My 97 sierra z71 rebuild.

[cflvulcan]

First off, let me say new york sucks. For many reasons but mainly because of the salt they use in the winters which kills our vehicles. This is my 1997 sierra z71. I bought back in 2006, it was rust free and had just under 100k miles on it. After two winters of me owning it, it just starting rusting uncontrollably. I started collecting body panels here and there for a few years. I like using used body panels just because i know theyll fit. OEM and aftermarket parts just dont fit right on this body style for whatever reason. This is my daily driver so i was only able to work on this little by little between my job and working on side jobs for people plus i had to drive this everyday up until a month ago i decided to rip it all apart. Im on a very limited budget due to a baby on the way.

This is what it looked like when i first got it in 2006, and i drove it like this for a few years.


Summer 2010, i put on a roll pan and picked up some 2010 chevy wheels/tires for $400 with like 2k miles on them. There ugly but i needed tires and couldnt pass that up. you can kinda get the idea of the rust that started.


The original box was complete junk underneath. I found a florida 91 box with a few little dents in it for $200 plus tax at a local junk yard. its the red and silver one in the background.


Some rust...



I stripped the original paint off cause it was checked from the florida sun. Then i did the body work, primed it and drove it like that for about eight months, lol.

[rchavez101]

Rust sucks. I once bought a Lowboy trailer from Pennsylvania for my business . I live in NM and I was surprised when they delivered it in NM. It worked for the short time I had it but was surprised how a trailer that holds 50tons could rust like that.
It looks like you are headed in the right direction on the build.

[cflvulcan]

Yeah it def is amazing, all the lowboys and other construction equipment are like that up here. I actually drive truck for a living, ill put up more pics of my progress on it when I get back home cause its hard for me to load pics on here from my phone.
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[cflvulcan]

Then some months later i did the drivers side rocker and cab corner, hung the "new" door and fender. Heres some pics...




http://hphotos-sea1.fbcdn.net/hphoto..._2262479_n.jpg

Heres a shot of the "new" inner and outer fender mounted.


Then i drove it like this for another couple months...

[cflvulcan]

While I was on the road for a week, my girlfriend surprised me by bringing my truck to her work and having her employees finish my box. (Shes body shop manager at a local chevy dealer.) Heres some pics i received while out driving. Oh, and theres a new wheels and tires.

[jb1016]

Wow, she sounds like a keeper for sure. Truck is looking good -- can't believe that rust.

[collins10672]

when you told me the other day in my thread you had lots of rust,man i didn't picture near that much.that is unbelievable that truck looked that nice in first pic and 2 years later tons of rust.man they must use a 1,000,000 tons of salt per year where you live.after seeing the restoration pics though i have no worries she will be back as good as new before long.keep up the good work and keep us updated i want to see more pics of this project.

[cflvulcan]

Yeah thats why i keep her around lol. Believe or not ive fixed other peoples trucks this body style that were worse hahaha. After i finish it i wish i didnt have to drive it in the winter cause its just gona happen again.

[cflvulcan]

Still trying to bring all this up to date seeing how im painting it this afternoon. In september 2011 i was cleaning the garage and figured it was time to put these buckets and console in because theyve been sitting in the garage for over a year...



Then this was day i said screw it im finally ripping it all apart...





Every one of my body mounts looked like this, idk how the rubber cushings didnt fall thru...


And the fix. I found these plate things at tractor supply in the bearing aisle. The factory cushion couldnt fit any better in that piece and they were like $3for two.


The pass side rocker and cab corner glued on...


More to come...

[loudnlifted88]

wow looks good its like maine we have salt on the roads here in the winter but not near as bad but i also hear something about white paint and how it rust out quicker because of some pigment it doesnt have but nice truck

[cflvulcan]

Havent been able to touch the truck cause ive been busy with all these airbrush jobs. I know im missing a bunch of stuff, but ill skip ahead. I was able to paint it two weeks ago and I started putting it together...




I ended up spraying black candy on the taillights and third brake lights. I can't seem to find any dark taillights don't look dumb imo. My goal is I wana have all smoked lights, windows and the black wheels to contrast with the white. I like it some don't... next step is putting the interior together...
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[tattoed71]

looks great ,most people would have give up,