MsChevy's 1997 Chevy Silverado ECSB aka Big Blue

[vaporlock]

Hi Everyone! I'm sort of new here, been sneaking around for a while tho. After an unusually long process I finally picked this truck up a few weeks ago as a new daily driver. It's a 1997 Silverado ECSB K1500HD, it's bright blue metallic with light neutral leather interior, it's not perfect but all in all it's in pretty good shape. Body has a dent or two and some paint coming off in some places. Interior has some wear on the front seats and stains on the carpet but overall ok for a 17 year old truck. Engine is a 5.7L 350 Vortec V8 254hp with 232000km/144000miles on it and automatic with working 4x4, runs and shifts good. I found out that the original owner ordered it with over 80 extra options, both useful and comfy stuff, which is one of the reasons I couldn't pass it up. It’s been well cared for and is all original which is nearly impossible to find here, just needs a little love.

I have a list of things I'd like to do with it, nothing too crazy tho, I like the stock but clean look. It's gonna be a slow project, workshop is on the other side of town, I work fulltime and I also have another project, my -63 Impala Convertible.

There were a few things that needed fixing before anything else so my neighbor towed the truck to my dads friends shop to get that fixed:
* Front turnsignals, emergency/hazard lightbutton was broken, turnsignals would blink all the time.
* Starter was dead and pluswire completely corroded.
* Battery wires were a mess (used to be dual, now single battery).

Only thing left now, that I can think of, is the powersteering pump, it works but is leaking, next on the list.

Now to the pics!

At the PO’s house: (Yes, that's another GMT400 in the background, -94 Silverado ECSB)

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The morning after our neighbor picked it up:

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[vaporlock]

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RPO codes (source: GM RPO Master List)

AG9 ADJUSTER, FRONT SEAT, POWER, 6 WAY
AJ1 WINDOW TINTED, DEEP, ALL EXCEPT W/S AND DRS
AM7 SEAT, REAR, FOLDING
AU0 LOCK CONTROL, REMOTE ENTRY
AU3 LOCK CONTROL, SIDE DR, ELECTRIC
A20 WINDOW, REAR QUARTER, VENT SWING OUT
A31 WINDOW, POWER OPERATED, ALL DOORS
A95 SEAT, FRONT BUCKET, HIGH BACK, PASS & DRIVER RECLINE
BAG PARTS PACKAGE, EXPORT
B32 COVERING FRONT, FLOOR MATS AUX
B33 COVERING REAR, FLOOR MATS AUX
B85 MOLDING B/S, EXTERIOR, BRIGHT
B96 MOLDING WHEEL OPENING
C5S GVW RATING, 6600 LBS
C60 HVAC SYSTEM, AIR CONDITIONER FRONT, MANUEL CONTROLS
DD7 MIRROR I/S R/V, LT SENSITIVE, COMPASS
DK6 CONSOLE ROOF, INTERIOR
D48 MIRROR O/S, LH & RH, REMOTE CONTROL, ELECTRIC, COLOR
D55 CONSOLE, FRONT COMPT, FLOOR
EXP EXPORT
E24 DOOR SIDE, REAR, HINGED
E63 BODY EQUIPMENT, FLEETSIDE, PICK-UP BOX
FF6 ARM, LH, TORSION BAR SPRING ADJ (E)
FF7 ARM, RH, TORSION BAR SPRING ADJ (F)
F44 CHASSIS, HEAVY DUTY
F51 SHOCK ABSORBERS, FRONT & REAR, HEAVY DUTY
F60 SPRING FRONT, HEAVY DUTY
GT4 AXLE REAR, 3.73 RATIO
G80 AXLE POSITRACTION, LIMITED SLIP
JB6 BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM 7200 LBS
KNP COOLING SYSTEM TRANS, HEAVY DUTY
K34 CRUISE CONTROL, AUTOMATIC, ELECTRONIC
K60 GENERATOR, 100 AMP
L31 ENGINE, GAS, 8 CYL, 5.7L, CPI
M30 TRANSMISSION, AUTO 4 SPD, HMD, 4L60E, ELECTRONIC
NA1 EMISSION SYSTEM GVW, LESS THAN 8500 LB
NF2 EMISSION SYSTEM, FEDERAL, TIER 1
NG1 CERTIFICATION: EMISSION, GEOGRAPHICALLY RESTRICTED REGISTRATION, FOR VEHICLES UP TO 6.000 LBS GVW
NN8 EMISSION OVERRIDE, UNLEADED FUEL, EXPORT
NP1 TRANSFER CASE, ELECTRIC SHIFT CONTROL, 2-SPEED
NP5 STEERING WHEEL AND SHIFT KNOB, LEATHER WRAPPED
NRQ EXHAUST, CLOSE COUPLED
NZZ SALES PACKAGE, SKID PLATE "OFF-ROAD"
N33 STEERING COLUMN, TILT TYPE
OSG PLANT CODE, OSHAWA, ONT, CANADA (TRK)
PF4 WHEEL, 16 X 7, ALUMINUM
RSA RESTRAINT, FRONT SEAT, 208, AUTO, PASSIVE
R6N CONTROL, SALES ITEM NO 14
R7K CONTROL, SALES ITEM NO 36
R9Q CONTROL, SALES ITEM NO 91
R9Z CONTROL, SALES ITEM NO 100
SLL SALES PROCESSING, SOLD ORDERS
TP2 BATTERY, AUXILIARY
T62 LAMP SYSTEM DAYTIME RUNNING – DELETE
UL0 RADIO – AM/FM STEREO, CASS. (EUROPE COMPLIANT)
UL2 FREQUENCIES, EUROPEAN RADIO
UQ3 SPEAKER SYSTEM, PERFORMANCE ENHANCED AUDIO
U19 SPEEDOMETER, INST, KILO & MILES KILO ODOMETER
VB3 BUMPER REAR, STEP, CHROME, IMPACT STRIP
VC5 LABEL, SHIPPING, EXCEPT U.S., U.S. POSSESSINS, OR JAPAN
VG3 BUMPER FRONT, IMPACT STRIP
VK3 LICENSE PLATE, FRONT MOUNTING PKG
VPH VEHICLE PREPARATION, OVERSEAS DELIVERY
VR6 HOOK, TIE-DOWN SHIPPING
VXS VEHICLE COMPLETE
V22 GRILL, RADIATOR, CHROME
V78 VEHICLE STATEMENT DELETE
XBN TIRE FRONT, LT245/75R16/C BW R/PE ST TL OOR
X88 MARKET BRAND, CHEVROLET
YBN TIRE REAR, LT 245/75R16/C BW R/PE ST TL OOR
YD3 FRONT AXLE, BASE EQUIPMENT FOR SCHEDULING, GVW PLATE
YD6 REAR SPRING, BASE EQUIPMENT
YE9 CONVENIENCE PACKAGE, COMFORT & DECOR LEVEL #3
ZBN TIRE SPARE, LT245/75R16/C BL R/PE ST TL OOR
ZQ3 SALES PACKAGE, DRIVER CONVENIENCE II [TILT & CRUISE]
ZY1 COLOR COMBINATION, SOLID
1SD OPTION PACKAGE 04
25U PRIMARY COLOR, EXTERIOR, BRIGTH BLUE MET (02)
52I INTERIOR TRIM, LT NEUTRAL (I) (96)
522 TRIM COMBINATION, LEATHER, LT NEUTRAL (2) (96)
6GK COMPONENT FRT LH, COMPUTER SEL SUSP (6GK)
7GK COMPONENT FRT RH, COMPUTER SEL SUSP (7GK)

BC/CC = U 303D Bright Blue Metallic

 

[twomanymontes]

Nice looking truck!

 

[98chevyz71]

I love those taillights!

 

[vaporlock]

Nice looking truck!

Thanks, your GMC is really nice too!

 

[vaporlock]

I love those taillights!

Really?! I don't! I believe they came on the ones made for the european market, but most of the trucks here are imported from the US so these are pretty rare.

 

[vaporlock]

(The timeline is a bit of, this was about two weeks after my neighbor left my truck at the shop.)

The shop had to order a new emergency lightswitch button so I borrowed my truck over the weekend so I could work on it.

Some interior pics:

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Dirty doorpanels

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Doorpanels after cleaning, looks like new!

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I used Meguiar’s Carpet & Interior Cleaner and a microfiber cloth and vacuumed the carpet. The carpet need some shampoo tho, it has some weird black stains in some places...

 

[vaporlock]

The same weekend I removed the plywood bedliner, the wood had started to rot around the edges and there was even som tiny green leafy stuff growing there. I was seriously worried about rust damage...

Before:

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After:

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The stuff left is dry mud, I washed it but forgot to take pics, there is barely any rust or damage at all, just a little rust up front in the corners, on the RH side behind the wheel well and a little on the inside of the tailgate.

 

[vaporlock]

The weekend after I removed the steps, well I did my best then my dad ended up having to help me remove them. 17 years of nasty winters left me with lots of rusty bolts and nuts (I'm weak too... but still gonna blame the rust)

Before:

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After:

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She looks so much higher now, I have a friend with a 1990 rclb and I was so sure it had a bodylift (He kept saying it didn't) until I took my steps off, only difference now is that he has bigger tires.

 

[vaporlock]

Then the moldings were removed... removing the moldings took about 10 minutes, removing the f-ing tape took freakin' 10 hours!

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Unfortunately the paint on the passenger door also wanted to come off... for some reason the paint between the two rows of tape literally fell off. The door was at some point repainted but as far as I can tell only above the molding.
Under the moldings on both sides, front to back, between the two rows of tape there was a lot of dirt and moist and now there is little bubbles in the paint. My plan was to repaint some parts of the bottom cos of a dent behind the rear wheel on passenger side and some other things, but not along the entire truck on both sides!
Where the paint came off...

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Aslo removed the chrome moldings and mudflaps:

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The fugly mudflaps

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Thinking about removing the 4x4-sticker too, yay or nay?