What are the last models of pickups manufactured that could be worked on without highend diagnostic tools? I am looking for a 3/4 or 1 ton 2wd, crew cab truck.
[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] We bought a 1980 Shivel-A 3/4 ton a few years ago and rebuilt it instead of buying a later model because it was the LAST of the GM pickups from the "Iron Age". After 1980, GM went to a partially-computerized carburetor; not fuel injection and not straight carburetion....the worst possible thing. I don't know anything about the other makes. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]
Well it would have to be pre fuel injection. So for fords you are looking at 85 or older and probably 81 or older for minimum computer control. Hmmn In Arizona those are considered antique trucks you can get an antique license plate.
We bought a 1980 Shivel-A 3/4 ton a few years ago and rebuilt it instead of buying a later model because it was the LAST of the GM pickups from the "Iron Age". After 1980, GM went to a partially-computerized carburetor; not fuel injection and not straight carburetion....the worst possible thing. I don't know anything about the other makes.
CJDave
Huh? My 85 3/4 ton Chevy has a straight Quadrajet, no computer at all...GM only put the computer controlled carbs on light duty engines, and went to "Electronic Spark Control" in 86 I believe on the pickups.
[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Maybe those carbs were part of the California emmissions thing? Even our 1980 3/4T pickup had all Californey-style emmisions stuff, the whole package. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] I've never actually looked under the hood of a 1981 pickup that wasn't in Californey, so I'm not really sure. The two things that we looked for when we went pickup buying were the full floating rear axle and the std Quadra-Jet carb, and the word was that it had to be 1980 or earlier, but maybe it was just the axle requirement that made us go back that far? The one we bought had the QJ carb, the steel crank engine that has four bolt main caps and that extra bolt hole at the top of the bell housing pattern, the SM465 main box and the all-gear NP205 transfer case with a 14-bolt rear axle. It took a while to find one, and to get that engine it had to be an upgrade. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
Whew, you guys sure know or remember a lot more detail about the pickups than I do. Down on the farm I bought an old 1981 Ford F250 with the 351cu.in. Cleveland engine and I think it was an ordinary old fashioned carburetor, but I couldn't say for sure. I didn't use the old truck a lot, and as with most vehicles back then, you set the choke when cold by pressing the accelerator to the floor, then letting up on it before cranking the engine. Well, that feature quit working and I didn't bother to check to see why for a few months. When I finally did think to remove the air filter to see what was wrong, the only problem was a mud daubers' nest on the linkage. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] Once I cleaned that off, it worked just fine again. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
I had a 1979 3/4 ton GMC pickup and I know there was no computerized anything involved. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Jeez, there was even room to climb in beside the engine to do routine maintenance. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
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