my new ride. deal or bad deal. 2000 Columbia with the N-14 500hp

Well, if you have to finance it, what do you do if you break down and can't afford road service? You never said if you had money saved up...

 

That N-14 will work far longer than you can or will. Really one of the best blocks for highway trucks ever built (855 block). The only complaint I have about them is the rocker box seals. Good luck! Work your ### off, and make it work for you.

 

Sounds like a great starter truck ($13K) to me on great terms ($1K down, $1K/month, no interest).

My bet the seller will work with you in a bind, too.

 

Hi gerry, well, depends what you are going to do with it. I think you did ok, as you got thousands of dollars in tires on the deal. I would have done the samples 1st, but sometimes, that's not an option, and I'm sure people have spent 5 or 6 times that amount, got good samples, and still had trouble. With 1.3 on it, it for sure had a major (or 2) so I think you did ok.

 

Sounds similar to my first truck which was a Marmon I purchased back in 96. Guy didnt know me from Adam and let me drive off with $3000 down. Paid her off in a year and ran the nuts off it. Never let me down. Sounds like you did good. Ive always heard good about the N14s. Good luck.

 

If you are getting 6.7 mpg the motor must be in pretty good shape. I would take it by a good Cummins mechanic and get the blow by checked and have the overhead checked. Sounds like you ran across a sweet deal. Do you have any service records to reflect upon?

 

I wouldn't waste money on rods and mains. Keep it for later when it'll need an inframe.

 

Great purchase in terms of the financing. Miles are actually pretty low for the year, considering there are 08's out there with a million and a half miles on them.

A at 14 years old, corrosion is going to be a major concern. If you ever manage to get a bolt out/nut off, replace it with grade 8 stainless steel with anti-sieze on the threads. Make sure all the unused holes in the frame have a snug fitting bolt in them with a lock washer, washers on both sides, and a castle nut and cotter pin where possible (keeps the frame from cracking around the holes). Wiring is likely to be your most major issue behind suspension. A good alignment shop will be able to spot badly worn suspension components before they cost you those new tires in short order. Any wire loom exposed to road spray should be opened, cleaned (connectors AND insulation) heat shrunk where possible after any worn wires have been repaired or replaced, dielectric grease applied to all cleaned connectors, and wrapped in new, high quality loom sheath, and securely fashioned to the frame or body with padded loom clamps abs la wide, high quality zip ties (they make nuts that fit on frame bolts with slots for clamps and zip ties, and you'll have plenty of thread left after filling those empty frame holes).

Insofar as the engine, they're pretty well built. The blocks had been in production since the 1970's, so they got the kinks worked out on those. Stay on top of keeping the coolant pH balanced, and consider having the coolant system citrus flushed. All of the rubber is likely at the end of its life, so you'll need new hoses on everything. CAT will build any hose you need with re-useable heads, which will save you money when you get a hose replaced a second time. Do the fuel hoses first, then the brake air lines, then the rest of the air lines all the way up to the tanks, and from there up to the compressor (don't forget the check valves).

None of this has to be done right away. 2-4 hours a week will get it all done in about 2 months. Should help you cruise smoothly into that rebuild.