A learn me thread: 1981 Chevy Cheyenne

Alrighty...

I just got an entirely bizarre trade offer.

I have a spare transmission laying around i'm not going to use.

I was offered a 1981 Cheyenne for it.

81 Chevy Cheyenne Half Ton 305/5.0 Liter v8 Automatic Four barrel It runs! Exterior looks great, interior is a bit tattered. I have all past registration information from the previous owners, but do not have the title. The truck was traded to my roommate, and we have no room in the driveway for another car lol.

Just how terrible of an idea is this?

What are these trucks good for? Could i tow with it? I'm hoping it has 4wd.

I ASSume title issue won't be bad in this state, they seem to not care about things too much.

What sort of highway MPG could i expect? 2? maybe 4?

Heavily smogged 305 will be a dog, but if it runs decent, sell for quick profit. make sure the title can get cleared up first of course.

What are you trading for it?

What sort of transmission do you have laying around and why would a person be willing to trade a supposedly running truck for it?

I hate title issues and so does the state in which I live. As a result, I've never bothered with anything that doesn't have a title, but I'd ask the police, or in actuality a friend who is a cop so I didn't have to go to the station, to run the vin to make sure it isn't stolen.

It will have rust. Floorboards, cab corners, rockers, etc. But as I said in the "old school tow vehicle" thread...they are lego-mobiles.

I challenge anyone to find a cheaper-to-fix/maintain vehicle than this. Fuel pump: $20. Starter: $70 (that seems high...but what O'reilly lists right now), Alternator: $30. Not that I'd recommend it, but you could rebody the thing with JC Whitney as a source.

Sure...it won't get good fuel mileage. But who cares. Use it as a truck when you need a truck.

If it were me my plan would be:

Trade (if your transmission is not worth more than about $250).
Register with historic tags (in MO that means no inspection and it never expires).
Use it as a truck.
Trade again if you so desire.

If you want to keep it, trim down the non-functional smog stuff (I'm a greenie and I still do this), peruse CL weekly for good deals on parts (better seat, a bed that's not rusty, etc, etc).

Yes...you can tow with it. 305s have a bad reputation, but they are reliable mules.

Clem

Gearheadotaku wrote: Heavily smogged 305 will be a dog, but if it runs decent, sell for quick profit. make sure the title can get cleared up first of course.

Well that's the catch.... it'd be ANOTHER fly 'n' drive to California, which is why i'm wondering about highway MPG.

I don't think title will be an issue.

If it tows, i'd probably keep it.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Well that's the catch.... it'd be ANOTHER fly 'n' drive to California, which is why i'm wondering about highway MPG.

Damn! I don't think I'd be up for that (but roadtrips are hard in my stage of life)...but maybe my rust comments could be unsubstantiated...at least (I was assuming a midwest truck when I made those allegations). I still bet it has rust. They installed it at the factory.

On a purely highway trip...I'd be surprised if you got much more than 20mpg or much less than 15 mpg (unloaded...going the speed limit-ish). Other's may have more accurate ideas though...

Clem

ClemSparks wrote: It will have rust. Floorboards, cab corners, rockers, etc. But as I said in the "old school tow vehicle" thread...they are lego-mobiles. I challenge anyone to find a cheaper-to-fix/maintain vehicle than this. Fuel pump: $20. Starter: $70 (that seems high...but what O'reilly lists right now), Alternator: $30. Not that I'd recommend it, but you could rebody the thing with JC Whitney as a source. Sure...it won't get good fuel mileage. But who cares. Use it as a truck when you need a truck. If it were my my plan would be: Trade (if your transmission is not worth more than about $250). Register with historic tags (in MO that means no inspection and it never expires). Use it as a truck. Trade again if you so desire. If you want to keep it, trim down the non-functional smog stuff (I'm a greenie and I still do this), peruse CL weekly for good deals on parts (better seat, a bed that's not rusty, etc, etc). Yes...you can tow with it. 305s have a bad reputation, but they are reliable mules. Clem

The trans is worth ~$500, but seems to be selling pretty slow this time of year. It's not killing me to keep it, but this was just interesting to me.

drive it on a vacation down to Mexico and Central / South America. If it breaks then leave it. If it gets stolen then you haven't lost anything. Blends in well too

ClemSparks wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Well that's the catch.... it'd be ANOTHER fly 'n' drive to California, which is why i'm wondering about highway MPG.

Damn! I don't think I'd be up for that (but roadtrips are hard in my stage of life)...but maybe my rust comments could be unsubstantiated...at least (I was assuming a midwest truck when I made those allegations). I still bet it has rust. They installed it at the factory.

I just did the drive end of July to pick up my Miata. I can't imagine the drive back being much worse in a full sized truck than it was in a tiny cramped sports car that i couldn't even sleep in.

Bench seats, i could sleep on.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I just did the drive end of July to pick up my Miata. I can't imagine the drive back being much worse in a full sized truck than it was in a tiny cramped sports car that i couldn't even sleep in. Bench seats, i could sleep on.

I can't argue with that. Rock on!

Seriously...you could probably find a $1,000 truck local and be money ahead ;). But who can put a price on a road trip experience ;)

ClemSparks wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I just did the drive end of July to pick up my Miata. I can't imagine the drive back being much worse in a full sized truck than it was in a tiny cramped sports car that i couldn't even sleep in. Bench seats, i could sleep on.

I can't argue with that. Rock on! Seriously...you could probably find a $1,000 truck local and be money ahead ;). But who can put a price on a road trip experience ;)

Probably true... i'm trying to find out what trans/rear end it has to get a better gauge on MPG.

The difference is that i wouldn't really be any money out of pocket for the truck itself for the Cali truck, just the traveling expenses. I'd have to find a nice one locally for $500 and dump the trans for $500 to come out ahead i think.

Or that's what my twisted brain is telling me.

Just have to see if the body is up for two 3000 mile trips within 5 months or not.

Yeah...I wasn't thinking '81 when I posted mileage guesses. It's probably sans overdrive...so that 15-10 mpg might have been optimistic.

The guy I bought my big-block powered '83 from claimed to attain 15 mpg out of it if keeping the tach at some (probably rediculously low) number. He also had like 40 cats...so there's that ding against his credibility.

I always (back in college) wanted to do a cheap-car-roadtrip where a few of us piled in a car with coolers, camping equipment and a couple tires, starters, alternators, etc.

[and yes...I still stand by my "money ahead for a $1,000 truck" statement. Airfare, gas, that's going to add up in a hurry . Still could be fun though.]

tell the guy to call you back when he gets a real, actual, legal title in his name with no liens or anything on it and then do the trade if you've still got the trans.

I would not leave the state it was last registered in until you have a title in-hand. Waiting and trying to do that long distance from Indy could be much harder.

I figure that if it has no title then it may have no plates. Cross country drive with no plates?
If it has no plates or title it may not be getting driven regularly. How ready is it for 3k miles?

I think there's an echo in here: have him sort out the title and scan a copy to you before you buy a plane ticket.

Otherwise, Clem's spot-on: you can keep this thing running for pennies. (For what it's worth, my dad's '86 C35-based car hauler with a 15' enclosed box 454 and no overdrive gets 10mpg loaded up or not. I can't imagine you'd do worse than that.) If insurance/registration/parking isn't a concern for you, keep the thing around to use as a truck when you need one. You'll be amazed that you managed to live without one for so long.

10-15 sounds right. Our old 2wd ram with a 360/TF727 pulled 15 HW with the tailgate down.

Just as a midwest point of reference...I picked up this for a grand:

'83 dually standard cab (the crew cabs are really en vogue right now, with the square body crowd, btw). It's got a bunch of miles (PO said over 200k, but I honestly haven't even looked at the odometer). It's rusty...quite rusty where there's sheet metal...but the chassis is solid. Ultimately, it will likely end up with a flatbed. It's got a 4 speed behind a big block. There are several 2wd longbed beaters on my local CL for under $1,000.

I have Historic tags on it and it'll pull whatever I want it to...eventually (after a hitch and some wiring). Granted, it won't get me there in a hurry, but I'll look like a grizzled old hillbilly doing it! (lol...j/k)

Clem

Honestly, I'd rather have the next generation of full sized trucks, these things really are trucks. Maybe there's some magic shock/spring combo out there but every one that I've ridden in pitched around and rode pretty hard. That said, as has been previously mentioned, these things are seriously lego-vehicles and are very well supported by the aftermarket (and probably GM itself as well). Plus you'd be into the world of Chevrolet small-blocks where anything is possible.

pres589 wrote: Honestly, I'd rather have the next generation of full sized trucks, these things really are *trucks*. Maybe there's some magic shock/spring combo out there but every one that I've ridden in pitched around and rode pretty hard. That said, as has been previously mentioned, these things are seriously lego-vehicles and are very well supported by the aftermarket (and probably GM itself as well). Plus you'd be into the world of Chevrolet small-blocks where anything is possible.

when you say "next generation", are you talking about the 88-98 trucks?

if so, i disagree.. they have a lot of added unnecessary complexity and only ride a little bit better and the ergonomics of the interiors of those things are horrible until they redid the dash and seats in '94. put good tires and shocks on a 73-87 and it is a fairly comfortable ride- even my 79 Chevy 3/4 4X4 chassis with an 87 GMC body on it rides ok since putting new shocks and 265/75/16 Transforce tires on it, and it's got the HD 3/4 ton springs in it..

Got pictures... body looks very solid, some nice patina on the roof, though.

Interior is pretty shot, as i expected.

It's 2wd, so i'm not even going to bother.

Thanks for all the input, though! I'll keep my eyes out for a local one.

My 2wd carburated non overdrive automatic half ton got 19 highway and never less than 15 ever. It had an aluminum camaro Z28 type intake and that's pretty much it. I loved that truck. It had a 350, though. It ran a 17.10 in the 1/4 mile every time with it's 2.73 gearset.

Can you get an abandoned vehicle title in your state?

The title is really not an issue in my state. On something this old, it would just need a police inspection and proof of prior registration.

Do not want 2wd truck, though, so doesn't really matter anyways.

Bumping....

How about this one?

1984, 2wd.

Has this motor in it:

http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance/809/10067353/10002/-1?orderId=4410364&storeId=10001&catEntryId=85884&calculationUsageId=-1&deletePartNumber=809-10067353&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&ddkey=http:OrderItemDelete%20%3Chttp://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance/809/10067353/10002/-1?orderId=4410364&storeId=10001&catEntryId=85884&calculationUsageId=-1&deletePartNumber=809-10067353&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&ddkey=http:OrderItemDelete%3E

Has a knock. Let's assume that i could get it for under $500. Any real way i could go wrong with this?