Project: Just Keep it Nice

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AK49BWL

GMT400 Forever!
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So here's the thing. I hit a pothole. The pothole hit back LOL.. Suddenly the truck pulls slightly to the right... Alright, guess I'll go have an alignment done. NOPE! Was told the upper ball joint on the right and both lowers needed to be replaced, along with the left tie-rod. Alrighty then! Well, you could very well say I went all out. THIS happened.

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I replaced everything. Gearbox, pitman, idler, all tie-rods, all four ball joints, along with all four shocks while I was under there (the old ones wouldn't even try to expand). MOOG components all over the front, SensaTrac shocks on all four corners. Rides sooooo nice :D

Had to do some engine work a bit ago.. Truck wouldn't start. It would crank forever, but not start. Turned out to be my distributor cap crossfiring, at best guess... I had a random misfire as well, tho not noted by the computer, I could feel it. So I replaced the cap and rotor. The plugs and wires had already been done so I'd pretty much ruled them out. During this, I replaced the fuel pump because Chevy, and the fuel filter. While I just happened to be all up in the engine, I went ahead and did the MPFI upgrade. A couple weeks later, the water pump started leaking, so that got done too.

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Now, about that switch panel. Originally, I was gonna keep it real simple, just put in a switch for the amps (next to the amp remote), a switch for each e-fan override (left two), etc... It got blown all out of proportion :roflsquared:

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And then... I thought, why not. I have ALL THESE SWITCHES. What to do with them? Oh idk.

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lol. So there's that. Oh and the switch on the far right only controls whether the LEDs come on or not.. So I can turn the switches on without the LEDs if I want. And I had to do some fun bit of wiring for it, but the left two switches that run the e-fans? They light up even when the switches are turned off, to show that the PCM is running them :D

I want to put my CB radio in alongside my 2-meter/70cm radio (I'm a ham radio operator, KL2CD). But I have this... Aversion, to putting holes in my dash lol. And, they have to stay out of the way of the shifter! So.... I put them under the driver seat instead! Oh and I had to make my seat rails not so ugly. So BLUE they became!

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And the final look... I'm going to replace the Midland radio with my Road King previously reserved for the semi truck lol.

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Picked up a decent looking ceiling console, and now you can see my digital mirror working too lol.

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Wiring that..

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I'm not gonna bother with lighted mirror visors so I just grounded it to the ceiling using one of the mirror harness connectors.
 

AK49BWL

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Finally... Some misc pictures, showing the two antennas for the radios - one, drilled a hole in the roof. The other, in the bumper. It works! Oh and that's my "other" truck in the background :rofl:

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Moved into a house in June, so I got to try my hand at trailering with this Sierra. She performs quite nicely, and I am happy for having the Posi-Lok on the front differential because I used 4-Lo without engaging the front to back that trailer up... Makes it a lot easier to handle!

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And yes. It was loaded. With my ENTIRE LIFE.

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Then a little while later, I brought home a riding lawn mower, again giving the truck a little workout :waytogo:

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The cat approves :33:

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That's all for now!
 

AK49BWL

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Ey, I see your signature @88GMCtruck and I wonder - are those 88-89 headlights actually glass, or plastic like all the rest of them??
 

88GMCtruck

I'm all 8-Luggy!
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All 88-89 split headlights are glass - OEM are sealed beam H4701/H4703 series. There are few alternatives to the sealed beams, IMO the most desirable are the H4 Bosch versions GM put in the German export Firebirds - these are long gone however. The next best is the LMC conversions.

Here is a bunch of info on them. http://www.gmt400.com/threads/tech-...eam-upgrades-bosch-t84-e-code-headlights.946/

Any of the trucks can run the 88-89 lights, you'll need the adjusters and proper pigtails for the lights you plan to run. The LMC lights are 9005/9006 so no wiring change is necessary.

I've been enjoying your mods, your tastes seem to be very in line with mine - subtle and OEM like. Check out my build thread if you are interested - http://www.gmt400.com/threads/88gmctrucks-98-silverado-towpig-build-black-fox.20243/
 

AK49BWL

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Ah, I didn't realize they were sealed beams for 88-89, interesting. Mostly I'm just tired of the plastic clouding up over time and glass doesn't do that, or at least not nearly to the same extent lol. I would love to do the H4 housings, those look like they do a good job on yours! But I'm also looking at the LMC ones now, and they look pretty good too, and not as expensive as I thought they'd be. Think I might pick up a set and go grab some brackets at the pick-n-pull.. There's quite a few early model GMT400s there so I'm sure to find at least one of each side. Thanks for the info!

Okay, this is a long shot I know but... I've been mulling over a dash swap in my truck. I LOVE the 88-94 dash style, always have, and it's probably the only thing I miss about my old 93 RCSB lol. I like the older digital HVAC, for one thing, and the boxy style. I know it's an involved process to do the swap but the biggest thing is, FINDING the parts in decent enough shape to even want them. And get them in the right color. I don't care about having to re-wire stuff, I think I've pretty much proven my worth there :rofl:

So what I'll need (in green is stuff I already have):

--- The complete dash itself, cluster, HVAC controller, 3-piece stereo, switches, vents, and other parts...

--- Left and Right door internals and panels with door/window switches

--- Manual transmission steering column, wheel, multifunction switch, etc...

Feel free to add anything I may have forgotten to the list. From what I've seen of guys who have done this swap the other way (old to new), it's not hard at all because everything lines up fine. The wiring will be a mess but like I said, I'm good with that.

PS, if anyone needs an 88-94 digital HVAC controller, I have 8 of them :roflsquared: they all work, most of them still have working lights, buuuuut, most of them also have broken mounting tabs lol. Six of them will run 4-speed systems with the dual-plug resistor, two will only do 3-speed systems.

I also have four working radio amps for the same era, two work with the 5-band equalizer systems, two only work with radio heads with the built-in Bass/Treble buttons.

My 88-94 electronics junk pile :rofl:

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Also found this gem while digging around in a 94 Burb... It still plays too!

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AK49BWL

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Sure do :) they could use some cleaning, a few buttons are faded and sticky but the units do work.
 

AK49BWL

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Okay? I think that may have ended up in the wrong thread but nice looking truck lol.

Quick update, cleaned out my bed and added the last two bulb sockets to the camper shell dome, but don't have anymore of my white LEDs to put in yet so they'll have to wait :p

Inside, I got my Road King CB installed and put the mic clips up on the ceiling console. Out of the way of my mirror and about the same place my hand reached up to in the semi :rofl: it works!

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