Project: Just Keep it Nice

[AK49BWL]

Well, I really dove into it today... I've removed pretty much the entire interior save for the dash and front seats lol. I think I might go ahead and pull those and the carpet so I can put some sound deadener in. Anyone know how much I need to do a full interior? I think it's mentioned somewhere else on this forum, I'll find it... Also, how to remove the knob on the 4x4 shifter? I think I did it once on my 93 and it just twisted off, but I don't think this one uses the same knob Surprisingly, I only broke ONE tab on all those plastic panels, on the passenger side next to the bottom of the rear glass. I feel kinda proud of myself for that lol

I'll post up some pictures in the near future, but for the moment, I've replaced the rear 4x6s with my Alpine two-way Type S speakers from the Blazer the system's starting to sound good in there! I'm now sub-box shopping

 

[95C1500]

Love what you're doing with it! How did you modify the wiring in the taillights?

 

[VCaddy]

I'll get you some pictures/dimensions of the sub box in my truck if you like. It fits under the back seat, doesn't intrude on passenger space. It's kind of wedge shaped, mine has a Memphis Mclass 10S4 in it. It's clean sounding and fairly loud (119db).

 

[AK49BWL]

Actually, I did my system shopping and buying last night! Thanks tho I wouldn't mind seeing it if you do want to post the pictures tho.

My idea's a secret till I get all the stuff I will say this... I'm sticking with my love of Alpine

@95C1500, Blazers by default are wired so that both taillight bulbs do the same thing all the time - all I did was run a wire from the brake switch to the back of the truck, and I wired the lower bulb socket's high side to that instead of the truck's taillight harness. This is also why I waited until I got the LEDs, because I'm not real fond of the current all going through the brake switch before getting to the back - I am still considering using a relay instead, even though now everything the brake switch is running is LED. It's gonna nag at me, I'm certain of it..

 

[95C1500]

Thanks for the info

I see you're in longview. How far are you from Dallas?

 

[AK49BWL]

About 2.5 hours' drive.. 140 miles give or take 10. I actually drove to the far side of Fort Worth to hang out with my friend who has HPTuners hardware so he could read the 0411's tune once I got it installed. Distance is no issue to me... I'm a CDL truck driver in my "spare time" lol.

 

[95C1500]

nice I'm about 45 minutes form Dallas. There's actually quite a few of us around Dallas. rynoharris, brits92, me, shadowrejects, and a few others.

 

[AK49BWL]

Well, I think it's high time for an update in here, right? So what I've done since the load of pictures...

Future plans, as I can think of them right now...

-- AD244 alternator, big 3 in 0 Gauge, MAYBE second battery? --nah

-- Quad-beam headlight mod --SOON!

-- ]Replace the camper shell clamps with bolts, and I need to re-seal the bedrails anyway... --And removed the nasty carpet from the ceiling!

-- Dome lights for the camper shell

-- If anyone can give me some options on a small yet decent subwoofer/box I can put in this truck...................

-- I have no suspension mod plans and it'll probably stay that way, unless I decide to go with K2500 leaf springs that is. I'm rather happy with the exterior look of this truck.

-- May go ahead and replace the headlights and blinker housings at some point, as of course, they're oxidized.

-- I have an electric dimming and temp/compass mirror on the windshield now, just need to run the wires to power it up.

-- Also, opinion request - Should I go ahead and remove the top of the fan shroud back to the square section or leave it as is? It's not in the way, it's more of a cosmetics thing I guess.

-- Roof center console? Maybe?

-- Rear disc brakes????

PS, wanting those rear discs more and more as time goes on, as my parking brake is virtually no longer usable and I know next to nothing about drum brakes. Last time I used the park, they locked up and I dragged the drums for about three miles. Does ANYONE know if it's possible to swap over a GMT800 rear axle to these trucks??? I should probably measure my dad's 03 ECSB and see if the widths are the same... I can't think of any other reason it wouldn't work as long as I get the right gear ratio.

Okay, next post will contain pictures, I promise! Just gotta get them figured out...

More things done: Installed upgraded AD244 200amp alt, 1/0 gauge battery to rear seat, 0 gauge ground to body, Alpine PDX-M6 amp powering an Alpine Type S (SWS-12D4) subwoofer in a stealth box (I have a new respect for sealed boxes now, it's great)... All speakers are now Alpine. Switch panel under the dash with ten blue LED lighted switches and the amp remote, stolen idea from someone on here but I don't remember who lol... Hm. Bolted the camper shell to the rails, installed a custom dome lighting setup, resealed all the windows and the rails... LEDs everywhere now, no more incandescence in this truck!

I'm still mulling over removing the side moldings... I'm a little worried the paint underneath them will look different from the rest tho, considering this truck's paint has had 18 years to bake in the sun

 

[sewlow]

Clean truck!
I like Alpine stuff, too!
Nice to see the power door stuff wasn't that hard to do. I'd like to do that to my '98. Eventually. It's already got the air/tilt/cruise.
For my '97, I'm gonna use a kit that's made for Hot-Rods. Retains the stock handles, but they only move about a 1/2" up or down to trigger the motor. Small rocker switch mounted 'somewhere' to alternate the driver side control from driver to passenger window.
That's a one-year-only color. '97. Medium bright blue metallic. Why GM only used that for one year is beyond me. It's one of, if not the, nicest color they ever painted GMT400's

 

[AK49BWL]

Far past time for new pictures I think. SO HERE GOES!

We're gonna start with the sound system. It's the most extensively changed thing I've done to this thing so far - So, I started with a brand new Alpine Type S 12" woofer in a stealth box, powered by an Alpine PDX-M6.

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Had the wiring all hidden out of the way...

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1/0 Gauge run from battery to back with an inline 150 amp fuse hidden under the intake filter box... (this may change a bit later if I get a top-terminal battery but it's been fine up to this point)

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Amp remote got put here. Remember I mentioned a switch panel idea I stole from someone here? More on THIS in a minute!

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Got an AD244 hooked up! I'm thinking my serp belt is probably stretched a bit from stock because I didn't replace it and the idler pulley is sitting right where it should despite the bigger alt. That might have something to do with the fact that the AD244 has an overdrive pulley tho.

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The stealth system sounded good, but it just didn't have that ... oomph. It wasn't enough. You could barely hear it at highway speeds, and I smelled coil a few too many times. So it got replaced with the system I ran in my old Blazer. Redid all the wiring. Two Alpine Type R 12" woofers in a 3.5 cubic foot ported 33hz box. It's big and I have no use of my rear seat but let's face it... I don't need the seat. I also bought a second PDX-M6 as a compliment to the first. The amps run 600 RMS watts, the subs take 500 RMS watts. They're a great match. I'm running one sub per amp now. Nice thing is I can use the single amp remote for both amps. THIS thing hits the spot

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This is what's all shoved up in my dash right now The PA11-GM45 iPod controller, line level converter... There's barely enough room for it all.

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My custom angle-aluminum camper shell lighting.. Just grabbed some under-dash bulb holders and a toggle switch and soldered it all together, have two more for the ends but haven't gotten that far yet. Bolted the aluminum to the camper shell's brake light housing. It works!

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Oh and that carpet in the camper shell is gone now too. No longer get dusted every time I touch the ceiling in there.

More coming.