Baddest MOFO...Throwback edition

[Cole Trickle]

So I was talking to one of my long time clients a couple weeks back and he tells me he needs to sell his truck. Being a car/Truck guy we start chatting and he says its been in his family since new. Dad who passed about 8 years back and left the truck to his son had the truck built back in 1995 by a company called Traders in So cal.

When I heard that i became more interested and asked that he send me a couple pictures.

I had major flash backs when the pictures hit my email box. This thing is clean and is a total time capsule. You can tell it was loved as it came with a folder full of receipts as well as a cover.

Wife dropped me off at Long Beach airport at 5:45am Saturday and I took a jet blue flight to Sacramento where he met me at the airport.

Quick walk around and we traded the title for some cash so I could get on the road for the 450 mile trip. I have bought a bunch of cars and driven them home but usually I have a chase truck and some tools. Being on a flight I was pretty limited with what I could bring but decided to go for it after thumbing through the maintenance records...haha

1.5 tanks of gas later I was able to make it home before 4pm. This thing cruises like a couch down the road at 80.

This thing is crazy original down to the gaylord bed cover and 15" budniks. It's freaking hilarious and I'm not sure what I should do with it.

Do I sell it or do I clean her up and thrown in a turbo LS and make it the ultimate throw back River sleeper.

 

[Thunderhead1]

find a period correct flat bottom and set it all up ...

Reminds back of when sex was safe and boats were dangerous!!!!

 

[Cole Trickle]

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Old skool cool sucka...

 

[RodnJen]

Really nice!

 

[ChumpChange]

Nice. I had Trader's do all the work on my S10 back in the day. I had the same roll pan and shaved tail that that thing has. Let me know if you want to throw some Cerullo's in the cab. Make it all nice and comfy.

My neighbor has a clean white square. I drive by it slow every time it is on the driveway.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Pull off wood interior trim,
Throw on some modern 18-19 inch Budnik’s, and run it. Leave it for sale and wait for the right person to flip it to.

My dad’s ‘91 was about the same color. We were in Traders all the time.

 

[RiverDave]

I think I’d keep that one!

 

[Cole Trickle]

wood kit was like $500 bucks per the receipt. Not really a fan but it's a nice kit and it's screwed in so I'm not gonna mess with it.

I did remove the big piece on the cash tray door as you can't see the screw holes that low and I also removed the wood from the gauges as it was double sided tape.

I'm going to visually leave it alone. I agree some 20" wheels would modernize it but if I'm gonna keep it I would rock the 15" billets and throw 600 hp at it

 

[J DUNN]

I worked at Traders in 94/95. I was a Senior in HS and went in after school (off at lunch) and worked until 5pm each day. I was the detail/car care guy for all the Trader's owned vehicles. Fun while it lasted. I had some family there that got me into the job. I helped the owner load and deliver cars to a show at Peterson Museum one day. The owner trusted me with access to his house and I took care of his personal cars too. I had a lot of trust and privileges and never once abused them. I appreciate what I learned there.

Thanks for posting, it obviously brought back a lot of memories for me as well. My Dad had a lowered and shaved white crew cab dually all done by Trader's.

As for your truck, I wouldn't put any money into it. Clean it up and drive it. List it for sale for plenty more than you paid and see if some guy comes along and picks up his dream classic lowered ride. Good Luck!

 

[Cole Trickle]

I worked at Traders in 94/95. I was a Senior in HS and went in after school (off at lunch) and worked until 5pm each day. I was the detail/car care guy for all the Trader's owned vehicles. Fun while it lasted. I had some family there that got me into the job. I helped the owner load and deliver cars to a show at Peterson Museum one day. The owner trusted me with access to his house and I took care of his personal cars too. I had a lot of trust and privileges and never once abused them. I appreciate what I learned there.

Thanks for posting, it obviously brought back a lot of memories for me as well. My Dad had a lowered and shaved white crew cab dually all done by Trader's.

As for your truck, I wouldn't put any money into it. Clean it up and drive it. List it for sale for plenty more than you paid and see if some guy comes along and picks up his dream classic lowered ride. Good Luck!

I bought a regular cab 1996 new and spent some time and $$$ at traders. There was another shop in Los alamitos that was big at the time and that's where I first had a 2/4 DJM drop installed followed by a 5/7 belltech as I started making more $$$. I can still picture the big dollar all done up trader trucks at Selman chevrolet just like this one back in the day. The 350 x cab trucks like this were way above my pay grade but I loved shopping...haha

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

View attachment 804928

wood kit was like $500 bucks per the receipt. Not really a fan but it's a nice kit and it's screwed in so I'm not gonna mess with it.

I did remove the big piece on the cash tray door as you can't see the screw holes that low and I also removed the wood from the gauges as it was double sided tape.

I'm going to visually leave it alone. I agree some 20" wheels would modernize it but if I'm gonna keep it I would rock the 15" billets and throw 600 hp at it View attachment 804928 View attachment 804929

Pull off wood trim and have it painted, bolt back on if possible.

My dad had 15s on it too. The 17+ wheels look sooo much better, especially today.

Start searching for a vintage period set of Boyd’s or Budniks would be where I’d start. Might get lucky at the Pomona Swap Meet or something.

 

[Cole Trickle]

I think I’d keep that one!

This would look perfect pulling the Schiada

 

[Cole Trickle]

Pull off wood trim and have it painted, bolt back on if possible.

My dad had 15s on it too. The 17+ wheels look sooo much better, especially today.

Start searching for a vintage period set would be where I’d start. Might get lucky at the Pomona Swap Meet or something.

I agree....I had 17" colorado customs on my 96

Not sure what I'm going to do. Someone should buy it before I buy a motor and trans and it ends up on jack stands...haha

 

[BajaMike]

Nice truck, looks like a gem. If you have room, keep it forever! Nice and smooth to drive and easy to repair. Those Chevy trucks were some of the best years ever. How many miles are on it? Looks low miles.

 

[CLdrinker]

Sick

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I agree....I had 17" colorado customs on my 96

Not sure what I'm going to do. Someone should buy it before I buy a motor and trans and it ends up on jack stands...haha

Run it as is. Don’t create a smog nightmare for the next owner lol.

 

[EmpirE231]

Throw in a mix tape and run it

 

[Cole Trickle]

Throw in a mix tape and run it

Disc changer baby....lol

 

[Universal Elements]

Nice truck, looks like a gem. If you have room, keep it forever! Nice and smooth to drive and easy to repair. Those Chevy trucks were some of the best years ever. How many miles are on it? Looks low miles.

152707 miles on pic

 

[Ziggy]

If the license plate hinges and your hitch receiver is there it is a keeper.

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

I already told you that if you decide to sell it, I would be interested. If it was my truck, I would leave it exactly the way it is.

 

[6 balls]

I bought a regular cab 1996 new and spent some time and $$$ at traders. There was another shop in Los alamitos that was big at the time and that's where I first had a 2/4 DJM drop installed followed by a 5/7 belltech as I started making more $$$. I can still picture the big dollar all done up trader trucks at Selman chevrolet just like this one back in the day. The 350 x cab trucks like this were way above my pay grade but I loved shopping...haha

Dealer's Sport Trucks

 

[6 balls]

Still miss my '96 single cab...

 

[Cole Trickle]

If the license plate hinges and your hitch receiver is there it is a keeper.

Oh it does and it is...lol

 

[Cole Trickle]

I already told you that if you decide to sell it, I would be interested. If it was my truck, I would leave it exactly the way it is.

shoot me an offer maybe we can figure something out that works

 

[Cole Trickle]

Still miss my '96 single cab...

View attachment 804936

Had the same year and configuration...indigo blue

Loved that truck

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Disc changer baby....lol

I have one of those if you need one.....tell me before I throw it away....

 

[RitcheyRch]

Cool find and think I'd keep it for awhile.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

It's not old skool enough to drop Irocs on....

 

[Cole Trickle]

It's not old skool enough to drop Irocs on....

Nothing should ever have Irocs.....including irocs

 

[ElAzul]

Love those trucks and had several. The brakes and weak AC were the only real issues I remember besides intake gaskets. Run that mofo

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

I would leave it as is...

 

[Cole Trickle]

Love those trucks and had several. The brakes and weak AC were the only real issues I remember besides intake gaskets. Run that mofo

Brakes are for sure a tad squishy in that generation...lol

New AC compressor blows cold and the intake manifold gasket has been done

 

[monkeyswrench]

Time capsule is the right term. I graduated high school in 95, and those trucks were the pinnacle of cool. 15" Boyds for the more "mature" crowd, 16's and even those giant 17's Colorado Custom had for the real swingin' dicks... I had 15's on all my stuff. Even if I could afford the rims, the constant burnouts cost me too much in tires

 

[Bigbore500r]

shoot me an offer maybe we can figure something out that works

Don't let Joe harass you like a FB used boat ad.......

 

[SOCALCRICKETT]

Dealer's Sport Trucks

Simon from dealers now owns traders, they are in sante fe springs

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[trucker507]

Simon from dealers now owns traders, they are in sante fe springs

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

Simon from dealers now owns traders, they are in sante fe springs

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

They moved to irwindale off the 605

 

[AEA]

If it's going to be a toy, I vote LSA and turbo.
If you're going to daily drive it, leave it as is.
Nice find.

 

[gqchris]

thats bad ass sir. I wouldnt touch a thing!

 

[Sleek-Jet]

I wouldn't do anything but wash and wax it... That was my dream truck "back in the day".

 

[mbrown2]

Leave it...anything like 19's or new dash will date it to something it is not. 15's were era appropriate wheels. I had a 91 extra cab red that looked exactly like that. Bell Tech drop spindles, 15" boyd's, I had the color painted matched grill....crazy boston acoustic pro system in it and that was hidden so the dash stereo worked as factory...it was an amazing truck.

 

[brgrcru]

Well if anyone bails on buying it let me know.
Would go perfect with the 97 and 98 dually I have

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Nothing should ever have Irocs.....including irocs

Maaaaannnn....before your time youngsta.....that or too brown for you...

 

[Gelcoater]

Brakes are for sure a tad squishy in that generation...lol

New AC compressor blows cold and the intake manifold gasket has been done

I think I’d do some brakes and roll!

What’s all this about an LS?
Sure. You could, bit what a pain in the ass.
Magnusun or similar made a carb legal blower for them. I’d probably look into it before a complete engine swap.

I had an 89 short bed short cab 5.7 with the Hypertech chip, a K&N and a 3” cat back with a flow master

It was a fun truck for sure.
I had a buddy with a 91 Firebird 5.0, he wouldn’t line up with it

It wasn’t really “quick” by most standards, but was very versatile.
It would pull off 18+mpg going to Phoenix, would tug my CJ5 with a banshee in the bed to Glamis, take me to work everyday, Like a Rock..lol.
At 256,xxx miles, some asshole decided they needed it more than I did. Stolen for the second time and never to be seen again.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Maaaaannnn....before your time youngsta.....that or too brown for you...

Were both old brother you just have shittier taste...lol

 

[Cole Trickle]

I think I’d do some brakes and roll!

What’s all this about an LS?
Sure. You could, bit what a pain in the ass.
Magnusun or similar made a carb legal blower for them. I’d probably look into it before a complete engine swap.

I had an 89 short bed short cab 5.7 with the Hypertech chip, a K&N and a 3” cat back with a flow master

It was a fun truck for sure.
I had a buddy with a 91 Firebird 5.0, he wouldn’t line up with it

It wasn’t really “quick” by most standards, but was very versatile.
It would pull off 18+mpg going to Phoenix, would tug my CJ5 with a banshee in the bed to Glamis, take me to work everyday, Like a Rock..lol.
At 256,xxx miles, some asshole decided they needed it more than I did. Stolen for the second time and never to be seen again.

I could probably do a complete ls swap for less than 2K once the factory motor and trans were sold. Pretty cheap for an extra 150HP and better mpg.

It's not nearly as hard as one would think if you do a 5.3/4l60e. New motor mount adapters and she slides right in and the tranny bolts right to the X member and the factory driveshaft works.

I think I'm just going to clean her up and being her back to nearly perfect and cruise perhaps throw a stereo in with some stuff I have lying around.. I already have some fun fast stuff lying around so adding a bunch of power is sounding kind of dumb but you never know.

 

[JD D05]

I could probably do a complete ls swap for less than 2K once the factory motor and trans were sold. Pretty cheap for an extra 150HP and better mpg.

It's not nearly as hard as one would think if you do a 5.3/4l60e. New motor mount adapters and she slides right in and the tranny bolts right to the X member and the factory driveshaft works.

I think I'm just going to clean her up and being her back to nearly perfect and cruise perhaps throw a stereo in with some stuff I have lying around.. I already have some fun fast stuff lying around so adding a bunch of power is sounding kind of dumb but you never know.

Put a Duramax in it.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Put a Duramax in it.

sounds cheap and right in my wheelhouse...lol

 

[JD D05]

sounds cheap and right in my wheelhouse...lol

It would be soooo cool. But ya not cheap.