Modern Upgrades to Old Trucks

[focusedontheprize]

Like everyone on this forum, I really like the looks of my Squarebody truck. One aspect I like to start incorporating more is modern features/functions into the older style without needing a $10,000 budget to do so.

Objective
Starting a running list that tracks all the modern upgrades people are doing to their truck with a few requirements in order to keep them reasonable and keep the topic on point. Please feel free to recommend any ideas for additional requirements.

Requirements:
- Upgrades have to leverage existing parts from a 2000+ newer vehicle
- Parts for upgrade need to be accessible through a junkyard picking

Process
Create a thread and document the following:
- Parts required for the upgrade
- Estimated cost of upgrade
- Procedure on upgrade
- Send me the link and I will add it to the list


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Drivetrain
- Upgrading to LS engine

Exterior
- Mirrors with LED turn signals

Electronics
- Upgrading alternator from 10SI to 12SI
- Upgraded Junction block from 2 post block to 7 post block

Lighting
- LED or Projector headlights (huge upgrade)
- J.W Speaker LED 8800 Evo II upgrade
- LED tail lights

Interior
- Auto Dimming Mirror Upgrade
- LED Courtesy Lighting
- Purchased courtesy light kit from LMC
- Added LED bulbs
- Power seats


----------------

Do we think this is a good idea or do we think this will die off? I am all ears, just wanted to try something new.

[DieselSJ]

No transmission upgrades? Upgrading to an overdrive trans was probably one of the best mods I made for driveability.

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by DieselSJ

No transmission upgrades? Upgrading to an overdrive trans was probably one of the best mods I made for driveability.

We can definitely open it up to the drivetrain!

[Wgesnerjr]

Best thing I did was LS swap.

Love, love ,love that engine, trans, fuel injection.

[BabyBlue]

Some of the upgrades to modern style parts are not all that expensive new.

-LED turn signal mirrors - $125 pair

-Projector or LED headlights (You can buy these about $100 plug and play for cheaper ones that are a huge upgrade to halogen OR you can find a newer wrecked Jeep Wrangler and poach them).

-LED taillights $200-220

-Backup Camera's $100-400 or junkyard

-Foglights - $120+ for LED or junkyard (Tahoe/Suburbans have some good ones that you can mount in the front air dam)

- Power seats - Range in $$$ from $400-$2000 from Junkyards or new depending on just power or power with heat, ventilated, etc.

Depends what else you are wanting as amenities. Overdrive is a good one. Other power accessories... really depends what you want.

[TKCR]

An upgrade I did on my truck, was add more Courtesy Lighting ( under dash ). What I did was purchase a courtesy light kit from LMC. It contains 2 lights, which I added to the one light, under the dash. Added LED bulbs and walla! It is stuff you buy new, but I suppose you could get what you need from the junkyard.
https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-87-che...tesy-light-kit

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by TKCR

An upgrade I did on my truck, was add more Courtesy Lighting ( under dash ). What I did was purchase a courtesy light kit from LMC. It contains 2 lights, which I added to the one light, under the dash. Added LED bulbs and walla! It is stuff you buy new, but I suppose you could get what you need from the junkyard.
https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-87-che...tesy-light-kit

This is next on my list. I also didn’t know you had 3 lights under there. I always assumed 2. Thanks for sharing this.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

This is next on my list. I also didn’t know you had 3 lights under there. I always assumed 2. Thanks for sharing this.

Yeah the original light is there in the center. The 2 I added are the ones just above the kick panels.

[TwoFiftyShifter]

If I woke up and somebody was putting a backup camera and some power seats in my 82 I would chase them off my property!

[sweetk30]

i did a new L31 vortec and edelbrock pro flo 4 . it runs great and lots of easy tuning options .

still have my th400 . low mile unit and works good .

i did the j.w.speaker led 8800 evo II led upgrade headlights and the res of the truck got swapped to led and i love all of them .

now if i could redo this list i would do a 6.0/4L80 swap and be done with it . get me efi / and power / and the 4L80 for overdrive .

but i am fairly happy with it as is so no plans for the redo mod . she is my work truck / beater truck so i just live with it .

1987 k30 5.7L / th400-203/205 doubler t-case combo / 4.10 gear / 255/85/16 ( 33.0" ) tire .

[Greenlee]

I added a compass / temp mirror out of a later model. If you do a search, I got the idea and instructions how to do it on this forum. I’ll have to go out and take a picture.

[Dead Parrot]

A few small things I have done:
Replace the 2 post Junction block with the 7(IIRC) post junction block from the 90's era trucks. If picking, get the wires from the donor truck as well. They have the proper terminal ends and most come with OEM fusible links.

Swap the passive washer jug with one that has the built in pump from a 88-89 Suburban. Other models may work. Gets rid of the problematic(at least for me) OEM pump driven by the wiper motor.

Replaced the 10SI alt with a later 12SI alt. (Later models in the squares came with the 12SI)

Swapped out the straight wiper arms with the ones ending in a L. (Avoids the need for that weird adapter that often doesn't work correctly.)

[Keith Seymore]

*deleted*

Please carry on -

K

[focusedontheprize]

Thanks everyone, added them to the original post.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by TKCR

An upgrade I did on my truck, was add more Courtesy Lighting ( under dash ). What I did was purchase a courtesy light kit from LMC. It contains 2 lights, which I added to the one light, under the dash. Added LED bulbs and walla! It is stuff you buy new, but I suppose you could get what you need from the junkyard.
https://www.lmctruck.com/1973-87-che...tesy-light-kit

You can get those from any square that's equipped. I had floor lighting in a 1974 C10 Custom Deluxe with three on the tree and the inline 6. It was pretty much the only optional stuff other than the 8' fleetside bed, rear step bumper, and spare tire. One of the prior owners probably added them IIRC the SPID didn't have the option listed.
The bright LED bulbs perk the floor lighting right up.

[truckin 79]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

I added a compass / temp mirror out of a later model. If you do a search, I got the idea and instructions how to do it on this forum. I’ll have to go out and take a picture.

I did the same thing with a mirror from a Bravada but it had no temp sensor. It just has the compass and the two courtesy lights underneath it. I think Impala have the same thing, $5 from junkyard. I put in a newer lighter socket as well for charging Ipod. The old lighter socket seemed a lot deeper than the newer light but maybe just user error with that.

[SunSoaked]

The very FIRST thing I did was have a brass plate engraved with my modis operandi for building my "restomod"! That, and keep the wife from bellyaching whenever she is in the passenger seat. Now when she starts, I just point at it and say Silent! This is from someone who drives a fully optioned 19 Volvo XC90 that literally drives itself.

[nekkidhillbilly]

i like stuff that doesnt distract from the stock look. so no huge screens or none of that garabage imo. led lights overdrive things like that are cool.

[68longhorn]

Originally Posted by Dead Parrot

A few small things I have done:
Replace the 2 post Junction block with the 7(IIRC) post junction block from the 90's era trucks. If picking, get the wires from the donor truck as well. They have the proper terminal ends and most come with OEM fusible links.

Swap the passive washer jug with one that has the built in pump from a 88-89 Suburban. Other models may work. Gets rid of the problematic(at least for me) OEM pump driven by the wiper motor.

Replaced the 10SI alt with a later 12SI alt. (Later models in the squares came with the 12SI)

Swapped out the straight wiper arms with the ones ending in a L. (Avoids the need for that weird adapter that often doesn't work correctly.)

What wiper arms fit?

[Dead Parrot]

Originally Posted by 68longhorn

What wiper arms fit?

Don't really know. Found several during a Pull-a-Part run which is kind-of unusual as my normal luck is all the wiper arms are already pulled. I think the post ends are fairly universal. All the ones I found had the tubing for the 'on the arm spray' setup. Pulled that off as it was rotted and my trucks have the stationary spray nozzles. Whatever years/trim levels had the on the arm nozzles might be your pull target.

[sweetk30]

around mid 80's they went to pin mount wiper ams over the flat tab adapter older stuff .

i just did a military blazer it had the old style and i swapped on a pin style extra set i had .

[Rich84]

I added power door locks with no switches. Unlock or lock one door and they both unlock. Also has a remote that at the moment does not work since it got ripped out during my LS swap. I also removed the lighter and installed a dual USB port in it's place. Only had to drill the hole a little larger and it fit right in.

[44th Miss Inf]

Just scavenged a remote, keyless entry module from a 98 that I will add to my 84 soon.


http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1573246529

[DieselSJ]

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

We can definitely open it up to the drivetrain!

I'll get the swap thread going.

Basically this - 1987 with a TH400 and 4.10 gears and 454. 9mpg if I kept it down at 60mph.

Pulled a NV4500 out of a later truck, sourced clutch/brake pedal box out of a late 80's square body, cut a big hole in the floor and stuffed it in.

Makes for a WAY better driving experience. First 2 tanks were over 11.5mpg and that was with a 6K trailer and a lot of 65-70mph freeway.

[hatzie]

Swapped the 1976 column over to a 1985 donor.
It gave me delay wipers with the addition of a 1979 wiper motor and one more wire, cruise with a 1993 GMT400 cruise control box, and dimmer on the column.
I used the floor dimmer switch to covertly interrupt the injection pump cutoff solenoid power.
The tripod mirrors tore up the 1976 door skins so I used the 1985 doors with 1978 door panels. I took advantage of the Dumbo mirror re-reinforcements in the 1985 doors and used Power Dumbo mirrors from a 90's Gladiator G20 van mixed with arms and bases from the 1985 donor truck... the G van used a different angle on the arms.
The 6.5L diesel and NV4500 were from a later truck. Did away with the 1998 fly by wire DS4 injection pump and put a DB2 injection pump from a 1993 on it.
1985 30 series pedals for the hydraulic clutch and hydroboost.
I installed a 1+ gallon washer reserviour from a later model car or truck (I've forgotten what it came from) and extended the washer wires from the wiper motor and the washer feed line along the inner fender to the new pump. 1+ gallon of washer fluid and a pump that works reliably in a package that hid away nicely.

Got bored with it once it was done sorry to say.