Hey all,
Love building Duramax trucks but wanted to really see how cheap I could really build one (counting my time as free).... well here is the story no BS.. Sorry for the lack of detailed pics… and yes I have a dealer license to buy insurance wrecks… well here goes…. The plan was to set out and build a 2500hd duramax 4x4 crew cab, after searching some sites I came across a 2001 2500hd 4x4 crew cab 6.0 gasser that was fully loaded Salvage title. I thought this truck looked amazing and it only had an electrical fire in the main harness in the engine compartment. So I watched the truck when it came up for auction (204k miles)… pumped to start the “cheapmax build” with this as a plat form. As the auction started I was worried I would not win it… then BAMMMM highest bidder at 1800.00 with fees and shipping to my shop grand total…$2356.00 so I went to town tearing it down and busting it apart so I can start to sell parts to recuperate my money back or some of it.. first things I listed. Front and rear end bamm sold $975 then I listed the motor, trans, transfer bamm sold for $900. Then I sold the cooling, wheels and gas tank as well for another $850 bucks… there I was with positive $369 and a free truck…. Well what has left. Then about 4 weeks ago I found the perfect donor truck. 06 crew cab 4x4 with a LBZ 184k miles (junk title). It was hit on the Passenger front side outside of the main rail. Grand total shipped with fees $2980.00. Got in the bay and start to break it down and sell the parts… which was not much since I needs a lot of the little stuff. So I sold the cab, four doors, bed, tailgate for $4000.00 again in the black this time my kitty was at +$1,389. I was like damn twin turbo here I come… after about 2 full weekends working on the truck swapping every freaking thing over I had a full roller with a drivetrain, bed, cab on and about 90% of the wiring done…. I was at a point to see if the motor was good and to see if it would turn over… fire in the hole…. Purred like a kitten with no service lights! But to get to this point I had to drop some money into the cooling system, rad, rad support and condenser, trans cooler along with clutch fan, belt, pulleys and fluids, batteries.. dang all that set me back $1650 bucks…. Damn in the red. Well at this time I was able to collect all the scrap metal and aluminum and make a trip to the scrap yard to get paid… $ 180 bucks was all I got… so was in the whole -~$81 bucks… well then I have to service the brakes and get a new shifting cable, which was another $550 bucks, and the wheels and tires where $400 so as of now I’m in it for -$1031. As of Last Sunday I was able to drive it down the road and back. Runs and drives great. I still have to finish up the wiring in the interior and finish up installing the hood and gapping the panels… I’ll update you next week. Let me know if you have any questions… Grand total invested money $1031 give or take $100 bucks…. i think i bought some beer
Love building Duramax trucks but wanted to really see how cheap I could really build one (counting my time as free).... well here is the story no BS.. Sorry for the lack of detailed pics… and yes I have a dealer license to buy insurance wrecks… well here goes…. The plan was to set out and build a 2500hd duramax 4x4 crew cab, after searching some sites I came across a 2001 2500hd 4x4 crew cab 6.0 gasser that was fully loaded Salvage title. I thought this truck looked amazing and it only had an electrical fire in the main harness in the engine compartment. So I watched the truck when it came up for auction (204k miles)… pumped to start the “cheapmax build” with this as a plat form. As the auction started I was worried I would not win it… then BAMMMM highest bidder at 1800.00 with fees and shipping to my shop grand total…$2356.00 so I went to town tearing it down and busting it apart so I can start to sell parts to recuperate my money back or some of it.. first things I listed. Front and rear end bamm sold $975 then I listed the motor, trans, transfer bamm sold for $900. Then I sold the cooling, wheels and gas tank as well for another $850 bucks… there I was with positive $369 and a free truck…. Well what has left. Then about 4 weeks ago I found the perfect donor truck. 06 crew cab 4x4 with a LBZ 184k miles (junk title). It was hit on the Passenger front side outside of the main rail. Grand total shipped with fees $2980.00. Got in the bay and start to break it down and sell the parts… which was not much since I needs a lot of the little stuff. So I sold the cab, four doors, bed, tailgate for $4000.00 again in the black this time my kitty was at +$1,389. I was like damn twin turbo here I come… after about 2 full weekends working on the truck swapping every freaking thing over I had a full roller with a drivetrain, bed, cab on and about 90% of the wiring done…. I was at a point to see if the motor was good and to see if it would turn over… fire in the hole…. Purred like a kitten with no service lights! But to get to this point I had to drop some money into the cooling system, rad, rad support and condenser, trans cooler along with clutch fan, belt, pulleys and fluids, batteries.. dang all that set me back $1650 bucks…. Damn in the red. Well at this time I was able to collect all the scrap metal and aluminum and make a trip to the scrap yard to get paid… $ 180 bucks was all I got… so was in the whole -~$81 bucks… well then I have to service the brakes and get a new shifting cable, which was another $550 bucks, and the wheels and tires where $400 so as of now I’m in it for -$1031. As of Last Sunday I was able to drive it down the road and back. Runs and drives great. I still have to finish up the wiring in the interior and finish up installing the hood and gapping the panels… I’ll update you next week. Let me know if you have any questions… Grand total invested money $1031 give or take $100 bucks…. i think i bought some beer
