Todays great rate

I think you owning a pre egr truck from new as opposed to buying one with 800 thousand on it makes a big difference in repairs.
Never been ragged on or overheated ,oil changed etc.

You have the tool for measuring the deck height for the sleeves?
Did you have to have them cut and shimmed?

Yea I would only consider pre egr Detroit . Most likely a old freightliner classic or a western star 4900

 

Owning since new does make a difference, but not as big as you think. Worst case scenario you buy a long block and still are tens of thousands of dollars ahead over a newer truck.
The problem with an older truck is the body and interior. That's stuff that can get expensive, but you do it as you can. It's not like a broken up plastic dash will keep the truck running.

As far as deck height. A sled gauge isn't that expensive if you need one. But when you pull the old liners, you will see the counter bores, they got to be really bad before you need to worry about cutting them. 99 times out of 100 you can just clean them up with some emery cloth.

 

Initial cost is too high. For what that pete cost i can buy two columbias. For a guy starting out, he needs cheap. Yes, the interior in a Columbia is cheap plastic and comes out of the factory prebroken. But squeaks and rattles don't keep you from working. The driveline is made by the same people no matter what make of truck you get. the Columbia will have just as good a tranny, rearends. And engine. Later down the road you sheet surviving the learning curve you can get your nice truck.

Edit to add: and your supposed to measure counter bore depth, but honestly if it's bad enough to make a difference, you will see it or feel it. And if you put just a very thin layer of silicon on the counter bore area, it will prevent liner leakage. Detroit says not to do this, but they also have about a 20 percent rate of liners leaking. Every independent shop i know does this and they never have that issue. And i havent had that issue on the half dozen or so I've done.

 

Pete's and KW 900s are tight in the cab for me.

A hood is the only thing for me. Half the motor under the cab does not make working on the motor fun for me now at 52 and hopefully I will be retiring doing this into my 70s.

I am not the kind of guy to let anyone else wrench on my stuff.

Looking At freightliner classics with a 84 inch bunk.. I can get creative with one of those and squeeze in a head and shower along with a small galley.

Many of them are BEAT to death.

Lately looking at pre 2003 Western Stars 4900s but they seem pretty had to come by with Detroits in them.

Gut the inside and spray foam insulate the inside along with under the bunk outside. New wood floor and some new seats and bed frame and mattress and I would be good to go until I had time and money to finish the bunk.

Rebuild the motor along with all new accessories , pull the tranny and go through it with a new clutch. Reseal the rear ends along with ujoints and carrier and brakes.

I would feel pretty good going down the road on that than.