Help me pick my first 1st Gen truck!

[DVolk]

In Oregon you can drive it aslong as it has lights and windsheild etc it can even be a added light so its a peice of cake , id buy the truck and find a front clip at a wrecking yard and put the parts on it , or find a cheap body shop or back yard mechanic to do the fix , id do the work if you could get it up here to me !!!! . I know if you go to some car swap meets there are guys whom sale titles for around $100 many of these come with the vin plate as well. , Or you could find a 73 vin and change it over as well then its pre DEQ

 

[LJinLA]

Lease a rental storage building or RV storage spot in a secured lot. I used to lease a 20'x40' for $130 month, and I did mechanic work out of it. I had all my tools stashed in there, and after a few months, I leased the one next to it, then two covered RV spots to park my project vehicles in, or customer's when I worked on outside trucks. For you, I'd say a 10-12x25' or larger should fit your truck..... then you can go out and work on it when you get the time, no worries about anyone stealing off of it, or no HOA or city regulations on non-operational vehicles parked on the street. Not sure what rental places go for now, that was back '97-01 when I had mine, and that was a smaller town. I also got in good with the elderly owners by mowing what little grass they had and making small repairs and improvements around the place, like wiring in lighting, repairing doors, spraying weeds/grass in the gravel, shooting 'coons/skunks/trespassers... . you get the idea...



Oh, and I forgot, but after performing repairs in Texas, you have to get a completed green sheet inspection (which means it has to pass) before taking it in the county tax office with the completed forms. When transferring from states like OK, AZ, and AK you have to, too. Seems they don't have to have inspections or weight tickets in some states, but Texas requires it.



Since the DMV won't be open today, and my curiosity got the best of me, here's the California DMV website for How To: ReRegister a Salvage vehicle: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr13.htm



Looks like you need the first five items, probably not the rest if it was previously registered in CA. Good luck!!

Thank you so much for the suggestions and for the DMV brochure! I'll need to find out what storage space I can secure around here, and cost might be an issue... let's see.

Unfortunately I don't even have a driveway to park it in...

I'm supposed to meet with the current owner again tomorrow afternoon. I think I can straighten the hood and whatever else I can avoid replacing and repaint those areas myself. I'll definitely need to get a grille, a bumper, the headlight and and other parts around it on the right side of the truck, and very likely other stuff too.

I know this could be an excellent deal for me if I can figure out how to go about it in a reasonable way.

I'll post here as soon as I have more info and let you know how it goes... .

 

[LJinLA]

In Oregon you can drive it aslong as it has lights and windsheild etc it can even be a added light so its a peice of cake , id buy the truck and find a front clip at a wrecking yard and put the parts on it , or find a cheap body shop or back yard mechanic to do the fix , id do the work if you could get it up here to me !!!! . I know if you go to some car swap meets there are guys whom sale titles for around $100 many of these come with the vin plate as well. , Or you could find a 73 vin and change it over as well then its pre DEQ

Thanks for the offer... ... but you are not exactly around the block... . Great ideas, I'll inspect the truck a bit more thoroughly tomorrow to make sure the frame is straight and there is no major damage underneath it, then make an offer. Before I pull the trigger on this one, though, I need to stop at the DMV on Monday, as I have several questions that need to be answered before I go for it. I much appreciate all your help guys. It really makes a difference in building my confidence about it... ... I'd never even thought I could go for something like this before.....

 

[HHhuntitall]

Changing the VIN plate in Cali or Texas will get you in a lot of trouble..... Texas now has the DPS Theft Prevention Task Force. If you re-VIN a truck, it has to be approved through them first, or it gets ugly if you get caught... . And anyone caught selling a title and VIN plate will face jail time and major fines around here. Our proximity to the southern border has led to them trying to help reduce theft and re-VINing of stolen trucks. A great many cross at El Pisso/Juarez, going South permanently. I got caught up in that a few years ago when I bought a truck from a guy working for me... . He was legal, but his truck wasn't!! Nice '91 D250, very clean, but stolen in OKC 2 years earlier, and re-VINed. DPS took it and the guy working for me dissapeared!! :{

 

[JR]

In order to do a re vin in Ohio you have to show ownership of the donor vehicle and has to be approved by the Ohio State Patrol. Then once the salvaged vehicle is restored it has to be trailered to a Highway Patrol Barracks that does inspections and they take the keys from you, pull it in the bay and give it a thorough work Over. I once failed my initial inspection of a 88 Iroc z28 I totaled and was applying a salvage title for over the front core support being welded. The officer told me I had to find another one and provide a receipt for it. After looking around I soon realized I was going to pay an arm and a leg for a clean front clip so I removed my clip, ground out my welds, rewelded them again and ground everything flush then feathered it out real nice and painted the entire clip with the same automotive paint I had painted the car with. By the time it was done, you couldn't even tell it had ever been damaged. I took it back 3 weeks later and a different trooper passed the inspection

 

[DVolk]

Ive heard once that if you title a salvage titled rig in Oklahoma , it comes out clean title then you can change back to were your at . There must be a way people do it . As people restore cars from wrecking yards etc all the time .

 

[LJinLA]

Truck with salvage title was sold this morning before I got there.

 

[HHhuntitall]

Well, that sucks. Wasn't meant to be, but don't worry, you'll find one like you want.

 

[LJinLA]

Well, that sucks. Wasn't meant to be, but don't worry, you'll find one like you want.

I know, I consider it all gained experience that will help me to do things right and swiftly next time I find a deal similar to this one.

Wasn't meant to be... I know I'll come across the truck that is right for me. Thanks for encouraging me.

 

[DVolk]

Is there any regular auto auctions that the public can go to down there ? id check there or if you want to drive out of town a waise id check some of the local farm auctions or farm related news papers , just because its a farm truck dont mean its bad

 

[LJinLA]

Is there any regular auto auctions that the public can go to down there ? id check there or if you want to drive out of town a waise id check some of the local farm auctions or farm related news papers , just because its a farm truck dont mean its bad

Unfortunately, no farm auctions that I know of around here... . I live in a large metropolitan area. I've been checking GSA auctions and US Treasury auctions, but there is really very very little in terms of trucks such as these..... The rest of the auctions that I've researched so far, including ebay... there are a few deals here and there but prices get pumped up very quickly because bidders get into a frenzy and the trucks end up being sold for more than they would at regular sales advertised say on craigslist or local paper classifieds. I'll follow your pointer and see if I can find farm related papers/auctions nearby.

I'm going to see a 92 Cummins tomorrow morning. It's not exactly what I want, it's a D250 automatic, but my reasoning is that it is very local to me and the guy says it's in excellent condition and comes across as a motivated seller, so if it is really that good and if I can get a very good deal, I'm tempted to go for it. He'll take pictures today and email them to me, so I'll see if it's worth the 40 mile round trip. But for sure I won't go for a 2WD auto unless it's in really great shape and a good deal.

Just trying to keep my options open, since deals on manual W250s are so few in comparison, and the good ones are priced prohibitively high as far as I'm concerned.

 

[RWherley]

With the right tires on it 2wd truck can still get around good as long as you think about what your doing. I have taken my 350 in the mud, snow, and dirt many times and have never got stuck yet.

 

[LJinLA]

With the right tires on it 2wd truck can still get around good as long as you think about what your doing. I have taken my 350 in the mud, snow, and dirt many times and have never got stuck yet.

Now, is it advisable to use, say, 37" tires on a 92-93 1st gen auto as it would be on a manual transmission one without changing gears?
I know it for a fact that a 1st gen manual tr. with 3. 54 gears will perform just fine with 37" tires and 3. 54s, and that, as a matter of fact, the larger tires will achieve a higher top speed, will make more useful the first gear which otherwise gets rarely used, and will even get better mileage with excellent overall performance. But is this likewise true with an automatic transmission? I've been wondering about this for a while now. I remember seeing a 1st gen Dodge (known to be an auto 2WD) sporting 37" tires and a huge Lance Camper on the bed somewhere, but I have no idea what gears were in that truck.....

Well, regarding a 2WD truck getting you around just fine when it comes to mud, snow and dirt, would you attempt to take your 2WD Dodge 350 along paths known to require 4WD when it generally comes to Jeeps and average SUVs? I'm not questioning it, just curious about what the experience of 1st gen Dodge Cummins owners is in this regard...

By the way, I'm going to see a 93 D250 auto this weekend and the owner is interested in my 79 Benz 240D (diesel) as part of the deal, so this would be a plus if this happens... Let's see how it goes...

 

[NIsaacs]

Now, is it advisable to use, say, 37" tires on a 92-93 1st gen auto as it would be on a manual transmission one without changing gears?

I know it for a fact that a 1st gen manual tr. with 3. 54 gears will perform just fine with 37" tires and 3. 54s, and that, as a matter of fact, the larger tires will achieve a higher top speed, will make more useful the first gear which otherwise gets rarely used, and will even get better mileage with excellent overall performance. But is this likewise true with an automatic transmission? I've been wondering about this for a while now. I remember seeing a 1st gen Dodge (known to be an auto 2WD) sporting 37" tires and a huge Lance Camper on the bed somewhere, but I have no idea what gears were in that truck.....

Here is some more info on the 1st. gen. that you may or may not know.



The early ones, D/W 250-350, 89-90 auto's were 3 spd. so they used 3. 07 gears... maybe even the '91's?? For sure, the 92-93 used 4-spd autos and 3. 54 or 4. 10 gears. Some 89-93 D/W 250's used the 3. 07's in 5 spd manuals, but were rare.



Nick

 

[RWherley]

I would not try any thing hard core off road with a 2wd like a jeep trails, but if think things out it will do most of what you want until you find a 4wd.

 

[ENafziger]

From my little experience, a 2wd long bed diesel truck does NOT do well at all offroad. I've been stuck in wet grass before on almost level ground. The trucks are so heavy in the front end, and comparitively no weight in the back end, that it doesn't take much to get into a bad situation. I have driven my Ford Festiva places that my 2wd Cummins couldn't go.

--Eric

 

[HHhuntitall]

The early Dodge diesel were 3spd autos, and factory standard were 3. 07 rear gears. There are a few variations out there. Typically, all non-intercooled trucks will have the 3pd auto, and intercooled trucks will have 4spd overdrive with 3. 54. There were ordered options, so some trucks may exist that don't fit that criteria.



I've driven my 2wd trucks lots of places. An open differential is open invitation to get you stuck anywhere, such as on wet grass..... These Cummins are only around 3-400lbs heavier in the front end than a comparable gas rig. That does hurt a little, but not as bad as an open diff. As for 37s on the rear of a 2wd, don't forget the truck sits way lower than a 4wd rig, so 37s may not clear on the rear without some work.



As far as 37s on the 4wd with 3. 54 gears, it can be done, but a heavy truck will require 1st gear starts in a standard to avoid excessive premature clutch wear, and an auto will do fine, it just has a harder time to start, and if you get it in deep sand or mud, it may have to be shifted to 4low to get it to move. There is a big difference between pavement starts and starting in sand and mud. My '93 weighs in at close to 10k lbs, and second gear starts are possible, but it will tear up the clutch eventually. It has 33s and 3. 54 gears. I had a '91 with 3. 54s and 4spd auto, and with 35s it had a hard time starting in deep sand. I can imagine what 37s would have done to it. Granted, it had 250k on the transmission, but still, something to think about. Top speed and offroad performance are somewhat opposite on the spectrum... . :-laf

 

[LJinLA]

Thanks for the precious feedback guys.
When talking about the feasibility of mounting 37" tires on an auto 2WD, I had in mind an intercooled 92-93 with 3. 54 gears.
I don't know if I have mentioned this earlier in this thread, but the one 1st gen truck that has been my inspiration for wanting one of my own is the "DoItAll" owned by metcalf... he has a thread which has been going for a few years in another forum (expeditionportal, I think). To me, that's a wonderful 1st gen and I've been dreaming of owning something very similar myself. It's a 1992 W250 manual transmission with original 3. 54 gears. This guy put 38. 5" tires on his truck from the very start and has been achieving, consistently over the years, the type of improved performance I was referring to in my previous post (higher top speed, better fuel mileage, better use of first gear, etc. ), and as the name he's picked for his truck (doitall) implies, he's using it for a whole range of various tasks: expedition travel, to carry very heavy loads, to pull a trailer, etc. and the truck seems to be doing perfectly well in all that work with 38. 5" tires and 3. 54 gears.
My ideal would be to find an intercooled 92-93 W250 manual, put a shell on it, and achieve something similar with 37" tires. By what I've seen so far, they are hard to find. When they do come across, the sellers' expectations are astronomical. Metcalf was fortunate to get his W250 manual in 2009 for about $2,000, and that has been an incredibly reliable truck that has brought its owner a lot of satisfaction.

 

[RWherley]

Maybe i'm just lucky but like i said I have never been stuck, but haveing said that I have a limited slip rear, good AT tires, and top on the bed, and a 70 gal. fuel tank in the bed so i do have extra wieght back there. Now as far as the taller tires helping MGP your right they will, we have an 04 3500 with duallys on it, we change from the factory 17in wheels to 19. 5in wheels and picked up 3 mpg with that set up.

 

[LJinLA]

Maybe i'm just lucky but like i said I have never been stuck, but haveing said that I have a limited slip rear, good AT tires, and top on the bed, and a 70 gal. fuel tank in the bed so i do have extra wieght back there. Now as far as the taller tires helping MGP your right they will, we have an 04 3500 with duallys on it, we change from the factory 17in wheels to 19. 5in wheels and picked up 3 mpg with that set up.

Just curious, what size tires on 19. 5" wheels achieved the improved 3 mpg on your 04 3500? Is the truck an auto or manual, 4WD or 2WD? And what gears, 4. 10s?