Project "Rebound" 2006 RCSB

[LEEVON]

I really don't know if this is a "build" in the sense of the word, but all trucks are projects to me. I like to have somewhere to document progress, even if it's just for my own amusement so thanks for putting up with me. A few weeks ago for some unknown reason I sold my '87 swb "Yetti" which was a light project / daily driver. Yetti was right at the point where it was fun to drive...cold air, 16-17mpg, looked just right, all that stuff. I didn't feel great about letting him go, and it progressively got worse especially since out of nowhere my son started giving me massive grief about it (he's only 8).

I have been a fiend looking high and low for another fix for the last couple weeks. High and low, day and night relentlessly. I wasn't looking for a late model, but when this popped up on Craigslist and I had to see it, fortunately I was the first one. The truck was dirty and on a gravel road and in evening light it didn't look all that great. The guy said it was painted, although I couldn't find any tell-tale signs in his driveway. The engine ran strong, it drove nice and tight, the interior was very clean and the price was right. Clearly somebody really liked this truck. The only thing really "wrong" was a bad tire which turned out to be a great negotiating point. We struck a very good deal and it came home with me.

It's an '06 base model with the 4.8L and 131k miles, in midnight blue metallic (love the color). I would not normally bite on a base model truck. This has manual windows, no jump seat and rubber flooring. However, the previous owner added a tunneau cover, GM 20" wheels and tires, lowered 2/4, tint, dual exhaust and a keyless entry. Everything but the exhaust is pretty new. So the windows were my biggest hang-up. Get this...I'm in my driveway playing with the key fob when I got home and the truck starts itself! He never mentioned remote start, and I only assumed he got the most basic keyless entry because of the manual locks. Who doesn't put that in a for sale ad or mention it to a buyer?

I washed the truck, and to my amazement the whole thing is in much better shape that I had originally thought. The wheels and tires look BRAND NEW. The paint is just what you would expect for 131K miles, and the bed is next to perfect. It did have paint work on the left front looks like a new fender. I found a small twig jambed up near the cowl, so I suspect it left the road...but there are no signs of any major collision repairs. Just like the '87 which had slid off the road and smacked a fence in the front left. There is also a small dent that somebody tried poorly to remove on the front corner of the hood. Small peanuts.

I'm not crazy about the wheels, so I had another set located and bought before I owned the truck 24 hours. I had to buy another tire to make the set coming off whole, but after I sell them it will be close to even money.

So here are my plans (some are goals) as funds, time and interest allows:

• Yukon 20" wheels and new 265/50/20 tires DONE
• Remove roll pan and replace with factory bumper
• Replace headlights and marker lights (blurry, tried to polish)
• Color-match handles, tailgate bezel and bumper fillers
• Kenwood KDC X696 bluetooth stereo (love these, 3rd this year) DONE
• New speakers, 10" shallow sub
• Sound deadening and new carpet
• Jump seat swap, leather?
• Corvette servo (ordered)
• 6.0 swap
• 3.90 gears, Truetrac posi unit
• Tune (fortunate to have Show Me Speed around the corner)
• Paint repair hood