Oh, forgot to say. While I do not particularly enjoy working on my cars, and downright dislike it at times, I have to admit it’s less of a chore having some highly knowledgeable people around to walk it thru. There is a level of enthusiasm I detect on occasion that I haven’t experienced since I was a young punk.

 

No, I don't think there's many that could do it.

As a DIY, we (or at least us older ones!) tend to take a few extra steps to Do It Right The First Time.

(That's also why RackDoctor racks instead of a DIY rebuild, but !I! will install it. I have a guy who rebuilds starters and alternators for me when I can get them done. One of the best steering column guys in several states to rebuild my column. An old Chrysler transmission guy rebuild the transmission. Etc. etc.)

RwP

 

Nice to know people like that.

 

Here's a pic of the 89 with the hood emblem - hurts my heart, it had the fog light valance panel on it.



If it's still there, since it's an 89, I may scarf the ECU out of it.

RwP

 

Around me the wrecking yards think destroying these old rigs as fast as possible helps the economy by forcing people to buy a new one. I guess they never heard you cannot get blood from a stone.

 

Around here, scrap prices are pretty good, and a 'quick buck' trumps having it sit for years, and the money slowly trickling in.

 

Boneyards were decimated (as in "10% left") by the Cash for Clunkers scheme by the administration back in 2008.

They've never quite recovered.

RwP

 

Yeah, I was looking for a truck back then....... Anything used I could find, was horribly over-priced..... A 20 year old chevy long bed 4x4 that was beat to crap, and had 200K miles on it, they were STILL wanting 10K for it...... Not just no, but,...... no. I found my 96 ram 2500 that was in bad shape, and had some issues, but, got it for 1600, and figgered I stole it. I think I put less than 500 into it to get it road worthy, and reliable. That old beat to snot truck actually drove better than my 98, with half the miles on it.

 

I looked at my steering shaft a bit today. It has to be the most rusted part on my truck that is really not very rusty otherwise. Anyway, I saw no bolt near the pinion end of the shaft. If I remember, Ralph mentioned they might use a roll pin instead of a pinch bolt there. I have a feeling mine uses a roll pin and it’s probably rusted pretty good.

Kinda honks me off. Why can’t they just use a friggin’ bolt? So it’s looking like I’ll have to fight the damn thing to get the shaft disconnected. Means I should really get a roll pin punch set if I plan on reusing the pin. Whatever. I’ll probably wack the hell out of it and trash the shaft and the pinion.

I’ll look at it a little closer tomorrow. Gonna carpet my garage floor and hang a TV from my exhaust. I spend enuf time under my truck. Might as well make it more inviting.

 

Maybe I can disconnect the shaft in the middle?? There’s a pinch bolt looking set up there. Kind of a funky looking deal. I’ll post pix tomorrow. I didn’t see any obvious collapsabilty feature.