think you'll hear them from me either. We have an '83 project C-10 sitting in the garage that's been there forever. Anyway, looks like a very tough truck. Now you need a good hitch and car trailer on it so you can buy more T-birds! Oh, any idea on the gas mileage? Something like 6 - 10 or so? Heh.
oh sorry, chevies suck,....or are gay I mean.
They're not gay, they're just... um... confused...
Just because Tucker Carlson wears a bowtie, it doesn't mean everyone else wearing one is gay too.
Actually I've never bought a t-bird, I'm a Mark 7 guy.:D However I am restoring my mom's 83 Cougar, so the flatbed will be used to haul parts for all kinds of cars including that one. :D