88GMCtruck's never ending 88 GMC build thread

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88GMCtruck

All my trucks have cab lights.
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Shortly after that, there was the ending of a 14 year relationship, and splitting of assets. Then I built a decided to build a car trailer (which for the record, is a GREAT/BAD idea.... you'll see why).
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After things settled a bit, a 98 6.5L Suburban showed up at the house from the local Pick N Pull, for a future project. Then I decided to buy a new daily. I flew to PA and drove back to WA with a new truck.

Please, don't hate me.
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Yes, I bought a RAM. A 2021 75th Anniversary Power Wagon to be exact. In Molten Orange. About a month after that, I decided to sell my house and buy a new house. With more land. That needed a lot of updating to modernize it.... So I was quite busy there. Part of the updating included building out the shop. The shop started out as a concrete floor and studs, with no doors. It was re-wired, insulated, ran air, hot and cold water, sheet rocked and closed off the front.
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88GMCtruck

All my trucks have cab lights.
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After slowing down slightly, I got moved to a new project at work when another PM quit. My commute in total shortened by 2 hours total, but my workload and headache tripled. I spent a TON of time dealing with that.

Then, remember I said a car trailer was a BAD idea... I picked up this 97 with a locked up motor at 130k miles for $800 from a friend's co-worker.
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Then a few months later, this 90 all original sport with almost 300k off facebook.
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88GMCtruck

All my trucks have cab lights.
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You also might have noticed the 00 Z71 in a few photos. It's not mine, but, the previously mentioned 98 6.5L suburban was a donor for this. A drunken idea to make something GM should have but didn't, a 4-door 6.5L NV4500 Tahoe.
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88GMCtruck

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It got the same engine bay and wiring treatment the 88 received. The result was pretty awesome.
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88GMCtruck

All my trucks have cab lights.
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I did get a new dog finally in 2023. An English lab named Gunner. He's a scaredy cat but I love him.
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And I swapped the all chrome grille for a really, really clean OEM one.
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And here is the current status, with a handful of vehicles pictured + the shop. Currently, there are 6 GMT400s, 1 GMT800 and 1 GMT900, plus the Ram and the roomies Mercedes.
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So that is life to now. Currently, I'm working on getting the green 97 re-powered with the motor that came out of the 00 Z71, clean it up and drive it awhile and sell it. Then, the 90 sport will be torn down, get long travel suspension, 6.0 or 6.2 power and fiberglass body panels and turned into a full on sand toy...

To date, I still haven't finished the bedliner inside the bed of the truck, or wetsanded the body to get rid of the bit of orange peel in a few spots... LOL.
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The truck has about 1,400 miles on it since the rebuild in 2020. It has never seen rain or been washed with water.... I put too much time into it but I'm starting to realize that I need to use and enjoy it more, so time will tell how that goes.
 
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BNielsen

I'm Awesome
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The prodigal son has returned
Good to see a big update on here! I've been following along on IG and some of the FB groups; the Z71 Tahoe is absolutely amazing!
I was just looking through this thread the other day for motivation to work on my trucks. I can't even begin fathom how much inspiration I've taken from this truck, the 6.5, and the K3500 for modding both of my trucks.
 

88GMCtruck

All my trucks have cab lights.
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The prodigal son has returned
Good to see a big update on here! I've been following along on IG and some of the FB groups; the Z71 Tahoe is absolutely amazing!
I was just looking through this thread the other day for motivation to work on my trucks. I can't even begin fathom how much inspiration I've taken from this truck, the 6.5, and the K3500 for modding both of my trucks.
Yeah, a lot of life happened between 2020 and 2025. I should probably try coming back here more.

Maybe I'll do a thread for the sport truck...
 
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