My Luxurious late model truck (not so much)

[Tx Firefighter]

Same here. I have no interest in any box that requires me to have the seat any place but full back. I'm a corn fed boy so I need the room. Further, I have no interest in building a sub box so it will be pre-fab or nothing for me. If I collected all of my wood working tools it would be a circular saw and a miter saw. That's it. I don't even own a jigsaw. Last thing I want to do is buy tools to build one box.

I am second guessing myself that I didn't pre-plan and lay out some preamp cables and amp power cables before I laid the carpet though.

I'd imagine I'll just go with the 4 speakers and head unit right now and come back and address it further if I wind up being dissatisfied with it in day to day driving.

I've been having some pretty good luck selling various stuff on Craigslist lately. It's nice to clean some clutter out of the shop and free up some truck building money. I'm getting toward the end of this project I hope so I can start shifting gears toward a full rebuild of my stepside this winter. I'd like to replace the bed on this truck and run through the steering and front suspension and I think it will be ready to go.

[Tx Firefighter]

Today's update is a bit mundane.

First, Craiglsist has been good to me. I've been tripping over parts all over my shop for a while now. So I decided to list some stuff and try to clear out some breathing room in the shop. In the last week I've sold the original 14 bolt rearend out of my dually, the stainless wheel simulators off the dually, and the old wheels and tires off this truck. Damn it feels good to come back home with folding money in your pocket and sit down and delete an ad for something you've sold.

The last of my most recent parts order arrived yesterday while I was at work.

First, I ordered this kit from Amazon that is made by Gates and includes a new tensioner, idler pulley and belt. All good Gates quality stuff. When I bought my used serpentine bracketry off Craigslist I knew the idler pulley was junk and the tensioner was sloppy. This fixes all of that with one part number.



My old idler pulley. It's been seizing periodically and the slipping belt has actually melted the plastic pulley.





That nice new steel Gates idler is gonna be much better I think.



I also got my tidbits to use the free head unit I got out of a wrecked car.



This is one thing modern times has really improved upon. Just buy the proper plug to fit your vehicle application and sit down and make yourself a plug and play stereo harness at your workbench. It couldn't be simpler, just connect like colored wires together. I well remember the days before this when you'd wind up cutting off the wiring harness plug from a stock stereo, or worse, from the vehicle's wiring harness.

All soldered and heat shrunk.



Then loomed for abrasion resistance.



I know its an outdated 12 year old head unit. But I'm pleased since I rescued it for free from a car headed to the crusher.



Everything all buttoned up and finished. I did do like a poster above mentioned and sit the speaker grilles into four dabs of black silicone to keep rattles down. All but one of the molded in clips were broken off of the speaker grilles anyway so it was necessary to do something to hold them down regardless.



All told, I'm very pleased with the stereo in a finished result vs cash outlay perspective.

Now to get out a stand and lay the grille out and begin the sand and paint business. Hopefully Valerie won't have anything significant for me to do tomorrow so I can dedicate some real time to that project.

[Hankster]

Looks like the stereo turned out good! I'm excited to see the grille all painted up!

[Tx Firefighter]

I haven't decided yet, but the grille might turn into more of a project than I initially thought.

I want to rebuild and re-loom the front light wiring harness.

And, the AC condenser is garbage with most of the fins beaten down. There is currently no freon in the system and it hasn't worked since I've owned the truck. I am considering just ordering a new condenser and swapping it in now, while the grille is off. Its gonna have to happen either now or later, when I dig into fixing the air conditioner.

[lha1992]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I haven't decided yet, but the grille might turn into more of a project than I initially thought.

I want to rebuild and re-loom the front light wiring harness.

And, the AC condenser is garbage with most of the fins beaten down. There is currently no freon in the system and it hasn't worked since I've owned the truck. I am considering just ordering a new condenser and swapping it in now, while the grille is off. Its gonna have to happen either now or later, when I dig into fixing the air conditioner.

I reallyyyyy like your build brother!!!!! Always when I see you doing an 88-98 truck I tune in because I know its gonna be a sweet build!!!! Enjoyed your build on the blue an white short build an got many tidbits learned from you working on my 89 c1500. Which I still gotta update my picture of since she's been all repainted.

Keep posting the updates when you can an can't wait to see what's next!!!:-)

[sdailey]

Looking good Kevin.

Kicking myself now, because I meant, on several occassions, to send you a pm asking about your "old" dually simulators.

[Tx Firefighter]

I wish I'd have known. They just laid in my shop underneath some towels forever.

A 16 year old kid fixing up his first truck bought them. I'm pretty happy with the money I got for them. The price has gone up a good bit since I bought them originally, so my asking price was nearly a wash with what I paid for them, but the kid still saved money over buying new at today's prices.

[sdailey]

I don't feel so bad now.

I'm still on the hunt for some Alcoa's that aren't gold plated. Some folks are really proud of those wheels.

[flashed]

Shannon, I wish I had known you were looking for simulators as I saw a set at a garage sale recently but I knew I didnt need them. They were cheap too.

[flashed]

Kevin ,I almost forgot to mention how good everything turned out ,staying tuned in .

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Today's update is a bit mundane.

First, Craiglsist has been good to me. I've been tripping over parts all over my shop for a while now. So I decided to list some stuff and try to clear out some breathing room in the shop. In the last week I've sold the original 14 bolt rearend out of my dually, the stainless wheel simulators off the dually, and the old wheels and tires off this truck. Damn it feels good to come back home with folding money in your pocket and sit down and delete an ad for something you've sold.


Now to get out a stand and lay the grille out and begin the sand and paint business. Hopefully Valerie won't have anything significant for me to do tomorrow so I can dedicate some real time to that project.

I couldn't agree more about sitting down to delete an ad for something you sold. I was doing pretty good with Craigslist a while back, but the few parts I've been trying to get rid of lately I haven't had much luck with. The stereo system looks good! Looking forward to your grille restoration.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I haven't decided yet, but the grille might turn into more of a project than I initially thought.

Kevin,... have you ever thought about this GMC grille?
I saw a "high dollar" bagged truck a few years ago with this grille.
It was really different.
Just my opinion.
Feel free to tell me I'm crazy. Ha.

[rusty76]

I hadn't checked in a while and you've made some great progress. Truck is coming along nicely. You know I always admire your work. It doesn't matter how small or big. It's not so much the flash but the quality. I hope some day my build will have the quality of work in it as your many trucks do. Killer work and explanation as always. Thanks.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by likaroc13

I couldn't agree more about sitting down to delete an ad for something you sold. I was doing pretty good with Craigslist a while back, but the few parts I've been trying to get rid of lately I haven't had much luck with. The stereo system looks good! Looking forward to your grille restoration.

I'm pretty cynical on Craigslist. I might delete a dozen emails without even considering them. If someone sends me an email in text speak I delete it. If they ask stupid questions that are answered right there in my ad, I delete it. Then you get the one you're looking for......"I want to buy your _________. Can we meet up tomorrow ?" That's the guy I want to deal with.

Originally Posted by lolife99

Kevin,... have you ever thought about this GMC grille?
I saw a "high dollar" bagged truck a few years ago with this grille.
It was really different.
Just my opinion.
Feel free to tell me I'm crazy. Ha.

You're not crazy.

I decided right up front that if I did decide to run a newer grille than my 90 model came with, it would only be the 94-99 deluxe GMC grille and no others. Since I saw the first one, I've thought that was the best looking grille. When I worked at the GMC dealership in 94, I ordered one and painted it and put it in my brand new 94 Silverado. To avoid spending any more money, I decided to keep the original early GMT400 look with this one with the early grille and dumbo mirrors. This evening I cleaned, sanded, and painted the silver on my original grille. It's curing fully overnight then I'll mask and shoot the black tomorrow.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I'm pretty cynical on Craigslist. I might delete a dozen emails without even considering them. If someone sends me an email in text speak I delete it. If they ask stupid questions that are answered right there in my ad, I delete it. Then you get the one you're looking for......"I want to buy your _________. Can we meet up tomorrow ?" That's the guy I want to deal with.

I know exactly what you mean & do the same. Some of these Spammers have gotten pretty good though. I've had a few that really make you question whether it's a genuinely interested person. I'm not brave enough to list my phone # like some folks, so I just have them email me through the Craigslist link. Then we just go from there.

[IADC43]

Kevin
I haven't posted here yet, but I've followed this thread since I joined and I really appreciate your truck build and, quite candidly, makes me strive for more in my own truck I've got.
You posted in mine and I'm honored.
Great build, thank you.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by IADC43

Kevin
I haven't posted here yet, but I've followed this thread since I joined and I really appreciate your truck build and, quite candidly, makes me strive for more in my own truck I've got.
You posted in mine and I'm honored.
Great build, thank you.

Thank you Matt. That's what it's all about. We all have different motivations when doing these projects. Some guys just want to restore their dream truck. I just want to grow my skills and knowledge. It hit me a few years ago as to why I build a truck, get bored with it, and build another one, over and over again. To me its all about pushing myself. Having a nice truck is secondary to the building experience to me.

[lha1992]

I forgot to ask in my post earlier where do you recommend getting the condenser for the AC in one of these trucks? Mines all busted to crap too an the fins are bent plus my AC is in need of recharge.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by lha1992

I forgot to ask in my post earlier where do you recommend getting the condenser for the AC in one of these trucks? Mines all busted to crap too an the fins are bent plus my AC is in need of recharge.

Back when I did my last GMT400 truck.....http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=520633 ..... I went down and payed a large pile of money for everything brand new AC Delco. From soup to nuts, all brand new. As I unboxed it all, a majority of it was Hecho in China. What a disappointment. I figure rather than pay big bucks for AC Delco Chinese stuff, I'm just gonna order an inexpensive one from Rockauto. They have several brands for well less than 100 each delivered to your door. I figure a condenser is a super common crash part that body shops put on by the trainload. Hopefully the quality is there. I will definitely report back with any issues when I get one and install it.

To update, yesterday I cleaned, prepped, and sprayed the silver on the grille. I wound up using Duplicolor wheel silver from OReillys. I'm not terribly happy with it in that it was very prone to tiger striping with all the metallic. After it had time to kick over some I shot three coats of normal Rustoleum clear over that then I let it cure fully all afternoon and over night.

This morning I drank coffee to get my hands suitably shaky and went to work masking.



Then shot the black using Rustoleum Professional flat black. It's the stuff in the tall cans from Home Depot. The Professional line seems to be better quality than the normal white can Rustoleum.

All assembled with the billet bowtie and new reflectors from Certifit.





On a whim I had masked the top part of the grille so that there would be a black band of color when you open the hood.

[likaroc13]

Great job on the grille. It came out nice!

[lolife99]

Looks better than new!

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Looks better than new!

x2 Great job on that grille! That took it from tired work truck to sharp custom.

[bluex]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Looks better than new!

It really does, and the best part you know its going to fit good being a GM part and not a copy...

[flashed]

That grill looks awesome ,cant wait to see it installed .After seeing yours done Im going to get some of the same paint and paint my 74 grill.

[Tx Firefighter]

Rather than wait until I have the extra money for a condenser, I decided to clean up what I have and put the front end back together. It's no real imposition to remove one of these grilles so when it becomes air conditioning time, I'll pull it back out to swap the condenser.

So, a light fogging of Rustoleum, new loom for the wiring harness, new screws for the headlight retainers, re painted center support and dielectric grease in all sockets.





I'm glad I took the effort to mask and paint the top part. It looks more finished than if I had left it silver.







A very satisfying project and much improvement from the before condition.