'97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Figured I'd start a thread for my Hoe. A little back ground info first:

I purchased it from fellow member Sydwayz (aka Brian), who is(was) a more routine member on Fullsizechevy.com. I came across the Tahoe while doing a search on FSC. I posted in a thread about a 2dr Hoe I found on Auto Trader. Amongst the forum discussion, Brian mentioned he'd consider selling his. At the time, I had a '93 S-10 that I was trying to sell. I couldn't make any moves until it sold. However, I went ahead and got a little background info from Brian just in case I'd have the opportunity to buy the Hoe. Since it wasn't being advertised (only offered to me), that worked out great. Luckily for me, my S-10 ended up selling in early January 2013. I called up Brian soon after to discuss more in-depth. After acquiring more detailed pics & continued conversation, I felt comfortable enough to strike a potential deal. My wife and I rented a van to help with hauling extra parts, & we headed off on a road trip to Virginia. Upon arrival, I found the Hoe to look just as great as I'd hoped. After the test drive & look-over, there wasn't much question as to whether it was coming home with me to SC! :lol: Brian & his girlfriend were such hospitable folks. He even put us up for the night at Marriott & let me store the Hoe in his shop overnight. The next day my wife and I picked up the Hoe & set out on our return trip to Charleston. At the time we left, the Hoe had approximately 71,500 original miles.

It might not be much of a build thread considering this is my daily driver, but I'll try to document any changes that are made. I don't really have any extreme plans since most of the hard work has been done. I just plan to do a few subtle things to "make it my own."

Here's a couple older threads Brian had posted to give you a little more info:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=370023

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=373179


Leaving VA, headed for it's new home in SC:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/9...bd0640a0_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Suspension specs are 4/6 drop with 2" DJM spindles & 2" Belltech springs up front; the rear has a 6" flip kit with helper air bags. The wheels are BOSS 338's in 18x8" all around, & the tires are Cooper Zeon 235/55/18 all around. I really wish the front wheels had more backspacing as the wider track width is noticeable. Also, I still have the steel, staggered 15" Vette rally wheels. My intention is to eventually get new tires for them & use them a few months or so during each year.

Few pics here, with additional ones at the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9854319...7634732650277/



http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/9...c2d4bc82_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7284/9...b98c7be1_c.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/9...0e9af38c_c.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/9...7cdb79da_c.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

After our trip home, it was my goal to get some extra lighting in the rear. The taillights are tinted, make visibility lower during the daylight. I did a little searching for LED light bars & came up with an inexpensive, temporary solution. I purchased an IPCW light bar from Amazon. The first one that arrived wasn't equipped with the reverse light like I ordered, so I sent it back. When the new one came in, I tested the reverse light right away. Assuming everything was good, I finished getting everything into place. Since this was made for a truck, I had to remove the attachment tabs to allow it to sit flush on my roll pan. I attached some 3M double-sided tape to the back & bottom of the light bar to ensure it would remain in place. I also had to notch the plastic a bit to allow the driver's side barn door to close. After all was said & done, I tested it out. Some bozo didn't wire the darn thing correctly from the factory. When I use the right turn signal or brake, the reverse light comes on as well. I opted to just leave it as-is for now, & I'll spend a few bucks on a nicer unit next time.

Part # for the light bar:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/9...2f44f071_z.jpg

Light bar in-box:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/9...9557f015_z.jpg

Notched plastic:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3812/9...3a03d73f_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Here's a pic of the rear with the LED light bar installed:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5470/9...fb2cac95_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Black is a good color for a Tahoe. Looks real clean. I like the knock-offs on the rims also. That's a nice touch.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Thanks. Yeah the knock-offs were Brian's idea. When I picked it up, it had the original BOSS caps that he had painted black. I think he said some guys were giving him a hard time about them (knock-offs), so that's why he switched back. However, I like the touch of old school flavor they give. I put them back on shortly after getting it home.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

They do give it a old school flavor. Reminds me of when i used to play with wire rims. Early 90's when the reverse offset on lowpro 50 series BFGs tires were every where.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

The next thing I did was install my front tag. While I'm only 31, I still lean more towards the old school stuff. I had some pinstriping done on my old '93 C-1500, some of which incorporated the Von Dutch flying eye. I knew I wanted something similar for my Tahoe, so I started brainstorming. After thinking & researching, I was able to find a guy on Etsy that had a vinyl graphics business. His site showed a pic of a flying eye decal, so I inquired about it. After determining the dimensions would work, I also found a company on Etsy selling blank tags. Since I couldn't find one locally, I had them ship me a solid black, blank metal tag. I then mated the two together & cleared over the whole thing.

This was the result before installation:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3767/9...f7e67c4e_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

That looks good. You plan to get some stripes on on the tahoe also. Or just leave it at the tag?

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Funny you ask. I do have something in mind & have been debating for a while now. I've been a little hesitant, as I don't want to mess up the clean look it has. However, I have something subtle in mind that I think would break up the black nicely & fit the hot rod look I love.

I had a guy pinstripe my old '63 Beetle when we lived in Pensacola, FL. He was friends with the lady I got the Beetle from, & he came down from Kentucky to visit. He does killer work. After moving here to Charleston, I found out that there's a guy relatively local that does striping. After seeing his work in person on some of the local street rods, customs, & such, it's obvious he's great at what he does as well. So, I've been a little torn on who to have do the work. The guy from KY will be at Goodguys Charlotte next weekend, but I'm not quite ready. I really want to get some paint correction work done to remove some fine scratches & swirls from washing/drying through the years. So, I'm now leaning towards just having the local guy perform his magic when the timing is right.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Well which ever way you go be sure to update the thread. I'm interested in seeing the outcome.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

For sure! Hopefully I'll have something done by the end of the year or shortly thereafter.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Sweet Tahoe! I love those 2drs:metal:

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

really clean

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Thanks, me too! A guy at my high school had a white one lowered 3/4 on 17" Torq Thrusts, & it sparked my interest way back then.

Thank you!

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

By the way, it has the original engine (5.7 Vortec). Nothing special except a K&N filter. It has Magnaflow dual in/single out exhaust. I'd like to have a slightly larger diameter Y-pipe fabbed & tucked up higher & eventually "upgrade" the cats. My '93 C-1500 had lots of goodies, but I plan to keep this one mostly stock for a while. Maybe someday it'll get a LS swap.

This is a pic the PO took, but it still looks the same:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/1...e4fdbd5e_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

So, I discovered that my center console rear cup holder wouldn't shut snugly. While not a huge deal, I just didn't want mine to rattle. Not to mention, I'm a little OCD & a stickler for small details.:lol: I had to do a little brainstorming to figure out a cure. This is what I was dealing with:


http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2829/9...419b551d_z.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3760/9...3a60c71a_z.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3730/9...43e1eb45_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

My solution: I went to Home Depot & bought a couple different styles of small magnets. I also bought a small magnetic type cabinet latch/fastener, which would be used as my first attempted solution. Here's a link to the type of magnet I used. Of course I modified it a bit as you'll read below. The link is for a pack of them, but I think the single magnet I bought was less than $1:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amerock-M...0#.Umc-PhClqjN


In this first pic, I used the metal "strike plate" piece from the magnetic catch. Since my Dremel is only battery operated, it doesn't last long. It wasn't charged anyway, so I painstakingly hand filed it down to the size I needed. Then I wedged it it to the area you see. It was snug against the edge of the cup holder, but I hot glued it to secure it.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5543/9...09b883ea_c.jpg

In this second pic, I cut that little tab off that originally slid into the grooves to hold the cup holder closed. After cutting, I filed the remaining plastic down using both my hand file & Dremel with sanding tool, leaving just a small lip. I didn't pull the console insert to snap a pic from the inside. I think I ended up trimming a little bit of the plastic just rear of that tab I mentioned, just so the magnet would sit flush. Then, I ended up cutting away the plastic casing to remove the two magnets inside the magnetic catch. I only used one of them as you see in the pic, flush with the inner side of the console edge & positioned slightly forward of the lip I filed down where the tab was previously. I also hot glued it to secure it in place.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/9...410c0520_c.jpg

And here's a pic of it shut after completion. As you can see, it does shut snugly now. My initial thoughts were to look into getting a stronger magnet someday, as it doesn't take much effort to open. However, I haven't had it pop open yet. So, I decided I'm not gonna mess with it unless it becomes an issue.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/9...ecf49c58_c.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Good looking Tahoe!

Nice fix on the consoles rear cup holder... I've had a few consoles with that same issue.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Thanks! Yeah, I'm sure it's a common problem. It didn't make sense to replace an otherwise near mint condition console to fix the issue, so I had to come up with something. :ito:

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Here's a couple pics of my "Chevy Only" decal courtesy of the one and only Dino. I debated on where to install it, as I also had a white colored decal as well. I thought about the white one on the rear barn door window corner, however I'd need something for the opposite side to balance it out. I also like the blacked out look of the rear, & the white decal would've detracted from that. So, I opted for the black for subtlety. It's not too obvious in the lower windshield corner, but the "right" folks will notice it.


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3756/9...19b3deb3_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5549/9...7cbe49a1_b.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Something I've been debating & thought I'd ask opinions on, is whether to keep the billet grille as-is or have it powder coated gloss black? I know you can buy them that way too, so I'm not sure which would be the cheaper route. I had also thought about keeping it as-is & adding a black billet bowtie to the grille center; or I could also go completely one-off & use some type of emblem from a classic Chevy car/truck. Btw, the billet grille is currently just brushed aluminum.

Nothing I'm in a hurry to do, but any thoughts/ideas are appreciated. :chevy:

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

I kind of like the idea of a black billet bowtie, but a black grille insert would match the rims. Chrome ring with a black center.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Yes, exactly what I was thinking if doing the black billet grille insert. The chrome ring would stay the same. I tried to look for an example once before, but I can't remember if I found anything. I'll do another search & post the pic if I come up with something.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Ordered a set of these today:
http://streetsceneeq.com/product_popup.asp?id=605&img=1

A guy that works with my dad does paint/body on the side, & he'll be painting them for me. Gonna pick them up when I visit my hometown for the Christmas holiday. Should be able to get them installed sometime around the beginning of the new year.

If anybody is in the market for the factory mirrors, let me know. They'll be up for sale once these are installed.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Well, I took it in to a local hot rod shop today for some minor paint correction. Trying to remove some fine scratches/swirls before having some old school pinstriping done. I'll probably take it for pinstriping after the first of the new year, because I have too many other holiday plans between now & then.

I also pulled the factory mirrors today, & it went fairly smoothly. It's a bit of a challenge getting to a couple of those nuts & making sure you don't drop them. However, it's much easier than having to remove the entire door panel like I had to do on my old '93 C-1500.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Talked to dad last week, & the sport mirrors are painted. I'll be picking them up while I'm home for the holidays. When I get back to SC, I'll throw them on & snap some pics. I also have to chase down the culprit of some annoying chirping/squealing noises under the hood. Here's a link I started related to the issue:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=607963

Merry Christmas!

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Still haven't got my chirping issue sorted out, but I should have a couple new parts by Monday. If that don't work, I gotta dig deeper. It's a bit frustrating to say the least. I picked up my mirrors but still haven't gotten them installed. Hopefully I can get to that this weekend.

Another frustrating thing is I thought I had 100% original paint aside from the accessories & driver's door that the PO had worked on. A few months ago after washing it, I noticed a hint of red metallic when the sun hit the driver's front fender. Well, last week I further confirmed after seeing another spot. It wouldn't make much sense if the original fender had metallic red underneath, considering the factory paint code is the standard black (8555). Aside from that, the clear is getting really thin above the top body line towards the rear. So, now I'm looking at my options for repainting this fender. It sucks when you start throwing money at things you weren't expecting to. Here's a look at the fender:

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Well, good news is the chirping noise completely disappeared. :uhmk: I also got around to installing the Street Scene mirrors. I still want to repaint that driver's side front fender. Then I'll see about having some pinstriping done. I had planned to already to be further along at this point, but oh well.

Was out doing some sightseeing this past weekend & drove the Hoe. I decided to snap a few new pics while we were out. We visited a couple of historical cemeteries here in Charleston, & it proved to be a pretty cool backdrop. My wife takes the Hoe to work on occasion, & one of the guys there refers to it as "the hearse." :lol:


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/1...021ddab6_c.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3669/1...94f2f3f8_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7377/1...1d443047_c.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3693/1...b03f6ba2_c.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/1...be85ffdf_c.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Started cleaning up the Vette rally wheels this weekend. I took them Friday to have the old tires removed. The PO thought the front wheels might be warped, but I had a feeling it was just the worn tires. I had them checked while at the tire shop, & they checked out okay. I brought them home & began cleaning the old brake dust, grime, & surface rust from the back of the wheels. Turns out the rear wheels are 15x8, not 15x10's like I had been told. Not a big deal though. I'm just priming & painting the rear with Rustoleum rattle can, but I plan to have the fronts painted with a nice automotive enamel. Not sure what color yet, but I plan to wait until the pinstriping is done before making the final decision. Then I'll also get new tires for them. I'm thinking 235/70/15 for the 6" front wheels & 275/60/15 for the 8" rears. Planning on either BFG Radial T/A's or Cooper Cobra Radial GT's.

Pics below are before cleaning, after, & painted

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

They cleaned up pretty good. You have 2 sets of rims now, and looking to get some Vintecs. Don't have to worry about flats that way I guess. lol

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

The BOSS wheels & associated tires will be for sale as soon as I get new tires for the rally wheels. The funds will be applied towards the purchase of the new wheels. Not exactly sure when that purchase will happen yet. In the end I'll have 2 sets of wheels to run, each which will give a totally different vibe to the overall look.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Went to Charlotte for the AutoFair last weekend. Here's a little sneek peek into the future:

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

No pics, but yesterday I pulled the grille & bumper filler. This evening I took it to the body shop. Hopefully I'll have it back Thursday with a fresh black driver's side front fender. Then I'm planning to do some detailing on the rest of the paint. Once that's done, I'll be hitting up the pinstriper. Glad to finally get this ball rolling!

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Fender has been painted, so that issue is taken care of. Hopefully taking it in Thursday to get the A/C going again. It had a leaky compressor when I bought it. I did a recharge last year with some dye added, but it didn't last long. It's leaking around the case, where the front & rear halves join. From what I've read, this is a common place for them to leak. My wife said she won't drive it anymore this Spring/Summer without the air working!:lol: I wasn't expecting to have to do A/C work on this thing when I bought it. I assumed it worked fine & wasn't told it didn't. I didn't even think to ask since it was winter when I bought it. Oh well, I guess it has served pretty good over it's lifetime.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Been working on some other little things. I had posted a thread asking about smooth wiper cowls:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=624790

Since the consensus is that most fit like crap, I decided to "spiffy" up my stock one. I also wanted to try and eliminate some of the debris (leaves, etc.) from falling through the cowl. This is one reason I was interested in the smooth cowl. Since I'm working with my stock one though, I decided to try adding some mesh screen to the under side. Here's a look at the cowl in stock form:

Top:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/...f7dee094_z.jpg

Bottom:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5523/...796513c2_z.jpg


I also repaired a crack on the driver's side of the wiper cowl. I used JB Weld for plastic. I didn't think to take a before pic, but here's a glimpse of the bottom after I fixed it:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2919/...741ab840_z.jpg

And this is what I used to repair the crack:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/...aa63e463_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Here's a look underneath the cowl after adding the mesh screen, which I bought at Lowe's. Since anything used to attach it would've likely been messy, I just opted to hot glue it into place. I tried to measure, cut, & glue as sanitary as possible, even though nobody will see it.

Bottom driver's side:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/...f2d2ec12_z.jpg

Bottom center:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/...39d70d21_z.jpg

Bottom passenger side:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/...21b5368f_z.jpg

Fiberglass mesh screen used under the cowl:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5349/...d840fce6_z.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7372/...ece982b3_z.jpg

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

I'm still working on repainting the top side of the cowl panel. I'll post pics once it's done. Good news is I have a working A/C again! Since I forgot to take pics of the parts before installation, I'll just list what I used:

Delphi A/C compressor: Part # CS0120
Delphi Accumulator: Part #AD10080
ACDelco Orifice Tube: Part # 15-5612

I got the compressor from RockAuto, while the accumulator and orifice tube were purchased via Amazon.

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Good looking Tahoe. I had the rattling center console cupholder issue, too. I ended up putting felt around the little tab that is supposed to hold it shut. 5 years later, it is still holding strong even while the cup holder gets occasional use.

Good wheel choice, too. :)

Re: '97 Chevy Tahoe (2dr/2wd) mild custom
 

Thanks. :) My console wasn't actually rattling but just wouldn't stay shut completely. I'm sure it would've begun to rattle at some point though if I hadn't fixed it.

Wheel choice wasn't mine, but I'm rolling with it for now. If going with the BOSS 338's, I would've chosen the gray spokes like you have. I plan on going old school for a while if I can ever round up a couple 15x7 rallys (like I have) for the front. Trying to sell the 15x6's I currently have.

We had an almost $1500 setback due to the cat needing emergency care.:crazy: Needless to say, some of my plans have been temporarily put on the back burner.