Rescued another C-30

[RuralRoute C-30]

Hi guys,
Still new to this site and this addiction and then another "deal" came along recently. Of course I felt compelled to "rescue" this one as I am sure you would have too if circumstances allowed. It is patriotic to save one, right? (I used this excuse and others on the wife and she just smiled...this will cost me somewhere down the line)

Not that this ever happens to you, but...a 1985 C-30, retired tow truck that the now retired body shop owner sold the wrecker off of it. He installed a 2004 pto driven flatbed on it from another Chevy. Repainted, no rust anywhere, clean interior and with 90k.

Will be picking it up Saturday, a full day trip from here, but wasn't even looking for another C-30 when this one came up for sale. (wife had me looking for a car and knows better now to ask me again)

Not sure about the 350 in it though, it is now blue with orange behind the flaking blue paint. But new exhaust, brakes, tires, fuel pump and paint ain't a bad start plus a new "box" built for the stake bed.

Wife thinks I am crazy now! With the 79 C-30 and now this one coming...she is suspicious this could be habit forming!
Yet she was pleased this week to see how a dually can compact heavy snow to allow her Saturn a path to the road down our country lane.

Did get the 79 c-30 through the safety lane, the law in Illinois for the weight class, and now tagged and road legal. Weather too cold for much else.

I did see this other truck for sale on CL recently for what it is worth.http://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/cto/1589753683.html

I am amazed what these 73-87 Chevy trucks are beginning to go for. (that is my only excuse so far to the wife..."it's an investment, honey"!

She thinks I am now...

Pics to follow soon! Always reading here...a great site!

[Dooley Dude]

Awesome!

[old Rusty C10]

i think the one guy for $2500 on a non runnung truck is nuts but id sure love to see pics of the truck youre picking up

[RuralRoute C-30]

Well folks, here are some pics of this "rescue" after a 3 hour trip to get it and a 4 hour trip driving it home. I've been looking for something exactly like this,C-30 with flatbed pto dump, so this will be a keeper.

The to-do list: Fuel gauge is pegged past full,(any advice?) horn? and radio doesn't work but not oem anyway, and an exhaust gasket needs replaced at some point. Other than that, it ran like it should on the 4 hour trip home. This truck is all truck!

Interior needs just an overall cleaning and a boot around the pto controls for the bed needs fabricated. Add an ashtray that won't close and some lubrication needed for the window tracks and eventually a new dash to replace the cracked one...I now have a new list of things to do and sure there will always be more! (LMC catalog is out for a new custom grill and headlight bevels to toss on some chrome and personality and the 79 may loose the simulators) I know, it is a truck, but..."now how much is that dash???"

Will be reading a Lot more now from all there is on this site as this truck progresses. Appreciate there are so many here who are willing to share what I don't know. Thanks!







The box is coming off soon only to use it when needed. (not sure about that 'red') Hopefully will build some smaller side-boards or find a headache rack for it.

I also glanced at the glove box when I got home and it looks like there is two pages of options. One looked to be a 'camper special' but it was getting too dark to see and this day is done after that drive! (not too bad for a 25 year old truck with nearly 85k instead of the 90k like I thought!)

[GM72K10]

Sharp work truck! Check ground from fuel tank for gauge being pinned. Good Luck.

[RuralRoute C-30]

Thanks Gm72K, I suspected that is where to start. Found a thread on the horn issue as well and will look into finding that horn relay tomorrow if time allows. (would like to pass the safety lane Monday)

Overall the truck appears to have what I call "good bones". Cab interior a little rougher than I thought it was over the phone but easy fixes. The exhaust is new to the manifold and so there is where to start on that issue. A radio is down the road, not a need at this time for this truck.

Always have had a "garage queen" tucked away as a toy until now the presence of our family 'needs' these past few years have adjusted my 'wants'. (55yrs old with a 6 yr old son! I call it "menapause misdiagnosed"!!! ...and the wife just smiles)

Yet even the wife knows somehow I will at least make this "new" work truck look as good as it runs! (she has watched me wash a car in the rain!)

Appreciate the advice and look forward to learning more as I work on what I need to do on this 'new truck'. Learning to read the threads in the 'search section' and listening to you folks. Gotta admit I am coming around to liking these old square bodies more all the time!

Thanks again,
Mark