95C1500's 1995 Silverado "Build" Thread

[95C1500]

March 22, 2020
Mileage: 162,002

I've been working on a project for school 5-10 hours a day for the last week or so. Finally got it completed so I was able to spend some time on the truck today.

Managed to get the compressor and accumulator installed and all lines connected. All o rings are oiled and all connections are tight. I pulled a vacuum on the system for 2 hours this evening and am currently 3 1/2 hours in to seeing if it'll hold a vacuum for 24 hours. I was planning to take it to the local dealership (with compressor unplugged) tomorrow evening to get the system oiled and charged but thanks to Corona (the virus, not the beer), that probably won't be happening.

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This little ******* was the biggest pain in the ass of this whole project so far. I basically ripped the boot apart to get it back through the firewall

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Also got my new corners hacked up for the 4 corner mod (this is probably the 6th set I've done for this truck). Worth it though. Old ones were busted and leaking.

Seems like a huge step but I've got a long way to go to get this interior done.

 

[Erik the Awful]

I've charged up a couple A/C systems with pretty much the same setup you're using. The hardest part was finding the charging port fitting. I bought 6 cans of 134a for $35 from Amazon and still have two cans left, but good luck getting anything delivered in a timely manner right now.

Since I was recharging the A/C systems in my boys' cars after they wrecked them, I didn't bother shooting any more oil into them. You're going to need compatible oil - I'm guessing PAG150, but research before you try. Put the required amount of oil in the high side line. When you apply the vacuum to the system, pull from the low side initially and it will pull some of the oil through the system without losing too much of it to the vacuum pump. This also keeps you from shooting a bunch of liquid oil into your compressor when you fire it up.

When you have it vacuumed down, hook up a can, fire up the engine, and charge from the low side. ALWAYS keep the can upright. You really don't want liquid going into your shiny, new compressor. Find a nice, really warm spot in the engine bay, not too hot to touch momentarily, to set the can where it will stay upright. Check the can every fifteen minutes to see if it feels empty. I don't know how many cans it will take. I know a Nissan Altima and Ford Mustang both take about two cans. When the system stops taking refrigerant, you're done. It should take an hour or two.

 

[95C1500]

April 10, 2020
Mileage: 162,030

Replaced the crappy looking Flowmaster turndown tailpipe with a 3" mandrel bent stock looking pipe. Looks much better imo.

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AC is finally oiled and charged. Blows ice cold. Had to turn the fan down on the drive home. Never done that before.

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Finished up the kilmat on the floor and the cab (rear of cab not done in picture). Also got the passenger door done. While I had it apart, I lubed the door latch mechanism and all major moving points.

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I'll do the driver's door tomorrow as well as pick up some headliner material. Then move on to retrofitting the nbs sun visors. After that, I can start throwing the interior back together and move on to the next issue...

Took it through the car wash in celebration of the ice cold AC. Check this sh*t out. I'm going to silicone them shut. I've never used them in the 7 years I've had the truck.

https://i.imgur.com/uP8HRDG.mp4

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[Erik the Awful]

Wow, that's bad. I really hope the silicone does the job.

 

[95C1500]

I missed a few updates.

April 17, 2020
Mileage: ?

Got the doors back together. Also ordered a couple white 194s for my footwell lights (robbed the bulbs for the door markers). Also installed my new to me junkyard door lens. Need to replace the driver door lock bulb but other than that, doors are good to go.

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April 18, 2020
Mileage: ?

Power washed the carpet. Left it out to dry for a couple days. I got stains out with pressure that hours of scrubbing and cleaning couldn't.

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April 23, 2020
Mileage: ?

Got the carpet, front seats, jack box, and kick panels back in. If you don't look in the back of the cab or up at the roof, you'd think it was a complete interior.

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May 9, 2020
Mileage: ?

A few weeks ago, I had my headliner laying in the bed of my parent's truck (storage). They took it to home depot to get some cinder blocks and wood and didn't realize it was back there. Long story short, one of the cinder blocks fell and ripped my headliner board. He insisted on buying a new new one from rockauto and it finally showed up today.

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Also got sick of the failing Bakflip tonneau so I ripped that piece of junk off and swapped the chest toolbox off my seadoo trailer for the old over the rails box off my brother's truck. One latch doesn't work and the lid cannot be adjusted to close properly... I've tried multiple times. Didn't want to spend the money on fixing it up when the chest works perfectly and has a key. I'll rivet one of those half assed latches with a padlock on there. It'll be good enough for life vest storage.

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(anyone need some anchors?)

Going to my grandmother's for mothers day tomorrow and Ill grab the rest of my interior pieces.

 

[95C1500]

I finished the interior a while ago.

August 8, 2020
Mileage: 165,000
[part number]

$109 at Rockauto

Tire rotation at work and installed some new sun visors with the clips by the rear view.

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[95C1500]

August 24, 2020
Mileage: 166,000

Prestone 50/50 1 Gal ($8.88 x5 at Walmart)
Dayco E72088 ($19.99 at Autozone)
Dayco E71884 ($11.99 at Autozone)
Duralast 15359 ($5.99 at Autozone)
Duralast B1693 ($154.99 at Autozone)
Dorman 902-694 ($9.99 at Autozone)

The radiator started leaking so I took the opportunity to flush the coolant and replace the radiator, thermostat, thermostat housing, upper/lower hoses

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[95C1500]

I've got more updates to make from the last few months but this one is the biggest. Hit a patch of ice just under the surface of what looked like snow coming home from work on Thursday. I wasn't speeding. I hit the brake to slow down for the curve and actually started slowing down. Part way through the curve everything locked up, ABS kicked on, and I slid straight into the tree down in the ditch. No airbag deployment, no cuts, bruises, soreness, nothing happened to me.

I'm waiting for it to warm up next week before I start digging in to see all the damage. On the surface, it looks like I'll be buying a new hood, fender, inner fender, bumper, air dam, bumper filler, headlights, park lamps, corner lamps, and a core support. Things like front end rebuild, alignment, and ac recharge are on that list as well. Might as well get it painted since the front half will probably wind up white or something. Fingers crossed there's no frame damage which is up in the air at the moment. I'm hopeful but I'm also realistic. It is what it is, I'll rebuild it, but it makes me sick to look at my truck in this condition. The pictures make it look like a minor fender bender that'll buff out but it's decently ****** lol.

Anyway, enjoy the "carnage".

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[e-fin]

Man talk about a tough break, sliding off a snowy road in Texas.?. Know that feeling and it’s sickening when you know you’re gonna impact. Good thing you weren’t hurt, truck did it’s job and protected you. Best of luck with how this turns out.

 

[Erik the Awful]

It doesn't look terrible. Fender, bumper, hood, grille, inner fender, core support, lights. I'd expect under $200 between Pull-A-Part and RockAuto. Unbolt that airdam ASAP and see if it straightens out. At least you're not cutting and welding an entire front corner of the truck. I had to do that on my kid's Mustang. He tore it down, drilled all the spot welds and hacksawed off the crunched bits, I fit and welded, then he bolted everything back on.