Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Well, I finally found my project truck...it's an '87 CC dually, 52,301 actual original miles, full service history, 454/T400/205. The truck has been sitting for years, the owner is an old boss of mine and he literally only starts it yearly to go smog and register it yearly.

It looks like some neighbor kids were playing basketball and dropped it on the hood, right on the center crease and the passenger side rear door has some weird old body work that didn't last, so I'll have to either skin it or replace it. Since I want a SRW, I'm going to drop the rear axle, aluminum dually wheels and the bed, which are all it great condition.

Really, the truck just needs a ton of cleanup work and paint...I went ahead and made a pretty big list of things to order with LMC, so as I strip and raplace everything, I'll update the build thread...it should move fairly fast because Evil needs a tow rig to haul her around! :)

List of "To-Do's"!

1. 6" spring lift (custom rear pack no sag...) and Rear Sway Bar
2. 35x12.50 BFG M/T KM2's on 17x9 Classic II's
3. Completely new interior, except for seat upholstery
4. Factory Tach Retrofit
5. O/D Shift Indicator
6. 4L80E swap with new ECM, Engine Harness and drivelines
7. Corporate 14 Rear Axle
8. Fleetside Spindle/hub conversion for Dana 60HD Front Axle
9. Fleetside Bed
10. Complete Billet Grille/Headlight/Trim Package
11. Full Tune-up on Engine w/moderate additions/mods
12. Full Body Work, Goodmark Cowl Hood and New Paint (Color Scheme Undecided...IDEAS???)
13. New OEM Front and Rear (plus mounting brackets for rear) Bumpers w/Hardware
14. Full Weatherstripping and Window Channel/Vent Window Replacement
15. All New Parking/Marker/Brake/Clearance Lamps w/Complete LED Conversions (LMC Marker/Brake LED Panel Conversion)
16. Any additions I am missing???



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/869ba85d.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/d53e4591.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/3897b1df.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/3a1b269f.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/c9b9e276.jpg

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Very NICE!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

nice rig

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Very nice truck to start with!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Wish I had that interior.....looks great!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

x2 It looks like a great project!!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

I'm still spending $900+ in interior parts to get it perfect...haha!

I got a PRN-OD-D21 gear indicator and I'm bidding on a tach cluster as well right now...it is the proper tach for the '87 gauges but the small fuel gauge is the "unleaded fuel only" one which is technically not correct for a Non-California Emmisions 454 equipped 1-ton, but it's close enough for me and my intentions!
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

I haven't been updating this build thread at all and I apologize!

Progress has been slow as the final push on the Trailblazer took a lot of time and energy but the crew cab is shaping up to be a nice long winter/spring project! :)

I found a front lube 4L80E complete with a spare NP205 in case I ever need it. I bought the package because it came with one of the fabled 15629600 4L80E-to-NP205 adapters that was supposedly "perfect", but when I had a friend ship the adapter alone to me. When I got the adapter, I threw it in the media blasting cage and this is what I found...

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/b313f9c3.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/81cb2362.jpg

Needless to say, I was not thrilled! Good thing I got the whole package cheap! I have since decided to go with a '99+ central lube core 4L80E, build it to Level 5 spec and have my friend Dave at Yank Performance build me a custom multi-disc towing converter for the truck as well. I'll be selling the 4L80E I already have soon, so stay tuned.

After months of asking him, I finally got a member on CK5 to sell me one of his perfect condition 15629600 adapters, so I should have it in the next couple weeks.*

I found an NOS OD gear indicator months ago, so I have that here as well as a complete '81+ tach cluster I found from Blake_H, who is local to me!

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/2d211798.jpg

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/4ce83fe9.jpg

I already pulled it all apart and cleaned everything, traced the printed circuit to the harness so I can plan how to re-pin everything once I start the cluster swap.

Blake also has a pristine '86 fleetside bed for me as well...

I still need to buy the SRW front hub assemblies and crossover steering kit from ORD and 14-bolt FF...then it will be time to figure out what I want to do for spring packs...
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Very nice. It is weird how the square parts are getting harder to find now that more of them continue to get crushed. Nice parts!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Nice truck... if I had space and money to burn I would build short bed version...

I have the perfect rear axle for your truck... is an AAM 11.5" from an 05 GMC crewcab diesel with factory disc brakes and integral e-brake... It measures about 68.5" from WMS-WMS (wheel Mounting Surface)

I'm also working on custom D60 front caliper brackets. chec out my thread here

PS: if the golden goose 4l80e/np205 adapter doesnt materialize, check out this custom configurable piece... here

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

I got the 14-BFF out of an '87 K30 at home and I am getting ready to rebuild it!

I got the tach installed and the the whole cluster restoration done and working perfectly! I converted to LED backlight, re-painted the cluster case and back of the shroud gloss white and the front of the shroud gloss black, cleaned the gauges as good as I could without re-screen printing them, everything looks great!

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/09da48e3.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/a8e1e335.jpg

While I had the dash torn apart, I went ahead and scrubbed and cleaned all the hidden places under the dash since they hadn't been clean since the light of day the truck was assembled! I pulled the A/C control panel and re-painted the black metal panel and polished the clean plastic panel out and converted its backlight to LED as well...

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/379ab4b2.jpg
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Lighting looks AWESOME.. top of the list for my truck

Are you the gentlemen that used some of that LED stripping and soldered it directly onto the circuit board on the back?

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

That is not what I did. I just used replacement 194/168 diodes. See the link below. I didn't want the lighting to be glaringly bright and overpowering, I just wanted the pure white of 5,000k LED. These little guys have one .5 watt high power mini SMT diode firing out each side. This way I don't have to worry about "hot spotting".

http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED-B...54124-1-2.html
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Same bulbs for the climate control?

Its been a long time since i have pulled one of these dashes apart, I forget what's back there

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Do you have any pictures of these installed?

I am looking at them and I can;t figure them out...

did you just place them behind the cluster and wire direct power to them?

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

The LEDs plug right into the OEM bulb socket just like a normal filament bulb. If you look at the LEDs, you will see a single yellow LED Diode on each side at one end of the chip board. At the opposing end, there are the positive and negative terminals. Those terminal slide right into the socket just like normal bulbs. I will snap a picture when I get off work because I bought a bunch of extras as well...

http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED-B...4124-1-2.html#
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

freakin' expensive little bastards!!!! Look great, but WOW!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/dfd7b00e.jpg
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Now I feel like an idiot... DUH!


Thank you sir, I'll be ordering some tomorrow

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

How many do you need for the entire dash?

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

These com as a pair, so you need 3 pair and will have an extra as there are 5 backlights for the gauges. If you feel inclined rip apart the climate control unit and use the last one the make it match the dash. I also swapped the turn signal indicators to LED but left the high beam, brake, SES, seat belt lights all stock bulbs since they barely ever get used...I figured it would be a waste to do those.
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

After hunting down wiring issues under the dash and under the carpet, I've decided that the interior is the first big project I am going to tackle on the CC. This weekend I am going to gut the interior, scrub and clean everything, cover the entire interior with Dynamat Extreme, and pre-wire for all the audio upgrades I will be doing this winter. I'll order a full carpet kit and pad/insulation kit as well.*

One of my friends owns a well respected upholstery shop and he quoted me $800 for the following work:

- Re-do headliner
- Re-pad/bolster upholster both seats
- Remove and re-dye all plastic/vinyl interior parts
- Rebuild all fabric door inserts with matching material from seats
- Carpet the lower door panel pieces i am building to house the component speaker systems (front & rear)

And for an extra $150, he is going to rebuild the dash pad with a hand stitched grained leather looking material (probably high quality vinyl)
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

That sounds like a decent deal!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Today's project is to gut the interior and get ready for the Dynamat Extreme! :) I ordered one 36sq. ft. bulk pack from Amazon for $127.95 since the GF signed up for Prime. I figure I will need at least one more bulk pack to complete the floor, back wall, roof, fire wall, doors, etc. but for now this will get me started!

Summit didn't have it in stock, so I can't get it done today! That will give me till Tuesday to scrub and clean everything!
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Well, I got the interior completely stripped out and scrubbed down clean! There were a bunch of little wiring issues I had to fix and there was an old school "car phone" installed by the dealer when the truck was new...weird! The rear speakers were tapped by this system and someone did a horrible job of removing it whenever they did remove it! The original owner was clearly a baller because the truck even had a really nice power rear slider installed when the truck was new as well! :) The power rear slider is getting removed in favor of a fixed glass back glass!

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/fe6c17cc.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/29e0bbf2.jpg

I still have some weird wiring issues to work out under the dash as the overhead dome light is non-functiona and there was some "suspect" wire splicing done with the feed to the door jamb pins and overhead dome at some point...but the courtesy lamp under the ash tray works perfectly!

On a side note, the winner of today's Darwin Award is this retarded quail that thought glass was easy to fly through...
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/da1baa27.jpg
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

No, by the time I got around to messing with him, he was cold and I could do the quick field gutting job by standing on his wings so I figured the little retard was wasted...
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

I am not looking forward to that glue crap...

What are you using to take it off so cleanly?

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Adam's Polishes All Purpose Cleaner diluted 2:1 and let it soak on the tar stuff for about a minute and it smears right off! You can get Adam's products right from www.adamspolishes.com or many other websites including Summit Racing.
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

So today we decided to tackle the fuel pump issue I have had since bringing the truck home...

Quick rundown - The left fuel pump does not pump fuel. The pump runs and you could hear it, but no fuel at the throttle body! Switch worked fine and everything in the wiring was good...

so we decided to pull the bed off with the lift at my Dad's house. Turns out the pump was fine, this is what we found...pump was obviously working, just pumping right into the fuel tank from the fuel tank...not going to get fuel to the throttle body without the soft line connection!

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/a308c398.jpg

I decided that since we were there, might as well replace the pumps, soft lines and the strainers since they are so cheap...

We also ground off the ratty mudflap mounts that were on the truck and cleaned up the half ass trailer wiring set-up...
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

If I remember correctly, there is a special grade of fuel hose that is designed to be submerged in fuel. Standard fuel line at the local parts store will breakdown from the outside. Make sure you get the right hose....

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Yep, got it covered.
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Heck, I might be able to get the Dynamat installed on the cab floor tonight! I ordered it Friday night on Amazon and it's already out for delivery today! I had no clue UPS would process sorts on Saturday this early in the season! San Pablo, CA must have a busy schedule already...Sacramento runs their night sort Sundays through Thursdays so I guess I just lucked out on this one!
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Tonight I finished up installing the first of THREE Dynamat Extreme Bulk Packs I have waiting...
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/0f50e5fc.jpg

One Bulk Pack (9qty. 18"x32" sheets) completely covered the floor pan from the back wall up to the front foot wells.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/5939e253.jpg

I need 4 more sheets to finish up to the firewall and cover the inner B-pillars (between front and rear doors), 2-3 sheets to finish the back wall and 8-10 sheets to finish the ceiling. I'm barely going to make it with three Bulk Packs! :) And when I gut and clean the inner door panels I will need at least one more Bulk Pack!

My truck is going to be quiet inside when I am done! I ordered the ACC carpet kit and foil backed EVA insulation kit today too...
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Very nice! I'd like to do that to my CC as well!

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

It's expensive, but I love the end result! I used 4 of the bulk packs on my old '85 3/4-ton Suburban and that rig was so damn quiet inside and you couldn't even hear the loud stereo system outside the truck!
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Did you notice it much climate wise?

Since your in Reno you would get both hot and cold... Does the truck stay at a more comfortable temp?? (assuming your not constantly opening the doors)

Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

I always install a foil back foam insulation pad above the Dynamat and then install the carpet with its pad so I've always had great heat/cooling characteristics...I used the pull the 3rd seat out of the Suburban and lay the 2nd row flat and use use it as my tent when camping and it never got cold even on cold nights...
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

Dynamat is all done on entire floor, back wall, fire wall, B-Pillars and C-Pillars. Its already quieter and more solid with no rattles at all! :) I used 2 complete Dynamat Extreme Bulk Kits so far and I have one more just to get the roof done...

Now I am waiting on the carpet kit and foil back EVA insulation kit to get here from ACC so I can get the bottom half of the interior finished. I decided to stick with the OEM tan interior so the carpet is going to be Medium Doeskin.
http://lgcdn.jeep4x4center.com/media...kin-7295_1.jpg

My weather strip kits for all 4 doors and all the aluminum door sill parts all showed up today as well. I couldn't find the rear door front sill pieces anywhere, luckily the ones in the truck just needed to be cleaned up and polished out a bit.*

I am currently chasing down a bunch of little wiring issues behind the dash so I can get the dash buttoned up and then I can focus on getting the top half of the interior changed from the ugly off-white to match the saddle (tan) bottom half of the interior.
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Re: Project Evil Tow Rig - '87 CC SRW Conversion
 

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...d/29e0bbf2.jpg


I just realized this truck is a 4x4...


Do you have any idea the things I would to have this truck or at least a 4x4 out of the desert...

It would save me having to SAS mine... At least mines from Cali and there is no body work to be done so its a trade up... but still...

Great work. Looking forward to getting this done to mine. Why Dynamat if you don't mind me askin... I am leaning to Second Skin personally...