# 2007 GMC C5500 Topkick Propane



## The1gmcboss (Aug 21, 2014)

Paint completed! Just waiting for the plow and v-box spreader


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## Advantage (Nov 7, 2007)

Looks good! Schwans truck?


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## dieselboy01 (Jan 18, 2011)

Nice looking truck! Any advantage to propane VS gas or diesel?


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

Nice looking truck.


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

Is it a dump, or just a flat bed?


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

The "big" company around here uses old Schwan's propane trucks without beds, just the V box on the frame. I guess they like them, they're up to 12 of them now I think. Looks good!


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

The engine stays much cleaner, right? No carbon or soot build up vs gas or diesel. How volatile is propane if that thing were to get kissed from the side?


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## scott3430 (Dec 28, 2010)

Paint looks good!


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## 2006Sierra1500 (Dec 28, 2011)

Banksy;1822879 said:


> The engine stays much cleaner, right? No carbon or soot build up vs gas or diesel. How volatile is propane if that thing were to get kissed from the side?


Propane is a very clean burning fuel. The oil will look exactly the same when you pull it out as when it went in.


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

Banksy;1822879 said:


> The engine stays much cleaner, right? No carbon or soot build up vs gas or diesel. How volatile is propane if that thing were to get kissed from the side?


No problems with the propane tanks. Go to youtube to see the testing. they even shot at them.


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## Showmestaterida (Dec 28, 2006)

what kind of horsepower ? how long will a tank of propane last?Size of tank?


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

So many ???, so few answers...


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

My question has always been where do you fuel up at 3am?


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## K&L Salting (Dec 2, 2005)

*fuel as a road fuel*

Buy your own 500 or 1000 gallon tank and pump. A used setup will cost you about 2 grand. When using propane as road fuel the Fed.Gov. will give you a .50 per gallon tax credit. But then you have to pay .15 per gallon road use tax. That is what I did for my three propane trucks. My propane cost is between a $1.00 - $1.50 per gallon put in my tanks. To get the best price I have to buy during the summer.


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## EGLC (Nov 8, 2007)

I wonder how they fare in the cold. I have heard mixed reports...


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

K&L Salting;1823175 said:


> Buy your own 500 or 1000 gallon tank and pump. A used setup will cost you about 2 grand. When using propane as road fuel the Fed.Gov. will give you a .50 per gallon tax credit. But then you have to pay .15 per gallon road use tax. That is what I did for my three propane trucks. My propane cost is between a $1.00 - $1.50 per gallon put in my tanks. To get the best price I have to buy during the summer.


At $1.50 per gallon price it's probably just a matter of time before they have a pump at the gas station and jump the price to $4


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

peteo1;1823303 said:


> At $1.50 per gallon price it's probably just a matter of time before they have a pump at the gas station and jump the price to $4


Uncle Sam is reading this ... be quiet!!!


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## rjk512 (Dec 11, 2013)

Very interesting concept.

Curious how it will serve you.

Best of luck.


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## absolutely (Dec 9, 2010)

We have one for a couple of years now. The Power is pretty close to the gas but you can tell the difference. Ours holds 120 gallons and when the second tank gets to 1/2 we fill up in the winter and 1/4 in the summer. Averages 4 - 4.5 mpg. For the price they are a nice truck.


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## Winter Land Man (Aug 9, 2005)

Looks good! Always loved the fact they have a shorter hood than the 1-tons but with more hauling capacity.


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## Pushin4U (Nov 20, 2011)

what kind of fuel mileage you looking at with propane??


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## jordanFTW (Oct 31, 2011)

This one 4x4?


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

How much can you find one of these trucks for?


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

BRL1;1883613 said:


> How much can you find one of these trucks for?


I see them for $1500ish fresh out of service with Schwans. They send them to auction most of the time. Schwans is right down the road about a mile from my house.


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

NBI Lawn;1884016 said:


> I see them for $1500ish fresh out of service with Schwans. They send them to auction most of the time. Schwans is right down the road about a mile from my house.


You mean 15,000 right??


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

And is there a website for these auctions ?


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## gallihersnow (Dec 17, 2012)

BRL1;1884050 said:


> You mean 15,000 right??


Nope, you can pick the old Schwan's trucks up cheap if you go to auction. They are usually pretty worn out. Dealers buy them, throw a cheap paint job and some tire shine on them and sell em for $8-$9k cab & chassis.


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## gallihersnow (Dec 17, 2012)

BRL1;1884074 said:


> And is there a website for these auctions ?


I've seen a couple on Copart.


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## gallihersnow (Dec 17, 2012)

Here's an '08, current bid is $1,750 and it closes tomorrow the 28th. Just over 200,000 miles.

http://copart.com/c2/medium_duty_bo...e1s2&lotId=29291234&returnPage=SEARCH_RESULTS


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

gallihersnow;1884076 said:


> Nope, you can pick the old Schwan's trucks up cheap if you go to auction. They are usually pretty worn out. Dealers buy them, throw a cheap paint job and some tire shine on them and sell em for $8-$9k cab & chassis.


That's a pretty good deal. But I've seen their drivers they are always gettin down in those things lol I'm sure they are pretty beat up


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

BRL1;1884050 said:


> You mean 15,000 right??


No. $1500. They need work hence Schwans taking them out of service. They are on propane which in most cases would need to be changed, a box put on, paint unless you like dull yellow.

A buddy almost bought this one on wednesday (for $11000) but had a bad tick. Could have picked it up way cheaper but he didn't want to deal with it.

http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/4745382502.html


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

NBI Lawn;1884115 said:


> No. $1500. They need work hence Schwans taking them out of service. They are on propane which in most cases would need to be changed, a box put on, paint unless you like dull yellow.
> 
> A buddy almost bought this one on wednesday (for $11000) but had a bad tick. Could have picked it up way cheaper but he didn't want to deal with it.
> 
> http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/4745382502.html


Sounds like more work than I want lol 
I'm looking for another truck for spraying and possibly a plow depending on how this winter goes


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

The 8.1 motors in those trucks are just about the best gasser out there. If not the best. 

They have an industrial/marine tag on them and that just shows the dependability of those motors. 


...


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

White Gardens;1884181 said:


> The 8.1 motors in those trucks are just about the best gasser out there. If not the best.
> 
> They have an industrial/marine tag on them and that just shows the dependability of those motors.
> 
> ...


How do you tranfer them over to gas? Is there a build thread on here or somewhere ?


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## White Gardens (Oct 29, 2008)

BRL1;1884208 said:


> How do you tranfer them over to gas? Is there a build thread on here or somewhere ?


Never seen a thread.

.


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## BRL1 (Sep 13, 2014)

OP sorry for hijacking your thread your build just really inspired me to look into these trucks! I really like how yours looks


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## shop king (Dec 16, 2010)

*Pics of my propane rig*

Here's a pic of my 98 gmc c5500 dump 9.6 Meyer v


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## jbell36 (Feb 21, 2008)

shop king;1903437 said:


> Here's a pic of my 98 gmc c5500 dump 9.6 Meyer v


two wheel drive i assume? you have any trouble with traction? how much weight do you put in the back?


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## gallihersnow (Dec 17, 2012)

shop king;1903437 said:


> Here's a pic of my 98 gmc c5500 dump 9.6 Meyer v


That's a 6500.

GM didn't start building 5500's until 2003.


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## absolutely (Dec 9, 2010)

gallihersnow;1904054 said:


> That's a 6500.
> 
> GM didn't start building 5500's until 2003.


Pretty sure this is 1998


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## gallihersnow (Dec 17, 2012)

That looks like a 6500 by the ride height and 22.5 wheels.


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## shop king (Dec 16, 2010)

*Answers*

Mine is a 5500 but when I bought it , it did have different wheels and tires making it look taller but it was loosing 2 mpg and lots of noticeable torque I put original wheels back on it and good tread tires and last yr I ran a f650 dump with salt in bed never got stuck and we went out 40 some odd times ( note with no salt in bed it did tend to slide around and not push very well I'd start out with 8 ton and when use some throuout storm but most times when empty I was done plowing )


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