Bobbed Deuce as a Possible Expedition Platform? $7500

[zaphos]

Thanks all for all the ideas and information.

Well, by the time I swap the motor and body, I think a clean 3/4 ton Suburban with a 6.5TD gets me to about the same place with a LOT less effort.

The 6.5 or even the 6.2 with Sidewinder kit are bastard children but I am familiar with them and know the weak spots (mostly the heads). They are listed every so often for dirt cheap. Most of the 3/4 tons come with GM corporate 14 bolt full floating axles.

The Deuce may be a fun project down the road but, if I am not using the powertrain or body, I am kind of spending a lot of time going nowhere.

'84 3/4 Suburban 6.2 DD "Prerunner"
'95 XR600R

./Mark

 

[chevyexpotruck]

Thanks all for all the ideas and information.

Well, by the time I swap the motor and body, I think a clean 3/4 ton Suburban with a 6.5TD gets me to about the same place with a LOT less effort.

The 6.5 or even the 6.2 with Sidewinder kit are bastard children but I am familiar with them and know the weak spots (mostly the heads). They are listed every so often for dirt cheap. Most of the 3/4 tons come with GM corporate 14 bolt full floating axles.

The Deuce may be a fun project down the road but, if I am not using the powertrain or body, I am kind of spending a lot of time going nowhere.

'84 3/4 Suburban 6.2 DD "Prerunner"
'95 XR600R

./Mark

Yup. Is what I tell people all the time. I have several deuces here in the yard and I always get the "OMG THAT IS SOO COOL! I WANT ONE!!?!?!". But when they tell me what they want to do with it (go off roading and use it as a daily driver) and I tell them how it will not fit down most of the trails around here and that it gets around 5mpg and costs $300 to fuel, they loose a lot of the sparkle in their eyes.

I have one setup as a full expedition truck......and rarely use it. Too big, too slow, too expensive to run (fuel wise) and uncomfortable to drive long distances. Great truck, but I have gone back to regular pickup trucks for my expo needs. Plus I am a big fan of the invention of AC, and getting AC installed in the deuce would cost as much as a cheap pickup truck.

 

[Ozarker]

BTW, we have several of these tagged in SW Mo., one guy has a tree service, a few landscaper and excavation companies, some guy sells firewood out of one and one is orange, got no idea what business it is. Wear ear plugs when driving.

 

[LowTech]

I personal would not have a bobbed deuce for an expo rig, but then we are know for being crazy we run a caravan of two deuces on our travels.
Being out West we don't have an issue w/ width, we even had them on quad trails. We sometimes have hight issues w/ her 109 (the shop van).
After years of travel on crappy dirt tracks I wouldn't give up the way the 2 axle rear suspension works for a single, bounce up and down, style set up.
Bobbing it only shortens it 3 feet. You now have a big pick up w/ a 9 ' bed. In my opinion you lose all the advantages of having a deuce .

But that's just me


. . . sent without me knowing . . .

 

[Curmudgeon]

Bobbing it only shortens it 3 feet. You now have a big pick up w/ a 9 ' bed. In my opinion you lose all the advantages of having a deuce .

That's certainly true, but most of us probably don't need the advantages of a deuce, and a pickup with a 9' bed is a pretty versatile rig.

Personally, I would like to have one of each to go with my smaller rigs. Then it's kind of like picking which rifle I'm gonna hunt with on this trip. Will I take the .243, the .300, the .375, or the .416?

Hmmmm, . . . I'm feelin' pretty gnarly today, so I think I'll take the deuce and the .416. There's some sage rats out there what needs killin'. :REOutShootinghunter

 

[taylordc15]

Here is mine the bigger tires allow me to cruise at 65 with no problem, I do have the fuel turned up and a pyro installed and I don't have enough power to maintain 65 on much of a grade.
I have added power steering and a muffler as well as air ride seats from a semi which have made it much more fun on longer trips.



As for the post that said air conditioning would cost to much, I bought an MRAP system for $300 surplus which will be my next project, will have to have new hoses made up and fabricate different brackets but should have A/C in it for under $600

 

[zaphos]

Sweet Deuce!

That crew cab looks like it came that way, nice!

Did you stretch the frame?

Maybe the picture just makes it look stretched.

Getting ~ 10 - 15 mpg?

 

[taylordc15]

Yes the frame was stretched in order to keep the stock bed.
More like 8-10 mpg, Its a little heavier than stock and with the fuel turned up it cancels out the mph advantage of larger tires

 

[taylordc15]