my truck has no rust everything works power mirrors power locks power windows criuse works and there is no major body work to be done may need paint in a year or 2 but i think i may just stick with it and do a swap

 

Dang man, if you have no rust and everything works you'd be mad to sell it. It's both a known quantity and it's not a sieve, which from what I've read is a rare truck in your neck of the woods. Invest a bit more money on the transmission and you shouldn't have to tough it for another 15 - 20 years, apart from routine maintenance. Heck, dropping say $2500 now, (as I pull that figure out of mid air) and divide that over even 10 years, is only $250 a year. You'll spend a boatload more than that on beer, probably. What's beer going to do for you in 10 years but give you a big belly? That truck'll still be running strong if you look after it.

 

i am also looking to swap my auto for a 5 speed but my father is against it because he thinks it is too hard to swap an auto to manual so how hard is it really? i have heard that the first gen has a cut out already in the floor board you just have to drill out the rivits? and is there anyone that sells a complete kit from auto to manual? thanks guys
Tanner

 

My dad tells me the same thing when i bring it up too.. really want a manual trans...

 

im just gonna end up doiung a 5 speed swap eventually

 

I was just reading the original owners manual the previous owner gave me when I bought my truck a couple days ago. I though it was interesting that the manual states the maximum towing capacity for a W350 with a Getrag 5 speed is 17K pounds but when equiped with an auto it is only 12K. That is a significant difference in my opinion. If you tow heavy, it appears that is definately the way to go.

 

Just goes to show you how much faith they had in their crappy torque converter. Although, that capacity increased a bit if you had a tranny cooler installed.

In saying that, those are just numbers on paper. In the real world, things are a little different. The truck I currently own was bought by my wife in '96, (when it was stock and mint) who promptly towed in the vicinity of 20k all over the country for the next 8 years, with the only problem being a headlight switch burning out on her during that time.
When I had the tranny rebuilt two years ago, (just because) the hard parts were in perfect order. Don't believe everything you read...

 

Perhaps the reduction in tow capacity for an auto was because they new the weakest link was their torque converter. Wow, 20k is heavy. How many miles did the trans have on it before you rebuilt? Did you ever tab the KDP on that truck?

 

150k miles, and ... ahh ... no... I haven't killed that danged pin.

 

i think the five speed swap is the way to go and then i think the nv4500 is the way to go everything i have heard about it says its bulletproff im shure the work is maybe not so hard but an extensive process that will be worth it in the end.