I can't stand not having a spare ride

[04crewvt]

Looking at a beater for a second vehicle, I am sick of having to borrow a ride while mine is in the shop. I have a line on a new toy( at least to me) and will let people know if the deal goes through,

[turkeestalker]

Good luck, hope everything works out the way you want it to.

[04crewvt]

My new ride is sitting in the parking lot at work. I won't be able to get plates on it for a week till the check I wrote clears the bank and when I can get to the DMV but at least I will not have to beg for rides soon.

[turkeestalker]

......and that ride is?

[04crewvt]

1998 Chevy Tahoe LT 4D 4x4 5.7l v8 211k miles, metallic blue and silver with the Grey leather interior. Outside is in fantastic shape it was a southern car so no rust anywhere, a few dings and bumps but nothing to worry about interior is a bit rough but for a beater it's good. I just have to pick up a few items from E-Bay like a new climate control switch and remote mirror switch assembly if I can,t get them working and I have to see how the autotrac 4x4 switch works to make sure that's good for the winter. Pictures will follow, unfortunately the owner got the photos of it off the web before I could copy them to my computer so it might be a few days.

[HenryJ]

Check for leaks around the tailshaft housing. The transfercase pump has a cheezy little clip that likes to fall off and the pump proceeds to saw the tailshaft housing off.
If it doesn't have the G80, find one. The side gears in the open carriers did not get properly heat treated and are junk. I have replace half a dozen of them.
You know the Dex drill, if it has the orange stuff.
Watch the oil for brown. The 5.7 has the same intake leak problems, and the plastic distributor housing too.

Mostly the same problems, just bigger

[04crewvt]

Ya but I figure with 211k on it some or all of this has been done already. I will look it over carefully but for the price if I can get 1 year out of it it will be cheap to run. I picked it up for $1800.00. I did have the mechanics I have been using check it out quickly before I bought it and they felt it looked good but I will go the extra mile and make sure.

[HenryJ]

You'll be fine. I have one headed to the auction next month with similar mileage. The tcase is an easy fix, it is bad. Most thought it was just a seal leaking. NOT.
Make sure the fluid is blue. It must use autotrac fluid.

[04crewvt]

I figure with the autotrac 4x4 I will use this one for my winter ride and for my C.E.R.T response vehicle I can then lighten the load in the crew by 80 lbs and keep the mileage down a bit on the new powerplant.

[04crewvt]

Found one of the photos.

[04crewvt]

Updated photos. I've been busy. I hope the link works. 98 Tahoe C.E.R.T Vehicle

[F9K9]

Good looking rig! I see you found some lenses for the rear strobes

[04crewvt]

Yup, the place I got the replacement lenses for the light bar ordered them for me. They look sharp through the back windows.
I still have some front strobes to install and the fog lights to hook up.

[F9K9]

I went through my out building last week, Brian, and the 4 strobe power pack is definitely gone. I am pretty sure that I tossed it a couple years when I went on a rampage throwing out stuff that I would never need again. I didn't feel right about selling it because it was once gov't property. Once again it happens! Throw out something and you will be needing one in the future. Now, I am worried about the pseudo cocaine, heroin and meth that I threw out last weekend (K9 training aids).

[04crewvt]

That's ok I picked up some mini strobes from e-bay for $25 which will do fine for the front. It's the rears I really wanted set up,they look great in the dark. I have used the overhead lights a couple of times on the interstate when due to accidents traffic was slowed down to a crawl, they work great to get other to slow down and pay attention.

[04crewvt]

Yea you never know when pseudo cocaine will be needed for a party right next to the near beer and fat free chips.

[04crewvt]

I have done other things to it. I installed the new head unit that was in my old truck, cleaned the contacts on the rear defroster that was not working, replaced the HVAC head, put a red lens into one of the overhead lamps for a map light, used 2 Quick Fist holders to mount a MagLight to the headliner next to the overhead monitor. I had a complete tuneup done new cap,rotor,plugs,wires,high flow air cleaner, and unfortunately a new distributor, seems someone had already broken the plastic and had held the cap on with a wood screw. Now they can't get the p1345 code for crank shaft position sensor to go away seems it's possible a previous owner had reprogrammed the computer and now the scan tool won't talk to the PCM to do the relearn. More ducks

[04crewvt]

Just added new Monroe coil over shocks to the rear to compensate for a droopy back end and had the transfer case output bearing and seal replaced. The t-case fluid was nasty and not the Smurf Juice so that probably contributed to the bearing failure.

[killian96ss]

$1800 seems like a good deal for a 98 Tahoe!

Have you ever tried the wig-wag light asseblies used on law enforcement vehicles?

I believe they turn the headlights, signal markers, and possibly the tailights into alternating strobe lights.

Ther are several guys in our Impala club who have the wig-wags on their 9C1 police cars.

I've also seen a few of our members get into trouble using them when they're not supposed to.

Steve

[04crewvt]

I have about $5500 into it now including all the above items and today's repairs, I also put a good set of Mastercraft winter tires on it since the Michelin M&S on it were rounded off on the shoulders and did not feel great in the snow . The wig wags would be cool but overkill for what i am doing with it. As it is I have more lights on it than any other personal vehicle in our group and possibly on any C.E.R.T vehicle in the state. The overhead bar is used frequently to keep traffic backed off me when the interstate goes below 40mph. I just hit the rear strobes and instantly get a few car lengths of breathing room.

[killian96ss]

Yeah, any more lights and Vermont might start reporting UFO sightings.

Steve

[04crewvt]

Well I still have to add the front mini strobes to the back side of the rear view mirror and I just found a really cool suction mount remote light (advertised for boats with a cold cathode light as well as a halogen spot that swivels 340 degrees and tilts 180 degrees for less than $80 with a rebate it might just need to find a place on the roof as well.

[04crewvt]

225K and the Tahoe blew it's transmission on the way to work Saturday. I managed to get there but that was all she wrote. AAMCO currently putting in a complete HD rebuilt unit to the tune of $2000 or so. waiting for spring to add more lights/wigwag, got one for free so might as well. Replacement headlights sitting here to deal with lenses so scuffed as to limit light transmission and new power heated external mirrors to replace the ones currently not working on it. Electric brake controller ready to go in as well and more radio gear/ siren (only when Police authorize us to us at this point) . Much of it has been sitting here since last summer when too much work and too much rain combined to not let me get much done with it. Still worth the money, just reaching the age where I will also be looking for a spare motor to drop in.