Team Stampie flips a Suburban

Anyone can start a build thread before they pick up the vehicle but how many can start at the junkyard getting parts for a vehicle they don't own yet?  

Waiting for them to open. 

Dibs on suburban.  

Patrick said:

Dibs on suburban.  

depends on the year......

In reply to Patrick :

There's already one ahead of you. This is a flip where I already have a potential buyer before I even get it. 

Here's the donor vehicle. Same year and model 1999 Suburban.

Here's the new to me alternator. 

Suburban has to be "the answer" for something. 

pinchvalve said:

Suburban has to be "the answer" for something. 

Cheap tow vehicle?

In reply to pinchvalve :

It's always been the answer for our family.  We just upgraded from our old '91....

To this sweet '99

I'll return the core next week so I'm in $31.37 plus the $500 I agreed to pay for the Suburban. 

I know better by now bit I still click on these hoping to see a vehicle upside down, perhaps during an eve of destruction.  

MadScientistMatt said:

pinchvalve said:

Suburban has to be "the answer" for something. 

Cheap tow vehicle?

That's actually how I found this. On my trip to get the 41 Cadillac Flathead I spent the night sleeping in my single cab pickup. Not the best night. Also when we went to pick up Project T&A had to take my mom's van because I don't have anything to for more than me and Lil Stampie in. So I started looking causally at Suburbans and Tahoes. 

This one was at a customer's house. I noticed the leaves on it and asked if it was for sale. Lady's husband text me a few days later and said he'd take an offer but it had a bad alternator. On Monday Lil Stampie and I went to look at it. Nice and clean starts right up, battery light on, 12 volts showing, and no AC. The no AC was a deal breaker for me because I'm cheap and I don't do AC work. 

That evening Ex SWMBO Stampie text me about finding her a vehicle. She's worn out her 97 Infiniti QX4 from general lack of maintenance. Told her about this one and she's kinda interested but I don't have a price for her yet. 

I had told the seller I'd get a quote on the AC. Quote comes in at $1000. I told him that with the repairs he'd be better off getting the alternator replaced and selling it with no AC. Told him that my offer would be real low. Now remember number one rule in negotiations is never ever set the first price. He text back and said he realized the repairs would be more than I wanted but he'd sell for $500. At that price even if the ex doesn't want it I can flip for a few hundred after a junkyard alternator. 

Now the ex is really interested so she'll probably end up with it. We're going to take the bus after school today to get it. We're not driving far but I just dropped off my tool backpack and an extra battery just to make sure we get home. Took some pictures for you guys. 

I miss being able to take the bus places, although I spend less money going out to bars now so I guess it's a wash. LOL

Do you still have your 4X4?

In reply to Crackers :

Both my 1999 Silverado and my 88 K30 are 4x4. The Silverado is a semi daily and the K30 is awaiting a 454 transplant. 

In reply to Stampie :

Fix the a/c & I’ll trade you my ‘06 P71 for it. 

pinchvalve said:

Suburban has to be "the answer" for something. 

when the answer isn't miata - its suburban

In reply to Pete Gossett :

Fix the AC and I'd keep it. It's been taken care of. The PO wife keeps apologizing about the front seats being worn on a 20 year old vehicle. I do need to learn AC so I can repair them myself a lot cheaper. 

Ac isn't that hard. Generally a set of o-rings, a drier, a couple cans of system flush, pag oil and some cans of freon brings them right back

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Good I'll let you fix the AC clutch on my 99 Silverado. I know it shouldn't be that hard. I just to bite the bullet and the the gauge set and vacuum pump. 

Stampie said:

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Good I'll let you fix the AC clutch on my 99 Silverado. I know it shouldn't be that hard. I just to bite the bullet and the the gauge set and vacuum pump. 

Just buy the harbor junk gauge set (it's good enough).  Then the local parts store has a loan a tool program for the vacuum pump.  Bonus  that you don't have to store it after you use it once every two years.

Edit:  are you planning to pick us up from the airport in this tomorrow?

The amount of money I've saved by doing my own A/C repairs easily paid for the gauges and vacuum pump several times over on the first job.

In reply to Indy-Guy :

I thought about it but didn't think you northerners would like FL driving with no AC. Plus timing means no tags today. 

Waiting on the bus. 

In reply to Stampie :

I wore that same shirt today.

You said the first rule of negotiations is to never set the first price....  I’ve tried that a few times, telling a seller (truthfully) that I really don’t need X, X has a few issues and it would have to be pretty cheap before I even entertain the idea. 

I figure they’ll throw out a reasonably low number and we can negotiate.   

So far, I have never moved past the ridiculous price they throw out after my monologue. 

Sorry to hijack...  just wondering how you make it work?

In reply to jfryjfry :

I guage their desire. In this case I had a feeling he wanted this gone without dealing with stupid people. I fell into his lap.

In reply to EvenB:

We could have been twins!

We got to the ex's house and I look down to see this:

I had assumed it was 2wd. Hmm to late to do take backs with the ex.

I put Lil Stampie to work removing the alternator. 

I noticed the old alternator was larger but once we got out it also has a different connector. Off to the parts store.