88GMCtruck's 2002 GMC Sierra HT build

[88GMCtruck]

Since I have no build thread for this truck, I decided it's about time. Now that I'm regularly driving it and have some serious ideas I've gotten for it.

Let's start off with it's history. In 2002 my grandparents were looking for a replacement vehicle for the 1988 Sierra they had given me. They decided they liked Envoy and Durango SUVs, so there were many trips looking at them, test driving, etc. For weeks my grandfather keep going back and looking at this truck sitting in the showroom floor. After awhile Grandma decided she was tired of looking and told him to get what he wanted. So immediately he and I go to the dealership, he writes a check and hands me the keys to drive it home.

Yes, I drove this truck out of the showroom.

What is a Sierra HT anyway? Sierra HT, or "Hot Truck" was a sporty package offered in 2001 and 2002 as a GMC regular cab stepside pickup. It was only offered in two fleet colors, "Sunforest Green" and "Sunblast Yellow" with the Yellow being much more common between the two. The cab came entirely de-badged, however the 4x4 sticker and tailgate emblems remained. All trucks had the following: 4.8L V8, automatic transmission, 3.73 gears, 40/20/40 cloth seats with console, A/C, Z85 suspension, chrome bumpers, chrome grille, chrome 16" steel wheels, and color matched leather steeringwheel. The only options to be had were: 4wd, skid plate (4wd), power locks (not windows), G80, cruise control, tinted glass, transmission cooler, high capacity air cleaner, engine block heater, and trailering equipment. Out of all these options, my truck only has 4wd.

I used the GM RPO system to determine the number of truck built.

The trucks were produced only in 2001 and 2002.

2001 Total: 1712
- Sunforest Green: 321
- Sunblast Yellow: 1391

2002 Total: 959
- Sunblast Yellow: 959

Total HT Production: 2671


Fast forward. It's summer of 2008. Its entire life it has lived in their garage, and gained some cheap fog lights, GM mudflaps, GM bugsheild, stainless step bars, LEER tonneau cover, and aluminum wheels. It was never driven in the rain and very few things had been placed in the bed. Grandparents decide they want to sell the truck because they don't use it enough. So the topic comes up, is discussed and it was sold to me for considerably under it's bluebook value. While it was not the configuration of truck I wanted, it was probably about the closest to a new truck I would have at that time. And I wanted to SAS the 88 so I needed a second vehicle.

So I ended up with a 2002 Sierra HT pickup with 13,031 miles.

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This didn’t last long in my hands.


Within the first hour of ownership, those pesky amber signals were candied red & converted to function as parking lights, and the DRLs converted to additional parking/signals up front.

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Then things got moving along. Autodim Compass/Temp mirror, OH console w/ homelink and Denali DIC, and Denali Steering audio controls.

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I also hid the airbag switch behind the dash to install the crewcab dash pocket.

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Outside things got a little better by loosing the step bars, 2” rear block and swapping the 18s from my 88 onto it. Also tinted the windows 20% on the sides and 5% in the back.

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Then I shed the 4x4 stickers, bugshield, Sierra emblem, and blacked out the GMC emblems.

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The dash came apart 3-4 times to convert the truck to power windows, locks, mirrors, install factory cruise control, and install a remote start keyless alarm. This also added footwell lights, glovebox light, and let me pre-wire additional switches in the dash.

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Early 2009 brought the installation of some REALLY cloudy Denali headlights, TYC parking lights, and a set of 22” wheels.

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Picked up 99 only dash cupholder, map light dome lamp, GM sill guards, and Weathertech mats. I also re-located the Airbag to it was useable unlike before after installing the dash pocket.

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Added factory foglights and HIDs later that summer. Somewhere in there I added 2.5” full stainless true dual magnaflow exhaust as well.

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[88GMCtruck]

I picked up a set of new Denali headlights, a set of GM export Tahoe headlights with the leveling motors, and leveling dash switch and created a set of leveling Denali headlights.

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Things slowed a bit as at this point I was messing with a few other “toys”. This is summer of 2010, with my 2004 GSXR.

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Then I bought my travel trailer and this thing really didn’t get touched. I did use it to haul the trailer axles to my parents house to weld perches on them and bought a load of firewood back. The first time the bed really got used!

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Then in the winter of 2010 we had a bad windstorm, and the truck got some dents, scratches and scrapes from asphalt shingles. I have yet to get the paint fixed (I know, I know…)

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Awhile after this, I ended up buying the 99 Silverado. Here are all my trucks in a row. At this point I went back to the 18s, and installed an HD bumper w/ hella lights in the intake holes and lowered the license plate.

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Then in 2011 I graduated College and moved back home to Western Washington. The truck had 24,000 miles at this point. I sold off the 99 Silverado and began driving this truck to work daily. Last fall I sold the 18s and 22s, threw the factory block back in and cranked up the t-bars to temporarily run my old raceline wheels and 285/75R16 tires I had from the 88 till I could find factory 20s.

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Also smoked the CHMSL and Tails. Some time before I added Autobot emblems to the tailgate and both doors, similar to the GM mark of excellence on all the newer vehicles.

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Earlier on I added Escalade HVAC and headlight switch knobs. More recently I added the HVAC with rear-defrost switch (mirrors had heat, just didn’t get around to this part yet). Instead of the switch saying “Rear Def” I parted a late S-10 HVAC control with the mirror symbol instead.

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Then the blocks were again removed, as I found a set of factory Chrome SS 20s.

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Did some more lighting mods, Added another light bucket in the lowest part of the taillight, and 3 LEDs in the CHMSL similar to the Ford Raptor clearance light.

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That is where it is at now. I have 56,000 miles right now.

I have a new set of 275/55R20 Goodyear Eagle GT tires sitting waiting to be installed. In the next few months I will be lowering it 2” additional inches via spindles and shackles.

Future plans…. Well, there are a lot of them floating out there. Bigger brakes are one mod, as is an AWD transfercase. After both those mods, I’ll be looking into turboing the motor….. Which will likely warrant upgrading the rear end and transmission.

 

[95C1500]

I've have now read through all of your build threads. They are all great! I like this one especially!

 

[88GMCtruck]

Thanks Scott! Been meaning to do a writeup on this, particularly since I'm going to want to Turbo and AWD it.

 

[95C1500]

Thanks Scott! Been meaning to do a writeup on this, particularly since I'm going to want to Turbo and AWD it.

I had never heard of an HT. I figured it was just a yellow RCSS GMC

 

[88GMCtruck]

They are pretty uncommon trucks, particularly the green ones. I've only seen pictures of 3-4 or those. I've seen a few yellow ones around town, actually saw one yesterday on the freeway. Washington, Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, California, Texas and Puerto Rico were the only places they were sold according to GM.

Really the only thing special over a regular pickup is the steering wheel and color, and the lack of options to be had. The truck actually has the RPO "HOT" as well, and they do not have a listed paint code in the glovebox either

 

[95C1500]

They are pretty uncommon trucks, particularly the green ones. I've only seen pictures of 3-4 or those. I've seen a few yellow ones around town, actually saw one yesterday on the freeway. Washington, Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, California, Texas and Puerto Rico were the only places they were sold according to GM.

Really the only thing special over a regular pickup is the steering wheel and color, and the lack of options to be had. The truck actually has the RPO "HOT" as well, and they do not have a listed paint code in the glovebox either

It's definitely interesting, that's for sure...

 

[88GMCtruck]

I found my document with production numbers.

I used the GM RPO system to determine the number of trucks built.

The trucks were produced only in 2001 and 2002.

2001 Total: 1712
- Sunforest Green: 321
- Sunblast Yellow: 1391

2002 Total: 959
- Sunblast Yellow: 959

Total HT Production: 2671

 

[96k1500]

Definitely came along way, your grandparents ever say anything about the work youve done to the trucks?

 

[Darkrider]

Truck looks great Dave! Been hoping to see a build thread on it ever since I initially read your build thread for the '99 on tts.

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