'98 Chevy K1500 Z71

[TrailBlazerZ71]

I already have a build thread going on Expedition Portal, figured i'd start one here too!

My base ride is a 1998 Chevrolet K1500 Z71. I bought it for $3,200 in December of 2013, fresh out of basic training. It had almost no issues at all, with 194,000 miles on the odometer. It was bone stock except for the 17" GMT800 wheels. Still had stock size tires, just one inch bigger, that were completely bald. After I purchased it, the first thing I did was put new tires on it, in the form of Goodyear Wrangler Trailmark A/T's, installed a Spectre CAI and throttle body spacer. Right before I parked it, the A/C compressor went out, so I did replace that before starting the project.

As it was last time I took it offroading. This is how it sat before it went from "daily driver" to "project vehicle."

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*EDIT*
Here is a photo of what the truck looked like the day I bought it. This is the look it retained until I made it a project. Tires being the only exception. It was a very clean truck when I bought it.

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My extensive plans:
Crate 350 (4-bolt mains, supposedly puts out 315HP at crank) w/ headers, upgrade fuel injectors, heavy duty water pump, Flaming River 240 Amp alternator, and Accel ignition kit)
4L60E heavy duty rebuild
NP243 to NP241 swap (passenger-drop one from '90-'91 Suburban)
Volant CAI w/ Prefilter
Magnaflow Hi-Flow Cats and Dual Cat-Back Exhaust
Hydroboost w/ EVO-delete
ABS delete
Rear disc brake conversion
14-bolt semi-float swap w/ Eaton E-Locker (complete rebuild)
Dana 44 solid axle swap w/ Eaton E-Locker (complete rebuild) & ORD SAS kit
Bilstein 5160 remote-reservoir shock absorbers
4" Suspension lift (Alcan lift springs & custom u-bolts)
Maxloader overload springs
Re-gear to 4.10
Mickey Thompson Sidebiter-II 17" Wheels w/ Goodyear Wrangler MT/R's (LT305/70R17)
PSC Heavy Duty Steering Assembly (Gearbox, Pump, Hydro Assist, etc..)
Energy Suspension transmission mount & body bushings
ORD Competition-Style Motor Mounts
ARB front bumper w/ Warn M12000 electric winch
Iron Cross rear bumper
Viking Offroad 3/4" shackles for front & rear bumpers
N-Fab hooped nerf bars
Painless Performance engine wiring harness
Complete re-wire of chassis
Dual battery system
Optima RedTop Batteries (800CCA each)
Silla heavy duty radiator w/ Goodyear radiator hoses
B&M auxiliary trans cooler upgrade
Oil filter upgrade (sandwich-style adapter and larger filter)
All synthetic fluids (Amsoil for engine, trans, diffs, brake, power steering, grease, & a/c compressor; Peak for coolant)
Mag-Hytec covers for front diff, rear diff, and transmission
K&N fuel filter and oil filter
Tune
GMT800 drivers info center install
LED map & convenience lights (White)
LED dash lights (Red)
Pontiac Aztek gauge needles
Black housing projector headlights, LED parking/turn signal lights, & LED taillights w/ black housings
OEM black grille
Power tow mirrors
Bushwacker pocket-style fender flares
ARE Overland-Series camper shell
That sweet hood insulation thing from LMC with the big bowtie and CHEVROLET on it
Replace OEM hood light w/ the one on the reel
Grey polyvinyl flooring & grey ABS plastic headliner from LMC
OEM Leather Seats
OEM Escalade center console
Repaint to true blue pearl (The dark blue that FCA offers)
New weatherstripping
Spray in bed liner. This will be for the bed, bed caps, and rocker panels (up to the little trench thing)
Debadge/Demold
Window & cab visors
CB Radio, possibly a HAM radio too
Complete Alpine audio system (touchscreen head unit, all speakers, two 1" tweeters, 2 10" subwoofers, amp)
Alpine exterior camera system (front & rear)

This project has been on-going for a couple months, so some stuff is already complete:
Old engine is out

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New engine 95% ready to put in

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New wiring harness

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New motor & trans mounts

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14-bolt semi-float axle & new tailgate

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Rear driveshaft removed

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Seats removed

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Trans rebuild kit came in

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[Keepinitoldskool]

Sweet plans I like where this is going. Ill be watching.

 

[twomanymontes]

Like the plans as well. can't wait to see more progress

 

[TrailBlazerZ71]

Got the time to do some more stuff today:

Got the grille and front bumper off, along with the front driveshaft and lights.

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Also got the lower fan shroud, power steering pump, oil cooler, and radiator out today (picture was taken before the oil cooler, fan shroud, and ps pump were out. Got busy and forgot to take another photo, i'll hook you guys up tomorrow haha.

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My plan for tomorrow is to get the old air box thing off, as well as the trans cooler, a/c condenser, front skid plates, battery trays, and start dismantling the steering assembly.

 

[TrailBlazerZ71]

Just a follow up on the wiring harness. If you have issues with your current wiring harness, like I did with mine (went to take MAF sensor plug off and half the harness for that circuit disconnected from the main harness x.x), I would recommend this kit. Yes, it is extremely pricey, but I would personally rather spend the money and have quality parts, than get cheaper parts and have the potential for utter and catastrophic failure later on lol.

The harness I purchased was the one that came with 4 extra feet of wire, which allows the relocation of the harness fuse box and the ECU into the cab. The actual harness comes with a fuse box, and an OBD2 plug and a fancy LED check engine light. Along with all this is a small tube of dielectric grease and a fancy instruction manual, complete with the shiny outer wrap thing that protects the pages beneath. All of the circuits/plugs are labeled, which is very nice, saves the trouble of having to match the new harness with the old harness (which I was ready to do). It does not come with the harness for the 2 rear oxygen sensors or the fuel vapor vent pressure sensor (emissions bulls**t) circuit, but you can purchase it (or you can do like me, and have the custom tune delete the crap).

It did not, however, come with electrical tape or wire loom, so you will have to purchase on your own (I didn't realize it at the time, so next payday, guess what my stupid a** is getting Dx

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[TrailBlazerZ71]

Yet another quick update XD
I purchased the crate motor as a kit from Jegs. It came with the crate motor (p/n 12530283) which is "supposedly" rated at 315 horsepower, being the "L31-R HD", which means it has 4-bolt mains instead of the 2-bolt mains the stock engines usually came with; an Accel ignition kit (distributor, spark plug wires, ignition coil, and NGK spark plugs), intake gaskets, and rcv sealant stuff. I also purchased the upgrade fuel injector (for those that don't know, it replaces the stock poppet valve spider with an electronic injector spider), a new heavy duty water pump, and a new severe duty thermal fan clutch, as well as an ARP bolt kit, Dorman flexplate bolts (ARP doesn't make the flexplate bolts for our engines, apparently), and eventually, i'll get all new sensors too.
If you get this motor, you will have to re-use the old intake manifold, throttle body, fan, and accessory mounts, as well as the pulleys for the water pump and crankshaft.

 

[House003]

Sweet build!! Loving the engine swap and I can't wait for the SAS! Looking good man

 

[TrailBlazerZ71]

Alright, I want some opinions here. My plan is to build the truck up as an overland expedition-style vehicle. What I want to know, is do you guys think I should do a camper shell (ARE Overland) or do a headache rack with lights? The spare tire and equipment storage will be in the bed, the equipment storage will be waterproof boxes.

 

[vaporlock]

I vote headache rack with lights, it looks cool and a bit more agressive.

 

[TrailBlazerZ71]

I vote headache rack with lights, it looks cool and a bit more agressive.

Yeah, i'm going to go with the Westin HDX rack w/ KC HiLite Apollo Series Fog Lamps.