in so many words, yes. there are differences in some of the valves from vb to vb but i still strongly recommend a shift kit over a VB just in the $ savings.

No argument there!

How about turning up the line pressure/shift points with the existing parts though? Good idea... or stay the hell away?

That's what the shift kit does, increasing line pressures and adjusting shift points require new springs and different spool valves. Not much you can do with original parts, bump in pressures should be done by a trans shop. The springs that come with a kit are calibrated and don't require additional correction. It's one of those things where you want to do it right and if a corner is cut you could create even more headache for yourself. Certain parts are prone to additional stress once the vb is replaced or modified, pressure spikes seen in reverse can wreak havoc on inferior parts. Billet servo's and accumulator can greatly increase the efficiency of your new shift kit. Factory servos are prone to leakage, binding, and breaking. There are plenty of little inexpensive "fix it" parts made to resolve what's considered common issues. With about $500 (between the shift kit and updated parts) you could probably keep that little trans light from popping up in the dash. At any rate, I don't think that TC or rebuilt trans will last very long with it heating up like it is. Good luck, you should make your uncle a reasonable offer to own the truck but have it "contracted" to his business. :rocking:


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Thanks for that explanation. You have no idea how bad I want that very "contract" arrangement with him, but he doesn't believe in selling trucks until they're run so hard into the ground that all they're good for is scrap. As long as I'm driving this one it'll never get near that point so unfortunately I don't see him parting with it... not that I'd still want it then anyway.

So, I put my MBRP straight pipe on a a few weeks ago (the equivalent of several thousand miles). No more peak power that I can detect, but the turbo spools up about a million times faster so there's certainly more under the curve. Interestingly, the system advertized 1-2mpg increase in mileage, and mine actually went down about that much. WTF? Oh well. It sure flew through emissions!

So, I seem to have talked him into selling. It turns out he was thinking about giving me a raise anyway, which over the course of a year would (pretax) end up about what I was going to offer him, which is what he paid several years ago for it, $4500. This is a good deal, no? So I actually have a decision to make. Take the raise, or take the truck and wait for the raise until next year. My one hangup is that I'd really prefer the exact same truck- a '98 12V- only an ex-cab (w/suicide rears) shortbed. I can't find a decent one for less than three times what I'd be getting this one for, and they're still all half the country away, so I'm thinking I should just settle for what's realistically obtainable, which is this one.
For legal business purposes it will stay in his name, and he'll keep paying the insurance/registration; as well as the maintenance and repairs, and I'll pay the difference when I want to upgrade. If I leave the company in the next year I'll buy him out and transfer the legals to me. Otherwise, things will stay as they have been, except that I'll have the authority to decide what gets done to it, keep other people out of it, and invest my own money in it with less risk of pissing it away for nothing.

SO: it's time to start seriously thinking about some things that were only hypothetical before, provided you all agree that this is a smoking deal for this truck. KBB thinks it is, and I'm optimistic. I think it would be best to start with getting the power it already has to actually make it to the ground. I'm assuming it would be a whole different truck if the tranny wasn't slipping through the first two gears, which I actually spend quite a bit of time in in town. I read up on the lockup switch, but it seems safer to just do the TC/VB, right? If someone could point me in the direction of one of those $300 billet TC's mentioned above, and where to get the best deal on a shift kit, I'd be grateful. Also, is this ? too good to be true:

3-4K GSK

No its not to good to be true. that gsk is the one I put in my rig about 2 weeks ago and I would also like to no where you can get a good tc for 300

the gsk kits arethe best bang for the buck hands down on these trucks! but the tranny needs attention sounds like. thats a salty thing to have fixed

Yeah, I've been looking around at our sponsor sites and stuff, and I can't find a billet single disc anything for less than like, $700. I'm thinking maybe monster12valve may have typo'd.