95C1500's 1995 Silverado "Build" Thread

[95C1500]

My original thread is almost 7 years old, has 3500 responses and my priorities and the direction I'm heading with the truck has changed. So, here's a new thread. Never was a fan of the "Grandpa's 95C1500 Reborn" title anyways so I'm going to make this one a little less cringy.


If you don’t care about the recap (long read), skip to post number 4.


A little recap of the trucks history (downfall) with me. I inherited the truck in April 2012 after my grandfather passed away. It was immaculate. Very few flaws cosmetically or mechanically. I'm talking, small (dime sized) dent in the bed from someone backing into him and a small antifreeze leak coming from the lower radiator hose. No oil leaks, no weird noises, it drove and looked fantastic. It had 71,000 ish miles on it.

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High school happened, I was broke, and thank God I was or it would have been much worse. Like the lund catalog but with stylintrucks.com. I won't even show you that phase.

Then the freshman year of college phase (actually like this one except the dodge mirrors)

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Then came the redneck phase

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Then the not redneck phase

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There were several small, subtle changes between each of these, however, they were insignificant.

I walked outside one day I hated how it looked. Hated what I'd done to my grandpa's truck that was full of sentimental value. So, I began fixing it.

Lowered it back down, threw some mild 265/75r15 all terrains on it, and proceeded to drive it.

Unfortunately, I just waned to enjoy the truck and it just so happened that this was the point it would really start going downhill.

Clearcoat started peeling and overall, the paint is trashed. Looks decent from 20 feet though.

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Running rough, AC went out, brakes...most of you know my battle with the brakes. Squeaky suspension, water pump went out, etc, and etc...

I'm at the point now where it is nickle and diming me to death with a laundry list of other things that need to be done. But I'm not giving up on it. The things it needs done don't keep it from being driven so it's not like it's going to be sitting, getting worse and worse.

 

[95C1500]

So, as it sits, it's stock height with factory wheels and 265/75r15 Cooper Discoverer AT3 tires. 4 corner mod, added tow hooks, 30/20 window tint, factory OHC with homelink, full LED interior including factory radio, factory fog switch (not currently in use), tailgate lock, bakflip vp tonneau, Flowmaster Force II exhaust system, and LED bed lighting, TYC factory replacement lights all around. 60/40 split bench in place of the factory buckets with console, added some in bed tie down points as well.

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From this point on, my plan is to get it perfect mechanically and drive it. Use it as a truck. I’ve got some ideas for the future but for now, it needs some work.


A couple months ago, it started accelerating rough. It would buck (imagine “romp.. romp.. romp..” at low speeds). Air and fuel filter replaced at 146,000 miles. Plugs/wires/cap/rotor as well as map and 02 sensor were replaced at 148,000 miles. Someone suggested it sounds like an egr problem. Plugged the egr and vacuum line and sure enough, truck runs 1000x better. It still has an issue starting occasionally and today actually, crawling down the street at about 10 mph, it was “romp.. romp.. romp..” again. So I need to order and replace the egr valve. Still a head scratcher but I’m narrowing it down.


The parking brake release handle broke off a couple weeks after I got the truck. I finally got it replaced with new parts last week.


[update with pic]


The full LED interior consists of a combination of SBL leds with crappy wiring and cheap ebay leds that like to go out on me as well as a quality 3mm LED bulb in the radio that needs to be retouched with solder. I need to address those issues.

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The 4 corner mod looks great except the lenses are cracked, half full of water, and the sockets are so loose, the bulbs love losing contact. It’s a losing battle trying to keep all four corners lit up. Need to address this issue too.

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Fix the AC is another big one.

 

[95C1500]

I know that was a long first two posts for the thread but I wanted to give some background from the past 7 years.


Some plans for the immediate future include

- Fix the AC
- Replace egr valve
- Figure out why it still isn’t running perfect
- Fix all my LED woes
- Fix 4 corner mod
- New tailpipe (want a factory style 3”, not a fan of the one from flowmaster)
- Strip and polish or repaint wheels (two are faded from sitting in the sun for 10 years)
- Bed rail caps (have to modify for the tonneau)
- New windshield/tint
- New tint on back and side windows
- Door lock switch is finicky. Only works about 31% of the time
- Door pins/wiring boot
- New Driver side mirror
- Ujoints
- Etc…

Some future plans include

- Option A: 3” body lift, raise exhaust/rear bumper, new hitch
- Option B: Lower on some factory 20’s like this badass ls9 Tahoe
- Rear End Rebuild: different gears, powertrax no slip unit, bearings, etc…
- Shocks
- Rear disc Kit along with all new brakes, master, bearings, calipers, seals
- Fix all leaks (multiple oil leaks)
- Paint job

This is a very minimalistic plan for the future. There are a lot of odds and ends that need to be addressed as well. However, this gives me a general direction. Either way it’s done (A or B), A clean, mechanically sound truck is what I’m going for with a few small personal touched here and there.

Here's a picture of that LS9 Tahoe

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And a pic of a 2wd with a 3" body lift

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I've pretty much always been against body lifts, but after owning both RC suspension lifts, a body lift seems like the easier, cheaper way to go. Frame hang ins't great but it's 10x better than a 4wd. I miss the height sometimes.

 

[95C1500]

Starting here, this will be my new “build” thread. I’ll keep a log of maintenance, replaced parts, mileage, etc…

For starters…
April 11, 2019
Mileage:

Changed the oil, new washer fluid pump, figured out why the passenger side nozzle wouldn't spray (pinched line under the cowl), reprogrammed my homelink for my garage door after it was replaced almost three years ago, cleaned out the truck and ripped off the driver side mirror plastic that rattled and howled while driving (backing up the driveway, cut the turn too tight and clipped the gate. Broke all three of the plastic tabs that hold the plastic to the mirror). Not a bad day.

 

[Thatlowchevy]

I remember reading your other thread when you first started and before I became a member, glad to see a fresh start!


My momma taught me to drink my juice from a brown paper bag

 

[Biggershaft96]

i vote reverse level. glad to see you started a new thread. Ive been meaning to read through the old one but 200 something pages is overwhelming lol

 

[Old77]

I'm glad to see you've got a fresh outlook and a more "keep it simple" frame of mind. Once you get all the maintenance items tackled you'll be much happier with this route than your previous route over the last 7 years

 

[95C1500]

I remember reading your other thread when you first started and before I became a member, glad to see a fresh start!


My momma taught me to drink my juice from a brown paper bag

I’m excited for the fresh start!

i vote reverse level. glad to see you started a new thread. Ive been meaning to read through the old one but 200 something pages is overwhelming lol

3500 responses with only about a quarter of those with an substantial content lol. You’re not the first to say something about the length lol. The truck actually looks reverse leveled as it sits (thinking worn out leafs). I need to take measurements to be sure though.

I'm glad to see you've got a fresh outlook and a more "keep it simple" frame of mind. Once you get all the maintenance items tackled you'll be much happier with this route than your previous route over the last 7 years

It feels good to have a fresh outlook. KISS is something I wish i would’ve followed for all these years. Would have saved a lot of money lol

I’m tired of hating driving it. Every time I get in it it’s like something is pissing me off about it, whether it be running rough, brake squeal, interior rattles, etc... I want to enjoy driving the truck again. The last couple weeks I’ve been tackling small projects on the truck (like parking brake, washer pump, plugs/wires) and it feels good to make progress for the first time in i don’t know how long.

 

[MYT HI]

I really liked the lift kit with newer wheels. Looked great!

Have you thought about square body steel wheels? They’re a little bit wider and would look great if you plan on keeping it low or even lifted it


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[95C1500]

I really liked the lift kit with newer wheels. Looked great!

Have you thought about square body steel wheels? They’re a little bit wider and would look great if you plan on keeping it low or even lifted it


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There were days I loved it. Maybe with bigger tires I would've liked it better.

I have considered square body wheels before. Haven't put much thought into it, but it's definitely been considered.