So I bought the truck while deployed to Iraq and bought alot of stuff for it while I was over there. When I returned back to the states it was time to start the work. The first pictures are the truck when I first purchased it. I actually bought it with out knowing what it looked like. My father told me it was a good truck and the miles are low (64,000). He recommended me getting it so I did.

 

The topper has got to go! They are useful for a time being, but just to keep it on there. No thanks! 

 

 

First things first, time to tear this old girl apart. With the help of my friend and my father it when pretty easy.

 

 

You can see a little surface rust on the floor. Nothing too bad. I grinded it down, the put rust inhibiter on it. It should last for a while.

 

 

I took the whole front end apart so I could replace all the chrome trim, headlights, marker lights, fenders, and repaint the grille.

Just more of the tear down.

 

 

The fender wheels had rust holes. So for the time being I patched them. Strangly it's the only part that had that much rust. The rest of the truck that has any is mostly surface rust if any at all.

 

 

The Interior is all masked off and ready for paint

 

 

 

Just painted the dash, glove box, roof, and rear fire wall. You can't see any of the other stuff (like the floor pans) so I saw no reason to waste the paint on it. I just put a good coat of primer on them to prevent any rust and called it a day.

 

 

My father and I reupholstered the seat. It was that factory brown color. Now it's dark grey and black.

 

 

Picture of the system. It's nothing too fancy but in a single cab truck you really don't need that much. I have 2 kenwood 12"s right behind the seat. Hopefully by the summer time frame I will be taking these boxes out and remaking them so I can slide my seat all the way back. I miss the very last notch now and it's kinda cramped.

 

 

I used under coating on the bottom of the hood, I figured it would last longer then paint down there and so far I'm right.

 

 

 

Got her all sanded down and ready for paint. I just pulled it out so we could clean the paint booth/poll barn real quick.

 

 

 

Interior is finished. I installed kick panels with 6.5 inch speakers, and added some to the doors as well. I just didn't see that one speaker in the dash being very useful. It now had a black dash, black carpet, black seat belts, black door panels, and a billet thingy in the dash you can see on the picture on the right. It was all that nasty tan/brown color before. If you like that color cool, as for me.. not so much.

 

 

 

Exterior. As you can see I'm pretty much done with the cosmetics. I need to rhino line the bed, and some how find a 3/4 ton 2wd lift kit. If anyone knows where to get one please feel free to tell me. And in case you're wondering those are 33s. They fit in there just fine at factory ride height and still leave enough room in the fender well for the suspension to fully articulate.

 

 

 

Anyways, thanks for looking at my truck. I will be updateing from time to time as I get new parts for it. The whole project from start to finish took 13 days. So for anyone that says it takes 6 months. They're confused.. Unless it's due to money.

Next big upgrade will be to the engine. I'm stuck between keeping the 35, or getting a 400 or 454. Time and money will tell I suppose.

 

If anyone knows where to get a 2WD lift kit for this thing please let me know! Or how to fab one up. I have found 1 1/2" lift spindles but that's really not worth the money. I want a 4-6 inch lift.

*Keep in mind that it is a 2WD 3/4 ton*