Time for a change

For hobbies other then snowmobiles.
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400brian
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Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

Time for a change

Post by 400brian »

Recently decided that the '85 K-10 Chevy 4x4 that I've been driving since the early '90s needed to be retired. 170,000 ( 90 K on second engine ), hubs are shot, front end is shot ( new tires last about a year ), very badly rusted ( I'm on the third gas tank ).

The frame rusted off 3 years ago, dropping the heavy spring cushion rear bumper on the ground. I repaired it with a cast off drawbar from a haybine and some flat stock, at the request of local law enforcement. :lol22:

My father had bought the truck new in the fall of '84, I guess it's the best Chevy truck we've owned. It has been used hard, pulling chopper boxes of silage, gravity wagons of ear corn, hay wagons, ect.

Standard cab trucks are kinda hard to find. Found this one on Auto Trader, up in Green Bay. '98 3/4 ton 4x4, 85 K. pretty much loaded.
So other than that this one will smell like the farm, I now have a back up truck to the red '98 extended cab 4x4 I've been pulling the snowmobile trailer with.

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Last edited by 400brian on Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
Mr. Deere
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Location: Rutland, MA

Time for a change

Post by Mr. Deere »

Lucky I love that style truck. Chevy did it right. Nice shape that one is in too. My dad has owned them from the Custom Deluxe to the Silverado early 3 on tree 94 1500. To the 05 we have in the driveway. I loved that old 94. To bad the Tranny went. :sad: BOB
Last edited by Mr. Deere on Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BOB From MASS
OWN: 1 1983 JOHN DEERE LIQUIFIRE 440
1 1973 JOHN DEERE JDX8 440
1 1982 JOHN DEERE SPORTFIRE 440
1 2000 SKIDOO MXZ 600
GOTTA LOVE THAT TWO STROKE SMELL
JDT
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Real Name: Todd
Location: Milbank South Dakota

Time for a change

Post by JDT »

Brian your timing on the Chevy truck post is ironic.
Just two days ago I let my old 79 Chevy Big 10 sell to a guy that wanted to used it in a pickup demo derby in August.
I had the truck for 10 years. It was special ordered with 8 section leafs, 4.10 Posi rearend, 350 4-bolt main, twin 20 gallon saddle tanks and a massive step bumper.

It would pull anything you wanted to hook behind it. I once made a run to MI with a 24 foot triple axle trailer. Got 14.5 mpg on the way out empty and 13.5 mpg coming back to SD with eight sleds on the trailer and one in the box.
I will miss it. Loved the ride. But it was oh so rusty and the tranny was slipping in reverse. But with 333,000 miles on it, the time had come.

My other truck is also a Chevy, 95 WT 1500 with 345,000 miles on it. It is a 4x4 with 4.3 V-6 and a 5-speed manual. Gets 22 MPG and 19-20 pulling two sleds on the trailer. With the big trailer it will not stay in 5th and milage drops to 16 but still better than a V-8.

I have had Dodge and Fords also. They are each as good as the next. Changing oil every 3000 miles is the key to longeveity in my book. My Dodge had 410,000 before the frame sagged so bad I could not close the doors. I had an 82 Chevy 6,2 Diesel that was at 485K when I sold that. Manual tranny also and was a great truck.

I am a tight wad and buy them cheap when the origianl owner gets nervious from high miles. Some guy over your way logged up 1 Million miles on his Chevy. A 78 if I recall. It was on the news last year.

Buy the way the posted truck looks very clean. And a 3/4 ton to boot. :angel:
Todd Schrupp

Milbank SD
Liquifire 4/6
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Location: Roblin, MB

Time for a change

Post by Liquifire 4/6 »

That's a really nice looking truck, Brian. Should last you a long long time like any Chevy pick up. Been driving Chevs my whole life except for a couple Ford mistakes in the late 90's. Ok, the Fords weren't bad trucks if a guy happened to own an oil well or two.....but I didn't. All my Chevs stood up great aside from a blown tranny in my 96. I was told the 94-96 models had a fair bit of tranny troubled, but yours being a 98 will hopefully be good.

Only thing I don't like is the 4X4 decals. Why is it that the manufacturers insist on putting those things on all the 4WD trucks? Shouldn't it be obvious enough to most people that a truck that sits a bit high and has driveshafts going to the front wheels, is likely a 4x4? Maybe the decals were ok in the seventies when 95% of the trucks were 2WD..........but now almost everyone has a 4by. Maybe GM should start putting "Power Steering, AM/FM/CD, Leather Upholstery, etc" decals on their vehicles as well just so passersby know what they are up against. Pardon me if I seem to be going on and on, but seeing those decals on darn near everything on the road that isn't a 4 door sedan is starting to get to me. I've been thinking I should get some "=16" decals made up to sell on ebay. Then, people could place them just to the right of the 4x4 decal and finally have the answer.

Congrats on your purchase, Brian.
Peter from Roblin, Manitoba
Matt
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Time for a change

Post by Matt »

Very nice truck, just the look & stance says "I mean business"
:usa: Matt - JDsleds.com Administrator
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Danzig
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Real Name: Paul File
Location: Van Orin, Illinois

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Post by Danzig »

Wanna run them.... :popcorn:



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1973 JDX8
1978 Liquifire 340
1980 Liquifire 440 CC Racer
1980 Liquifire 440
1982 Liquifire 440


"Gotta Lick It Before You Stick It"
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Danzig
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Post by Danzig »

What was I thinkin'..... :pray:

I cant run my truck, its junk!! :green:
1973 JDX8
1978 Liquifire 340
1980 Liquifire 440 CC Racer
1980 Liquifire 440
1982 Liquifire 440


"Gotta Lick It Before You Stick It"
Mr. Deere
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Location: Rutland, MA

Time for a change

Post by Mr. Deere »

Living up here in New England buying something that old and not having rust is a Needle in a Haystack.
BOB From MASS
OWN: 1 1983 JOHN DEERE LIQUIFIRE 440
1 1973 JOHN DEERE JDX8 440
1 1982 JOHN DEERE SPORTFIRE 440
1 2000 SKIDOO MXZ 600
GOTTA LOVE THAT TWO STROKE SMELL
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HoosierDeereMan
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Real Name: Troy Miley
Location: Oakland City, IN

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Post by HoosierDeereMan »

Brian,

Very nice looking truck! :clap: I hope you have good luck with it. We've had alot of Chevy trucks on the farm back in the 70's and 80's. All were 1/2 tons and suffered from cancer in the fender wells, rocker panels, and cab corners. I had a 76 3/4 ton 4x4 and a 84 1 ton 4x4 with 454 4 speed with granny low. I could never pass a gas pump with out stopping in that one but it would tow anything. I've always been a Chevy man but was offered a 90 Dodge with the Cummins at a give a away price. When I sold it it had 510,000 miles on it and still ran strong. It's still on the road. My truck now is a '02 Dodge Cummins dually with 6 speed 4x4. I like those Cummins turbo diesels. I'd say you have the best of all worlds there. A heavy work truck, the newer body style that drains instead of rusting out, and one that probably gets some decent gas milage.
'72 400
'73 400, (2)500's, 600
'74 295/S (restored) 2010 HOF poker run survivor.
'75 800, JDX8,
'75 340/S 2011 & 2012 Vintage Challenge finisher.
'76 (2)400's
'78 Liquifire 340,440
'79 Spitfire
"If it has Tits, Tires, or Tracks it's gonna cost you money!"
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400brian
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Time for a change

Post by 400brian »

Finally got the refurbished bumper on the truck. I'll be pulling more than I'll ever haul.

Matt, got any more of these stickers?

Attachments:

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
Matt
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Real Name: Matt
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Post by Matt »

Holy freakin bumper! Ya, got them in black, yellow, or green. E-mail me with what you want.
:usa: Matt - JDsleds.com Administrator
Jack Frost
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Time for a change

Post by Jack Frost »

Nice looking truck Brian! I have had a few different makes over the years :silenced: but will only buy Chevrolet or GMC now.

Matt how much for the decals?
1978 340 CC Liquifire
I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included
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JDXspec
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Post by JDXspec »

Nice bumper Must be a DMI ag hitch. I only wish one could find those in a reciever style. Only have to get close and the rest is easy swing or extend the hitch. Not to mention the hitch is cushioned for those jerking trailers.
Own 74 295/s, 75 340/S, 800, 76 440 Liquifire, 300, Liquidator (3), 78 440 Liquifire, 340 Liquifire CC, 80 Liquifire, 82 Trailfire LX, 83 Sprintfire 84 Sportfire
JDT
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Real Name: Todd
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Post by JDT »

Looks like the colors are peaking in SW WI?
Todd Schrupp

Milbank SD
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400brian
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Post by 400brian »

JDT wrote:Looks like the colors are peaking in SW WI?
Actually we're a bit past the peak. 2 weeks ago was probably the best, it was quite colorful this year.

Yes, this is a DMI bumper. I think Pa bought it new back in '92. It had been on an '88 most recently. If you are pulling wagons, you gotta have one!
Last edited by 400brian on Wed Oct 22, 2008 12:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
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