Another new old Tahoe owner

[TonyJ]

Just wanted to drop a note and thanks for the great forum. I just picked up a '96 Tahoe with 241K miles. I've been looking at them for quite awhile and was really looking to get a newer 6.0 liter, but the price was right on the '96 and after a close inspection and test drive, I grabbed it. For the number of miles, it runs better than I could have imagined. No apparent engine issues other than a dragging starter, which I replaced.

I plan to beef up the power/ground wires and today I pulled the DRL/fog fuse, to turn off the daytime running lights. Really solid engine bay without a lot of tampering (looks stock) Interior is a little dirty/stained, but nothing that won't clean up. It has one **** on the passenger front grill/fender, but I replaced the grill and it looks pretty good. Could use some dolly work or a repop fender, but not bad, as is. I pulled the aluminum fender trim as it had the usual little dents and marks. Looks fine without it.

Bottom line- I love this truck!

I also own a '71 Blazer with a transplanted Vortech 5.7. It's been switched to a carb setup and runs great. NP205 and SM465 granny gear 4-spd. The reason I picked up the Tahoe is so I can take the '71 out of daily driver status and finish the body work for paint and interior. I've got most of the patch panels and parts, I just need to get it stripped down and welded this winter. Hopefully by spring I'll be ready for paint.

Anyway, I'm having a blast tweaking the Tahoe. I've got a good friend who builds engines, so I'll have him start looking for a builder block to eventually find it's way into the Tahoe as a 383...

I love Chevy trucks... Pics to come.

Later,
Tony

---------- Post added at 11:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 PM ----------

These pics are from the day I bought it, so it's pretty dirty. The paint is dull and oxidized, but should polish out nicely. I'll post pics of the new grill tomorrow.

 

[puckhead]

Welcome aboard! Glad you like your buy! You gonna turn it into an off road beast??

 

[Busted Knuckles]

New Dinosaur on the block -Welcome !

Hey Tony welcome ,
Now I don't feel like the only Fred Flintstone here !!!!
I'll trade you my 96' any day for that 71' yer sportin' . Gotta love the Old Iron ! I had a great plain jane white 81' K5 with the 3 spd. manual ,cammed light,flow-techs,TSL Radial Super Swamper 33x10.50's on Ralleys with a 2" suspension lift (just enough lift for the tires) . It was great in the snow,rocks,mud up around CC Nevada . I'd put a re-man block in it and coming out of Reno it started missing and a couple lifters were ratteling hard . Turned out the cam was a dang re-profiled and wasn't re-hardened . It ground #1 cam lobes round in 20 miles and flushed the engine with super-fine metal . I recammed/liftered it and drove it for a couple months and unloaded it when the oil pressure started dropping .

Good luck on the 71 and the 96' let's see some pics of the 71' as you go .
I used to restore classics but health put me out of that game .
Getting ready to move back there soon and may have to rethink all the electronics on my 96' and go with a Big Block/Spread Bore etc.
Steve

 

[TonyJ]

Thanks. You can see the '71 hiding in the back of the last photo. For more pics, click here.

Tony

 

[LazyAssLou]

Welcome! Truck has alot of potential!

 

[TonyJ]

Welcome aboard! Glad you like your buy! You gonna turn it into an off road beast??

So far, I'm enjoying the ride quality. I so used to the kidney punches from the '71, the leather couch and boat-like float are a little seductive... Given my need to tweak, I'm sure I'll want it stiffer, at least. I need to pull a 4-horse trailer, so power and possibly some Dana 60s might be the ticket.

Now I'm on the lookout for a two-door...

 

[AquaHunter]

Good Job Tony

 

[TonyJ]

Hey Tony welcome ,
Now I don't feel like the only Fred Flintstone here !!!!
...
I used to restore classics but health put me out of that game .
Getting ready to move back there soon and may have to rethink all the electronics on my 96' and go with a Big Block/Spread Bore etc.
Steve

The big block has always been a real thought on the '71, I'd love a 502 backed by an NV4500 5-speed. Don't know if I could afford the fuel, but I don't pass many gas stations as it is... lol.

Good luck with your health and getting back to restoration. I enjoy it almost as much as driving.

 

[Busted Knuckles]

I looked at the pics , Tony . Unreal !!!!!!! Love it , would love to score something like that ! I'm thinking of maybe a Chevy small V-8 Roller Motor or Corvair Sand Rail when I get back to Nevada .
I can't ride bikes/ATV's anymore and my VA pension won't allow frame-offs or major rebuilds . My last 2 was a 73' Road Runner Clone . I got the A/C done and drove to Reno and sold it the first night out at Hot August Nights and bought a 66' Dodge Coronet "440" Convertible that was a basket case . Got it done and had to sell it . Broke my heart , my folks had a 57-9 Dodge Convertible when I was kid and I always wanted a Drop Top .
But we tend to live in the "sticks" so cars really aren't practical .
I will eventually do my 96' up a bit . I've already got a hot ignition ,exhaust,and complete rebuild on the suspension/steering minus the rear leafs . I'd like some roller rockers , headers , a mild cam/stall converter and bullet proof the 4l60e , if I decide to stay with an EFI system , andmaybe 3:73's or 3:90's , then a cowl hood since mine looks like it was bombarded with golf balls . In 08' we got hit with 80+mph straight line winds and lost a lot trees , then december last year we were at the front door watching the trees dance during a major storm and got hit with Rain Wrapped Tornado right along side the house and right up the creek . Lost 18 trees (Walnut/Oak) between the two storms and fragged the Gov-Lok rear end trying to "yard" them out so now it's running a Detroit Tru-Trak . I love it , and highly recommend them unless you're into some serious 4 wheeling , no clutch pacs or cones to wear out . Pretty easy to set up a Micrometer/Stand if you don't have to change out the pinion bearings .The final set up is .005"-.009" of lash . I got lucky ,,, I got mine to .010" after several hours and finally said the heck with it , what's .001" ?!

 

[TonyJ]

... what's .001" ?!

The difference between being a daddy or not...

Later, Tony