My new truck/project '88 Cheyenne 3500.

[Red Tractors]

New/old tractor mover for the farm, this has to be just about the lowest optioned truck I have ever seen. Believe it or not, this truck has an AM only radio from the factory!

I'm a minimalist at heart, but even I need an FM radio.



I think it has a cracked flywheel, but I got it right, and for this part of the world, it's pretty clean for a 30 year old truck.

[special-K]

Might have been a fleet order truck. Pretty neat. I like the basic trucks more and more with what seems like nothing but fancy newer ones out there. Even by these trucks most were all comfort & convenienced up. I have no use for AM radio. You can find a factory AM/FM/Cassette (or just AM/FM) easy and cheap. Plus the ones you can buy new will go in easily

[abig84]

im old enough to remember am only radios also some of these trucks actually came with no radio, just a plate over it. at least someone shelled out for a am radio.

[Red Tractors]

Getting started on the Cheyenne, Rad is out, hope to get the engine/trans out by the end of the weekend.

Does anyone have pics of the factory wheels on a base truck in '88? Will 8-lug center caps fit? Does anyone have a source for a cheap set?

[b454rat]

They are black and will fit. Need external thread lugnuts, but they are easy to get. I think even 1/2 ton has the same lugnuts....

[JJR]

Probably not the look your looking for but I remember most of the early C2500's that I saw tended to have full hubcaps like these. At one of my jobs in the late 80's we had a 88 C2500 fleet truck that didn't have A/C or a radio.

[Palf70Step]

The ole beast looks pretty clean. Looking forward to your updates.

I do not remember the center caps for the 1-tons, but as mentioned I think they were blacks with separate/detachable black lug covers. I would assume any 3500 seriese center caps will work as long as you have the threaded lug nuts.

[b454rat]

Look like these....

[Red Tractors]

Thanks guys, that's helpful info.

All the floor/supports/mounts are in good shape, just typical Chevy rust locations.

Just a question of time and $

[Red Tractors]

We finally got around to pulling the small block out of the 3500 today, despite the Goodwrench 350 stickers on the valve covers she displays all the indications of being a junkyard engine swap at some point. Casting # checked out as a '87-'95 350.

I'm no expert, but I think you are supposed to have more than three bolts between the flywheel and torque converter. This had three, the rest of the holes don't really line up.

I'm not sure that this is the flywheel/flexplate for a TH400. (After I pulled the crank bolts)





As soon as I find another flexplate I'm going to do all the basic stuff, new oil pump/tube/pickup. New double roller timing set, all new gaskets.

I took the Accessory mounting bracket off to work on the engine, and underneath are all the old familiar mounting holes I'm used too. Strongly considering ditching the serpentine system for something a little more traditional.

[Red Tractors]

Dad was cleaning out the oil pan getting ready to paint the engine parts, some very suspicious pieces came out that turned out to be metal.

One: of two scenarios came to mind, one was that they re-used the original oil pan when swapping in the junkyard TBI 350.

Two: something very bad had happened.

Two turned out to be the answer as #5 Piston was in the process of coming apart and #5 & #6 rod bearings had spun. Marks on the top of #5 look like it ingested a wing nut or something similar.

The plan now is a full on rebuild, either of this block, (Which is roller ready) or a 4-bolt main block a neighbor has available.

[Red Tractors]

Slow progress on the truck over the winter months, the junkyard 350 that was in it required a full rebuild. Changing over to the later style accessory drive while we are at it. Deleted the smog pump and replaced all the pulleys.



Found a set of early 90's center caps and lug covers.



An '89 Scottsdale at the local yard provided a tilt column and better door panels, and another truck gave up it's slider window.