Tow rig questions - too many projects

Blaze

Blaze

The Jeeper Reaper
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Location
Wake Forest, NC
So yeah, like the rest of us, I have way too many projects. The project that has taken way longer than wanted and is not done yet is my Suburban. It is a 95 Burb, trans went bad over a year ago and I tore it down for a complete rebuild. I have an NV4500 with tcase and am building an 8.1L for it. The interior is about 80% done. The body is worn and needs a repaint. I've already jambed it in OD green. It's still a long way to go. Need to install engine, wiring, A/C, cooling system, paint it, stereo, and probably a lot of other nickel and dime shit that is going to add up. I also have my pickup truck that I am just finishing up. It's an 88 RCLB GMC C1500 with a Vortec 350 swap, 3/5 drop, 5th gen Camaro wheels, shorty headers, LS fans, etc. I love the truck but it is useless for my family of four.

I am just finishing up my 98 Trans Am which is costing way more than I wanted. When you get up over 700rwtq things start getting a lot more expensive. I am almost done with that now.

So at the moment I have no tow rig and only a lowered standard cab truck as my hauler. If I need to tow I have to borrow my friend's 86 F250 with the 6.9L diesel. It is a farm truck basically. If we want to take the camper anywhere our only thing to tow it with is my wife's V6 WK.

I also have my 56 Chieftain, 66 Lemans and 64 Lemans I'd like to work on at some point.

My buddy keeps telling me to finish the Burb because I'll know everything about it. If I buy another truck it'll come with its own problems. He's probably right, but I still have a lot of money to spend on it. I'm not sure if it'll be cheaper just to punt and sell the Burb and all the parts along with the C1500 and buy a crew cab truck, diesel or something.

What say you, NC4x4 brothers?
 
Put ALL other projects on hold and Finish the Burb. 'Newer/newish' truck prices are stupid. If you have good vacation at your work, maybe take every Friday off work and start working on it at 6-7am until dinner time. Just my random thoughts.
 
Well, I need to finish the TA first really, it is taking up a lot of precious shop space. You end up with a lot of disassembled parts when you pull the engine from a 4th gen.

But the Burb can definitely be the very next in line.
 
StretchASU said:
That isnt encouraging. My wife's 01 RS is on the docket as soon as I get the lift installed.
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Engine needs to come out the bottom, so you gotta drop the cradle and all. You end up with parts everywhere. :lol:

CasterTroy said:
This isn't a thread about "what should I do?"

This is just flat out bragging about how many cool toys he has :kaioken:

That's just messed up man! :p
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They'd be a lot cooler if they were all in one piece. :lol:
 
StretchASU said:
Kind of like the people in the eternal build phase instead of wheelin on what they have and enjoying the vehicle.
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Preach! I know some people just enjoy tinkering, but dang at some point you just need to take all that time and money and go spend said time and money enjoying what you’ve built!
 
77GreenMachine said:
Preach! I know some people just enjoy tinkering, but dang at some point you just need to take all that time and money and go spend said time and money enjoying what you’ve built!
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Why I am focusing on getting my TA done. Finished it earlier this summer. Was driving through the clutch and then noticed metal in the oil. Rebuilding the engine now with more power. Just spent $1400 on a clutch setup. Ugh.
 
I'm in the minority, but that whole list just sounds like toys...and I tend to not try to rely on toys, especially custom built toys. Sure you'll have an intimate knowledge of the burb...but 3 years from now when you're on the side of the highway, after only driving it a half dozen times to tow with it, will you remember the rig quite as well as you do now??? To me, knowing a vehicle only matters when you're in the garage...knowing a vehicle doesn't necessarily make it any more reliable. I don't know the chevy market very well, but sounds like what you'd be willing to sell would be in the $10-12k range. You won't get a brand new diesel ready to tackle Harlan for that amount, but I'd at least think you could get a reliable 150,000 mile tow pig for that.
 
WARNING!!!!! Unpopular opinion ahead but sell em all but one and buy a new-ish truck.It would seem you get distracted easily and buying verses building would get you in a good tow rig quicker.


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Im gonna say put the brakes on everything but the burb. Get it done, and over with. Then you will have a useful vehicle that can fulfill a few roles.
 
77GreenMachine said:
Preach! I know some people just enjoy tinkering, but dang at some point you just need to take all that time and money and go spend said time and money enjoying what you’ve built!
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Would've been easier to just tag me :flipoff2:
 
Chris_Keziah said:
Would've been easier to just tag me :flipoff2:
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Was thinking of you and about 3 others. But the way this bourbon in Knoxville is setup, I’m not thinking real clear...between that and some White Zombie which has me thinking of @ncsutj...
 
77GreenMachine said:
Was thinking of you and about 3 others. But the way this bourbon in Knoxville is setup, I’m not thinking real clear...between that and some White Zombie which has me thinking of @ncsutj...
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In no way saying he wrenches and don’t wheel, just as in, I tried White Zombie only because he recommended it. And the other 5, and the bourbon, I mean, I could derail this whole thread but it’s only Tuesday. But work is buying so you know...
 
Husband will tell you keep the Burb ditch the 8.1 replace with 5.7 Supercharge for better mileage an same pulling. We had a 8.1 Burb mileage was 9.5 MPG empty,5.9 with 5k on the tail. The 95 we have now is a Supercharge 5.7 with better mileage both ways empty an loaded. Got it free so to speak but a high price in the long run. It was willed to us when his friend pass away. Just a thought.
 
Pick one, finish it, sell that one put money into another, finish, keep going till you have the cash, and a toy, or two, go buy a dependable tow rig, and start enjoying what yu have vs always working on them, trying to find the small parts, and the 10mm socket you lost.
do maintenance, small upgrades, Gradually, and live life differently, or until you find another project.:shaking:
 
Go Dave Ramsey on it.

Which project is closest to being done?
Put all of the beans in that pot and get it done.
Which project is next closet to being done?
When the first is done then put the money and time into that one.

Bouncing from one to the next is the issue and not getting anywhere on any of them.
 
So how stripped down is the burb? You said it needed a trans rebuild, so you pulled it. But if that’s the only thing missing out of the drivetrain, stick a reman in there till you gather all your parts for the 8.1/nv4500 swap.
 
77GreenMachine said:
In no way saying he wrenches and don’t wheel, just as in, I tried White Zombie only because he recommended it. And the other 5, and the bourbon, I mean, I could derail this whole thread but it’s only Tuesday. But work is buying so you know...
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You Asheville drunk o_O

Finish the T/a then get on to the Burban. Then fill the urge to always fuck with something with other projects like the old Pontiac's. I know the feeling of never being able to leave a project alone, fairly certain it's an incurable curse.
 
iwaxmyjimmy said:
So how stripped down is the burb? You said it needed a trans rebuild, so you pulled it. But if that’s the only thing missing out of the drivetrain, stick a reman in there till you gather all your parts for the 8.1/nv4500 swap.
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The body is complete, I have the interior mostly put back in. I have everything (most at least) to put it together. Most of the expensive stuff has already been bought.
 
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