crew cab 4x4 build long process

[jsleeper81]

Hey guys I figured this would be a good place to start.
I'm still pretty new here to the site, so a little about my truck.
I have a 2000 chevy k3500 crew cab long bed 4x4.

I bought this truck back in December of 2015 this has always been my favorite model truck but difficult to find one in good condition for a reasonable asking price.
I found this one for 2000.00

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couldn't resist it does need a lot of work the day I drove it home quickly learned front breaks only grabbed on one side so and within a few day the passenger side caliper piston collapsed through the break pad.

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I got 2 new calipers and pads for the front still need discs ( soon to come ! )
I went ahead and painted these because the others where nasty and rusted and did not want these to look like that eventually would like to powder coat ( future project for now they work and look better ).

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After replacing these noticed it was still pulling to the left when I used the breaks so came on here asked some question got some help/answer ( Thank you to those. ) found out my passenger side soft line had collapsed.
After replacing that I some how let the MC run completely out and got lots of air trapped in the MC and front lines ended up having to vacuum bleed the fronts to get decent pressure.

After getting that done drove it for a while and today my fuel pump went out on me not a problem I have been getting a few things along so might as well have gotten a new pump. I was unaware there where so many different types of pumps gft, gfp, gfs, gfk, heck I don't know them all I just know mine happened to be one of the most expensive lucky me.

I know I will get flammed for this but oh well, I went ahead and just cut a hole in my bed ( I hated doing this by the way. ) the only reason for this is because the bed that is on there is of no importance the left side is banged in pretty bad passenger side as well which you can see in pic and the passenger rear is creased near tail light a lot of holes drilled into the top of the bed and rust every where. so I' replacing bed anyways so went through with it. ( sorry to all those that hate this I'm right there with you. )

Parts on order right now new third tail light since mine is busted out and missing reflector, I'm doing away with the bumper in the rear for a roll pan I prefer the smoother look and plan to put an electronic drop rail in the back if I can ever get to use my welder again. ( I might change my mind later on this if I can find a heavy duty rear bumper I like that is not as big as whats on there now. )
ordered so nbs tow mirrors that fit the obs truck these are my favorite ones I waiting for don't like the tiny mirrors, reverse glow gauges white face can't see this darker color well in this truck not sure why those are the parts I have on order for now. I know small start.

Today my son and I went to the bone yard to get me a new dash cause the one that is in here WOW!!! the entire top as caved in and the vents don't work right, been hunting a dash for a while there hard to find in decent let alone in good condition and pricey every bone yard wanted 300.00 plus until today guy had one with one small crack about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch long right near the gauge pillar top thats tolerable and all he wanted to hat and the bezel was 80 so had to jump quick since all the others where so highly priced.

I'll get some pics of the dash like new and old dash tomorrow and some more of the truck as well.

I won't be installing the dash for a little while I going to tear it down completely to paint the support bar and metal pieces then I've got to order some leather I plan to full leather wrap the dash ( hopefully works because never done this before. ) I'm hoping this will keep the dash from cracking so easily.

I'll post pics as I go but this is going to be an extreemly long process ( I'm not made of $ ) lol wished.

couple question to any that might know I'm hoping the leather will help strengthen the dash some but I would like to strengthen the weak points while doing this I can tell the bolt on the defrost vent area are weak any where else that anyone might know and what will help strengthen it up more I only want to do this once.

Thanks for reading and will post when every time I do something new to her.

 

[BowtieBrody]

$2,000!? That's easily a $6500-7K truck around my area!
Following this thread, I love CCLBs;
Looking forward to more updates!

 

[jsleeper81]

$2,000!? That's easily a $6500-7K truck around my area!
Following this thread, I love CCLBs;
Looking forward to more updates!

Thanks for the reply yeah every one I came by down here for 3 years was in that range and they where nice looking but still needed some love this one has some rust around back window PO used some kind of looks like house epoxy around the window and he had a camper on the back some how rusted the back cab but looks repairable driver rear door body side where the door closes has the rust apearing under paint there as well.
my favorite of all was I replace the sway bar links and bushing because I guess he thought duct tape was what went there instead and apperently he thought duct tape was a fix for all because he did the same with the rear shock bushings so replaced both rear shocks the first day i had it along with the sway bar links.

 

[jsleeper81]

I went ahead and took some more pictures of a few things.
this is the dash thats in the truck now.

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the front has alot of the slots broken making it hard to hold the bezel in and the inside of bezel has some broken clips as well.

this is the new dash I just picked up yesterday I had to get a bezel out of a different color truck to make a pair but thats okay since I plan to cover them both anyways.

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if you can see right above where the gauge pod sits top view there is a small crack and on the defrost vents left side is broken but compared to what I have now much better and these at least look repairable.

This is the new bezel darker color of course.

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here are some of the rear bumper that make it look like there is a body lift on the truck ( way to much gap between the bumper and tailgate, also one of the back glass that has grown cancer around the roof line and the silicone job the po had done.

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went ahead and added some of the link kit that I did for first thing. didn't get pictures of the before with duct tape I wish I had now.

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As had said this will be a slow process build since it is a daily driver as well but as I get parts I'll take as many pictures as I can for every one to either watch or reference to if they need.

 

[ChristGilley]

Man, even with what you have to do to get it in good shape, 2k is a score for a running, driving CCLB 4x4. People want crazy money for them. I'm definitely following this. It sounds like you've got some good plans and I can't wait to see the progress


Sent while pulling out a Ford

 

[jsleeper81]

Man, even with what you have to do to get it in good shape, 2k is a score for a running, driving CCLB 4x4. People want crazy money for them. I'm definitely following this. It sounds like you've got some good plans and I can't wait to see the progress


Sent while pulling out a Ford

This is what I told my wife even though she don't like it she says its to d*mn big lol. which is weird because she drive a 18' fedex truck and she thinks this is to big.
oh well I bought it for me anyways. she can keep her little civic.

It does run good the only issues I can tell by driving it is when I first start it after sitting for more than an hour it always smoke out of the exhaust white/gray smoke makes me think either a bad valve or gasket have not really checked into this since I plan just to buy a bone yard motor that runs better. it idles pretty rough when in gear and it hesitates and stumbles on acceleration only from a stop and the more gas pedal you try to give the more it hesitates, once your going it accelerates pretty good. I do know one of the o2 sensers are bad I plan to replace next week, ( my cel came on the other day and thats what it calls for. )

But like you said for 2K that was a steal I don't think the guy knew what he had in my opinion.

Hell, I had 3 offers to buy the truck within the first week of buying it one guy even had cash in hand he said he would have given me 4500 right there all I could do was laugh and explain this was my dream truck and was planning to be burried with it.

 

[ChristGilley]

This is what I told my wife even though she don't like it she says its to d*mn big lol. which is weird because she drive a 18' fedex truck and she thinks this is to big.
oh well I bought it for me anyways. she can keep her little civic.

It does run good the only issues I can tell by driving it is when I first start it after sitting for more than an hour it always smoke out of the exhaust white/gray smoke makes me think either a bad valve or gasket have not really checked into this since I plan just to buy a bone yard motor that runs better. it idles pretty rough when in gear and it hesitates and stumbles on acceleration only from a stop and the more gas pedal you try to give the more it hesitates, once your going it accelerates pretty good. I do know one of the o2 sensers are bad I plan to replace next week, ( my cel came on the other day and thats what it calls for. )

But like you said for 2K that was a steal I don't think the guy knew what he had in my opinion.

Hell, I had 3 offers to buy the truck within the first week of buying it one guy even had cash in hand he said he would have given me 4500 right there all I could do was laugh and explain this was my dream truck and was planning to be burried with it.

Exactly my plans lol. I was gonna be checking out a maroon ECSB Z71 this weekend but things kept getting in the way. It's been sitting for a really long time so I'm just wanting to swing by and see if they'd sell it and what's wrong with it. I'll never get rid of the truck in this body style that I get. I've been searching going on 3 years now


Sent while pulling out a Ford

 

[jsleeper81]

so couldn't resist doing a little more while waiting for dinner removed some of the rivets from the dash support to get the driver side dash support out so I can prepare to sand the rust off and paint it.

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It is a real pain in the a$$ to remove rivets with a cordless dremel I have not drill will need to get one soon along with a riveting tool.

 

[jsleeper81]

Alright so the weekend is nearly here wanted to up date everyone I got all my parts in weds. but could not take pics since i dropped and shattered my phone this week, so when I get home from work tonight I'm going to be taking some pictures of all the new goodies.

Parts that I got in new style tow mirrors power all black, reverse gauges, led 3rd brake light and steel rear roll pan.

Also over the week I had to park the truck due to me finding out I had no blinkers in the back nor any brake lights I thought I resolved this issue when I put new bulbs in, so I will be picking up new brake light switch and tail light circuit board tomorrow after daughters dentist appointment.

So stay tuned should be posting through out the weekend.

 

[jsleeper81]

so started on the mirrors so far, got those put on here are the results to that have not gotten to drive yet but can already tell a big difference in visibility plus they look much better to.
Before:

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After:

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Before:

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After:

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Let me know what you all think so far?