Searching for a truck I may never find?

[Hay Dude]

When I bought my truck a few years ago I wanted, very specifically, a single cab 4x4 long bed manual transmission with no rust. So I did a nationwide search with cars.com and by the time I finished applying all the filters it really wasn't an overwhelming number of listings to sort through. Probably not more than 100 at any one time, and a lot of them you can throw out right away. The manual transmission requirement really thinned it down in a way that auto wouldn't, but I didn't have a year or engine in mind. I used mileage as a proxy for rust, I think I said 100k or fewer and skipped past all northeast listings. I ended up with a Chevy from a dealer northern Illinois, and it has surely turned out to be among the best purchases I've ever made.

That gives me hope.
They do exist. A guy that cuts my neighbors yard has a 3500 4WD reg cab D/A, but it has rust.

 

[jjeff]

So a pretty simple LBZ engine coded Duramax with no rust? Lol meanwhile I'm dreaming of a 7.3 power stroke with a manual transmission, baby dump in decent shape that I won't have to sell my hobby farm for. Good luck . In my experiences with older less complicated pre def engines, the more it's been hacked up with mods. Reading some of your posts I can summarize you like projects and are good at making things better than oem if you have time? New project?

 

[Hay Dude]

So a pretty simple LBZ engine coded Duramax with no rust? Lol meanwhile I'm dreaming of a 7.3 power stroke with a manual transmission, baby dump in decent shape that I won't have to sell my hobby farm for. Good luck . In my experiences with older less complicated pre def engines, the more it's been hacked up with mods. Reading some of your posts I can summarize you like projects and are good at making things better than oem if you have time? New project?

I’m hoping this one will be more “turn key”. I pretty much have the IH dump truck finished, so I do have time for another, but the problem is, it’s snow season and I need something I can put straight to work. It’s ok if it’s minor repairs, but nothing big or would keep me from plowing with it.

 

[jjeff]

Probably already said but A lot of local snow plowing contractors if there gm loyalists run 6.0 2500 and 3500 gassers. In any case if it doesn't have a plow and I wanted to use it to plow the factory snow plow prep package seems like a pretty worthwhile upgrade. In terms of beefing up the front suspension imo.

 

[Hay Dude]

I hope I don't end up there in a gasser with the lighter built transmission

 

[jjeff]

I hope I don't end up there in a gasser with the lighter built transmission

I think they use a 6l90e in newer 3/4 and 1 ton non Duramax some either love or hate them due to problems I also think that's what I have in my 6.0 4500 class C so far problem free occasionally towing close to it's max gcvwr. The old 80e I had in a baby dump gave me some confidence gm made a good automatic again.

 

[Hay Dude]

I think they use a 6l90e in newer 3/4 and 1 ton non Duramax some either love or hate them due to problems I also think that's what I have in my 6.0 4500 class C so far problem free occasionally towing close to it's max gcvwr. The old 80e I had in a baby dump gave me some confidence gm made a good automatic again.

Fine & dandy, I just don’t like old gasser trucks. If I’m looking at a 15-20 year old truck, a diesel engine is more likely to have life left in it than a 15 year old gasser is. They will both also have equal amounts of rust on average. Like I said, you also get the Allison that way, too. Pay more up front, but hold my value better at resale. That seems to have become more important as the years go by.

I’ve bought & sold about 20 diesel trucks of various sizes in the last 30+ years and the fact that it had a diesel engine at time to sell never let me down. It made the truck easier to sell and of course bring more $$.

I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question that I would buy a gas plow truck, but I’d prefer not to until it becomes impossible, which it is looking like

 

[Hay Dude]

Opened up search to include older (2012) 6.7L/Torqshift Ford reg cab SRW F-350.
Don’t really want one, but……

 

[dodge man]

One reason I suggested a gasser 3/4 ton or 1 ton is it will open up the choices for you. I realize it’s not exactly what you want. It’s also less likely to be overpriced. I went to an auction several months ago and there was a very low mileage quad cab Dodge with a 5.9 Cummins, a nice truck. I can’t remember the miles on but I think less than 30,000 and it went for $37k.

A lot of it also depends on how long you have to wait. If you have time I’d hold out and get what you want. There is a place called “Mid Mo Diesel” that is located near Fulton Missouri I see advertising all the time. They seem to specialize in trucks like you’re looking for, higher mileage diesels. Their stuff always seems very nice but priced on the high side. They’ve got no regular cabs in their inventory.

 

[Hay Dude]

One reason I suggested a gasser 3/4 ton or 1 ton is it will open up the choices for you. I realize it’s not exactly what you want. It’s also less likely to be overpriced. I went to an auction several months ago and there was a very low mileage quad cab Dodge with a 5.9 Cummins, a nice truck. I can’t remember the miles on but I think less than 30,000 and it went for $37k.

A lot of it also depends on how long you have to wait. If you have time I’d hold out and get what you want. There is a place called “Mid Mo Diesel” that is located near Fulton Missouri I see advertising all the time. They seem to specialize in trucks like you’re looking for, higher mileage diesels. Their stuff always seems very nice but priced on the high side. They’ve got no regular cabs in their inventory.

I know that place. They want $40,000 for older restored trucks.
I’m looking in the 10-20K range. Or up to 25 with a plow