My old Suburban

[30BulletHoles]

Have no regrets, then. I like it when people keep old vehicles on the road. It's a Chevy 4x4 with one of the most common engines ever made. They take parts that will always exist everywhere. It probably won't cost you much to keep it on the road from here on out.

I think new truck and SUV prices are beyond stupid. Especially the large domestics. They are so far out of pace with nice, new 2 and 4 door cars it's absurd. They've just become a status symbol for soccer moms, rednecks, and 'business owners' that like to be seen in new $50-$75k rides every year or two.

These new "SUVs" aren't even what their title claims them to be. Nothing sport or utility about them and yes the prices are ridiculous.

 

[Sanford]

I'm of the "don't fix what's not broke" persuasion - and while I see the merit in all of the up-front repairs I'd quite probably have skipped everything that didn't fall into the "impending doom" category and put the rest of the cash away as a rainy day fund.

 

[twoguns?]

I'm of the "don't fix what's not broke" persuasion - and while I see the merit in all of the up-front repairs I'd quite probably have skipped everything that didn't fall into the "impending doom" category and put the rest of the cash away as a rainy day fund. and put a bangin video and stereo system in it

HA
I think you did good ...if thats what you want.....And...no debt...

 

[1min2midnight]

I thank everyone for the input. For anyone who might be considering doing some fool thing like this I will tell you what I have learned. Don't skimp on the mechanic if you are not turning your own wrenches. If you get a bad, lazy or dishonest one the project is doomed. Spend good money on the labor. After getting to know them a bit better I could have negotiated a little better if I would have said take your time. As in put it on your back burner and take care of desperate customers first. I really did not care if it took 2 weeks or 4. They would have given me a break on the labor. If I ever do this again (and I probably will) next time I am going to replace (or rebuild) the engine, transmission, (transfer case if it has one) right up front. I wasted some money not doing that. For example a transmission flush on a transmission that failed 2 months later. And so you all want to see a pic. Well I did not do much in the way of looks to it yet but here is a pic of the old burb. It does not look like much but is in very good mechanical condition. I want to finish it with new paint, custom bumper, 2 inch lift (yes just 2 inches) and slightly larger tires.

 

[Wheel Gun]

Great project. I love what you did. You'll love that 'burb more than the newer alternative that you passed on. Good job.

 

[dennishoddy]

I thank everyone for the input. For anyone who might be considering doing some fool thing like this I will tell you what I have learned. Don't skimp on the mechanic if you are not turning your own wrenches. If you get a bad, lazy or dishonest one the project is doomed. Spend good money on the labor. After getting to know them a bit better I could have negotiated a little better if I would have said take your time. As in put it on your back burner and take care of desperate customers first. I really did not care if it took 2 weeks or 4. They would have given me a break on the labor. If I ever do this again (and I probably will) next time I am going to replace (or rebuild) the engine, transmission, (transfer case if it has one) right up front. I wasted some money not doing that. For example a transmission flush on a transmission that failed 2 months later. And so you all want to see a pic. Well I did not do much in the way of looks to it yet but here is a pic of the old burb. It does not look like much but is in very good mechanical condition. I want to finish it with new paint, custom bumper, 2 inch lift (yes just 2 inches) and slightly larger tires.

Nice looking vehicle.
I'm sure this is going to start something, but IMHO, NEVER get a transmission flush. Drop the pan, get fluid all over the floor, clean it up and put fresh fluid back in.
The flushes stir up debris that causes issues down the road. I'm not a transmission mechanic, but I am friends with several that experienced the same issue as you did. Flush=tranny failure.

 

[RidgeHunter]

For example a transmission flush on a transmission that failed 2 months later .

I'm super anti-trans flushes.

It's pretty common for transmissions to go out after a flush. Now, correlation does not equal causation and there's one school of thought that says people often take their vehicle in for a flush AFTER experiencing problems with it, then bang it goes out. Other theories say it can stir up (literally) trouble in a high mileage tranny that has been unserviced.

I've never touched the auto trans in my 2007 Tacoma (almost 230K miles....I'll just run it till it fails...if it ever does). I just add fluid to my old Chevy with a TH350 (it's a slight leaker).

My school of thought on auto transmissions is to keep the proper fluid level and run them until they don't work. Drain and refill what you can if you're bored and have nothing better to do. YMMV.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Jinx for Hoddy.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm super anti-trans flushes.

It's pretty common for transmissions to go out after a flush. Now, correlation does not equal causation and there's one school of thought that says people often take their vehicle in for a flush AFTER experiencing problems with it, then bang it goes out. Other theories say it can stir up (literally) trouble in a high mileage tranny that has been unserviced.

I've never touched the auto trans in my 2007 Tacoma (almost 230K miles....I'll just run it till it fails...if it ever does). I just add fluid to my old Chevy with a TH350 (it's a slight leaker).

My school of thought on auto transmissions is to keep the proper fluid level and run them until they don't work. Drain and refill what you can if you're bored and have nothing better to do. YMMV.

My 2005 with 330K has a drain port on the tranny pan. The only automatic I've ever seen with a drain on it.
I've changed it and the filter a couple of times over the years. Clean out the pan, never touch anything else, apply a new gasket and bolt up. There was a little sludge in the pan. I think that helps for hi mileage vehicles to keep it running a bit longer.

 

[Sanford]

HA
I think you did good ...if thats what you want.....And...no debt...

Hah ... there was a time when I'd have done just that ... but being mostly mono with a permanent herd of crickets these days the bangin' stereo part would be a waste ... and I come close enough to falling asleep without having television to help!

Personally I'd like to run across an old 2WD Blazer in decent shape.