HISTORY

 

I bought this truck to “build it out” to pull my 38’ 5th wheel. 

My wife has now decided that we must have an extended-cab or crew cab truck for our trips, so this one has to go.

 

I always buy used trucks, but I don’t generally buy high-mileage trucks (this one has 210,000 miles). 

I bought this one because I know everyone who has ever driven it,

and I know that it was maintained throughout its life according to factory specifications.

 

This standard cab truck was originally in service at an agricultural cooperative near my hometown in Western Nebraska

and was maintained by the in-house mechanics there.  When the co-op bought a new truck, one of the mechanics who worked there

bought it and I bought it from him and drove it out here.

 

I drove the Great White Buffalo to Los Angeles from Nebraska last December, over the Rocky Mountains and through snow and ice,

averaging 12.8 mpg on the highway.  Since then, I’ve put about 10,000 miles on the truck without incident. 

If you buy this truck, it will tow anything, not as fuel-efficiently as a diesel, but for a fraction of the purchase price.

 

I’ve already done all of the required mechanical work, but haven’t started on the “cosmetics” yet, so this truck is kind of like Chuck Lidell: 

strong as an ox inside, but “all beat to hell” outside.

 

SPECIFICATIONS (This is a “do stuff” truck, not a “drive around” truck.)

 

·      MODEL:  K3500 (1-ton)

·      CAB:  REGULAR/STANDARD

·      ENGINE:  Vortec 7400 V-8 (7.4L, 454 c.i.) with Multi-Port Fuel Injection.  This is the last generation of the venerable GM 454. 

    The 1-ton version in this truck is rated at 305 hp, throwing 415 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm.  (By comparison, a 1997 Ford 7.3L

     Powerstroke is rated at 215 hp, throwing 425 lb-ft of torque, but at only 1,600 rpm.  The point is, this truck will pull anything a Ford

     diesel will pull, albeit at 9 mpg instead of 13 mpg and at twice the rpm.)

·      TRANSMISSION:  Heavy-Duty MT1-4L80-E Automatic Transmission, rated to max GVWR of 18,000 pounds

     (so, the truck plus SIX TONS of weight/tongue weight).

·      TRANSFER CASE:  Borg-Warner 4401 (this heavy-duty transfer case was used only for the K3500 and Kodiak trucks).

·      REAR DIFFERENTIAL:  Dana 80,  4:10

 

RECENT MAINTENANCE REPAIRS

 

·      8 New OEM Injectors ($700)

·      New Front Brake Rotors, Calipers and Pads ($650)

·      New Interstate 6-Year 800 CCA Battery ($150)

·      New Sony X-Plod XM-ready AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo ($150)

·      Recent Full-Synthetic Oil Change

 

COSMETICS

 

I didn’t buy this truck ‘cuz it was ‘purty’:  there are a number of “work truck dents and dings” (see photos).  These ‘boo-boos’ include:

 

·      Dent in hood

·      Dent in driver’s side B-pillar.

·      Barbed-wire scratches along left side.

·      Dent/Scrape on lower passenger door.

·      Cracked Windshield (I’ve ordered it and will have it installed prior to sale)

 

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT 

 

If someone pays my "Buy-It-Now" price – or close to it – these items will come with the truck (If not, I’ll take them off before sale.):

 

·      Heavy-Duty Fiberglas Toolbox

·      Reese 15K 5th-Wheel Hitch W/Rails

·      New (March 2014) Trailer Brake Controller

·      New  (March 2014) 7-Pin (RV) Electrical Connector

 

OTHER

 

·      The front tires were new 5,000 miles ago (say 95% tread).  The rear tires are at about 30% and will need to be replaced

     in the next few thousand miles.

·      The truck needs an alignment pretty soon.  (I’ll be trying to get that done this week.)

·      Clean, clear Nebraska Title.

·      Current Registration.

 

I’m not really interested in trades, but I’ll entertain interesting ones.  (I have to buy another truck as soon as I sell this one,

so I’d be willing to trade it plus cash for a 3/4 -ton 4x4 that meets my needs.)

 

I started building this truck as a specialized tow vehicle.  While doing so, I poured way, way too much money into it

to make sure it is mechanically sound for pulling my 5th wheel (it is).  My overspending is my problem, not your problem,

but at my Reserve Price I’m already losing about $1,500-$2,000, so I won’t go all that much lower