Quick and easy question, Chevy Truck content

I don't know a lot of information about this, so take it for what its worth, but here is what there is on the table right now.

My girlfriends father is not a car guy. He takes care of them (does what a trusted mechanic says at every oil change) and that is about it. He is asking me for advice (left a voicemail) on a deal that he has been offered:
- 1995 Chevy truck
- V8
- Very little rust (this is third hand, so we're not sure about it)
- 216,XXX miles
- $800

That is all I know. I have no idea if its a 305 or 350, 1/2 or 3/4 ton, 2 or 4WD or anything. Either way, there is pretty much no way to go wrong with this deal if all is as it sounds, correct? Am I right in my recollection that these trucks are (relatively) indestructible? He would just want it as a tow vehicle at their vacation house.

Thanks all in advance.

Also, I'm inclined at this point to tell him go for it because we had an 89 2500 that was an awesome truck. I feel like telling him to buy it so I could possibly buy it from him in a year or two, but I really don't know a whole ton about them.

Those things like to rust, and 216k miles says rust to me. But after that they really do seem pretty solid. The automatic trans isn't the toughest around but it isn't horrible, I bet it smokes a little on startup per bad valve guides that seem common these (and why were the 305's worse about it?) but a 1995 should have the updated interior which are nice and parts for these are everywhere.

For $800 I wouldn't fault someone for wanting to get into it, and then start piling up parts to improve it as needed.

Just got more info on it: Regular Cab, 8 foot bed, 2WD, 3/4 ton.

go for it

I received a cash offer of $2000 for my '95 C1500 extended cab short bed 350 5 speed. Rusty with 205,000 trouble-free miles. I told my wife about it (because we're really cash-strapped right now), and she asked me what I'd replace it with. I need something as reliable and capable as this truck has been to me for ther past 15 years.

So judging by replacement value, my truck is worth much more than $2k to me right now.

I say get this truck. Put $1500 of maintenance into it, and drive it for another 5 years or more.

$800 for a running 3/4 ton truck? why is it not in his driveway already?

is it perhaps an old railroad truck or something like that? that's about the only way we ever see cheap 2wd 3/4 ton trucks up this way- they are usually bright yellow with goofy looking wheels that are offset to the inside to match up with the width of the railroad tracks. the few i've seen all didn't have air conditioning and said "W/T" (work truck) on the tailgate and had old school single square headlights in them with a black plastic grille. interiors are just a basic bench with a rubber floor mat with only an am/fm radio- like a truck is supposed to be.

novaderrik wrote: $800 for a running 3/4 ton truck? why is it not in his driveway already? is it perhaps an old railroad truck or something like that? that's about the only way we ever see cheap 2wd 3/4 ton trucks up this way- they are usually bright yellow with goofy looking wheels that are offset to the inside to match up with the width of the railroad tracks. the few i've seen all didn't have air conditioning and said "W/T" (work truck) on the tailgate and had old school single square headlights in them with a black plastic grille. interiors are just a basic bench with a rubber floor mat with only an am/fm radio- like a truck is supposed to be.

Old Farm/horse truck... Once again, I don't know hardly anything about it. It is owned by (stay with me here) Otis's [late] dads former horse partner. They owned race horses together. I guess it was hauling hay as of last year, but its been replaced by a brand new Ford. (Otis is girlfriends dad).

do it, my last two went for over 230,000 miles each and my dad's go suburban has over 350,000 on it

So being Otis knew the owner he should have a good idea of the trucks history: maintenance, reliability, towing etc. At least it wasn't a municipal or construction truck. A local mom n pop garage could look it over on the lift for a few bucks. And as far as rust for that age of truck, Ford and Dodge have their own issues. For $800 it's sounding better all the time.

My dad has a 94 1/2 ton short bed with the 350 and auto trans. 100k miles. He did have a problem with the trans and a/c. The a/c was covered under warranty. The truck has been dead nuts reliable.

The interior is one of the worst ergonomic designs ever and the throttle body injection idles rough but again dead nuts reliable. At 80 dad doesnt drive much any more, about 3-4k a year. Did I mention the truck is dead nuts reliable?

I thought it sounded like one hellufa good deal. I told him to go for it if he thinks he wants the truck; I think he's getting it so long as the deal doesn't fall through (read: he's not too slow accepting it).

Watch for bad intake gaskets. Is it a heavy or light 3/4? (6 or 8 lugs) If it runs good, it's a good deal. I paid $900 for an '89 350 1/2 ton 2WD that needed brakes and some front end work.

I say go for it, I had a 3/4 ton with the 4.3 and while the engine had problems it was a great truck. Even with bad rod bearings and knocking like crazy it towed a trailer with a MG Midget 3 hours and drove for much longer before the engine was swapped out.