Shop Truck refurb, code name Chaser

[RandyP]

87 LWB Silverado 350 TBI

Ok, going to start a thread so I can simply document more or less. This will not be a ground up restoration or anything, but simply a good looking dependable company vehicle. My main goal is to make something here that my customers are not ashamed to ride it, or my employees will fear driving to get parts or move customer cars for sublet work, hence the name Chaser, it will always be the chase vehicle.

I bought the truck from a fellow whose dad bought it brand new. His daughter was broken hearted that daddy was selling it, she really wanted it. I swore to him he could not have sold it to anyone who would take better care of it, and vowed to slick it up again. When we're done, I'll try to use this thread to show him everything that was done.

We've already done some to it, mostly maintenance items. Our body shop is fairly busy, which is good for my pocket book, but bad for trying to get the truck done quickly. We are doing stuff to it as we get a few moments of free time, and it helps my techs make a few extra bucks when needed. I have an awesome body man who also runs a dirt track stock car, so he is fairly handy as a mechanic as well. He knows chevrolet 350's in and out, which will be a savior for me.

What we started with:

[RandyP]

First thing, I wanted the interior redone a little. A CD player had been installed, thus the dash was cut. We obtained a used chunk of dash, as well as numerous dash pieces and instrument parts, and got that fixed. I took one of the extra bezels, removed the broken/aged stick on trim, painted it black and silver. I know that is a "down grade" for the silverado, but it looks good. Got a factory radio installed as well as a factory clock. Had the seats recovered and the headliner redone as well. New pull straps were obtained and I redid the elastic on the map pockets. Dash pad is cracked badly, but I recoated it with some fresh color and put a carpet cover on it, looks fine.

[RandyP]

Next thing, pinion seal leaking badly. Same with the oil pressure sensor. Replaced both with ease and eliminated the major leaks. Next was to remove the smog junk. Wasn't hooked up anyways, PO had true duals with flowmasters put on it at sometime, no cat's. Thank goodness we do not have emissions testing here any more.
I knew my guys were removing all the smog stuff, but when I walked out in the shop and seen both of them under the hood, one with a water bottle, the other with a torch and the fire extinguisher sitting beside them, my heart jumped a beat. They had to liquid wrench a few of the bolts off, then we just welded a plug in the extra holes on the manifolds.
While doing the pinion seal, we decided new ujoints were in order as well for the drive shaft. Might as well "since we were right there".
Also obtained another set of rallys, went ahead and painted them red, cleaned up the trim and put new shoes on them. Went with 265/75R15, seemed to fill in the tire well better.

[silvereagle07]

Looks cool! Nice shop truck.

[palposity]

Looks like you have a very nice start!

[RandyP]

Time for a tune up and some brakes. Another board member had suggested to replace the front springs with HD springs, in order to bring the front end up a little to make it sit level.
So off we went to replace the plugs, wires, rotor bug and cap. Found one of the plugs cracked, the rest were just old and well used.
Took the rotors to be turned, got new calipers and pads. Once we got it apart, we realized it had the original ball joints and tie rods, so we figured those might as well get replaced while we "were there". Amazing how that stuff snow balls.
57 trips to O'Reillys later, we got it done. I swear I am about done with that store.

I love the stance it has now, not quite as tall as a 4x4, but close. If you didn't count the lugs you might mistake it for a 3/4 or 4x4.

[RandyP]

By this time, I am getting very good at taking the dash apart and putting it back together. The last time I had it all apart, I pulled all the duct work out and cleaned it. We had replaced an A/C line and it finally held a vacuum, so at least it has cold air and the PO had did the R134 swap. I painted all the dash vents and cleaned them as well. Sadly, I am going to tear in to the dash one last time, but I am going to wait until I get everything ready so it will be the last time (famous last words?).
After making my poor body man repair the dash where the radio mounts, I have decided to put a more modern OE radio in it out of a burban. This will get me away from the crystal tuning and in to the more modern electronic tuning.
I bought an 89 suburban, with thoughts of doing the front end swap and using some of the interior pieces and instrument cluster (trip meter!). Also will give us an extra 350 TBI we can remove and start rebuilding, leaving the truck intact and able to be used.

[RandyP]

This will pretty much get me caught up to where I sit now. The parts burban has been dismantled somewhat. Big score for me on speakers! I was about to buy new ones so when I had the dash apart again, I could replace them. Now I have them. I'm not big on aftermarket speaker/radio stuff, but these have to be better than the worn out old factory ones.
I removed the bed liner in the truck as well. Paperwork in the glove box (original dealer invoice where bought) shows the liner and bed rails were installed before owner took delivery. It also had a set of running boards it says, but I guess those are long gone. Short story, under the bed liner... wow. Apart from the wear marks where the liner moved a little and the friction from putting it in, it is in remarkable shape for a 23 year old truck!
I also have one piece of the duct work that refuses to connect, and I can tell I am losing a ton of air volume out that vent. I will somehow get that connected the next (LAST!) time I'm in there. It's the right vent on the cluster, so sadly the pad has to be in place while I'm trying to get it to slide together properly.
Also scored a chrome push/grille guard for $20. Debating on seeing what it looks like installed.

[RandyP]

My shop is a small mom and pop type place, I have one body man, one helper/detailer and one painter. I rent out space for Hertz and for a guy who does custom motorcycle paint work and artwork. He does the most realistic flame work I have ever seen, one talented individual (http://designcraftweb.com).

We got slammed with work about a week ago, can not even fathom working on personal stuff right now. I'll toss a photo up of the cars in the shop this morning.
My back lot looks like a junk yard, between my parts vehicle and my helpers 79 SWB and his 84 parts truck (blue one), add in the S10 blazer I'm doing a title 42 on (teach them to abandon one with me!) and a trailer... I'm running out of room!

[JohnC]

Looking forward to your progress on this. Good job so far.

[RandyP]

Busy week at the shop, but I did go tinker with the parts truck. Got the core support out of it and tied the hoses together and the transmission lines together, did not want to make it undriveable.
Started work on the replacement hood, from the 'burban. Got the thing sanded topside pretty well, had tons of rock chips. I thought at first I had a perfect hood, but upon sanding I did find 2 areas that will need some light mud work. I did go ahead and flip it over and cleaned/scuffed/paint the bottom.

On a side note, yesterday I had an old painter buddy of mine stop by my shop since he seen the doors open. We talked for a spell, then he went to leave and his blazer would not start. I went out and looked at it, his column was so loose I can not believe he was driving it. I just knew something had failed inside the column due to the issue. We pushed it inside my building and waited until this morning to tinker with it. He and a friend of his pulled the column apart and fixed the 'wiggle' issue, and found what they thought was the problem with the ignition. Got it built back up and turned the key.... nothing. I crawled under it, tested the fuseable link (was good) and then whacked the starter with a hammer. It started. I crawled out from under it and told him to get ready to replace the starter, hehe.
A little about the blazer, my dad bought it new in 1988, drove it a year and bought a new 1989 excab 4x4. He sold the blazer to a guy soon after. He drove the truck for about 4 months, and hated it, hated everything about it. He went and found the guy who bought the blazer and swapped him, hehe. He then drove the blazer for a few years and bought a new suburban, our painter at the time bought the blazer and has owned it ever since.

[RandyP]

Well, slow go on anything new. I ordered a factory AM/FM Cassette, the correct radio that is supposed to be in this truck, but it came in as a normal old style AM/FM with no digital display or ETR. Waiting to see if they dig up a correct radio or not. Sometimes it is so discouraging, you talk to the counter person, fax them a picture of it, explain what it is and how it differs from previous years, and still get an incorrect item.

The last few nights I drove the truck home, and I gotta say, she is running rougher and rougher. She'll almost die out coming to a stop unless you two foot it. On first start up it feels like she's missing on a few cylinders. Once you get going though she does run like a top, I'm fearful an engine rebuild and tranny swap might be closer than I had originally thought.

I did take some time and sanded my donor hood down with 80, what I thought was a perfect hood. I found a few dents and one fairly decent sized wave in it though. I tried my hand at some mud work, and quickly remembered why I run the office of a body shop, and own the place, verses being a body man. Now I can prime and paint when I have to, and I can turn a wrench and swap parts easy enough, but I am not sure I could fix a little one hour dent in one wipe to save my life. None the less I did get the dents fixed and prepped it for primer. Shot some wash primer on it since I had a lot of bare metal, then layered on some high build primer. Amazing when you get your first wet coat of primer, how you then find two more dents... I was past the point of no return though. I hammered on about 4 coats, unreduced so it would really be high build.

It was fun playing with our new primer gun though. We got a new 3m "disposable" primer gun. It has plastic heads on it that you just use for a few weeks, pop it off and toss it and install another plastic head. It uses the PPS system, which is also new to me, and I must say I think I like that. Sorta neat to mix up the product, spray it out, and then just lay the container of whatever is leftover to the side and let it harden up and toss it in the trash. I think it'll save us big time on our waste disposal.

Waiting on my body man to get his race cars roof sanded (dirt track) so I can paint it and my new core support at the same time. I'm cheating a bit on his top and my support, going old school and putting an epoxy sealer on them and then going single stage enamel black.

And, a few pictures because that is the fun part, right? And no I did not use the paint booth to spray the primer, you know how bad that kills my filter!!

[joe231]

Looks good!!

[RandyP]

Well, the shop is still busy busy busy. Couple that with my body man having a fairly bad wreck and being laid up for a few days, not much of anything has been going on with poor ol' red. We had done a tune up on her, and my body man thought she was running like a top. I'd complain about the way she was running, he'd jump in and run her down the highway and tell me it just needed the cobwebs blown out (I live a mile from my shop, I drive a lot of short distances). But, since he has had her borrowed due to his wreck, he admits there is something not right. It really feels like she is not running on all 8 and you can tell there is a loss of power.
Done my research, got a new crate motor ordered. Now to figure out if I want to try and put it in here or just pay someone to get it in and done a lot faster. Also debating very seriously of removing the 700r4 and going with just a normal old 3 speed 350 turbo. We'll use it very little on the highway, but I might miss that OD, still pondering.
Got the parts suburban stripped pretty much of everything I want, save for the doors and wheels. I'm still trying to leave it mobile and waterproof since it is staying outside all the time. Plus it would be nice to have here until the engine swap is done, never know when I might need a few bolts or something here and there, and I want the headers off of it. My dedicated parts room for this truck is starting to actually have a lot of junk in it. Won't be much longer and I'll probably need to sell some of it off, might make me enough for a few happy meals.

We did take one evening last week and start to strip down a cab for my helpers build. He is doing a 79 SWB, has a donor 84 model we're going to get blasted. He's decided to go hot rod on it, shave the firewall and all that good stuff.
Tossing up a few photos, this way you can see I ain't fibbing about being busy. We had to pack them inside last night.

[RandyP]

My wife has also given me a deadline for having this truck done. She wants it in the Christmas parade this year. Our next slow spell should be in October, will be cutting it close I think.
And, my parts closet for this truck. I actually sort of inventoried it this weekend. I got a lot of junk it seems in a short time span. I also have a make shift testing bench for radios. I've been on the hunt for a factory electronic radio for the 87 era. So far I've gotten 3 from the salvages, and everyone has been inop. I'm about to give up and cut my dash hole bigger and put the factory suburban radio out of a 91 model.

I did get my air cleaner back, sent one out to be powder coated. Now I wish I would have sent the core support as well. Still might I guess.

[JohnC]

Thanks for the update Randy. As for the tranny. I would stick with the 700R4. Even if you don't use it much for highway driving, I think you would still like the overdrive being there when you do need it. What crate motor did you go with?

Keep plugging away at it, and collecting parts. You'll have it done before your deadline no problem.

[RandyP]

That's pretty much the same thing my transmission guy told me. He said the 700r4 will stand up with out any issues, and help with the gas mileage. I ordered the crate 350 with 290 horses. If it does not 'go right in' with only a few little modifications like Joe told me, I'm going to go beat him with my intake.

[JohnC]

You shouldn't have any problems. It should slide right in.

[Jonboy]

Yep, should go right in. The 700R4 has a lower 1st and 2nd gear also, to help get that truck moving. You can also run a little more conservative rear gear (3.42 is about perfect, IMO).

[joe231]

I promise I've done the same swap recently

I agree with Jonboy about gearing, but it depends on what size rear tire you are going to run.
I plan on running 31" tall tires and 3.73's will be better suited to my truck.

[RandyP]

I'm running 265/75's on the stock rally, measures a bit under 30". I'm happy with the 3.42, rear end is solid enough for my purpose. I just want to make sure I can leave black marks when I want, maybe a chirp every now and then if the mood strikes me.

I know I am not going to be patient enough to let my guys do this engine swap. Waiting to hear back from the guy who is going to rebuild my transmission, he said he would do a motor rebuild if I wanted, but also encouraged me to go with the crate motor. I'm gonna see what he might do the swap for instead. Give him my O'Reillys account and tell him to get it done!

[JohnC]

I recently had a motor rebuilit, and I wish I would have went with a crate motor. For the ease of just going picking it up, and having a warranty with it. Then the cost really isn't that much different. Now if you know someone, or you are doing it yourself then you can save some money on the rebuild. You could look at the 383 crate motor. That would for sure let you leave a black mark whenever you wanted.

[RandyP]

Still waiting on the crate engine to be delivered. My body man is insisting I let him and his helper do the swap. He swears he can do it in an easy weekend. I guess we'll see.
Went ahead and got my 'burb core support painted, in anticipation of doing the engine swap in the next few weeks sometime. Will be a natural time to swap the support then.
Painted up one of my (numerous) instrument cluster cases, went with a chrome spray paint to see if it makes it that much brighter or not. I'm really trying to have everything lined up and ready and only tear in to the dash one more time (famous last words I know). Ordering a 100mph speedo and going to ditch the factory clock I ordered. Still trying like mad to find a good ETR factory radio, about to give up and order an aftermarket that is made for these trucks.
Put the grille guard on this weekend as well, just to see how it looks. Not sure if I prefer it over the push guards or not. Seems at least with the push guards you can actually use them to push a car with, and this grille guard is more just for pretty. But it would look sweet powder coated white to match the two tone I'm gonna do, and put some driving lights on it. Drove the truck for the first time last night in the dark, all I can say is "damn it was dark".

The wife is starting to get very very very whiney about the $$$ I am spending on this. That's another reason I came to the shop so much this weekend and basically did nothing but play. I was going to go pick up a new car hauler trailer this weekend, but she put a stop to that as well. Guess I'll count my blessings that I got the engine ordered and I'll sneak in one last order from LMC and CPA, she won't see that credit card bill for a month.

Sorry for the poor photos of the truck, it was raining outside and I barely had the nose of the truck under my canopy.



You know how long it's been since I shot single stage? Let alone single stage enamel? I was really surprised I did not have it running off on the floor. Used my new cheap Starting Line gun, the 1.4 tip did better than I thought.

Might try one in a bright white with clear, see if it appears more reflective or not.

[joe231]

white is the way to go unless you can chrome plastic...
here is why, the reason we see color has to do with which parts of the light is reflected. A black object absorbs all colors in the spectrum, that is why it appears black, blue absorbs all colors in the spectrum except blue which is reflected so we see blue, and so on with every color. Then there is white which reflects all the colors in the spectrum, or all the light. so painting the inside of the cluster white reflects more light. as you probably know, I did that with the tach dash in the '80 and I'm a true believer in white

[JohnC]

Yeah as our resident scientist has stated white does make it brighter.

I personally like the stock bumper guards over the bar that you have on there. To me that just doesn't look right on a 2wd truck, but more for a 4x4.

That core support looks sweet though!