How to buy a 6.5 truck

[78Chev]

I've been looking for a 3/4 ton 6.5 truck to tow a travel trailer with. One thing I've thought of is to find one that is in good shape (body and interior) but needs an engine. I think I may have found a 95 GMC with leather interior and decent body for $2k. If I was to put $6 to 7k into a custom motor do you all think this is a reasonable thing to do, assuming that the rest of the drivetrain is in good working order? Is this what a good towing 6.5 would cost to build? I've also found a 94 that is in pretty good shape for about $7k. What do you think? Thanks.
Randy

[93_Burrito]

Awesome idea. Options:

$2,000 = '95 truck + nice interior + known toast engine
$6,000 - $7,000 = '94 truck + LEGO interior + engine that runs but you don't truly know it's condition.


I say get the '95 and then put that additional $4,000 - 5,000 into your engine buildup.

[78Chev]

Thanks - that's where I'm leanin'.
Since we'll be hauling little grandkids around (3 and 1 years) does anyone know the regulations for putting car seats in a 95 extended cab?
Randy

[Robyn]

My rule of thumb is to look over the body and interior well and if its nice and clean then check the chassis to make sure the truck has not bneen thrashed 4x4 and put back together.

Then if the price is right the mechanical stuff can be worked with.

$6K is a lot to spend on an engine. I fairly nice 6.5 can be put together if you shop good for about $2500.

There are engines out there that have lost a head gasket or other minor issues that can be had for Cheap $$$

A clean truck for $2K is not at all a bad buy. Depending on where you live, make sure its not a salt bucket and full of rust.
I Paid $8k and some change for my DaHooooley.
Minor starting and running issues but enough to scare most buyers way far away.
If the truck does not run at all then try as best you can to acertain as much as you can as to whats wrong with the engine. Yank the tranny dipstick and see if the oil is pink and does not smell bad.

Get as much info as is possible.

Even if you have to get another engine to start your build on you can do well.

Here is a piccy of my 95 to date with repairs and such counting the original purchase price I have about $9500 in it.

The front tires were trash when I bought it and I picked up a nice pair of new spares from the bone yard that had never seen dirt.
The fornt brakes were a tad skinny and I have had to do a few little things under the hood and I replaced the chip in the computer with one that was better programed.
Interior was clean but does show a little wear on the drivers seat but nothing nasty.
The dash AC vents were all trashed and the bone yard yielded an exact color match dashe bezel with all the stuff good for $20.

Custom interior with a wood console as well as a custom overhead with CB radio and a few other goodies.
Has goose neck hideaway hitch setup too.

The stuff out there in 6.5 trucks is pretty much a buyers market if you look around.

Just a note
I rebuilt the engine in our 94 6.5 Burb and it cost me around $2500 to do a very nice overhaul on it.

You can buy a fresh AMG engine for the $$$$ you are talking

I would shop and piece meal the thing and save the big bucko's for a rainy day.
If its a rig that you can have tied up for a little while then you can take the time to snoop for good parts to build it up.



Good luck

Robyn

[78Chev]

Thanks, Robyn.
The truck does run but has "one cylinder out." I'll give it a listen before I buy but I was planning on doing a total rebuild anyway so I know what's up there. I like your approach to rebuilding that I have read here on TDP. The truck is in Montana where they don't salt the roads, only about 6 hours from where I live. He has all the receipts since 1997. Two years ago it got a new IP and injectors so hopefully those are still up to spec. (Makes me wonder if the cylinder out is a knock due to a bad injector or something simple.) I'm not sure which block they used in 95's but I'll look at that for cracks to see if it can be re-used, along with the crank and rods. I anticipate lowering the CR a bit. There is a good head shop here in Spokane that I use where the heads will get a good going over. And Heath is not too far from here so I'll get his help on the turbo stuff. If I can spend $2500 on the engine then I think the deal is a steal. I can reasonably budget up to $4k and keep my wife happy (well, tolerant at least) and 5 or 6k is not out of my budget if the truck needs something else done. But of course there is an intercooler and other fun stuff to think about. :-)
I'll let you all know what I decide to do. Thanks.
Also, I don't need the truck til summer so I can spend 6 months finding what I need piecemeal as you suggest. I still have my 6.2 to haul big stuff like blocks that I need to get.
Randy

[Robyn]

If the engine has not suffered a catastrophic coolant loss due to a head gasket gone and or has lost a bearing.

If the little beast has one dead hole it could be that it simply lost a rocker button that will allow the rocker to fall off the valve.
This will result in no go on the hole as well as other nasty noises and symptoms.
If the oil looks good without obvious Glycol contamination and the oil pressure is good the engine may very well be easily repaired.

I personally would listen to the thing run, look at the oil level and condition (Black is normal) watch the oil pressure.
Check the coolant level.
If everything seems ok there I would do my best wheelin and a dealin and if you can get it, Haul it home. (Dont drive it with a bad hole as something simple could turn ugly with time)

From there yank the VC off on the side with the issue and see whats up.
If the issue is deeper then yank the engine out and get it on a stand.
Working on these in the truck is nasty.
Took me about 3-4 hours to get the 6.5 out of my 94 Burb by myself.

Used the Bobcat as an anchor and hung an air hoist off the bucket to pull the engine with.

Good luck with the dealin

Happy Hollidays

[78Chev]

Happy Holidays to you too, Robyn. Thanks for all your thoughtful advice. It is appreciated more than you probably know. I'll let you know what happens. We're getting a lot of snow but the seller is coming this way after Christmas and has offered to tow it to my house as part of the deal. Getting really tempting.
Randy

[mhagie]

The 95 would be a good choice as that is the first year with the updated interior, for 2k you would be a fool to pass it up unless it is a piece of junk when you see it up close and personal.
I base things on the condition of the body, all things mechanical can be replaced and are not beyond your mechanical skills, bodywork,rust repair,etc is a PITA and is only temporary unless replacing complete panels. (did I say I hate body work?)
The Bigleys ran a 300HP 6.5 for 10's of thousands of miles without trouble so I say go for it.

Merle

BTY, GMCTD can give pointers to make a DB4 as attractive as a DB2 and they quiet as can be.

[78Chev]

Thanks, Merle. Good advice.
I got outbid on a cherry 80 GMC 4x4 on ebay last week. Maybe you saw it. It wasn't diesel but would have been after I got done with it. I thought of your 80 diesel. Merry Christmas to you and yours in Iowa.
Randy

[mhagie]

No I missed the 80, Just for giggles what did it go for?
The 80 would be a disappointment for you as far as ride is concerned, mine with stock springs rides very bouncy.
I am looking into I believe its Softride springs by Skyjacker, reports are the springs are progressive rates so they ride better.
That is the only downside to my truck as is.
Happy holidays back to you and I hope the truck is just what you wish it to be.
I like the 90's diesels with the square holes in the bumper,with the nose slightly up, looks cool to me
Let me know the results good or bad.

Merle

[78Chev]

The 80 went for $4400. 88k miles. It looked cherry. I'm a sucker for the old body style 4x4's but I came to my senses and went back to looking for a trailor puller!

[93GMCSierra]

I hear you about the older body style, I used to have a 77 silverado 4x4 and I liked the looks, including the single round headlight, of those years.

[mhagie]

I'm kinda partial to the single rectangle style headlight myself.
Merle