How would you build a "forever" truck?

jonny24 · January 3, 2020

Hey all,

This thread is born out of me looking for advice, but I thought I would throw open the discussion as to how YOU would build, and look after, a truck if you were to keep it "forever".

I have a 2014, RCSB, Silverado that I bought brand new at age 21, as soon as I could while still finishing off paying off my student loans before interest. In August I passed my 5 year warranty and have been thinking about how I can best make this truck last "forever". I've never had a desire for another vehicle, am totally happy with what this truck gives me, and have always been a "Chevy truck guy". I've kept up with oil changes, done the "recommended" services at the dealership to the point where I've replaced the engine air filter and transmission fluid 3 times in 155k km (96,000 mi), just replaced the front brakes, rear brakes almost gone ( stock parts still), all that jazz.

5.3L V8, I think 3.08 gears, 6 speed, 4wd. Rotate between factory 17x8 rims w/ 265/70R17 Bridgestone Dueller ATs. and 8.5x18 wheels and 265x65R18 Michelin LTX M/S2 tires.Bedliner, and lowered the rear 2" with shackles. I'm starting to plan out what I will do once I stop paying for the truck next summer. Then I'll use the payment amounts to pay for upgrades, maintenance etc. It is my daily driver, but my aim is to make it into a "lean, mean, driving machine" by replacing parts with superior "performance parts" as the truck gets older. By spending a little bit more than basic repairs each time one comes up, eventually I should see performance and longevity improve each repair, rather than decline.

My overall goal is to end up with a relatively classic, "sleeper" truck that looks mostly stock, but can surprise when let loose. I mostly drive in the city, and push it when I can, so dry and wet handling are my key concerns, along with longevity for economic reasons. At this point I'm considering intakes, header-back exhaust if there are benefits to that, nice tires, probably not lifting or lowering any more. Once these two sets of tires wear out I'm looking at summer street tires, and winter-focused AT tires or maybe straight winter tires. Would need to be convinced to do much more.

As someone who isnt' THAT well educated when it comes to vehicles, what would YOU recommend, or do yourself to your truck, to achieve a long term, street performance/daily driver, outcome with one of these trucks? Any value-for-money things I'm not thinking of? anything you wouldn't do? What order would would you do certain mods in? I'm all ears, and still a year and a half away from anything, but open to all ideas and advice.

Pics, cus:

swathdiver · January 3, 2020

I'd say you're on the right track already with maintenance. GrumpyBear on here has a RCSB with a V6 and has done some cool stuff to his to keep it going for a long time. First thing that comes to mind is ditching/modifying the transmission thermostat. I'd probably also someday swap out the rear for a 9.76 12-bolt with a lower ratio than what you have now, 3.42s or 3.73s.

diyer2 · January 3, 2020

All my vehicles are kept for a long time.

Left stock.

Severe duty fluid changes.

3 K oil changes.

Parts as needed.

Simple.

Snowcamo · January 3, 2020

All my vehicles are kept for a long time.
Left stock.
Severe duty fluid changes.
3 K oil changes.
Parts as needed.
Simple.
[emoji4]

This^^^

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Thomcat · January 3, 2020

Yeah, sure......a forever truck.

When I was 17 I said I was going to keep my '60 Impala forever......fully equipped with 283, tube AM radio, P/S and P/B............that was 36+ vehicles ago.

Said the same about my new bride 4 vehicles later when we bought a our first car together, a new '72 Duster..........that was 32 vehicles ago, but still on #1 wife.

Willing to tolerate a lot of crap from family, but when I get it from a POS metal, rubber, electronics and plastic or when there's a newer one with flashier gizmos......It's again time to part ways.

KARNUT · January 3, 2020

It can be done. My brother in law still has his first car, 69 fire bird. I have my 92 Chevy truck. The maintenance and repair part is a given. Usually a second vehicle is required to take care of the unpleasant driving.

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Donstar · January 3, 2020

Wow! Sounds like some pretty solid financial planning! I wish I still had the truck I bought when I was 21! My red on red 72 F100 4spd 302 V8 reg. cab was even nicer than Grumpy Bear's! The advice diyer2 and Snowcamo have given you is the best. I'd also bank your money once the payments are finished and skip the mods you have suggested. Keeping your truck stock and well maintained will provide you the best service and value in the long term!

rbrjr1 · January 3, 2020

it can be done with a pre 2000 (arbitrary year) vehicle, now, there's no way to keep a vehicle "forever".. WAY too much electronic control in them and those devices will die eventually and when they do, you'll be swapping them from a wrecked vehicle because "new" parts will have been discontinued or 5X going rate..

Edited January 3, 2020 by rbrjr1

wforrest08 · January 3, 2020

First and foremost stop driving it in winter. Otherwise it will never last forever no matter how clean you keep it. Unless you live somewhere the DOT doesn’t use salt. If a winter beater is not an option plan on saving some money for rust repair & rusty parts replacement starting around year 10.

aseibel · January 3, 2020

9 hours ago, jonny24 said:

This thread is born out of me looking for advice, but I thought I would throw open the discussion as to how YOU would build, and look after, a truck if you were to keep it "forever".

"Forever" is very subjective. A collector car that is driven 5,000 miles per year on sunny days is different than a daily driven truck in a northern (salty) climate. Since you already have 95,000 miles in 5 years, I am guessing your forever truck is going to rust out or become undriveable by around the 300,000 mile/15 year mark. These bodies aren't built to last any longer.

To reach that milestone (which I pretty much plan on doing) I want to keep it mostly stock and regular maintenance. Thats it. I don't think any bolt-on parts are going to improve the life expectancy beyond that.

reardiff · January 3, 2020

22 minutes ago, wforrest08 said:

First and foremost stop driving it in winter. Otherwise it will never last forever no matter how clean you keep it. Unless you live somewhere the DOT doesn’t use salt. If a winter beater is not an option plan on saving some money for rust repair & rusty parts replacement starting around year 10.

This! My last truck I bought new in 2003 and was aiming to keep it 'forever' like you and has all the maintenance done as recommended if not earlier and washed and waxed regularly, especially in the winter. Like you no major issues and really got to love the truck. Fast forward to 2016 the rust started taking over in the rockers and spread so quickly with in a year I could put my entire foot up inside where the rocker used to be. Underside was entirely rusted too, including the frame which I spend many hours every year scraping and sanding and painting, which is a loosing battle.

Seeing this was a never ending battle, I bought my 2017 and decided I need to plan to keep it not much longer than 10 years. We'll see, but if your anywhere where road salt or brine is used 10 years max is about what you can expect before the rust starts to take over slowly from the bottom up.

I'm trying things like regular use of fluid film on the underside of this truck to see if that is any different but still don't plan to see much difference over the course of 10 years of daily driving.

jonny24 · January 3, 2020

48 minutes ago, rbrjr1 said:

it can be done with a pre 2000 (arbitrary year) vehicle, now, there's no way to keep a vehicle "forever".. WAY too much electronic control in them and those devices will die eventually and when they do, you'll be swapping them from a wrecked vehicle because "new" parts will have been discontinued or 5X going rate..

33 minutes ago, wforrest08 said:

First and foremost stop driving it in winter. Otherwise it will never last forever no matter how clean you keep it. Unless you live somewhere the DOT doesn’t use salt. If a winter beater is not an option plan on saving some money for rust repair & rusty parts replacement starting around year 10.

31 minutes ago, aseibel said:

"Forever" is very subjective. A collector car that is driven 5,000 miles per year on sunny days is different than a daily driven truck in a northern (salty) climate. Since you already have 95,000 miles in 5 years, I am guessing your forever truck is going to rust out or become undriveable by around the 300,000 mile/15 year mark. These bodies aren't built to last any longer.

To reach that milestone (which I pretty much plan on doing) I want to keep it mostly stock and regular maintenance. Thats it. I don't think any bolt-on parts are going to improve the life expectancy beyond that.

Electronics did cross my mind as another issue. I do drive a LOT less that I did previously, I finally managed to live, work, and date all in the same city. But winter is unavoidable. I get it sprayed every fall but there is rust down there.

I guess the best I can do is keep it going as long as is reasonable, and then get a new one and see about a full frame-up restoration.

Nitrousbird · January 3, 2020

Sell it and buy a performance car. Doesn't sound like you need a truck at all. I have a truck only because I need a truck for:
- Towing our boat
- Family trips (something your truck is worthless for being a single cab)
- Home Depot type runs

If it wasn't for the above, I wouldn't have one at all. Hell, if it wasn't for wet life jackets/towels in the bed after boating and HD runs, I would have bought a used 2nd Gen Cayenne Turbo instead for towing duty.

Grumpy Bear · January 3, 2020

^{Matthew 6:20 (ESV)}“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

Maybe suicidal deer too.

I tired starting a thread like this in "Off Topic" and it went the same place this one is going. Nowhere.

The thing can be done but the cost is more than money and very few are willing to pay the price.

The price? You have to want too.

Instead people are more creative with reasons why it 'shouldn't be done' or "can't be done' or 'you're stupid for trying to' than understanding the moth, the rust, the thief and the deer.

A few hundred years ago when things were harder to come by, like money, people did make thinks last 'forever'; called them heirlooms and passed them down, for generations. Now it is considered stupid to do so. Knowledge of such things is disappearing and no one seems all that interested in holding on to those 'ways'.

You've only lasted 16 hours and they already have you waffling.

:crackup: