My build thread (56k user beware)

I dont understand why people try to pull in reverse.... At least the Ford tried to pull you out the right way...

Looks like fun Fasel, thanks for the pictures.

Yeah john a diesel would've pulled me right out but I had to give him crap because he's a ford boy and thinks his exploder is the crap!! lol And Merlin the chevy pulled my in reverse because I was plowing ground with my axle in reverse I had to be pulled out foward and he had a stronger tow point on the front then on the back!


Joe I wished you lived closer too man I want to go wheeling with you! When I saw the pics of rausch creek man that looked like fun!

Something else that's kinda funny about the exploder... We had a pull off he had 4wd and I don't even have my front driveshaft in yet so I was 2 wheeling it and he still couldn't pull me!!! lol When I get 4wd I'll pull him in circles!

Well... the time finally came for me to make a decision as to what I'm gonna do with the Z71. I had to decide whether I was going to continue driving it as a DD or keep it as just a toy. Seeing how I've been through so much with this truck it's gotten me in and out of so many hard times and has only once left me stranded on the side of the road. But that one time I was within walking distance of the parts store and was a repair that could be made on the side of the road within mintues so I can't even say stranded. So that weighed heavily on my decision. So with that in mind I couldn't possibly continue to beat the living crap out of a vehical that has done so much for me. Because I believe that trucks have feelings. Somedays they are in a good mood and perform flawlessly and other days they are just not feeling good and perform sluggishly and idle rough and just feel all around tired. If I continued abusing this truck the way I was then it wouldn't be long before it decided to not be as faithful to me.

So I've decided to retire the Z71 to a life of ease with an occasional workout.

So begins the next chapter of My build thread. This time the truck is getting a complete overhaul and won't be completed for quite some time. I going to let the truck rest this winter and begin another parts collection.

First things first the build plan. I'm completing restoring the body. I've done a complete inspection of the body and basically from what me and my cousin can tell every body panel on the Z is rotted beyond repair except for the shell of the cab. So I'm getting all new body panels. I already have a box from a 94 Z71 that's 99% solid the only problem areas are right above the fenderwells have a couple cancer spots and there is a rather nasty dent in the driver side by the tail light but my cousin who went to wyotech for auto body restoration and collision repair said that they would be nothing to fix. I also bought a set of doors from a 95 GM they have power windows locks and the newer sport mirrors and are also power and heated I'm having a like new set of fenders sent up here from down state and I'm getting cab corners and rocker panels off ebay. The fenders will be here by next friday and the rockers and cab corners I'll get at a later date. Me and brett (my cousin) will begin fixing the box around thanksgiving time because he currently has a car project in his garage right now. but we'll fix the box and herculine the bottom and inside of the box. The front inner fenders are getting lined to. The whole truck will be D.A.'d and primed then painted gloss black. The windows have a 20% tint on them but I'm going all the way down to 5% on the back windows and 25% on the side windows. I'm looking for a lighted visor and I already have a sunroof for it. I'm fixing the roll bar and reinstalling that I'm thinking of just keeping 4 lights but rolling around the idea of 5 maybe 6 lights instead. I'm going with a 98 chevy grill with euro headlight buckets and HIDs I'm going with euro style tail lights and I'm gonna have those smoked. I've putt alot of thought into the body styling and this isn't even the half of it. The body is gonna be a slow process and I'm planning on being about 4k into the body when I'm done hopefully by April. I'm not rushing the build this time like I did with the SAS I'm gonna go nice and slow.

The suspension is gonna stay SA'd (I really have no choice! lol) But it is getting reduced to a solid 5" all the way around. I'm gonna be running a set of 33" radials instead of 35" bias plys. I'm still going with 4 wheel disk brakes and I'm gonna take the blocks out of the rear and shorten the shackle lift and put a set of dodge 1.5 ton rear leaf springs in because I've also decided to drop a 5th wheel hitch in the bed for future plans which I'm not getting into at this point. The front is getting a serious shackle reduction from 7" lift shackles to stock 87 gm shackle design which is around 1/2" I'm also getting a different set of front leafs but haven't decided yet. Far to many choices at this point.

The drive train is pretty straight foward. Engine will retain a stock bore stroke pistions crank and connecting rods. But the cam is getting upgraded and I'm swapping out for a set of gasket matched 5.0L heads and roller rockers. I'm going with a mild intake stock 500 cfm TB and I've whipped up a wicked cold air intake design in my head and threw it down on paper. And some other doodads that I'm not gonna go into right now because most of you know what they are anyhow. The trans is getting a shift kit and maybe a simple rebuild. The case is getting left alone as are the axles much aside from gears and lockers nothing fancy. I'm looking at about 3K into the drivetrain.

All other little upgrades and mods will be included but not talked about until installation due to the fact that there is about 200 little ideas bobbing around my head. For now I'm sticking with this and trust me when I say this. It's gonna be another long time coming. Don't expect this build thread to be updated daily or end anytime soon because as I said my current timeline is aiming for April could be later though I have truely no idea how long I'm gonna take on this yet...

I have a pic but only one of my doors. Which are partailly worked on. I bought them this way.

NICE Glad to hear the old beauty is getting the golden treatment this winter. She deserves it

Don't forget to get lots of before pictures

Oh yeah there are goona be lots and lots of pics. The S15 jimmy is serving as the DD for now and the Z is getting a very very nice treatment yes. I'm kinda starting to think it's gonna be a show quality truck when I'm done. I've got about a 7K for a budget spread out over the next 6 months.

I approve! i love it when a truck gets used, and then rehabilitated into a very nice DD. PICS PICS PICS!!!!!!!!

Pics will come in time. For now it's just waiting patiently in the driveway. Gotta wait til after thanksgiving before anything serious takes off due to the fact that there is another project in my cousins shop right now.

I'm still maiting on my fenders. They where supposed to be here last friday. They're not paid for yet and they are coming from a very good friend of mine so I'm not worried about not getting them. He's a scrapper by profession so he real busy with fall cleanup and whatnot. I'm in no big rush this time. With the lift I was gunning for a finish and ended up with a bunch of little short falls. Wrong springs bad trans crossmember a bunch of nit picky crap that shouldn't have happened but did cause I was rushing...

merlin5577 wrote:

I dont understand why people try to pull in reverse.... At least the Ford tried to pull you out the right way...

Generally, reverse is a lower gear. But I see your point....LOL....

FaselZ71 wrote:

Pics will come in time....

You keep promising more.... but.....

Anyways, do you have videos too, by chance?

Yeah I'm sorry guys that I haven't done much with the truck. I've had some shakes in my life that weren't very nice. I lost a family member just before christmas me and the landlord are not getting along right now the jimmy decided to go toe up the z71 had a front end failure (darn backlash anyway) So things have slowed right to almost a hault! But the truck budget is gonna get a nice shot in the arm here in the next month so it'll be quite nice then! I won't have hardly any photos because I ended up not by choice adopting a stray staffordshire terrier pup and he got antsy one day and decide that the camera looked tasty!!! But as always the bumps in my road smooth out and things start to roll again!! So now that I know how much the budget will grow I've been preparing a shopping list and need alittle input. I'm buying a new set of tires because the TSLs have made to the end of their rope and it's time to replace. I'm thinking because of the direction I'm going with the truck that a good set of radials are in order but can't decide on an off the shelf set of tires because for one they are stupid expensive in my size and two I just don't really like all this 35/12.50/20 and crap so I've decided that military radials are the way too go! I like these ones what do you guys think.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-GOODYEAR-36x12-50x16-5-HUMMER-H1-HUMVEE-90-100-TIRES-/250751142273?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a61eec981

i still have them michelin military radials but they are 42s and require a 19.5 rim. im sure we could work something out if your interested.

darn I forgot about you having those. 42's are way outta my league for the z71. I'm gonna stay right around the 35 36 37 range. For DD purposes. Thanks though. But I got permission from the boss today to have any tires I chose shipped to the shop for the cheaper freight pricing and ease of unloading with the forklifts and truck bays and all.

Ok so I got an update on the truck progress. It's coming along nice and slowly just as I expected it to... However those of you that pay attention to my Facebook already know that I've been a busy bee over the past weekend. I got some audio for you guys too...


First though. Some pics.

My Flowmasters


My KMJ Performance mid length truck headers






And now this is my truck before the dual exhaust and whatnot. This video was taken at night in a garage with all the doors closed!