gstubbz's trucks

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grampadirt

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I see it has plates from another state(Idaho maybe?),it's gonna have to pass smog to have a Ca. plate,will it?
 

gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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Find a bench so ur girl can sit right there haha:D

I'll admit I've never had a girlfriend sit in the middle! I want my arm rest :biggrin:

wow, im suprised its got that nice of an interior minus the seat.

Even better - the dash isn't cracked at all! Freaking miracle because every other truck I've owned has at least a crack around the top three bolts. Definitely needs a new seat and that is on my soon to do list! But I'm stoked that it is a 97, my favorite dash design with the airbag on the passenger side but I'd like a storage pocket over there but because it has an airbag I'll leave it, makes me feel safer lol

I see it has plates from another state(Idaho maybe?),it's gonna have to pass smog to have a Ca. plate,will it?

You're right it is Idaho. Now here is the kicker, it's actually a 49 state truck and from my past shop experience around the smog station, if it is a 49 state truck they will let you register it once in Cali (if it has never been registered here), but after that you have to make it "CA compliant" meaning new CA specific cats. Lucky me that we only smog once and not every two years so I should be okay.
 

gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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Updates on the beater!

Found a clean GMC tailgate from a 98 RCSB that was wrecked in the front, what a pain to get off since the passenger side bed was smashed in. I got it on the truck but now I can't open it and the reason being the tab on the pass side is not collapsing as far as it should so that's why it's locked in place. Should be an easy fix when I get the tailgate handle cover off. Fun fact: The 98 trucks said just GMC on the tailgate, pre-97 says "GMCTruck" also installed a new passenger mirror after I took this photo.

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Next was a huge hassle. I was sick of the steering column, so I went out to a different 98, pulled out a steering column to find out the shifter linkage piece on the column is broken so I just wasted half an hour pulling it for no reason. So I go over to a clean 99 Tahoe, yank the steering column, and pull my truck into the shop.

I'm thinking this will be an easy job, which it would have been if I didn't make mistakes! So this is where I ruin my entire night and spent over four hours on this, leaving the shop just after 1am.

Pulled the steering column which was easy enough, then start installing the new one. So far so good, so I button the dash back up, it starts and runs fine, everything on the column works with no issues.

Well, when the truck is in a non-running state with the key on, you can select between PRND321, but when the truck is actually running the shifter was locked in P. Which really started pissing me off. So I reach out on a facebook page, one guy told me to check the brake safety switch, which I did with no problems. Then another tells me about the shifter lock thing, but that's all he said and didn't elaborate. I tried doing my own research on my phone and didn't find anything helpful.

So I pull the plastic cover off the column, and see this black cable thing from the ignition to the shifter, thinking it's what is locking the shifter when the truck is in "running state" so I try to pop off the side on the shifter (should have tried the single clip holding it in on the other side first), and break it. I'm thinking cool, now I can get it into gear when it runs, so I try that and no luck.

Now starting to get pretty pissed, I learned that the cable I just broke made it so you can't select gears unless the key is in the ignition so I felt stupid. I look back at the other column and see this purple and green/white wire with a little connector thinking where does this go. It goes to the shifter lock thing on the old column which the PO removed. At this point I climb under the dash and disconnect the wires to that lock thing, and go figure I can select gears when it's running.

But now I want to fix the shifter without a key, so I had to rip the shifter thing off the other column and swap them, and at the same time removed the rod for the stupid lock thing so I would never have to deal with that stupid **** ever again. Got them swapped, and it's all good.

When I was messing with the shifter, I hit a tab on the lock cylinder and it broke (someone put in a lock cylinder for a manual truck with the push button to release the key) off a tab and also took the release button with it. So now I'm even more pissed off, manage to remove that ignition cylinder and go out to the 454 suburban and yank out the new ignition cylinder I put in it and then installed it into my truck. Now we are all good, key works like it should I have gears, and the truck is running.

So next I figured I'd check to see if the check engine light works because they check that at smog (deterrent to see if the bulb is burned out or bulb is removed, they will refuse to smog it if the check engine light doesnt come on when the key is on). Removed my cluster and the bulb looked okay, but I went out to the same chevy tahoe I yanked the steering column from and took it's cluster. Installed the cluster in my truck, and the check engine light worked, started the truck and it didn't come on so that gives me hope that it will pass smog!

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--------------------

Tomorrow's plan is to get this thing smogged, we have 4 vehicles at the junkyard to get smogged tomorrow. Then it can be licensed and I can start driving it legally next week after I get a windshield in it. Also going to check all the fluids and do an oil change before I go smog it on it's voyage to Chico.

As long as it passes, I have a clean GMC SL grille I'll throw on since now the tailgate and steering wheel say GMC so I figured I'd make it all match. This truck I think I'll just run the W/T grille for once since I don't on anything else that I currently drive. Then I'm getting a nicer radio in it as well as grey buckets. After that a bedliner, diamond plate toolbox, and a small fuel transfer tank in the bed. Also probably going to install either a overhead console with the fuel economy and everything or just install a compass/temp mirror. Dunno yet but I want this thing to be nice since it'll be what I drive pretty often when it's ready to go.

What a hell of a night. At least now it has a proper steering column, and I'm glad the 98 column bolted right in because I've never swapped one on these later year trucks. And I also like how it looks compared to the 97 steering wheel. So as far as any "obs specialist" thinks, it's now a 98 appearing truck!
 

grampadirt

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You're right it is Idaho. Now here is the kicker, it's actually a 49 state truck and from my past shop experience around the smog station, if it is a 49 state truck they will let you register it once in Cali (if it has never been registered here), but after that you have to make it "CA compliant" meaning new CA specific cats. Lucky me that we only smog once and not every two years so I should be okay.
Think I wanna move up north just so I don't have to smog every two years.I know there are several counties where that applies.What's the property costs like up there,I'm ready to get out of SoCal.
 

GarrettGmc

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Damn sound like you had a fun night, hopefully it passes. Ha yea I've never had a bench either.

Think I wanna move up north just so I don't have to smog every two years.I know there are several counties where that applies.What's the property costs like up there,I'm ready to get out of SoCal.

Certain counties still smog every 2 years, mine does, shasta county, Gavins over in lassen where it's just once an done and I believe Humboldt county is once as well. Idk abt trinity or siskiyou. Price are cheaper then socal depending on the area and property, lot of cattle ranches so if you wanting flat open acreage it can get pricey but cheaper up in the hills. There's some open lots within couple miles of me that range from 1 to 5 acre an 15k to 55k
 

BowtieBrody

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Honestly where y'all live (@GarrettGmc) is my ideal location, live in the mountains but still be able to drive and see flat land; like the areas in the backgrounds of @gstubbz pictures are real appealing to me.

It's just the whole Cali thing that gets me every time y'know?
 

gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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Think I wanna move up north just so I don't have to smog every two years.I know there are several counties where that applies.What's the property costs like up there,I'm ready to get out of SoCal.

It's nice! Would be nicer if we didn't have to smog at all. Property costs out in the desert are pretty cheap, but you can get a 10 acre lot in the outskirts of Susanville for 60k, 12k for half an acre. Lake Almanor/Chester is a nice place to live with some beautiful houses, super expensive though! I don't think I'd ever want to live in SoCal though.

Damn sound like you had a fun night, hopefully it passes. Ha yea I've never had a bench either.



Certain counties still smog every 2 years, mine does, shasta county, Gavins over in lassen where it's just once an done and I believe Humboldt county is once as well. Idk abt trinity or siskiyou. Price are cheaper then socal depending on the area and property, lot of cattle ranches so if you wanting flat open acreage it can get pricey but cheaper up in the hills. There's some open lots within couple miles of me that range from 1 to 5 acre an 15k to 55k

One tiring night for sure! Didn't get it in for smog today, their pre-2000 machine was broken so that was lame. Hopefully this week or on Saturday I can get it smogged finally.

Honestly where y'all live (@GarrettGmc) is my ideal location, live in the mountains but still be able to drive and see flat land; like the areas in the backgrounds of @gstubbz pictures are real appealing to me.

It's just the whole Cali thing that gets me every time y'know?

Where I'm at is perfect, I live in the forest that runs all the way down to where @GarrettGmc lives, but I'm also 5 miles away from the desert. Dual terrain for sure! And plenty of opportunity for awesome pictures in either terrain. Just wish the laws were a little different!

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gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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So today I did a little more work to my truck, changed the oil and filter, checked the brakes (looked super good), greased the front end, cleaned it up a bit more, and stole the Cheyenne grille from my HD since I want to run a Sierra grille instead on that truck. As far as this truck goes, thinking I'll just keep it a Cheyenne, I like the look of it personally, and not a ****** painted black grille, I like the grey they were from the factory. Front end needs some work so I am maybe thinking of some lift spindles... dunno yet.

I have some more things to get done on it tomorrow, taking a clean windshield out of a 92 Suburban to put in this truck, and going to get a new fuel filter in it. Then transmission filter and fluid, then the rear diff. Might also try getting the Tahoe bucket seats in it as well tomorrow. But also going to tow two 97 k2500 trucks (and each supposedly are 5 speeds) since the lady's husband died and she just wants them gone. So yet another busy day!

Thinking more of future plans, it's not going to be a race truck. Definitely keeping the 4.3 unless I get the urge to throw in a 4BT this summer (have one in the shop not being used). I'll also get a CB radio in this and possibly a headache rack. We will see, just doing what is needed to it for now until it passes smog.

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I was considering running the GMC SL grille to match, but I didn't want to spend a decade removing the crappy black spray paint on it. So that's why I decided on the Cheyenne grille instead. I actually have an unmolestered SL grille out in Doyle. I just haven't been out there to get it installed.

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And also got an airbox on this thing. I also need to buy a new air filter for it too now that I think of it!

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GarrettGmc

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I'm sure it'll pass smog. Bummer on #racetruck2 but it's an eco truck so like I said a small lift little bit bigger at's and it'd be badass. Ha did I talk you into a mini truck with a 4bt cause that d50

Ya Gavin is up in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, where it's more of a high desert one direction and forest the other. Can be there within 2 hrs. Whereas I'm right in the valley between the Sierra Nevada mountains to one side and the coastal mountains to the other, South is flat farming land till u hit sac and north is Mt's going to Oregon, abt 3 3.5 hr drive to where Skylark is. Basically within couple hours of coast, sac, Oregon, Nevada.
 

gstubbz

Hi I'm Gavin and I have an OBSession
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Tempted to run a 4BT!

Well I didn't touch this thing at all yesterday, but a guy came by and installed a clean windshield out of a black 95 K2500 suburban. Today I removed the old bench seat and installed a set of clean grey buckets, but that was as far as I got today. I still need to get the center console in and wire up the seats and some USB ports in the center console. Installed the black wiper cowl piece since it was missing, and also painted the wiper arms. Only cut myself like 8 times removing those damn seats, I hate the bolts where they have that sealant on them that makes them such a pain to remove.

Also pulled some other things out of the same 99 Tahoe I yanked the seats from, such as the compass/temp mirror, and lighted sun visors with most of the wiring harness. Also grabbed the CD stereo out of it, hopefully I can make it work without the theftlock thing, and also wire it up for an aux cable, because that's all I really want. Don't need to throw money into some stereo but we will see. Ideally I need a bluetooth one because iPhone 7 problems...

This was the only pic I took today, meant to take pics of the interior with the new seats but I'll do that tomorrow!

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