Project Polar Bear

[thirdstreettito]

More good news!

I used my truck yesterday ro pull out some 25 bushes including 4 holly bushes. She didn't miss a beat. She did get a little hot, but I forgot to check the water.

What does it mean if I'm losing about 2 quarts of water every 2 weeks or so?

I used my 4LO to pull out more bushes today, I had to because I wasn't allowed to spin my tires AND I had very LITTLE space to move around in so I couldn't get a running start.

AND! I decided to take a look at my shocks to see if they were stock. NOPE! Monroe Air Shocks! I followed the lines to a fitting on the right of the license plate(see pic). I pulled out my tire gauge and it read 32psi. I looked up the PSI specs online. 30psi minimum, 90psi long periods, 150psi for short periods. So I went down to the gas station and put them at 90psi so I dont have to raise it every time I hook up a trailer. I think it raised the truck 1/2 inch.

[thirdstreettito]

Painted my wheels 7/1/2011. I did the drivers side rear 2 days before with a brush and some implement black. Yuck, I will sand it down and redo it with Rustoleum Rust Stop Gloss Black. Just like the other 3.

I painted them because cop cars always have black wheels, I like black wheels, and I hate trim rings and the stock center caps.

It took my 25 minutes, a 80 grit sanding block, an old towel and 3/4 of a can of Rustoleum. They have 3 coats each. I taped off the shiny stuff and the valve stem, not the tires though, I'm getting new ones soon anyway.

And here's the pics.

I also found out I need at least one head gasket. So I'll just swap over to junkyard Vortec heads/intake instead of using the stock crap stuff. I'm debating whether to hope the junkyard heads aren't cracked or to spends the money to get them tested, either way it could be $400 or so. $370 is the cost for new GM assembled Vortec heads.

Also, whenever I take exterior pictures of my truck I am going to try to take them in a different location every time. Just to have some fun.

[STOCKISH]

You will need a new intake to match up to the Vortec heads. They are milled on a diffrent angle.

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

So I'll just swap over to junkyard Vortec heads/intake instead of using the stock crap stuff.

Josh, I said intake.

Oh, I almost forgot. Next thing to do for the wheels is grab a set of 2000-newer chevy 6 lug center caps and some 9/16 dual thread lugnuts so I can finish the cop look.

[jb1016]

Do you have a plan for your TBI-to-Vortec intake? GMPP makes (made?) a manifold, but it's pricey. Some guys run a Vortec carb manifold with a TBI adapter.

[spudz]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

Josh, I said intake.

Oh, I almost forgot. Next thing to do for the wheels is grab a set of 2000-newer chevy 6 lug center caps and some 9/16 dual thread lugnuts so I can finish the cop look.

You CAN'T use a junkyard vortec intake. YOU HAVE to buy a aftermarket intake made especially for the swap. Then you will probably have to get a custom chip burnt. If not it will probably run worse then it did before. MY advise is to leave the TBI ALONE! Leave it stock. I've ran spacers etc what have you on them and I couldn't tell a difference. Only thing I got out of it was a dent in the hood from the wing nut. I would just pull the heads you have now and send them to the machine shop for rebuilding and put it back together stock. JUST MY advice. It sound like you are in school on a shoe string budget and if you don't have money to throw at burnt chips, $300 intakes, etc. then I would just go back stock.