The shop truck
 

First post in the new section!! Figured I'd dip my feet in.
Here's what I've been working on. It's the truck in my sig reborn.
It's a 99 (same body style from 1999-2006 so I put it here lol) GMC Sierra 1500 z71. It started life as a 5.3 grandpa truck. went through everything last year to make it much more enjoyable.
So, swapped in an lq4 6.0. Went with a comp cams xr275hr cam, ls6 valve springs, 36lb flex fuel truck injectors, ebay shorty headers to the factory y pipe into a factory 3.5" duramax exhaust with a magnaflow race muffler. Also converted to 05 up larger radiator and dual electric fans. Upgraded to a walboro 255 fuel pump hotwired with a relay.
The 4l60e was rebuilt with a tci rebuild kit, street strip shift kit, billet servo, beast sun shell, 5 pinion planetaries, and a 2500 stall converter.
Swapped in 4.10 geared axles with a factory rear posi. Upgraded the brakes with 05 up front brakes, suv dual piston rear brakes, all hoses replaced with braided stainless lines, abs delete, adjustable rear proportioning valve, line lock on the fronts, and a hydroboost conversion. It stops pretty damn good for a 5200 lb truck lol.
For suspension I lowered it some since it will never see the woods. It's a street queen but we live in mass so 4wd is a must. Removed the factory rear blocks and did rear drop shackles. Added rear air bags for when I load the bed up or pull a trailer. It's my shop truck and it gets worked as such. In the fronts I pulled the bolts out of the torsion bars.
For exterior mods I ditched the old bed for a quadrasteer flared bed. Added a cowl hood, and repainted the truck with a 45th anniversary camaro inspired paint scheme. Whole truck is carbon flash metallic like the 5th gen complete with the silver/red stripes. I color matched all the front end trim, wired in some hid lights, and topped it off with a set of factory 20" silverado ss wheels.
Had it together since June and been driving the wheels off it. Toured most of the east coast this summer and ended up finishing off at the woodward dream cruise with it. All said and done though it's been a New England truck it's whole life and it has some issues creeping up that I need to attend to so stay tuned for shop truck 2.0!

On to the pics!
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...4E6BD31B49.jpg
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...3382B8A0F0.jpg
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...CD35B82006.jpg
Vacation pics!
Anyone guess where this shot was taken? Hint, if you're a walking dead fan you may be able to recognize it easier ;)
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...249BBBC100.jpg

Summit racing in Ohio!
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...49163D9CAD.jpg

C7 in traffic at the woodward dream cruise
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...FE917DA2FE.jpg

And that's about it for now. Anything else ask away or I'll update when I do more to it ;)

Dam you do some nice work, what a night and difference.

Wow!!!!

That looks terrific. You do beautiful work.

What color is the interior? Did you change anything on the interior?

Is the last pic from the Woodward Dream Cruise? I've thought about going to it someday.

Nice looking truck. I want that hood for my GMC.

Thank you guys. Here's a better "before" pic for you than the tiny one in my sig
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...16BD031496.jpg

I didn't do anything with the interior. It's the family hauler and still my work truck. I get in it every afternoon covered in crap from the garage so anything nice would get ruined lol. It's not trashed (aside from the typical tear in the drivers seat) but it's factory inside besides a stereo.

David, yes that last pic is from the woodward dream cruise. It's an experience that really can't be described. Every gear head should go at least once. Just make sure your car can handle sitting in traffic on a hot August day. Some sections are stop and go for an hour or more at times. But, traffic jams aren't so bad when you're surrounded by hot rods. At one point I was having a little burnout duel with a newer gto. Shortly after that I saw Richard Rawlings drive by the other way in the new hellcat. I wanted to try the same with him but after a couple quick u turns when I caught him he was pulled over at the chevy display firing chrysler t shirts from a cannon into the crowd lol.
You sometimes get to spot pre production cars out cruising around. Last time I went in 03 one of the gm execs was out cruising an ssr. This time I saw the 2015 mustang out before it was released. All that plus the automotive history in Detroit it's good times.

And a gratuitous burnout shot from a local show, just toprove I don't baby it ;)
There's video too but it's kinda fuzzy
http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/u...CD1969C9D2.jpg

I see this truck everyday. I work at Carstar right up the road! I drive the lowered S10 on the ZQ8s. I'll have to stop by sometime I have a few questions

Ah ok! Yup, you're right near my shop and my house depending on which way you go lol.
Feel free. I'm at the shop almost every day

That's one sweet truck. I love the stripes.

Very nice, I'd love to run it in the Formula! :D

I assume you added a beefy tranny cooler too?

Thank you. I can't take credit for the idea of the paint scheme. My other half thought of it. I loved the idea and here you see it all in paint ;)

Yes Alex I added a big cooler too. No racing for it now though. 12,000 miles on it and the 60e already isn't happy in my 5200 lb tank lol. It works but second gear is on its way out. That and it's got one noisy lifter I need to attend to that comes and goes.
All that will be addressed in stage 2. Already back in parts gathering mode cause I can't leave well enough alone lol

Man oh man.....you've got me itching to go.

I think I would tow the white Camaro down. It would be great to be cruising 1/2 the time and watching the cars go by the other 1/2.

The hard part about relaxing and watching is finding a place to park. We ended up leaving the truck a block off the main strip and walking around for a little while.
Definitely go. It's something every gear head needs to experience. And by all means get there a couple days early if you have time. The cruising is almost better on the nights leading up to the show cause traffic is actually moving and still a bunch of hot rods running around.

i was thinking real hard on going this year. theres a fbody club thats up there that usually gets a big spot on the strip for the fbodys. if i go i was going to trailer my car up a few days early to hang out. im told theres a lot of things going on the days leading to the main show.

Oh yes there definitely is. The cruising is almost better on the days before the actual show cause the traffic is much lighter. Plus there's plenty of other automotive related stuff to do.
Anyone who goes to detroit I HIGHLY recommend visiting the ford piquette plant. Henry fords original model t plant. It was hands down the best and most informative historical tour information wise I've ever had anywhere. And all the guides are volunteers who love what they do. It's not huge but the wealth of information they have and share was well worth it.

Then we went and did the ford factory tour (gm and chrysler don't do public tours, bastards). It was meh. They say it's the only assembly line open for public viewing but they don't show you much. Just one small section. So take that for what it's worth. My daughter loved it. I was disappointed lol.

Jeez....you are one lucky SOB. My wife could care less and is mystified about why I care about cars. My son is just starting to show some interest in cars.

If at least one of them were wanting to go.....it would be an awesome trip. I have a book called "Woodward Avenue: Cruising the Legendary Strip". I've read it twice and although I'd love to go, I'm not really sure when I'd actually be able to go.

Thank you I know I am ;)
Jami was all for the trip. She has been hearing me talk about it for the last decade lol. She's into cars very much as well so it's a good fit. Our daughter is 9 and she's dying to help me at the shop all the time. Full of questions and wanting to learn. We'll see how the new girl due in March comes out but she'll be growing up with it all so it's kind of unavoidable lol

And I'll say it again, woodward is something that every gearhead needs to experience at least once in their lives. It's as amazing as it sounds. Cars of all shape and form everywhere for every interest

Frank, I would love to go this year.....but my wife has a bunch of crap planned including going out to California to see her sister this summer. The only thing I might get out of it is going to see the Peterson museum, but I think it might be closed. Screw me sideways and it's just my luck.

On the Woodward cruise, if not this year I might be able to go next year.