Janesville Wisconsin Oppos?

"Birddog" (maintmgt)
08/31/2017 at 02:56 • Filed to: None

Willing to look at a truck for me?

I stumbled across this gem last week and haven’t been able to get it out of my head. It’s allegedly a two owner truck and surprisingly a life long Wisconsin rig.

My likes..

It’s an 87 so it has the TBI 350 and 700R4.

Black and Red! She’s gorgeous!

My concerns..

Repainted. Nice but anything can look nice in pictures.

Rust and rust repairs. The front fender liners, cab mounts and cab corners were notorious for rot. Were there repairs? Were they done right?

Interior. The seat needs new foam and a recover and the dash pad is trashed.

Options. There are none. No Cruise, tilt, A/C, etc. It’s a rubber floor truck.

Price. It’s at a dealership. They have it at $8500. That may seem high but really sanitary examples are getting twice that much.

Trivial concern.

Someone painted the wheels black. (WHY??)

I may have to rent a car to go look at this thing. I’m craving a box Suburban but I could easily see myself cruising around in this with Lloyd in the passenger seat.

DISCUSSION (35)

Tristan > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 03:05

It looks fantastic, but I have a hard time beginning it isn’t hiding rot being a Wisconsin truck.

Come to Oregon. We have lots of rust free square Suburbans!

Birddog > Tristan
08/31/2017 at 04:22

There was rot. Living in the salt belt guarantees that. How was it fixed? That’s my question.

I will move to Oregon. Eventually. They keep telling me they’re full. I have a hard time believing that.

shop-teacher > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 07:05

Oh man, this is nice!

acarr260 > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 08:44

1987 doesn’t guarantee a TBI 350, as the 305 was heavily used in the K1500 platform. I owned one. The 305 is terrible compared to the 350. Mine had a 4" Skyjacker lift with 33" A/T’s, which made the 305 even worse.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 09:05

Come to the desert Southwest on vacation and take home a truck. One could find a completely rust-free square body for less than half that price. The trade off is that they won’t have any paint or interior left from the sun.

Urambo Tauro > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 09:16

That is one fine-looking specimen. (from here, anyway)

12and35 > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 10:55

Holy shit it doesn’t have rust. I’m visiting in MKE right now and EVERYTHING has rust. E v e r y t h i n g.

WiscoProud > 12and35
08/31/2017 at 12:02

I’ve lived in Wisconsin for almost my entire life, what you have said is correct. Salt is a merciless bitch

Tristan > Birddog
08/31/2017 at 14:08

Oh, god no! I’d never advocate moving to this overcrowded, expensive, homeless-catering third world cesspool- er, enlightened, progressive, educated, shining beacon of modern values and honest politics.

All’s I’m sayin’ is our cars don’t rust.

12and35 > WiscoProud
09/01/2017 at 09:58

There’s a Dodge Ram that parks on the street where I’m at... I’m expecting a Bluesmobile moment at some point when it literally just falls apart. It’s also a fairly new Ram, too.

WiscoProud > 12and35
09/01/2017 at 10:55

In high school a friend of mine had his car break down at a gas station. the engine was running, but he couldn’t get it into gear, or to move. Nothing seemed obviously wrong underhood, but when I looked underneath the car, it quickly became apparent. The cross member had rusted out and his transmission was sitting on the ground. literally.

12and35 > WiscoProud
09/01/2017 at 11:08

I don’t want to laugh but....God damn that’s hilarious.

It kinda works out though, you guys get rusted out cars but you’re decent people! Everyone here is really nice and I’m having a lot of fun. Second time I’ve visited and looking to move up here soon. I’m already cold and it’s September, lol.

WiscoProud > 12and35
09/01/2017 at 11:10

Its quite okay to laugh, we all did.

When and where are you moving? This summer has been oddly cold. Maybe we’ll get a reprieve with winter, but who knows.

12and35 > WiscoProud
09/01/2017 at 11:18

My sister lives up here and the first time I was here was in July and it was like 80, 85 and she was complaining how hot it was. I was laughing my ass off because when I left North Carolina the heat index was 110.

I should get some of that “Trucoat” from Fargo for the BMW when I move up, lol.

WiscoProud > 12and35
09/01/2017 at 11:21

Yeah, it can get hot, but its nothing compared to the south.

Good Fargo reference. I usually just wash my truck every week or so in the winter, and make sure to get an underbody flush. It won’t stop everything, but it goes a long ways.

12and35 > WiscoProud
09/01/2017 at 11:24

My Uber driver (I didn’t bring my car) the other say said it’s mostly worse on the east side of Milwaukee for snow, salt, etc. I’m in some town I can’t spell or pronounce but he said it’s not too bad because it’s not right on the lake.

WiscoProud > 12and35
09/01/2017 at 11:38

You can get lake effect snow by the lake, but Milwaukee overall isn’t too bad for snow. That being said, I grew up in northern Wisconsin, so my benchmark is certainly different. The east side is certainly more dense population wise than the rest of the city, but any major road will be coated in salt.

Birddog > Tristan
09/03/2017 at 17:55

My cousin paints a different picture altogether. But, I’ve been getting that same story from a lot of people.

No worries for now. I have a bid on an abandoned Farm in Wisconsin now.

I do need to start snagging some of those sweet classics from you guys though.

Birddog > 12and35
09/03/2017 at 18:05

It’s not as nice as it appears. It’s been “restored”. Wheel arches were repaired, cab corners were fixed and front fenders we’re replaced.

It was a nice dream while it lasted though.

Birddog > Urambo Tauro
09/03/2017 at 18:09

Yeah. Not so sweet up close. They did decent work but the details weren’t there. For $4000? Maybe.

Birddog > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
09/03/2017 at 18:13

I’m in at $4k. I found an 85 Ramcharger near PHX with paint (two tone even!) on 33s and a toasted interior for $5k. I bet I could find a buyer here for that at $10k.

Birddog > acarr260
09/03/2017 at 18:18

It is a 350. I’d have a hard time even considering a 305 truck. I hate that mill so much it’s not funny.

Birddog > shop-teacher
09/03/2017 at 18:23

It’s summer cruiser nice. One winter on the road and the shine would be gone quickly.

Urambo Tauro > Birddog
09/03/2017 at 18:39

Was any of the mechanical stuff rebuilt or modified?

Birddog > Urambo Tauro
09/03/2017 at 19:08

Didn’t even look that deep. It’s had rust repair. Whoever bought/buys it is getting a nice Box Chevy. It’ll make a great summer rig.

shop-teacher > Birddog
09/03/2017 at 19:27

I could never drive a nice Squarebody in the snow. I’ve seen what happens to them, and it’s ugly.

Birddog > shop-teacher
09/03/2017 at 19:51

I want one pretty bad. As a year round DD too (my commute is 3 miles round-trip). I let my old Suburban go cheap and have been kicking myself ever since.

Tristan > Birddog
09/03/2017 at 20:18

I’m jealous... I want a farm in Wisconsin!

I moved to Oregon so my kids could grow up with lots of family nearby. The kids had better appreciate it.

Birddog > Tristan
09/03/2017 at 21:02

I’m a bit reversed. I’m stuck in Illinois because of family and want out. The only way I’ll get my Dad to leave his house (think Walt Kowalski) is if I offer something better. I haven’t been blessed with kids so I have no say there.

shop-teacher > Birddog
09/03/2017 at 21:51

I’d love one too. My commute isn’t much longer. I’d just want one that has a bit of rust already. I couldn’t bear to ruin a nice one.

Birddog > shop-teacher
09/03/2017 at 22:23

I’m with you on that. Kinda.

If I’m dropping close to $10k on a machine, I’m driving it year round. And.. I really want a Suburban. A Brown and Tan one with the third row seats would be ideal.

shop-teacher > Birddog
09/03/2017 at 22:26

There’s solid logic to that. Gotta love some two-tone. I miss that on modern trucks.

Birddog > shop-teacher
09/03/2017 at 23:23

Chevy could get back to it. I see a lot of Square Chevy in the current gen.

Tristan > Birddog
09/04/2017 at 03:01

I can relate on the dad subject... Mine is in Minnesota. He’s 71, had lived on the farm there since 1980, and he ain’t going anywhere. I couldn’t talk my Florida-native wife into the Minnesota winters to be near my family, so she talked me into Oregon where her family all relocated to.

I lived in Minnesota for 22 years and I’ve lived in South Dakota, Texas, Florida, and spent a lot of time all over the US. Oregon is very low on my list of places I desire to live. I’m making the best of it, though!

shop-teacher > Birddog
09/04/2017 at 09:02

Yeah, I can see that too. If they’d sell me a two-tone crew cab, with two plaid bench seats, I’d be banging on the dealership door right now, throwing my money at them.