'87 Chevy 3/4 ton??

Casey in Ky · Nov 2, 2011

I came across a 1987 Chevy, 3/4 ton, 4wd, 350(owner says fuel injected?), automatic, reg cab long wheel base with 91,000 miles. He's asking $3000. Truck looks good in the pictures. apparently it's was a fancy truck for it's time, power windows, locks, and AC. He says the windows don't work but the AC does, justs needs to be recharged (anybody got any r12 laying around??). I'm not much for for an auto but it seem to be priced right. Can this thing handle towing 10k to 12k lbs? I love my '06 Chevy 2500hd(6.0 gas and 5speed) but I keep getting offers for more than I paid for it and I've drove it for 3 years. I know I'd miss the 5 speed and ext cab but the real question is am I going to miss it when I'm hooked to a trailer?? Here's a few pics of the '87. It's also got a "spring loaded towing bumper", whatever that is...

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Frankmn · Nov 2, 2011

My uncle has one and on a good day it gets 6 miles per gallon and has since it was new. One of the reasons it has low miles.

504 · Nov 2, 2011

I could be wrong, but I thought the first year for FI was 1988. If my auto falls apart I am looking for a 5 speed.(1996)

Anonymous-0 · Nov 2, 2011

Got a 1 ton utility bed 87 chevy with throttle body fuel injection out back,, i would love to get $1000 for it,, better be used to 10 mpg if you buy that 350.thats all mine can do with auto tranny..

bobs old iron · Nov 2, 2011

a couple of ideas,,,take off air cleaner when you check it out better, and see if late 87 was F.I or carb,,,then ask if they has ever towed with it, or ask if you can take it to pull trailer to see if it will handle it...as far as the a/c, on my 82 ford, i just evacuate freon, then took out valve stems for a couple of days to make all old r-12 was out,,,,then i recharged with 134a and oil [ have a a/c shop do it],,,cool fine and no problem,,,...

huntingreen2day · Nov 2, 2011

Bought one brand new without the bells and whistles. It was called Apple Red. Mine had a 4.10 rear end, 350 throttle body injection. I kept it 22 years then gave it to my son who still has it. It was a pulling, rough riding son of a gun. Liked gas a lot too. Never did anything to the engine or transmission in the 13K miles I put on it. miss that truck.

sixtyninegmc · Nov 2, 2011

If it has the 4 speed overdrive 700R4 auto trans you will get quite a bit better mileage (maybe 14 if you are lucky?), but be careful with it towing. You can tow a lot of weight with a 700, but don`t lug it in overdrive, a tranny temp guage is worth its weight in gold, and it will eventually need to be gone through, but once you put improved parts into a rebuild on one they are excellent.

If it has the turbo 400 3 speed trans, it will tow more than the rest of the truck, don`t worry about the tranny, worry about your pocketbook.

If the mileage does not scare you those are good trucks, 350 small blocks can be made to pull as hard as your 6.0L, but that `87 will not if stock. If you are into staying in the fast lane with a trailer on and there are any hills involved, keep the 6.0L IMHO.

luv2wrench · Nov 3, 2011

If its a 4 speed auto(700r4) they are junk. Same as a 4L60E and you shouldn't pull with them anything more then a boat. If its a turbo 400 (3L80) there great. Trust me. I build these for a living. The fuel injection 350 is easy easy to fix. But you 06 with a 5 speed is rare as far as i m concerned. I work for a large GM dealer and NEVER see those trucks. GM went away from maunals in 2007 classic GMT800 series truck in the GAS engine.

I love those old R and V series chevy trucks. Just a good ole pile of iron (that will rust away.) I had a 1976 K10 with a factory 400 v8 and 350trans. HATED the trans but always worked fine. 400v8 pulled great, despite what everyone always said about the 400;s. mine was a virgin, never touched since new, im second owner. BUT would use 2 qt oil when pulled hard 200 miles. Still got the engine if anybody interested-only thing ever been off the motor is the valve covers and i overhauled the carb twice. still orginal water pump??----funny how somethings just last and last. Today i pulled a bad camshaft out of a 2009 chevy suburban with 46k.

sixtyninegmc · Nov 3, 2011

I also wrench for a living, and have owned 700R equipped trucks. This is why I love the internet. Someone asks a perfectly reasonable question, and pretty soon someone is trying to use unverifiable credentials to call someone else an idiot and start a pi$$ing match.

Go look at the truck. Take it for a test drive. I think you will be able to tell whether you like it or not. Good luck.

Bob · Nov 3, 2011

"I could be wrong, but I thought the first year for FI was 1988"

Yes, you could be WRONG. Actually, you ARE wrong!

Jimmy King · Nov 3, 2011

I had an 86 3/4 ton when I quit farming and kept it around for a few more years. 350, 4 speed, 4wd, 4.10 rear end. would pull 10,000 lbs straight up a wall if you could have kept it on the wall. But 10 MPG empty. I knew the guy that bought it new, no frills AM radio, HD, 3/4 ton, no air. I did like that truck, just couldn"t aford to drive it to work.

MCL · Nov 3, 2011

The 87 3/4 tons were throttle body fuel injection. They say not to tow in overdrive if you have the 4 speed auto. I had an 86 3/4 ton 4x4. It was a 350 carb and 3 speed auto. It was an ok truck-just wore out. I now have an 02 Chevy HD 6.0 auto. There is no comparison. You will probably be sick if you make the swap. The 87 will do it but not nearly as well. Nothing against the 87. I love those series Chevys. I had two and my dad had one. There is just no comparison to today's more modern trucks.

Casey in Ky · Nov 3, 2011

I appreciate all the info. I'm going to go look at the truck this weekend and if the guy still has it, and I'm guessing he will as nothing seems to be selling around here right now. I am in hill country, so that worries me a little. But I'm perfectly fine staying in the slow lane. My '06 has the 4.11 rearend and mpg's are 14 if I drive like grandma, 12 normal, and 10 loaded. So mpg wise it's not all that different for me. But I'm also lucky as I only drive about 8 miles to work everyday(I've also got an '98 beater Camry that gets almost 30 mpgs that I can drive on longer trips, though it does have a 150k miles on it and is getting in rough shape, still goes though). My biggest concern is the automatic and towing 10k up and down our hills. Lot's of starting and stopping and crawling up and down. Plus I still enjoy driving the stick...

RodinNS · Nov 3, 2011

It would probably be worth asking yourself how much cash you could make from that trade and how badly do you really need it...
Personally I think you're just looking for a headache.... and you will succeed in finding it.
Around here 25 year old trucks are now mostly 15 years through the crusher and the tin cans that replaced them are 5 years through the crusher... The odd one you do see isn't worth 3 grand. Just some food for though...

Rod

dhermesc · Nov 3, 2011

If you want the windows to work and the AC to cool plan on spending another $1000.

And yes you will notice a HUGE difference when towing. A 350 engine from that period is probably rated about 190 hp when new - and I doubt its gotten better in the last 24 years. You 6.0 is in the 300 hp range.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 3, 2011

I've owned both motor combos. I too think you will be disapointed going back to the 350.
I just got another truck with the 6.0 and like someone else posted there is no comparison. The 6.0 will pull circles around my old 350 4 spreed.

luv2wrench · Nov 3, 2011

didn't call anyone an idiot. In my opinion there are better transmissions then the 700. They are weak in my opinion. A factory set up 3-4 clutch pack clearence in them was .040"-.080". When i build them i set them to .030" And since 1987 (first year of the updated 700r4 82-86 700s are really junk.) they have recieved MANY updates. Unverified?? This isn't ROCKET ENG. 101 buddy. Just simple transmissions. How hard could it be?? Granted, it is a good trans, just a lil weak when you put stress to them. Not trying to start pissin match my friend.

luv2wrench · Nov 3, 2011

i miss my 1976 too.

ericlb · Nov 3, 2011

it will do the job-if your not in a hurry, i have a 83 1 ton with the 350 and 4 speed manuel, and 4;11 rear,2 wd, it pulls anything within reason but while it can maintain 55 to 60 on the flats, any hill requires downshifting and just sit and enjoy the ride 35 mph,ummm expect 8 to 10 mpg, ive also got a 80 model 1 ton 4x4, it has a 454, 4 speed manuel, and 4;56 rear with lockers in the diferentials,[ farm truck] it too will pull anything reasonable at 6 mpg, the pulling power between the 2 is startingly close, the big 454 just has a little more guts but not a lot, the specs look like 185 hp for the 350 vs 220 for the 454, i love those old square body chevys though , my 94 cummins dodge pulls the same loads as the chevy but maintains 60 to 70 mph with ease, and loaded it gets around 17 mpg, unloaded it has hit 28 on a cross country trip, [2600 miles]

Allan in NE · Nov 3, 2011

Yep,

That's the way you test diesels for fuel mileage.

Totally warmed up and on a long trip. Seems like the mileage just seems to get better and better.

The worst they show is when they are cold or not to max engine temp. Gotta have 'em running for an hour or so and then they really shine.

Allan

TGIN · Nov 3, 2011

As soon as you buy that 87 you wont get another offer on the 06 , thats just the way the ball bounces !! I drive a truck about like it and I like it a lot and it will do whatever I ask of it also have a beater I use for draging wood , it is amasing the logs that thing will drag but If I had a 06 I would not drop back 9 yrs. plus a loss of HP!!

Daninsc · Nov 3, 2011

It would pull 10k on flat ground don't know how well in hills that has to be real close to the mfg limit if not over If it was a short bed it would be worth more. Don't know if they made a short bed in a 3/4 ton but they just sell for more.

sixtyninegmc · Nov 3, 2011

(quoted from post at 22:03:45 11/02/11) If its a 4 speed auto(700r4) they are junk. Same as a 4L60E and you shouldn't pull with them anything more then a boat. If its a turbo 400 (3L80) there great. Trust me. I build these for a living................Granted, it is a good trans, just a lil weak when you put stress to them. Not trying to start pissin match my friend.

Sorry, I just took that the wrong way ;-) Getting a little cranky with some people on here, guess I shouldn`t pop off on you for it. I had 250,000 miles on an `83 suburban with the 6.2L and a 700R in it, the original trans wet the bed at 30,000 miles and the next 220,000 was on a beefed up `87 trans with a lot of towing and hauling, including several years hauling up the haul road (very rough, lots of 10% grades) and like I said, watch the temp and don`t let it heat up, and don`t grunt it on the hills in OD. Granted, I don`t think that 350 COULD grunt 10,000lbs in OD.

newfarmer9 · Nov 3, 2011

That will be throttle-body fuel injection. You will not be able to handle 10-12K with that truck. The 1 ton duallies of that era were only rated at 10K GVWR, the 3/4 tons even less. I've owned four Chev/GM 3/4 tons and 1 tons in the 73-87 years, and I wouldn't recommend trying to pull near 10K with them.

'87 Chevy 3/4 ton??

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