'96 Cheyenne RCSB

[5speed96]

Hey guys, I'm Matt and I drive a '96 Cheyenne. This is my second vehicle, and I plan to keep this truck as long as possible. It has the 4.3 with a 5 speed. (I'd love to do a LS swap) This is definitely a budget minded build. I'm 16, so I don't have tons of cash to dump in this truck, but I think if I put cash into the right areas it will pay off. Since I'm 16 I will have help from my dad occasionally, but I do plan to do most of the work myself. I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. I do have plans for this truck. Trying to give the truck a nickname, but can't think of one. Give me some ideas. I'd like something with some humor. I was thinking red rocket maybe? I don't know.

[98Murray]

Originally Posted by 5speed96

Hey guys, I'm Matt and I drive a '96 Cheyenne. This is my second vehicle, and I plan to keep this truck as long as possible. It has the 4.3 with a 5 speed. (I'd love to do a LS swap) This is definitely a budget minded build. I'm 16, so I don't have tons of cash to dump in this truck, but I think if I put cash into the right areas it will pay off. Since I'm 16 I will have help from my dad occasionally, but I do plan to do most of the work myself. I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. I do have plans for this truck. Trying to give the truck a nickname, but can't think of one. Give me some ideas. I'd like something with some humor. I was thinking red rocket maybe? I don't know.

Hi Matt! Welcome to the forum! I'm also Matt lol I'm 17 and I have a '97 Cheyenne 1 ton Dually project. Not sure on a nickname, I never been good with names lol but I can't wait to see some pics of your ride!

[5speed96]

Here's a pic of when I got it. I do have a set of rally wheels I'm gonna throw on.

[98Murray]

Nice! That's gonna look good with rally wheels.

[Longmire85]

Nice looking rig Matt! This is how we name our rigs, and maybe it will help you name yours. We generally pick something that has to do with either where it was bought, who is bought from, or a funny part of the story when buying it. For example, we picked up a bagged 84 Custom Deluxe in Kansas - her name became the "Kansas City Slammer." Another truck of ours was bought from a guy, who made a comment to another truck guy about his artificial patina on his 52. The guy with the 52 was explaining how he did it and that he thought it looked good. The guy told him to bring it to the next show and said "Let me be the judge of that." We thought it was a kind of a douche thing to say, so when we acquired his truck, its name became "The Judge." I had a 85 Silverado I purchased from an older Hispanic guy. He introduced himself to me when we went to check out the truck. His speech was a little slurred and I thought I heard him say "Whats up man, my name is Burrito." I walked over to my brother and quietly asked, "Surely his name isn't Burrito right?" My brother corrected me said his name was "Margarito." I said "Thanks bro, because I was seriously about to walk off and call this guy Burrito, which would be weird and a tad racists lol." So, after loading it on a trailer we headed home and I was pondering names for the truck. My brother said that her name shall be "Burrito." So there you go, maybe that helps you come up with a name lol.

[5speed96]

Originally Posted by 98Murray

Nice! That's gonna look good with rally wheels.

Thanks man!! Appreciate it!!

[5speed96]

Originally Posted by Longmire85

Nice looking rig Matt! This is how we name our rigs, and maybe it will help you name yours. We generally pick something that has to do with either where it was bought, who is bought from, or a funny part of the story when buying it. For example, we picked up a bagged 84 Custom Deluxe in Kansas - her name became the "Kansas City Slammer." Another truck of ours was bought from a guy, who made a comment to another truck guy about his artificial patina on his 52. The guy with the 52 was explaining how he did it and that he thought it looked good. The guy told him to bring it to the next show and said "Let me be the judge of that." We thought it was a kind of a douche thing to say, so when we acquired his truck, its name became "The Judge." I had a 85 Silverado I purchased from an older Hispanic guy. He introduced himself to me when we went to check out the truck. His speech was a little slurred and I thought I heard him say "Whats up man, my name is Burrito." I walked over to my brother and quietly asked, "Surely his name isn't Burrito right?" My brother corrected me said his name was "Margarito." I said "Thanks bro, because I was seriously about to walk off and call this guy Burrito, which would be weird and a tad racists lol." So, after loading it on a trailer we headed home and I was pondering names for the truck. My brother said that her name shall be "Burrito." So there you go, maybe that helps you come up with a name lol.

Thanks man!! That's awesome! Thanks for the idea! Burrito lol

[5speed96]

Got the rally wheels on, and gave her a bath! Now she just needs an altitude adjustment! I'm thinking a 2/4 drop, I don't feel like putting a notch in. I'm kinda lazy. Lol

[Cape Codder]

Looks good ,but not really red but more of a Ruby so Ruby is my choice. Just some advice from an old timer. at 17 I did the motor swap with the first couple cars I owned and beat them to death. If the 4.3 runs good I would leave it for now and put your money one making it look the way you want it. Horsepower increases at your age will result in big tire expenses and probably a couple broken drive train parts. Horsepower also seems to attract the law for younger drivers. At 62 years old I have figured out if I own a vehicle that will roast tires I will get myself in trouble. How much self control do you have? I had use of a Corvette for a year due to the owner loosing his license, I found myself doing 100 mph in a 40 zone one night and gave it back to him before I got in trouble. I am wheeling a very similar truck as you and find the 4.3 has plenty of pep but not enough to get stupid with.

[5speed96]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

Looks good ,but not really red but more of a Ruby so Ruby is my choice. Just some advice from an old timer. at 17 I did the motor swap with the first couple cars I owned and beat them to death. If the 4.3 runs good I would leave it for now and put your money one making it look the way you want it. Horsepower increases at your age will result in big tire expenses and probably a couple broken drive train parts. Horsepower also seems to attract the law for younger drivers. At 62 years old I have figured out if I own a vehicle that will roast tires I will get myself in trouble. How much self control do you have? I had use of a Corvette for a year due to the owner loosing his license, I found myself doing 100 mph in a 40 zone one night and gave it back to him before I got in trouble. I am wheeling a very similar truck as you and find the 4.3 has plenty of pep but not enough to get stupid with.

Ruby! I like it! Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it!

[5speed96]

I picked up Grant Formula GT steering wheel. The installation kit I needed (for the 95-98 style column) was on backorder so I bought an installation kit for an older style column. (88-94 style column) I had to modify it a bit but I think it came out pretty good IMO.

[5speed96]

I was searching around on eBay one night and found a SLP truck shifter. It was for a 5 speed 99-06 Silverado/Sierra. It was only $60 so I started to do some research. According to the internet those trucks had the nv3500 transmission too. So I bought it. It came with a white 5 speed hurst knob as well. It went on with no modification at all. These things are discontinued so I guess I was pretty lucky to find it.

[5speed96]

My truck came stock with a bench, but as you might be able to tell from the other pics its no longer in the truck.

Me and my dad went to a local truck salvage and scored some buckets and a console out of a Tahoe. The seats aren't perfect but theres no tears. They do need to be cleaned up a bit though.

I was even able to wire up the driver side power seat. I love these buckets they're freaking awesome.

[5speed96]

The console isnt bolted down yet and the drivers seat was scooted all the way up that's why the seats/console may look kinda crooked or not in their normal spot.

[killthewabbit]

Nice work

[98Murray]

Looks good! I like that shifter

[Eric15chevys]

I love the truck. Great project. I have had several and have a 94 4.3 5 speed right now. I keep wanting to change it out to my 5.3 that I have in the garage for my 62 chevy. The problem is even the 4.8 would really push the limits of the nv3500. I bought mine to get me back and forth to work so I can play with my 62 and 84 trucks. If this one is going to be your toy I would look hard for a 4.8 and run it unitl the trans blows. Look into Novak conversions. They have a really slick flywheel that makes the swap much less of a guess. I have a lot of other info on this swap since I did one last year and have been looking for my 94. Oh I like your old bench seat do you have any plans for it?

[5speed96]

Originally Posted by Eric15chevys

I love the truck. Great project. I have had several and have a 94 4.3 5 speed right now. I keep wanting to change it out to my 5.3 that I have in the garage for my 62 chevy. The problem is even the 4.8 would really push the limits of the nv3500. I bought mine to get me back and forth to work so I can play with my 62 and 84 trucks. If this one is going to be your toy I would look hard for a 4.8 and run it unitl the trans blows. Look into Novak conversions. They have a really slick flywheel that makes the swap much less of a guess. I have a lot of other info on this swap since I did one last year and have been looking for my 94. Oh I like your old bench seat do you have any plans for it?

Thanks man! I don't have any plans for the bench I'll sell it if anyone wants it I guess.

[5speed96]

I did a few more things to the truck. I put a flowmaster 40 series on it. Single into dual dumps right after the rear axle. Sounds pretty good for a V6. Also installed a overhead console out of a Tahoe I found at a salvage. I also put in a cb/pa. I put it in my console cause I didn't want to drill holes in my dash. I will be taking the cb antenna off cause I rarely use the cb I mainly just use the pa. And the antenna looks kinda goofy.

[OutlawDrifter]

looking good. i plan on doing an overhead console in my rcsb as well. it will make a nice place to mount my manual e-fan switch and a fog light switch.

definitely a sharp looking pickup with the painted rallies!

[5speed96]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

looking good. i plan on doing an overhead console in my rcsb as well. it will make a nice place to mount my manual e-fan switch and a fog light switch.

definitely a sharp looking pickup with the painted rallies!

Thanks man!

[5speed96]

I decided to remove all the trim. After 5 hours of finger blistering work, all the trim is off. I ordered a roll pan and installed it. Next on the list is colormatched bumper and grille. Also gave the truck a bath and cleaned up the interior a little bit.

[Black98]

Looks good with the roll pan. Where did you get it? Is it the steel version? Any fitment issues?