1997 Silverado prerunner build "The Black Nasty"

Ok, so here goes.... forewarning, there are ALOT of pics!

Backstory: Bought the truck when I was 19, the truck was already built. And from what I have learned from this truck, I got in WAAAYYY over my head and WAAAAYYY over my budget when I was that age. I have had to fix issues literally from the day I bought it. 3 years ago this August, I taco'd an upper control arm and from there, the full build began.....

(I will try to keep the pictures as best I can in timeline)

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/100_2939.jpg

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[IMG]http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s8/prerunit949/bump-droop.jpg[/IM

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...t949/taco1.jpg

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[IMG]http://i148.phot

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...it949/cage.jpg

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[IMG]http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s8/p

Very Nice, can't wait to see more...

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...949/truck2.jpg

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[IMG]http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s8/prerunit949/engi

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Fresh with Limo tint

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...o/100_4506.jpg

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Start of center console...

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/console2.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/console1.jpg

Got my switch plate last week!

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...witchplate.jpg

Keep it up

Holy crap man that thing looks awesome!!!

Thanks guys, been a long time in the making. Joined the site to learn more about motor work so when I get to that point of this build, I will have the confidence in all my decisions and building.

Did you design the kit yourself?

Where did it get cut out.

The work looks good, how clean did it cycle? (travel, bumpsteer, camber gain?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jess

Did you design the kit yourself?

Where did it get cut out.

The work looks good, how clean did it cycle? (travel, bumpsteer, camber gain?)

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I guess I should have stated, I am no fabricator. Guy out of the SLO area designed and built the kit. When my kit was cut, he was having it cut somewhere in L.A. and shipped back up to him. He now has his own plasma table so he cuts everything himself now. The truck is up in his shop now and he is the one that is doing the whole front end and finishing/changing some things on the cage.

As far as travel, at the hub it will be strapped/bumped at 20.5", has no bumpsteer (thanks to crossover swing set steering), and I forget the exact camber #s, at droop it isn't much, at bump I want to say around 7* I think

Bad ass man!! Makes me want to get my damn truck done. If I can just get Chris Mazzulla to get his crap together and get me the right parts. The Ls motors are awesome. That truck will love some new found Ls power!! Keep up the good work.

Seeing all these pre-runners lately has me really leaning on the fence of un-lowering mine and going to play in the dirt. Awesome truck man.

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Originally Posted by Frenchy

Seeing all these pre-runners lately has me really leaning on the fence of un-lowering mine and going to play in the dirt. Awesome truck man.

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Unfortunately, the cost of them is ridiculous if you do them right. There isn't really a place for me to drive one around here or I'd probably try to build one myself.

I could build it, I just couldn't design it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Frenchy

Seeing all these pre-runners lately has me really leaning on the fence of un-lowering mine and going to play in the dirt. Awesome truck man.

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Don't do it if it is your daily driver. I broke this one and then ended up buying my '99 Z71. Part of the reason it is only in this stage now, and not a year and a half ago.

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Originally Posted by pl4yboy

Unfortunately, the cost of them is ridiculous if you do them right. There isn't really a place for me to drive one around here or I'd probably try to build one myself.

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All brand new top of the line parts I totally agree, which is what this truck is getting. But keeping an eye out for deals on used parts and being able to build your own stuff, such as bumpers and bedcages can save you a huge chunk of change. My buddy is building his '99 on almost ALL used parts with the exception of rear shocks and front bump stops. Same guy is doing all the fab work on his truck, and he is probably spending about 1/2 to do his whole truck what I am spending to do to the front alone.

Awesome truck!

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Originally Posted by 3linkedchevy

All brand new top of the line parts I totally agree, which is what this truck is getting. But keeping an eye out for deals on used parts and being able to build your own stuff, such as bumpers and bedcages can save you a huge chunk of change. My buddy is building his '99 on almost ALL used parts with the exception of rear shocks and front bump stops. Same guy is doing all the fab work on his truck, and he is probably spending about 1/2 to do his whole truck what I am spending to do to the front alone.

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I'm all about thrift and buying used parts where you can, but those are parts that get the crap beat out of them. There's no such thing as gently used when it comes to a prerunner. lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pl4yboy

I'm all about thrift and buying used parts where you can, but those are parts that get the crap beat out of them. There's no such thing as gently used when it comes to a prerunner. lol

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I don't disagree, but you would be surprised at the amount of trucks around here that hardly ever, or never see dirt. So the good deals are there. I am tossing around the idea of building a Ranger in a few years to race, and try to use mostly used parts. But we will see how that goes! haha

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Originally Posted by 2k5Squirrel

Awesome truck!

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Thanks man

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TurboMic

Bad ass man!! Makes me want to get my damn truck done. If I can just get Chris Mazzulla to get his crap together and get me the right parts. The Ls motors are awesome. That truck will love some new found Ls power!! Keep up the good work.

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Uh oh, what did he send you wrong? His kits are top notch for sure.

And I am thinking an LS1 or LS6 so I keep it a "5.7", but that means changing the intake tube layout and everything. So we will see

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 3linkedchevy

Uh oh, what did he send you wrong? His kits are top notch for sure.

And I am thinking an LS1 or LS6 so I keep it a "5.7", but that means changing the intake tube layout and everything. So we will see

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The answer would be shorter on what he has sent me right!!!...

But the way it goes... I have one of each ls1 and ls6. The ls6 I built for boost and is going in my truck with a 76mm turbo. I just want the light aluminum block up front. Help with balance. That's my thought anyway. Lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TurboMic

The answer would be shorter on what he has sent me right!!!...

But the way it goes... I have one of each ls1 and ls6. The ls6 I built for boost and is going in my truck with a 76mm turbo. I just want the light aluminum block up front. Help with balance. That's my thought anyway. Lol

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That sucks, first time I have ever heard of an issue with Chris' customer service.

I am not going to go too crazy when I do it, just want a nice strong reliable truck, that if I choose to I can drive to the desert, beat on it and drive it home. But mostly it will be trailered out.... just in case.

Nice looking welds. This looks like what everyone needs. A off road toy.

All the smaller stuff has begun. Plating cage to cab, plating firewall and floor and mounting the trans cooler...

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...949/cage-1.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/firewall.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...949/trans1.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...949/trans2.jpg

looking good. Makes me excited to get mine going!!

Picked these up at the Sand Sport Show today... Thanks everyone at PCI.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/intercom.jpg

How was the show? I haven't been in a few years.

It was alright. Never been too big on the show, more sand rail related stuff which I am not all that in to.

Ya I had my cars at that show a few times. I like the off road expo better.

Yeah, I prefer the expo as well. But the last 2-3 years I haven't been all that impressed. I think it is the same weekend my company is moving and I have to work all weekend for that.