Hi Everyone,
I just come across your forum and signed on immediately because I need some help deciding what to do. I will preface the message by saying that I am a newbie when it comes to trucks. I can work on old Austin Healey roadsters or BMW's, but big american dually's are a new gig for me.
I was given a 2wd 1980 C30 Regular Cab Dually (with a 5th wheel hitch in the bed, and a class III hitch under the rear bumper) from a neighbor. He is a retired Veterinarian who used it to pull his horse trailer. He has since purchased an '06 Crew Cab Dually because he says he wanted more interior room. My truck has a very tired 454 gas engine with a 4.10 rear and 4speed manual with a REALLY low 1st gear. I have to add a quart of oil every fillup because both head gaskets are shot. I plan to use the truck to pull a 28ft enclosed race car trailer between April and November (short race season up here in the Northeast), and otherwise the usual run to Home Depot or the lumber yard. I have three scenarios that I am looking at to keep this truck on the road:
#1. Replace the tired 454 gas engine with a replacement 454 that I purchased a few years ago out of a truck that was totaled.
#2. Replace the tired 454 with a free 6.2 Diesel from a rotted out early 80's truck that would otherwise go to the crusher. My buddy found it in a yard up the street from him. Not sure of the motor's condition.
#3. Replace the tired 454 with a Detroit Diesel motor, and auto tranny, out of a GMC Panel Truck that was a Snap-On truck that cracked its frame. This guy is a neighbor near me that says he blew a headgasket at 100K miles and when it was replaced, he installed larger head bolts from a later Turbo model. it now has 20K on the "new" motor. The frame rails on the C30 are wide enough to accept it, but custom motor mounts will have to be made, along with some other Monster Garage stuff I'm sure. I should have asked what the motor was, but this guy is a gruff old farmer that said "Hell, yeah, it'll work".
So, what do you all think of this project?
Thanks in advance for your insight.
JagerRacer
I just come across your forum and signed on immediately because I need some help deciding what to do. I will preface the message by saying that I am a newbie when it comes to trucks. I can work on old Austin Healey roadsters or BMW's, but big american dually's are a new gig for me.
I was given a 2wd 1980 C30 Regular Cab Dually (with a 5th wheel hitch in the bed, and a class III hitch under the rear bumper) from a neighbor. He is a retired Veterinarian who used it to pull his horse trailer. He has since purchased an '06 Crew Cab Dually because he says he wanted more interior room. My truck has a very tired 454 gas engine with a 4.10 rear and 4speed manual with a REALLY low 1st gear. I have to add a quart of oil every fillup because both head gaskets are shot. I plan to use the truck to pull a 28ft enclosed race car trailer between April and November (short race season up here in the Northeast), and otherwise the usual run to Home Depot or the lumber yard. I have three scenarios that I am looking at to keep this truck on the road:
#1. Replace the tired 454 gas engine with a replacement 454 that I purchased a few years ago out of a truck that was totaled.
#2. Replace the tired 454 with a free 6.2 Diesel from a rotted out early 80's truck that would otherwise go to the crusher. My buddy found it in a yard up the street from him. Not sure of the motor's condition.
#3. Replace the tired 454 with a Detroit Diesel motor, and auto tranny, out of a GMC Panel Truck that was a Snap-On truck that cracked its frame. This guy is a neighbor near me that says he blew a headgasket at 100K miles and when it was replaced, he installed larger head bolts from a later Turbo model. it now has 20K on the "new" motor. The frame rails on the C30 are wide enough to accept it, but custom motor mounts will have to be made, along with some other Monster Garage stuff I'm sure. I should have asked what the motor was, but this guy is a gruff old farmer that said "Hell, yeah, it'll work".
So, what do you all think of this project?
Thanks in advance for your insight.
JagerRacer
