Giving my ride some much needed attention.

[L31MaxExpress]

We have had several bad storms and rainy weather that has included hail. Van has been parked inside my shop since the steering gearbox started leaking. To make changing the box less difficult, I yanked the front clip as I also have some harness cleanup work to do as well as fix a leaking washer tank. Have a new Wolo dual tone compact air horn to install too. Also changing my brake cooling setup a bit. Going a little bigger on the ducting. If its not one thing its another. Taking advantage of having it stored inside my dry shop with the a/c on. In addition to changing the front brakes and changing every fluid in the thing, started cleaning it up. While my roof and hood need to be resprayed and the vinyl striping erased the sides of the thing is cleaning up remarkably well for nearly 25 year old factory paint. Just washed it with Meguiars on a rag and then rinsed it with a damp towl. Then a light buffing with some compound. Then followed up with some Meguiars Carnuba wax. Also added the badges I was debating putting on it for the last year. Interior is next. Need to rebuild the front door panels and change the front door speakers and remove 3 interior wood pieces that have cracked and peeling finish and refinish them. Interior also needs a complete detail. Might also limo tint the thing as well during this downtime. Ordered a nice carpet dash mat for it as well. I also have a homelink auto dimming mirror to install that was given to me new in the box a few years ago.

I might heat the VortecMAX badge up and remove it. Only added it to the passenger side and cannot decide if I like it or not. The theme of the 383 is a factory high output version of the L31 Vortec.

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[1ton-o-fun]

I voted for removal. I based it on my own struggle on my big-ass truck. It will (eventually) be powered by a 500 cubic inch Cadillac engine. I made a vanity plate almost immediately. Planned on the nearly mandatory 2" cowl hood GMT400 ownership requires, and have been trying to figure out the coolest way to let the world know what's under the hood... but all of my ideas seem cheesy somehow, because after all, it's still just a big-ass truck. I think I would be much more satisfied suprising a select few with whatever new talents my truck will have with the new engine instead of having everyone EXPECTING me to do superhero stuff because I'm bragging about my engine.
Just my $0.02

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Personally I like the vortec badge so long as its same font and color as what the gmt400 would of came with. Vortecmax I never cared for and never really saw an interest in appearance, I would remove badge too

 

[RichLo]

I voted keep it, it shows that its not grandmas van

 

[stutaeng]

I voted to remove it. It's a sleeper!

Let the deuchebags on their lifted mall crawlers guess when you smoke them on the highway!

If you are really inclined on putting on the van, stick them inside the door panel, LOL.

 

[Erik the Awful]

but all of my ideas seem cheesy somehow, because after all, it's still just a big-ass truck.

Yup. I thought about putting the Lunati Cams sticker on my back window, but I decided against it. 90% of the trucks around here have a louder, raspier exhaust than mine, and they're all dogs. I'm fine with the sleeper life.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Yup. I thought about putting the Lunati Cams sticker on my back window, but I decided against it. 90% of the trucks around here have a louder, raspier exhaust than mine, and they're all dogs. I'm fine with the sleeper life.

I know that feeling! The Express van is pretty quiet and tame until the 3" electric cutouts in front of the muffler are open.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Picked up a Meguiars ceramix wax kit with the clay surfaced applicator and re-waxed the whole thing this afternoon. Even waxed the glass and the tailights. Then put some of the meguiars version of back to black on the handles, wiper cowls, mirrors and the bumper step pads. Took 10 years off the old girl. So clean and glossy that everything around it is now reflecting off it.

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[Frank Enstein]

When you are done do you want to come over and clean the wife's 94 Astro? I'll feed you. And if you do a great job the wife will feed you!

 

[618 Syndicate]

I voted for removal, I'm a fan of the sleeper look as well. De-baged my Mercedes of everything except the trunk and hood emblems. The only way you can tell it's not a garden variety grandpa car is if you know that the dual exhaust tips and monster brakes mean it's an AMG car. I love catching muscle cars trying to show off and hurting feelings.