1990 pete 379 yes/no

Yup, like I said, my post was also for the "newer guys" too. I agree it can be done.... cautiously.... by someone who has the knowhow. But anytime you're looking at an older truck you need to mentally "have one hand on the doorknob".

One thing nobody seems to mention is that at some point you will want to trade/resell that truck; so you do need to bear in mind if you will recover most of your investment (purchase plus repairs, etc). Lots to think about before you "lay your money down".

Glad to see you and yota doing "due dilligence" in such fine style.

 

my dad had a 444 cummins in an older star car and loved it.

 

You should buy it right now. You wont go wrong with it. Easy to work on parts are reasonable. I bought a 84' 359 little over a year ago and have ran it all over the US made good money due to low overhead and I probably havent spent over 2k on repairs. Beside older trucks look alot nicer then the new stuff.

Also if things just were not working out you could sell it pretty quickly and recoup your investment.

Good luck

 

411 aint gonna do 5 mpg if your stingy. I never seen a $$$ on it.I like the trk. but you,ll work on it every min your not driving it

 

Yotaman,i've been running my '90 model fulltime for almost 5 years,plus i hauled our own grain for 4 years prior to that.Been a good solid truck with just normal maint.,but i did know the truck's history since it was new(farmer neighbor bought it new) so it made it easier for me to commit to an older truck. I run mostly local/regional,but i wouldn't be scared to take her all over the country either. Does it have cruise on it,mine doesn't. If the frame is good,and it feels ''tight'' running down the road,it sounds like a good deal. I don't know much about the big cam,but most of the fellers i know that have/had them said they were cheap to work on,and kinda liked to drink fuel,but most mech.motors do if they are not driven right.I have a mech.cat,and have avg.'d in the low 5's pulling grain in semi-hilly country local/regional,but know a guy that has 1.7 mil. miles on his '84 359 with a big cam pulling a RGN and runs all over getting in the mid 5's all the time.

At 6 grand it sounds like a good deal to me if you've looked 'er over pretty good. Its old,but if its been treated ok,it will make money.Plus,at that price compared to a $30-$35000 truck,you are keeping the $25-$30000 in your pocket up front for breakdowns that will likely hapen with the $30-$35000 truck anyway. Just my .02.

Good Luck with whatever you decide

 

I know you prob know this but keep an extra 1500 to 2000 on hand for all the crap that's going to "pop" up out of the gate just had the similar problem with my $6500 truck with only 450K on it.

 

ID YANK HIS ARM OFF ! 'SHAKE-SHAKE! AND BE DOWN THE ROAD!
BETTER THAN NEWER TRUCKS .

 

Forget about resell! You will have made you're money ! Part it out or scrap it!
I would fix it up....