IcemanG17

I found a clean 1992 C3500 dually with the 4L60 automatic and 454 for sale locally...good price and the truck runs strong. Its rated to tow 10,000lbs and the owner states he gets around 15mpg empty....not bad

I have heard good things about 454 engined tow vehicles, a nice combo of power and mileage for a gas engine. Its nice that they are CHEAP right now too...

BC

I would hope it has the 4L80 and not the 60. 60 will whither and die a horrible death while towing anything heavy

Larry Herman

And they get great mileage towing!

IcemanG17

I know the mileage will not be great...but everything sucks while towing.....even at 9mpg it costs me say $90 for my average trackday.....vs a duramax diesel that gets 14towing at $63....so it costs nearly 40% more...BUT I didn't have to spend $20k on the rig...this is WAY less than $5k

Veloce Raptor

IMO avoid the 454 and get a newer generation 8.1 liter instead. The 454's were really pretty weak considering the displacement, and all the 454 vehicles still have rear DRUM brakes. I know, because we used to use 454-engined 3/4 ton Suburbans, armored and unarmored, and even unarmored they could barely get out of their own way.







Professional Racing and Driving Coach

IcemanG17

its rated at 4800lbs 255hp-405 torque.... I did some research and they seem to get between 7-9mpg towing...and are underpowered...but with a new free flow exhaust they really wake up and get about 2mpg better....

The 8.1L is a better option...but those are at least double the price....minimum 10k

WHB Porsche

For the price, I wouldn't worry about power or mileage. As long as it's got the stability for towing (it does) and is reliable (I have no idea) and you can get it to brake decently, then go for it.

MUSSBERGER

As long as fuel economy isn't a prerequisite why not? If the trailer is set up correctly it should be doing it's fair share of the braking chores anyway.

Veloce Raptor

Whatever you guys need to tell yourselves.

I am tellin' ya: avoid the 454 in 90's GM vehicles. But what do I know? We only deployed them around the world by the dozens...









Professional Racing and Driving Coach

MUSSBERGER

As long as it isn't one of the dogs the used in their low bids to the Feds you'll be OK. They called those things the Fed Friday builds.

disasterman

Good luck on that mileage estimate. If it's set up for towing 10k, it probably has a 4:11 rear end (I have a 2004 suburban with the 8 liter) and I would suggest a 8 to 11 miles per gallon regardless of load.

jrgordonsenior

I've owned 3 or 4 Chevy 454 CC duallys. They all ran great and were reliable but they NEVER got more than 10 MPG's empty, going downhill, with a gale force tailwind, etc. Also, GM/Chevy didn't make a decent transmission between the last Turbo 400 and the Duramax. Check for a tranny cooler before you leap. No cooler = plan on rebuilding the tranny and installing the cooler....

Now if you're towing an open trailer it probably won't matter....

justaguy

I have a couple of mid 90's dually one tons with 454's and manual transmissions. No excess of power but very stable when towing. I towed a 7 ton wind mill from Idaho to Alberta with no problem using a very heavy tri-axle 5th wheel trailer. The drum brakes are fine you are not going to race the truck and when towing the trailer brakes should stop the trailer and not the truck. A diesel would be great but is not even in the price range you are looking at and if it were you don't want it

BC

I think Brian is agreeing with you but saying that the price difference is too great - so great the at its "Tow vehicle/No tow vehicle"

I am dead set on a 2500 suburban - as much as I can buy when I get there. But if in the meantime I find something like that, and I REALLY need to get a race car to the track, I'd get it and deal with the "454 issues" like coolant where it shouldn't be, cracked this or that, low power.

kdsii

For that price, it's a decent track day tow rig.

It's a value question - for $5k can you get a better rig?

For occasional use, it will do fine.