I was looking at H1s, and I got to thinking- unless I want to buy an h1 Alpha from 2006, if my intent is to have the Duramax engine conversion done at Predator, does mileage really matter?

It seems like the major upgrades for each year on the H1 center around engine and transmission parts, and some interior upgrades. I would like to buy a truck and just do work on it n the interior, and make it a hobby.

If that is my goal, can I pick up a cheaper truck with higher miles from an older model year? Anything else I should think about?

Sorry about the "noobness" of my question- first post here.

 

97.5 and up have an upgraded HVAC unit that is worth holding out for. Mileage only matters for condition and maintenance. To do a Duramax conversion right you need to upgrade the frame rails, half shafts, gears in the geared hubs, etc. Upgrading to the Alpha brakes is also recommended. If I was doing the conversion I would go ahead and replace the idler, pitman, centerlink, tie rods, ball joints, springs, shocks etc. No point spending the money for the conversion and not spending the extra 5K to "finish the job".
Condition could save you money on geared hub work, diffs, etc. If you watch all the usual outlets you can find H1s that need lots of this same work and are ideal candidates for conversion.

 

So with all those parts redone, I would basically be looking at everything being redone on the truck, it would ride like new, correct? I am thinking that the advantage of the conversion in terms of drivability is worth the cost, so why not get the cheaper truck and go for it.