97 3500 454 4x4 project

[83GMCK2500]

Hey, there is some progress, that's good. Hopefully he's able to recover fully and not wear himself out trying to get caught up.

[mingoman]

Well, I went and picked her up today. I've used this guy before and he has always been great, but somethings up apparently. Anyway, a setback, but not the end of the world. I may go ahead and finish the interior then find a new painter. I've got to go back in to work Thursday so I'll think on it then.

[Wide Open]

That sucks for all that wasted time!

[mingoman]

Originally Posted by Wide Open

That sucks for all that wasted time!

Lol, I agree 100%! It's all good though. It looks a lot better with the bed on it at least though I'm sure whoever paints it will pull it back off.

[Terrick down Under]

One good thing would be that you should not get any "drop back" or "shrinkage" in the work done already. It will give a good base for the paint!

[mingoman]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to finish the interior first now. I've been getting parts here and there while it's been not getting painted. Have a set of black westin signature series nerf bars, cab lights, new door actuators, door handles, and got these in today! I've got to order another set to put in my rear doors, my sound deadener and carpet this week so I can get back to work.

[Mr_Rich]

I have a very similar project I'm working on. I bought a '97 K2500 last summer that I've been rehabbing over time. I bought a power sprayer to help me cut through the layer of grime that built up over time. I've taken apart the dash although not to the level you have. I had an auto paint store mix me up a can of matching gray interior paint to touch up the dash parts. The pics you've posted are very helpful and of interest to me. One of the reasons I bought this truck was the PO claimed the engine was replaced with a crate engine 35K ago. With all the heavy duty parts I figured it made it worth it. One thing I wasn't ready for is that 7.4L engine parts are much more scarce than 5.7L parts. I wasn't ready for that fact. I was interested in your engine pics and I noticed you don't have AIR tubes. Lucky you. I need to pull the ex. manifolds and replace some of the manifold studs on the engine. I also plan to powder coat the valve covers on mine.

[Mr_Rich]

Another thing I want to add is that I found a local vendor that sells GM MetriPack and WeatherPack electrical connector kits. I bought two kits myself to cover a lot of the connectors I need to replace that are damaged in the engine bay. I had to replace the EGR plug and EGR solenoid that was melted on my truck.

[mingoman]

Originally Posted by Mr_Rich

Another thing I want to add is that I found a local vendor that sells GM MetriPack and WeatherPack electrical connector kits. I bought two kits myself to cover a lot of the connectors I need to replace that are damaged in the engine bay. I had to replace the EGR plug and EGR solenoid that was melted on my truck.

Well, at least you found the connectors you need.
Glad you've enjoyed the build so far. It's not the most flashy, but I think it's going to turn out in the end.

[Terrick down Under]

Hey, I have been out working all day, got home and grabbed my dinner to sit down and see how the interior has come along...............what colour is the carpet?, what are you doing with the seats?..........come on its summer for you, no excuse!!!!

[mingoman]

Originally Posted by Terrick down Under

Hey, I have been out working all day, got home and grabbed my dinner to sit down and see how the interior has come along...............what colour is the carpet?, what are you doing with the seats?..........come on its summer for you, no excuse!!!!

Lol, I agree Terrick. The carpet is grey and for my seats I'm still debating. At the very least I'd like grey leather. I may look at what other seat options I have to swap out, it has the 60/40 front now.
I have the standard compass rear view mirror and I'd like the change it out for one with comp and temp if I can find one as well while I have this apart..
It's slowly coming together. I've been working 6 on 2 off for the past month so that, grandkids, and keeping up with the farm work has me stretched pretty thin.

[mingoman]

Not a lot of time after a 12 hr shift, but I did get the rattle trap up on the front cab roof.

[mingoman]

And just in case any other crew cab owners want to add speakers in their back doors, they come already wired from the factory!

[Terrick down Under]

Mate, this is so weird, i bought a compass/temp mirror last month along with a set of new speakers. Was wondering how hard it was going to be to rerun the wires into the back doors. Thanks heaps. Keep the posts coming, your saving me weeks of frustration.

[Terrick down Under]

I have been following elsewhere about spraying the trim charcoal/black combo. My cabin roof lining is slowly coming down, so was looking at retrimming it in charcoal to match. Just got to find where to get new seat covering to match.

[mingoman]

Getting a little done today. To make sure sure the sound deadener sticks well I wash the floor well then go back over with windex. Half done, cooling off, then back at it.

[mingoman]

Done for the day. Just need some aluminum tape for the seams, pick up some padding and install a carpet. I may put my headliner up before the carpet, but I've got to recover it first.

[OutlawDrifter]

Nice work!

[Terrick down Under]

Hey, before you start to reinstall the plastic trim at the rear, could you take some pics of the tabs and clips please. I will need to get mine out without damage because there is none around here.

[mingoman]

Originally Posted by Terrick down Under

Hey, before you start to reinstall the plastic trim at the rear, could you take some pics of the tabs and clips please. I will need to get mine out without damage because there is none around here.

There are three screws here, very easy to get to from the front, in the top pic. On the bottom pic you can see a plastic tab and a metal clip on the backside, use my pen and the speaker grill as a reference.

[mingoman]

But before you get the pillar trim you have to take the top back trim off. There are two screws for the dome light and two on the far corners, sorry about the sideways pic.. There are also three clips at the very back, these are tricky, probably the most easily broken so be careful here. Good luck and let me know if you need anything else.

[95 S_Trucker]

Very nice, I regret not laying down some sound/thermal insulation when I swapped interiors in my crew cab.

[mingoman]

Originally Posted by 95 S_Trucker

Very nice, I regret not laying down some sound/thermal insulation when I swapped interiors in my crew cab.

Thanks! I can definitely tell it doesn't have the empty tin can sound when I rap on the roof, back, or floors. I still have plenty to do the inside of my doors as well, so I'll have that up too. I'm back on nights this week so I may be Monday before I get back at it.

[Terrick down Under]

Mate, that's fantastic. I recon I can do that. Just those couple of pics make it so that I am not delving in blind and that makes it sooo much easier. I will try and make a tool to get to those tabs without breaking them, at least to assist. Thanks heaps.

[mingoman]

Originally Posted by Terrick down Under

Mate, that's fantastic. I recon I can do that. Just those couple of pics make it so that I am not delving in blind and that makes it sooo much easier. I will try and make a tool to get to those tabs without breaking them, at least to assist. Thanks heaps.

Terrick,
The middle trim may also have to come off, night shift brain is foggy at times, and of course the sill cover and seat belt screw will have to be taken off. I'm about to head in to work, but I'll check tomorrow and get picks of the middle trim clips if it needs to come off too.