The owner this likely got killed or died otherwise. No way do you take such good care of a paid off truck and then let it sit abandoned and be sold off.
My friend runs and animal shelter. Her passion is saving abandoned dogs. You strike me as a shelter operator for cars and trucks. I hope you can find a place in your inventory for this aged but still healthy animal. If not, I hope you can adopt her out to a good home. And thanks for the mid-week video... always a welcome treat.
Once upon a time....circa 1980, I was friends with a guy (Bob) who worked at a local gas station. Their clientele was mainly the older residents of the area. One night he calls me and asks me if I want to buy a 1967 Chevelle for $125. It was brought in for service and the owner never came back for it. It kind of runs and it needs a paint job and is otherwise in decent shape... at this time I didn't have the place to work on a potential project and at that time $125 was too much money to gamble on the roadworthiness of the car (remember 1980ish). So, I declined the offer.... About a week later I see Bob driving this car. It was a 1967 SS 396 Chevelle with a 4-speed, 3.90 gears and bucket seats and it was factory original! The rough engine was fixed by new plugs and plug wires and adjusting the timing. The paint was "fixed" by wiping down the paint with gasoline. The thing was beautiful.... *regrets*
Heh. My dad once had a chance to buy an old Ferrari (think it was a 250 GT or something similar) for 5k. His first wife nixed the idea. That same car today is worth ~$500,000.
Eric - I've owned a Jeep Cherokee since new ... 1997. It has almost 340,000 miles at this point. There's a rule that applies to vehicles of this vintage : "it's not the noises it makes, it's when those noises *change*"
I was a Wrecker Driver for years, my car was a 75 Impala 4 door that I impounded for my boss. The old lady who owned it had a stroke in the Mall and passed away about a week later. I rebuilt the carb and drove it for a long time. I paid 500 bucks in 95 for that car and drove it until 2001. When I sold it for 2 grand!! It drove great and never gave me any problems!!! Great Video Thanks 🙏
M.Stone I bought a chebby "once " daily repairs & multiple 350 engines ( heads or push rods) 8 hrs on heater core & 2 differentials new paint all ended up in the wrecking yard.....
@@bradzimmerman3171 Yeah I wouldn't pay actual money for one. My father-in-law had one that was regularly maintained, yet blew up at 60k. All engines have their problems, but Chevy seems to have an overall build quality issue that adds to it.
@@RageHP-RageHorsePower Who knows what happened to it. Could have been a faulty pump or some other abnormality. Could have been a Friday night slop job. Who knows, who cares. I daily a Honda.
I can remember my time at a small junkyard 30yrs ago, cars in the condition of this truck getting junked, we'd always resell them after we figured out what repair they did not want to pay for. Nice find.
Thanks for starting with the process of claims for abandonment. I appreciate you showing how it wasnt just some sort of tow grab and go on some unsuspecting person. Now we all see that the last registered owner had every opportunity, time and info to keep their truck. But now it can go to somebody who wants a nice truck in a nice color.
Grab & go? If you didn't pay your bill when it was due, what's the question? It's always fun living in a country full of debt ceiling raising dumfacks who can't even budget a damn donut, let alone a truck payment. And before you boo-hoo about some cancer story or whatever tf, MOST people have no good excuse. Keeping up with the Joneses is a wildly out of control illness in the U.S.A..
You probably already know this, but just in case... For "rattling" or "looseness" in the front end, check the intermediate steering column link/shaft. These trucks are infamous for wearing those out. They don't "fail" outright, they just start rattling. Good save!
GMT800 was one of the best GM vehicles made in the last 40+ years. My 2003 2500HD 4x4 RCLB has 317k miles on it, my 2003 Yukon Denali XL has 213k miles on it. I will keep these two running until I die, them my SIL will get them.
Just picked me up a 2001 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 4x4 had a knocked motor and 200k miles on it for 3500 but sold some stuff off of it like the topper and got some money back. 800 to be exact so Truck cost me just over 2k its pretty damn clean there is some rocker panel rust but thats and easy repair but over all mint. I pulled the LQ4 and buddy sold me a running LQ9 with 148k miles on it for 1250 bucks. Right now I'm cleaning up the engine and redoing all the seals front and rear main gaskets o rings ETC. But It should be up and running in next few weeks. I work full time so can only work on it on weekends and I like to have some me time so deff excited to get it together. Amazing riding truck though I drove it with rod knock home and guy had receipts for over 8k in repairs and maint for past 8 years 4k of which in past 2 years shocks and full new AC replacement. My dad has an 04 2500HD 2wd and was shook at how clean this truck is. Cat eye vs round eye at this house now LOL but deff stoked got a LQ9 01 2500
I am the original owner of a Silverado exactly like the one that you just acquired. Mine currently has 212k miles and runs great and I will keep it until it gives up. I feel these are solid trucks if maintained properly. Nice score!
I loved my Victory Red 2004 Z71 Silverado when I still had it. Sadly being in Upstate NY it succumbed to the same problem as I Do Cars here. It had unsafe frame rot due to all of the road salt they use here in the winter. If it wasn't for that I was going to try and replace all of the rotted body panels on it. Since I didn't straight up have $6,000.00 to buy a good one from someone I had to go for the lease on my current truck.
@@insideoutsideupsidedown2218 No. It was originally my mothers truck and she was a penny pincher as far as buying parts went or doing anything to it. One thing she wasn't allowed to penny pinch on was motor oil and a filter. Because I changed the oil in it I also bought the best oil & filter I could afford for it. By the time she gave it to me it was rough from being rusty. So I did my best to replace anything that was broken or gone with higher quality parts. Sadly it took a leaky fuel line needing fixing to have it taken off the road. Just because I wanted to try a different mechanic I never been to. When he got it on the lift to asses the fuel line he saw it had unsafe frame rot and wouldn't proceed any further. I wanted to keep it and fix it up as a spare to go along with my current truck. But I don't have the money or a big work shop to just store it so I had to get rid of it. It made me even more upset because I just spent $400 or so prior to the fuel line leaking to replace all of the ignition coils and spark plug wires. So it was running smooth and purring like a tiger cub when I had to get rid of it. I found that it also loved running on NGK platinum plugs and it never burnt a drop of oil. Which was a big plus as I liked running Royal Purple or AmsOil in it. :)
I have a real soft spot for these trucks, thank you for saving it. I had an identical one with only 90k miles back in 2010 that unfortunately got T boned on the highway but it saved my life and still drove me home! Can’t say the same for the 4 runner that hit me.
I have the same mindset and luck but in the IT field. All the time find computers and other tech that is abandoned or given away usually by companies that are upgrading. I have found so many diamonds in the rough. We don't buy electronics at all in my household for the last several years, just acquire things second hand and get them fixed up and running like new. I would do this for vehicles if I had the skillset, the tools, and the patience to work on them.
Personally I love that you have saved a vehicle from being wasted. The cost to the environment of producing a new vehicle and destorying an old one is way more than the cost to keep a nice one on the road. As long as it is generally safe to drive then go for it.
I used to have a 2001 Silverado very similar to this one, and I loved it. I had to sell it a couple of years ago, and it had 330k on the odometer when I sold it. Great truck. Mine had a 4L80 trans in it at least since it was used for towing. I would have loved to find something like this!
The ABS issue is common in these. The module is usually under the cab on the drivers side. It can be pulled and re soldered in an hour and will be good for another 10 years. Lots of TH-cam videos on how to solder the board… and a little spray lithium grease on those tailgate latches will do wonders. The knocking on these is usually suspension bushings (or lack there of). I’m an original owner of a 1st Gen (2002) Avalanche bought in mid 2001 with ~200k miles. Nice to see you saved this.
That truck deserves to live on! once you've done the repairs, maybe do an auction listing with a "buy it now" option. would still love to know the back story. maybe that owner was in a bad place but wants to buy it back now?
Given the crazy high prices that used trucks have been bringing it’s difficult to imagine how you could go wrong with that truck. I’ve seen well maintained 5.3s show zero signs of wear at 250K miles.👍
Wow, what an incredible find. Those trucks are in incredible demand, you really lucked out on this one ❤😊. Of course you keen eye was a big help I’m sure.
I always end up enjoying it when you branch out into different themes. Because your presentation, polish, and approach are so good, your videos are always entertaining and informative. Personally, I would like to gain more insight into what you do at Importapart. And I'd be willing to guess I'm not the only one. Keep up the good work!
Great find Eric! It is a nice truck! The Green Silverado is worth selling! You can get thousands of dollars for the truck! At least the tow yard was able to sell you the vehicle! It’s better that you saved it instead of the truck getting parted out or sold to an auction. It is good for someone to use around the farm, construction work or a back up truck for a business. It’s not worth it to dismantle a vehicle as nice as this truck in todays market! Keep up the good work! You could save some more vehicles if you wanted to if the vehicle was not wrecked!
it's funny how everyone beats on the 4L60 but we towed the hell out of ours with only one fluid and filter change. It went 250k before we got rid of the swiss cheese around it. That was in a 2007 Suburban that had four different LC9s in front of the original 4L60. It towed boats, cars, campers, you name it!
Great truck.... Just amazing. Looked like someone actually cared about it.... You never know... I knew a guy who worked at an iron & metal recycling type place.... They would buy cars, for scrap value... But more often than you might think, they'd come in Monday, there'd be a car sitting in front of the gate, just left there... Some of them were really pretty nice cars... Somebody left a Lincoln Mark IV there once... Keys were on top of the front passenger tire.... I don't wanna say it was perfect, but it was awfully nice. Didn't run perfect... Driver's seat was not perfect... But overall, real nice. Body was 100%, must have been in a pretty clean garage... Cartier clock... heh heh! It was cool... I have no idea why someone would drive that to a yard and dump it in the driveway. No clue.
Love the change of pace with these vehicle rescue videos; thanks! I feel like I have a perfect mental image of the previous owner of this truck, maybe even a relative or two I can see in the driver's seat. Maybe it's because I grew into my love of cars and trucks in the late '90s and early '00s, but this era of truck has a special place in my heart, and even though I have a practically brand new '23 RAM nestled in the garage right now, part of me wants this truck to park out front, backed into the the driveway, of course.
Eric, I have a 2002 Silverado 1500. Has 350K on it and still has the original timing chain. I drive a 2018 Silverado everyday, and my wife drive the old one. It doesn't look as nice as the one you have here, but I was religious about oil changes and I am living the benefit of it. Vehicle run's like a fine watch. Best Vehicle I have ever owned.
Nice find, can't believe this would be abandoned, my brothers old boss from when he was a mechanic, would sometimes get nearly free vehicles from people abandoning them at his shop or if they couldn't afford the repair bill they just sign the car over
I'd have done the same thing... having a 2006 GMC with 170,000, and its starting to rust out... i love the body on your Silverado for 300,000... in WI, these are rare
It could be the owner was arrested and did not get the mail. I bet this happens a decent bit. But nice find! Love 2002. It's before the interior redesign which made the dash ugly and all the buttons weird.
Either that or had some serious health problems or even died. A few years ago I had some major health issues for about a year. Lost 80lbs and almost died and I can say with out a doubt, the truck would have been the last thing on my mind. Someone else probably jimmied the lock and stole the speakers and radio while it sat.
This is my dad's dream truck, he has had 3 2002 silverado 1500s in my life, each on almost saw 400,000 miles. He would kill to have one in that nice of condition.
I love the late 90s, early 2000s chevy silverado. They were really good trucks. My dad passed away last year, and my mom has his 03 silverado. He bought it new and 20yrs later only has about 108k miles.
Man. I would love to have that truck! I have a 2005 Yukon that I bought used a few years ago with 90,000 miles on it. Runs great! Those were the best years for GM. Simple ,reliable!
100% love the story! So glad to see on camera wins to balance all the years of dip stick battles! Yes, absolutely needs the correct size wheels+tires! Strictly aesthetically I liked the chrome wheels; very happy they got a new home!
In 2015 I went to the local U Pull and Pay, and at the time, they sold cars that were in too nice of shape to junk (I think they still do occasionally). They had a 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer for sale for $2500. It was dark blue & wood grain. Georgia truck. Somebody was in the process of restoring it and had to move ASAP so they sold it to UPAP. I bought it with the intention of finishing the job, but realized it was more than I could hack. It ran. It was cosmetically an 8.5/10 on the outside. The engine had been upgraded with a fancy Edelbrock fuel injection system. While I wish I still had it, I nearly tripled my money 3 years later. And that was ok. Although if I had kept it post Covid, I probably could've made 4x...
I like the wheel swap, and selling the chrome wheels is a big bonus. That bed tool box should put you nicely into the GREEN $$. I can't imagine a good looking 4WD Chevy half ton even with high mileage isn't worth $4K. You saved one, well done!
I have a 2003 1500 which I've owned since new. I've had '05-07 17" wheels since '05 when I found a set of take-offs for $200 with new-ish tires, only because I like the look of the simpler 5-spoke design. Last year I installed '05-17 front calipers/rotors together with '04 Tahoe rear calipers/rotors and was surprised at how big of an improvement that makes on these trucks, and entirely bolt-on. And it's all relatively cheap!
Really enjoy your channel and your humor. Thanks for not having dumb music playing in the background. Thanks for the insight on the efforts made to contact the owner. I'm going to be Columbo here and say the previous owner was an older gentleman. Outside of the mildly dirty interior and smoking in the truck, it was well maintained. Just like the Mary Celeste we may never know how it became abandoned.
This one was pretty cool, saving a good truck. It still has some miles left, even at 306K. Heck, I'd pay $40 for it just like it is! :) Maybe a parts getting for the shop, or a someone that just needs a fairly reliable truck for local hauling. And it looks pretty good. I like the green.
Great save! I own 4 of these trucks let me tell you these are the best dam trucks on the road. Reliability on these things is unreal. They are so easy to work on. Hate to see them slowly dying out.
My dad put 126k on one of these before he sold it, and that's something he still regrets to this day. Last I heard it had 360k on it and was still going strong, but it was taken care of. Regular oil changes and was mostly used to pull a small trailer with a garden tractor when he had it. It was a great truck
That is a beautiful green and tan, and I love the more modern Silverado wheels on this truck. Damn man, I am SOOOOOO jealous! Edit: I do prefer the 17 inch wheels, though the 16 inch wheels would be even better and I agree with you.
It’ll make a very good shop truck just to have around to use. Those 350 Chevy V-8s have a good history. My old 1 is still working just fine. I sold it but it still works just fine. The owner is happy so I’m happy. Thank you for the video. Thank you Sir
The color green on that truck was an option for that year. I think it was in the hundreds extra to get that color from GM. Nice find except for the smoke odor found in a bus station urinal. I hope you keep it, tear out the interior , find a clean donor, and drive it another 200,000 miles. These old 20-30 year old trucks are bringing more thumbs up than a new one.
You don't seem to get as many views on the car/truck videos but I like them. I went back a few months ago and watched a lot of your older videos. The series on the Lexus LC SUV swap was excellent. That thing is a beast. I started watching your channel because of the engine teardowns but maybe a few more on how cars are bought and sold at the auction yard and the process that they go thru keeping them or parting them out would be nice.
Eric back in the early 2000s I saved many hondas and acuras that were about to be scrapped due to bad ignition switches and main relays. One dude came to my house driving his integra with the key in the start position to keep it running while also driving a manual transmission and no power steering lol. Excellent score, that will turn some nice profit for sure...Edit...vehicles also get abandoned sometimes because the owner gets pulled over then goes to jail on a warrant, and cant get out in time to recover the vehicle, and/or does not have the money to pay off the high tow and storage fees.
A friend of mine in Ft. Lauderdale Florida does the same thing. He has a few tow yards that sells to him. Lot of the time there is major issues with the vehicle. It's is rare to get something for low money and turns out to be good. You won with that one. Take the W Eric. Lol. Waitng on the next video brother.
These older trucks are very reliable!! Probably more than newer ones!! I have a 2000 Silverado with 371K! Needs some work but its been a great truck and body style is still great looking!!
300,000 miles plus, starting problems, abs problem, check engine light, some rust poblems, it looks like th eprevious owner cared for the truck but the retail cost of repair to a reasonable standard almost certainly exceeds the value of the vehicle even when fixed. Good to see it in the hands of someone who has the ability and resources to fix it up for less cost.
Those trucks were built to last and a lot easier to work on than the more modern Chevys. My '03 had 270,000 miles and it burnt oil, had a transmission clunk and had severe rust but still runs
Awesome video, Eric. You've paid the dues and it's fun seeing someone buy something like this and have it turn out so sweet. If I tried it without your experience, I'd be way deep into the truck with a long list of things that need money to make right. Thanks!
@@I_Do_Cars Too bad. Bore scored engine? That'd be a cool tear down video I just picked up a 2010 Cayenne Turbo for fairly cheap. It was running rough due to carbon buildup and stuck open thermostat. A few hours and a couple hundred dollars later and I've got a 500hp rocket that'll soon be an overlanding rig.
Greetings from Costa Rica, keep it...for that money you won't get any better and those eventually go up in value as the OBS did...you got it practically for free...cool story to tell
Makes me wonder if they got spooked by the intermittent starting issue and/or a less than ethical mechanic quoted some crazy expensive amount to fix it, so they just abandoned the thing
@@andrewgarcia3136 Especially now with the auto market upside down. I've got an '04 GMC Sierra 2500HD w/Duramax @511,000 miles and I could get 10 grand for it.
I would absolutely drive and work that truck forever. Its my color and all, haven't even made a minute in, and I love it. Im ready to mobile mechanic in that thing 😋
the 01 my dad and i saved is not as nice as this one - but at 271k, it's still doing great. I did a full front and rear suspension overhaul as well as removing and cleaning the entire interior. It still pops up errors here and there, but I like this thing. Glad you were able to save it - there's a lot to like with this gen.
You scored on this rig! Glad to see you saw fit to keep this truck and take the time to get it in shape to flip it to someone who can use a good vehicle, high mileage or not.
Factory is underrated. Designers and engineers spend literally minutes making sure it's as good as can be. Appreciate it. Also, trade it for RX-7 parts.
Dude awesome deal! Your numbers are way in the black. The ABS light is probably the wheel hub 300000mi is about that time. A stock hub,ball joint, tie rod, pitman and idler set is under 300$ online add spark plugs and bump stops and for 500-600$ you can flip that and make a happy truck owner until the 4l60 goes! Great find.
Keep it on the road! I bought a 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 with 65K original miles last year, is was a barn find. There are so many parts available for the GMT800 series trucks, that one deserves to keep going!
I had a green 99 silverado. Sold it years ago. That was a great truck. Should've kept it. 2009 silv wheels looked good on it. Those trucks have great AC
Nice score. You can sell if for a nice fair price. You makes good profit. Someone gets a solid truck at a good price. Everyone wins. I like these kinds of deals.
These trucks are worth a mint here in Australia. Get an easy $30k for it here. (Add the RHD conversion, After 30 years you don't even need to convert it. rust repairs etc.) A hell of a lot of headache. but there isn't many around. Looks like someone cared for it and looks great in the video. Hopefully it gets the chance to throw another 300k miles onto it.
Another video would be great. That truck was a good find. I have a 2002 express van I'm rebuilding. Low mileage but really good condition. Use vehicles in good condition are a diamond right now.
I barely know much about cars, just about what you'd know from driving, owning, paying for, and making attempts to maintain them. Thanks for your videos though they're awesome.
Eric, I think that’s a great deal on the pick up truck. Also I heard about your channel from Rain Man Ray repairs. Glad I heard of you been watching every video since keep up the good work.
Weather tech floor mats, tinted windows with shades, custom sub box, updated rims, updated front lenses, head unit...this was someone's baby
And working AC...it's CRAZY that it was abandoned...
Whoever owned this is no longer alive...
The owner this likely got killed or died otherwise. No way do you take such good care of a paid off truck and then let it sit abandoned and be sold off.
@@samholdsworth420or got arrested maybe?
@@wcpportfolio Arrested.
For a society so obsessed with latest greatest new new new, it's refreshing to see someone saving perfectly functional things like this. Respect!
My friend runs and animal shelter. Her passion is saving abandoned dogs. You strike me as a shelter operator for cars and trucks. I hope you can find a place in your inventory for this aged but still healthy animal. If not, I hope you can adopt her out to a good home. And thanks for the mid-week video... always a welcome treat.
Once upon a time....circa 1980, I was friends with a guy (Bob) who worked at a local gas station. Their clientele was mainly the older residents of the area. One night he calls me and asks me if I want to buy a 1967 Chevelle for $125. It was brought in for service and the owner never came back for it. It kind of runs and it needs a paint job and is otherwise in decent shape... at this time I didn't have the place to work on a potential project and at that time $125 was too much money to gamble on the roadworthiness of the car (remember 1980ish). So, I declined the offer.... About a week later I see Bob driving this car. It was a 1967 SS 396 Chevelle with a 4-speed, 3.90 gears and bucket seats and it was factory original! The rough engine was fixed by new plugs and plug wires and adjusting the timing. The paint was "fixed" by wiping down the paint with gasoline. The thing was beautiful.... *regrets*
Heh. My dad once had a chance to buy an old Ferrari (think it was a 250 GT or something similar) for 5k. His first wife nixed the idea.
That same car today is worth ~$500,000.
That’s like not playing your lottery numbers and they win.
Eric - I've owned a Jeep Cherokee since new ... 1997. It has almost 340,000 miles at this point.
There's a rule that applies to vehicles of this vintage : "it's not the noises it makes, it's when those noises *change*"
I was a Wrecker Driver for years, my car was a 75 Impala 4 door that I impounded for my boss. The old lady who owned it had a stroke in the Mall and passed away about a week later. I rebuilt the carb and drove it for a long time. I paid 500 bucks in 95 for that car and drove it until 2001. When I sold it for 2 grand!! It drove great and never gave me any problems!!! Great Video Thanks 🙏
I'm not a chevy guy but it looks like this is a nice find. Great job
M.Stone I bought a chebby "once " daily repairs & multiple 350 engines ( heads or push rods) 8 hrs on heater core & 2 differentials new paint all ended up in the wrecking yard.....
@@bradzimmerman3171 Yeah I wouldn't pay actual money for one. My father-in-law had one that was regularly maintained, yet blew up at 60k. All engines have their problems, but Chevy seems to have an overall build quality issue that adds to it.
What do yall drive then and the chevy 350 was one of the best v8s ever made so it must not have been maintained
@@RageHP-RageHorsePower Who knows what happened to it. Could have been a faulty pump or some other abnormality. Could have been a Friday night slop job. Who knows, who cares. I daily a Honda.
@M Stone I agree with cheapness of the interiors early 90s and 2000s bit now they all have supposedly luxury interiors
I can remember my time at a small junkyard 30yrs ago, cars in the condition of this truck getting junked, we'd always resell them after we figured out what repair they did not want to pay for. Nice find.
Thanks for starting with the process of claims for abandonment. I appreciate you showing how it wasnt just some sort of tow grab and go on some unsuspecting person.
Now we all see that the last registered owner had every opportunity, time and info to keep their truck. But now it can go to somebody who wants a nice truck in a nice color.
Grab & go? If you didn't pay your bill when it was due, what's the question? It's always fun living in a country full of debt ceiling raising dumfacks who can't even budget a damn donut, let alone a truck payment. And before you boo-hoo about some cancer story or whatever tf, MOST people have no good excuse. Keeping up with the Joneses is a wildly out of control illness in the U.S.A..
You probably already know this, but just in case... For "rattling" or "looseness" in the front end, check the intermediate steering column link/shaft. These trucks are infamous for wearing those out. They don't "fail" outright, they just start rattling. Good save!
The pitman and idler arm also tend to wear out.
Oh yeah. They put rubber bushings to dampen vibration and those never last
It looks just like my 2000 Silverado. Love it
GMT800 was one of the best GM vehicles made in the last 40+ years. My 2003 2500HD 4x4 RCLB has 317k miles on it, my 2003 Yukon Denali XL has 213k miles on it. I will keep these two running until I die, them my SIL will get them.
Just picked me up a 2001 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 4x4 had a knocked motor and 200k miles on it for 3500 but sold some stuff off of it like the topper and got some money back. 800 to be exact so Truck cost me just over 2k its pretty damn clean there is some rocker panel rust but thats and easy repair but over all mint. I pulled the LQ4 and buddy sold me a running LQ9 with 148k miles on it for 1250 bucks. Right now I'm cleaning up the engine and redoing all the seals front and rear main gaskets o rings ETC. But It should be up and running in next few weeks. I work full time so can only work on it on weekends and I like to have some me time so deff excited to get it together. Amazing riding truck though I drove it with rod knock home and guy had receipts for over 8k in repairs and maint for past 8 years 4k of which in past 2 years shocks and full new AC replacement. My dad has an 04 2500HD 2wd and was shook at how clean this truck is. Cat eye vs round eye at this house now LOL but deff stoked got a LQ9 01 2500
I am the original owner of a Silverado exactly like the one that you just acquired. Mine currently has 212k miles and runs great and I will keep it until it gives up. I feel these are solid trucks if maintained properly. Nice score!
I loved my Victory Red 2004 Z71 Silverado when I still had it. Sadly being in Upstate NY it succumbed to the same problem as I Do Cars here. It had unsafe frame rot due to all of the road salt they use here in the winter. If it wasn't for that I was going to try and replace all of the rotted body panels on it. Since I didn't straight up have $6,000.00 to buy a good one from someone I had to go for the lease on my current truck.
I agree. Mine’s an 04 with 320k. It’s been a good truck.
@@Slane583 did you ever fluid film your truck?
@@insideoutsideupsidedown2218 No. It was originally my mothers truck and she was a penny pincher as far as buying parts went or doing anything to it. One thing she wasn't allowed to penny pinch on was motor oil and a filter. Because I changed the oil in it I also bought the best oil & filter I could afford for it.
By the time she gave it to me it was rough from being rusty. So I did my best to replace anything that was broken or gone with higher quality parts. Sadly it took a leaky fuel line needing fixing to have it taken off the road. Just because I wanted to try a different mechanic I never been to. When he got it on the lift to asses the fuel line he saw it had unsafe frame rot and wouldn't proceed any further.
I wanted to keep it and fix it up as a spare to go along with my current truck. But I don't have the money or a big work shop to just store it so I had to get rid of it.
It made me even more upset because I just spent $400 or so prior to the fuel line leaking to replace all of the ignition coils and spark plug wires. So it was running smooth and purring like a tiger cub when I had to get rid of it. I found that it also loved running on NGK platinum plugs and it never burnt a drop of oil. Which was a big plus as I liked running Royal Purple or AmsOil in it. :)
I love my 01 Sierra 1500 and my 03 Sierra 1500hd they are great trucks if maintained properly
I have a real soft spot for these trucks, thank you for saving it. I had an identical one with only 90k miles back in 2010 that unfortunately got T boned on the highway but it saved my life and still drove me home! Can’t say the same for the 4 runner that hit me.
I have the same mindset and luck but in the IT field. All the time find computers and other tech that is abandoned or given away usually by companies that are upgrading. I have found so many diamonds in the rough. We don't buy electronics at all in my household for the last several years, just acquire things second hand and get them fixed up and running like new. I would do this for vehicles if I had the skillset, the tools, and the patience to work on them.
I would not mind a series on this truck. It's beautiful for what it is.
Personally I love that you have saved a vehicle from being wasted.
The cost to the environment of producing a new vehicle and destorying an old one is way more than the cost to keep a nice one on the road.
As long as it is generally safe to drive then go for it.
I used to have a 2001 Silverado very similar to this one, and I loved it. I had to sell it a couple of years ago, and it had 330k on the odometer when I sold it. Great truck. Mine had a 4L80 trans in it at least since it was used for towing. I would have loved to find something like this!
The ABS issue is common in these. The module is usually under the cab on the drivers side. It can be pulled and re soldered in an hour and will be good for another 10 years. Lots of TH-cam videos on how to solder the board… and a little spray lithium grease on those tailgate latches will do wonders. The knocking on these is usually suspension bushings (or lack there of). I’m an original owner of a 1st Gen (2002) Avalanche bought in mid 2001 with ~200k miles. Nice to see you saved this.
That truck deserves to live on! once you've done the repairs, maybe do an auction listing with a "buy it now" option. would still love to know the back story. maybe that owner was in a bad place but wants to buy it back now?
Likely the owner is dead.
That's my thought too, possibly removed the radio and subs to pay off a debt, then had to dump the car
@@americansmark My first thought was they're likely in prison.
Given the crazy high prices that used trucks have been bringing it’s difficult to imagine how you could go wrong with that truck. I’ve seen well maintained 5.3s show zero signs of wear at 250K miles.👍
Wow, what an incredible find. Those trucks are in incredible demand, you really lucked out on this one ❤😊. Of course you keen eye was a big help I’m sure.
I always end up enjoying it when you branch out into different themes. Because your presentation, polish, and approach are so good, your videos are always entertaining and informative. Personally, I would like to gain more insight into what you do at Importapart. And I'd be willing to guess I'm not the only one. Keep up the good work!
Great find Eric! It is a nice truck! The Green Silverado is worth selling! You can get thousands of dollars for the truck! At least the tow yard was able to sell you the vehicle! It’s better that you saved it instead of the truck getting parted out or sold to an auction. It is good for someone to use around the farm, construction work or a back up truck for a business. It’s not worth it to dismantle a vehicle as nice as this truck in todays market! Keep up the good work! You could save some more vehicles if you wanted to if the vehicle was not wrecked!
it's funny how everyone beats on the 4L60 but we towed the hell out of ours with only one fluid and filter change. It went 250k before we got rid of the swiss cheese around it. That was in a 2007 Suburban that had four different LC9s in front of the original 4L60. It towed boats, cars, campers, you name it!
Great truck.... Just amazing. Looked like someone actually cared about it....
You never know... I knew a guy who worked at an iron & metal recycling type place.... They would buy cars, for scrap value...
But more often than you might think, they'd come in Monday, there'd be a car sitting in front of the gate, just left there... Some of them were really pretty nice cars...
Somebody left a Lincoln Mark IV there once... Keys were on top of the front passenger tire.... I don't wanna say it was perfect, but it was awfully nice. Didn't run perfect... Driver's seat was not perfect... But overall, real nice. Body was 100%, must have been in a pretty clean garage... Cartier clock... heh heh! It was cool... I have no idea why someone would drive that to a yard and dump it in the driveway. No clue.
Love the change of pace with these vehicle rescue videos; thanks! I feel like I have a perfect mental image of the previous owner of this truck, maybe even a relative or two I can see in the driver's seat. Maybe it's because I grew into my love of cars and trucks in the late '90s and early '00s, but this era of truck has a special place in my heart, and even though I have a practically brand new '23 RAM nestled in the garage right now, part of me wants this truck to park out front, backed into the the driveway, of course.
For its age & mileage it was well taken care of. Better than most on the road currently. An exceptional opportunity for you. Congratulations
Bro, that truck is GOLD. Nobody wants a 2014 or above Chevy truck; built like crap! THAT truck is GOLD!!!
Eric, I have a 2002 Silverado 1500. Has 350K on it and still has the original timing chain. I drive a 2018 Silverado everyday, and my wife drive the old one. It doesn't look as nice as the one you have here, but I was religious about oil changes and I am living the benefit of it. Vehicle run's like a fine watch. Best Vehicle I have ever owned.
I like this guy, He doesn't swear and keeps it clean. I can tell you're a good guy and it's a breath of fresh air.
Nice find, can't believe this would be abandoned, my brothers old boss from when he was a mechanic, would sometimes get nearly free vehicles from people abandoning them at his shop or if they couldn't afford the repair bill they just sign the car over
I'd have done the same thing... having a 2006 GMC with 170,000, and its starting to rust out... i love the body on your Silverado for 300,000... in WI, these are rare
It could be the owner was arrested and did not get the mail. I bet this happens a decent bit. But nice find! Love 2002. It's before the interior redesign which made the dash ugly and all the buttons weird.
Either that or had some serious health problems or even died. A few years ago I had some major health issues for about a year. Lost 80lbs and almost died and I can say with out a doubt, the truck would have been the last thing on my mind. Someone else probably jimmied the lock and stole the speakers and radio while it sat.
Thank you for keeping a classic out of the crusher.
Please Eric, as long as ya haven't found
A Body
Drugs
Guns
OR excess amounts of cash, your golden bro! Looks like a great winter/bad weather driver.
This is my dad's dream truck, he has had 3 2002 silverado 1500s in my life, each on almost saw 400,000 miles. He would kill to have one in that nice of condition.
I love the late 90s, early 2000s chevy silverado. They were really good trucks. My dad passed away last year, and my mom has his 03 silverado. He bought it new and 20yrs later only has about 108k miles.
I fucking love that truck that’s a gem for the year and the fact it has 300k+ and runs that smooth makes me love it even more
Man. I would love to have that truck! I have a 2005 Yukon that I bought used a few years ago with 90,000 miles on it. Runs great! Those were the best years for GM. Simple ,reliable!
This is my favorite era of chevy trucks, look great and pretty reliable. This was a pretty good find.
100% love the story! So glad to see on camera wins to balance all the years of dip stick battles!
Yes, absolutely needs the correct size wheels+tires! Strictly aesthetically I liked the chrome wheels; very happy they got a new home!
In 2015 I went to the local U Pull and Pay, and at the time, they sold cars that were in too nice of shape to junk (I think they still do occasionally).
They had a 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer for sale for $2500. It was dark blue & wood grain. Georgia truck. Somebody was in the process of restoring it and had to move ASAP so they sold it to UPAP.
I bought it with the intention of finishing the job, but realized it was more than I could hack. It ran. It was cosmetically an 8.5/10 on the outside. The engine had been upgraded with a fancy Edelbrock fuel injection system.
While I wish I still had it, I nearly tripled my money 3 years later. And that was ok. Although if I had kept it post Covid, I probably could've made 4x...
I like the wheel swap, and selling the chrome wheels is a big bonus. That bed tool box should put you nicely into the GREEN $$. I can't imagine a good looking 4WD Chevy half ton even with high mileage isn't worth $4K. You saved one, well done!
I was at a junkyard buying a full size spare, they picked up a vehicle that still ran great, they idled the gas tank dry. Good find
I have a 2003 1500 which I've owned since new. I've had '05-07 17" wheels since '05 when I found a set of take-offs for $200 with new-ish tires, only because I like the look of the simpler 5-spoke design. Last year I installed '05-17 front calipers/rotors together with '04 Tahoe rear calipers/rotors and was surprised at how big of an improvement that makes on these trucks, and entirely bolt-on. And it's all relatively cheap!
Any update on this truck? I had a 2005 Z71 1500, Same color. I owned it since brand new, until 2016. Love these trucks!! GM builds junk now.
Glad to see another St. Louis person on TH-cam.
Really enjoy your channel and your humor. Thanks for not having dumb music playing in the background. Thanks for the insight on the efforts made to contact the owner. I'm going to be Columbo here and say the previous owner was an older gentleman. Outside of the mildly dirty interior and smoking in the truck, it was well maintained. Just like the Mary Celeste we may never know how it became abandoned.
This one was pretty cool, saving a good truck. It still has some miles left, even at 306K. Heck, I'd pay $40 for it just like it is! :) Maybe a parts getting for the shop, or a someone that just needs a fairly reliable truck for local hauling. And it looks pretty good. I like the green.
Seeing that Vatterott sign in the background brings back memories. Went there back in 99 in Quincy, IL.
Great save! I own 4 of these trucks let me tell you these are the best dam trucks on the road. Reliability on these things is unreal. They are so easy to work on. Hate to see them slowly dying out.
My dad put 126k on one of these before he sold it, and that's something he still regrets to this day. Last I heard it had 360k on it and was still going strong, but it was taken care of. Regular oil changes and was mostly used to pull a small trailer with a garden tractor when he had it. It was a great truck
That is a beautiful green and tan, and I love the more modern Silverado wheels on this truck. Damn man, I am SOOOOOO jealous!
Edit: I do prefer the 17 inch wheels, though the 16 inch wheels would be even better and I agree with you.
It’ll make a very good shop truck just to have around to use. Those 350 Chevy V-8s have a good history. My old 1 is still working just fine. I sold it but it still works just fine. The owner is happy so I’m happy.
Thank you for the video. Thank you Sir
Truck looks a lot better with the stock wheels . I wouldn't mind owning it ( better than dodge in my opinion )
agreed
yep 👍
It’s a cheap way of getting new tires. Used stock wheels from someone else’s truck
Dodge is literally in the name, to avoid......lol.
The color green on that truck was an option for that year. I think it was in the hundreds extra to get that color from GM. Nice find except for the smoke odor found in a bus station urinal. I hope you keep it, tear out the interior , find a clean donor, and drive it another 200,000 miles. These old 20-30 year old trucks are bringing more thumbs up than a new one.
You don't seem to get as many views on the car/truck videos but I like them. I went back a few months ago and watched a lot of your older videos. The series on the Lexus LC SUV swap was excellent. That thing is a beast. I started watching your channel because of the engine teardowns but maybe a few more on how cars are bought and sold at the auction yard and the process that they go thru keeping them or parting them out would be nice.
Eric back in the early 2000s I saved many hondas and acuras that were about to be scrapped due to bad ignition switches and main relays. One dude came to my house driving his integra with the key in the start position to keep it running while also driving a manual transmission and no power steering lol. Excellent score, that will turn some nice profit for sure...Edit...vehicles also get abandoned sometimes because the owner gets pulled over then goes to jail on a warrant, and cant get out in time to recover the vehicle, and/or does not have the money to pay off the high tow and storage fees.
A friend of mine in Ft. Lauderdale Florida does the same thing. He has a few tow yards that sells to him. Lot of the time there is major issues with the vehicle. It's is rare to get something for low money and turns out to be good. You won with that one. Take the W Eric. Lol. Waitng on the next video brother.
The 2000-2002 Silverado are the best looking ones imo. Glad you saved this one
That's my all time favorite paint scheme on the Chevy trucks... I will definitely be painting the truck I end up restoring in that scheme.
Great video and what a great deal. It’s nice when we get to see the fruits of our labor and all those connections built through the years
These older trucks are very reliable!! Probably more than newer ones!! I have a 2000 Silverado with 371K! Needs some work but its been a great truck and body style is still great looking!!
That was such a great save Eric. It may need a little work but overall I’m glad you scored a good deal.
I'm always happy to find cars that get saved!
Never let a good GMT800 go to waste thanks for saving this one!
Thank you for sharing the process you follow to acquire abandoned véhicules. Nice find!
300,000 miles plus, starting problems, abs problem, check engine light, some rust poblems, it looks like th eprevious owner cared for the truck but the retail cost of repair to a reasonable standard almost certainly exceeds the value of the vehicle even when fixed. Good to see it in the hands of someone who has the ability and resources to fix it up for less cost.
Those trucks were built to last and a lot easier to work on than the more modern Chevys. My '03 had 270,000 miles and it burnt oil, had a transmission clunk and had severe rust but still runs
Love that truck. I have a 2005 for work. It's been a land surveying truck since around 2010. Lots of hard use
It's a good-looking truck, I'm a fan of these older trucks. I'm glad you saved this one. 👍 👍
The electrical tape you found in the bed wasn't for the spark plug wires, it was for the gauge panel to cover up the ABS light.
Awesome video, Eric. You've paid the dues and it's fun seeing someone buy something like this and have it turn out so sweet. If I tried it without your experience, I'd be way deep into the truck with a long list of things that need money to make right. Thanks!
1:38 - You're talking about the Silverado, and all I can do is check out the Cayenne in back. I love that color!
It’s unfortunately a parts vehicle. Bad engine and pretty rough
@@I_Do_Cars Too bad. Bore scored engine? That'd be a cool tear down video
I just picked up a 2010 Cayenne Turbo for fairly cheap. It was running rough due to carbon buildup and stuck open thermostat. A few hours and a couple hundred dollars later and I've got a 500hp rocket that'll soon be an overlanding rig.
Very interesting truck. You might consider doing a charity auction with that truck. It’s a write off for you and helps out the charity of your choice.
Greetings from Costa Rica, keep it...for that money you won't get any better and those eventually go up in value as the OBS did...you got it practically for free...cool story to tell
Makes me wonder if they got spooked by the intermittent starting issue and/or a less than ethical mechanic quoted some crazy expensive amount to fix it, so they just abandoned the thing
tool box, etc. the guy was somewhat mechanically inclined.
no way. something bad happened to the owner. these trucks can go for pretty good money in clean shape and most people that have them know it
@@Milkmans_Son Could have been a carpenter's Truck.
@@Milkmans_Son there wasn't anything useful in the tool box though
@@andrewgarcia3136 Especially now with the auto market upside down. I've got an '04 GMC Sierra 2500HD w/Duramax @511,000 miles and I could get 10 grand for it.
What an amazing find. Someone loved that truck. Beautiful color too.
I would absolutely drive and work that truck forever. Its my color and all, haven't even made a minute in, and I love it. Im ready to mobile mechanic in that thing 😋
Enjoyed this segment especially since you didn't allow this to get trashed. Thanks and I like your easy honest, style .
the 01 my dad and i saved is not as nice as this one - but at 271k, it's still doing great. I did a full front and rear suspension overhaul as well as removing and cleaning the entire interior. It still pops up errors here and there, but I like this thing. Glad you were able to save it - there's a lot to like with this gen.
You scored on this rig! Glad to see you saw fit to keep this truck and take the time to get it in shape to flip it to someone who can use a good vehicle, high mileage or not.
Man my dream truck growing up was a dark green with tan rockers...so glad you kept this one. Im going to have to look for it around town
I believe this is same way a abandoned vehicle process works in Texas. I’d buy that truck. Loved the 2002 Chevy Truck I had
Factory is underrated. Designers and engineers spend literally minutes making sure it's as good as can be. Appreciate it. Also, trade it for RX-7 parts.
Dude awesome deal! Your numbers are way in the black. The ABS light is probably the wheel hub 300000mi is about that time. A stock hub,ball joint, tie rod, pitman and idler set is under 300$ online add spark plugs and bump stops and for 500-600$ you can flip that and make a happy truck owner until the 4l60 goes! Great find.
Keep it on the road! I bought a 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 with 65K original miles last year, is was a barn find. There are so many parts available for the GMT800 series trucks, that one deserves to keep going!
I had a green 99 silverado. Sold it years ago. That was a great truck. Should've kept it. 2009 silv wheels looked good on it. Those trucks have great AC
Nice score.
You can sell if for a nice fair price.
You makes good profit.
Someone gets a solid truck at a good price.
Everyone wins.
I like these kinds of deals.
The factory wheels did make it look better ... I was skeptical but you were correct ..
These trucks are worth a mint here in Australia. Get an easy $30k for it here. (Add the RHD conversion, After 30 years you don't even need to convert it. rust repairs etc.) A hell of a lot of headache. but there isn't many around.
Looks like someone cared for it and looks great in the video. Hopefully it gets the chance to throw another 300k miles onto it.
Another video would be great. That truck was a good find. I have a 2002 express van I'm rebuilding. Low mileage but really good condition. Use vehicles in good condition are a diamond right now.
Always a good day when you post a new video! 🎉 Good Job saving the truck!
That Color and Z71? No question, it's a keeper. Awesome buy! Definitely enjoyed the video.
I barely know much about cars, just about what you'd know from driving, owning, paying for, and making attempts to maintain them. Thanks for your videos though they're awesome.
I own the exact twin to this truck in a Suburban in the same green color.
Leave the bed tool box - I'll take it "As Is" !
I WANT THIS TRUCK!!
Eric, I think that’s a great deal on the pick up truck. Also I heard about your channel from Rain Man Ray repairs. Glad I heard of you been watching every video since keep up the good work.
That was a no-brainer actually for you. I'm glad you got the call before one of those other lots got it.
4:57 voltage is out of wack. Check the voltage with a tester, if it is too high replace the alternator. Could be causing your issues
Every truck I have owned has had a 4L60-E and I have never had problems with it. But I maintain things…. Some of the 2004s had the 17” wheels too.