Building the SS(V) TrailHoe

[Sparksalot]

@Sparksalot mine came with the satin silver standard, just like most low spec trucks of that period. I think the PPV was chrome? I found lots of aftermarket chrome -not the look I want- and plenty of GM OEM satin still available from around $70 to twice that. Crazy money for a few ounces of painted plastic.

I finally found a set of four in satin for $50 on EBay. Fingers crossed they show up as described and not chrome!

Yes, the PPV caps are chrome on the GMT900 trucks. They're gloss black, but the same cap otherwise on the newer trucks. I'm liking those...

 

[Dantheman1540]

Thank you. It's what happens when you decide to grenade your stock 10 bolt rear with all the torque of your big block

14B for the win!

 

[JEndsley]

View attachment 268032 Good work by TireRack and UPS. Ordered these Wednesday and delivered on Saturday.

Grabber X3 MT 35/12.5/17 in load range C, from which I hope to get a nice soft ride.

The lift, meanwhile, is meandering around in the ****** of LTL freight.
Eight days and counting.

Nice grabbers. We make those in southern Illinois. Hope you like them. Thanks for supporting USA made.

 

[Raptor Tahoe]

Great looking build. Keep us posted on any new adds. I am considering going with bigger LS and seriously considering the 14 bolt. Just looking for the best options for the extra power and 37s.

 

[Bill 1960]

Nice grabbers. We make those in southern Illinois. Hope you like them. Thanks for supporting USA made.

Every chance I get.

And thanks for making things! Too many people in our economy today don’t want a job unless it’s sitting behind a computer screen.

 

[Bill 1960]

Note to future buyers of retired police vehicles: don’t go blindly feeling around under the seats!

Found these had migrated all the way down below the carpet under the back seat. A somber reminder of what officers have to deal with on a daily basis.

 

[Sparksalot]

I found French fires in thecopcar. I found a 357sig cartridge in theothertwin.

found uniform buttons in both of them.

 

[PatDTN]

Looks like they've encountered some moisture down there.

 

[Bill 1960]

Looks like they've encountered some moisture down there.

Yeah, I don’t like to think about what exactly that may have been.

Although there’s no traces under the floor insulation, so maybe it’s been cleaned.

Or maybe the CBP took it swimming on occasion. No trace of flooding damage or rust in the body, though.

 

[mattjones]

I’m liking this build

 

[Bill 1960]

I’ve been pecking away at the storage deck in between other priorities. Got the rear portion done, other than waiting for the paint to cure so I can carpet it. Two drawers with full extension slides in that.

I’m building the deck in three parts. The rear section can be in place with or without the rear seating. The front portion will be in two parts so if I want to use one side of the 60/40 rear seat I can.

 

[Sparksalot]

I thought I’d have to do the same. DPS left me a gift.

 

[Bill 1960]

Partially complete; enough for a fit test.

It was designed to be at the height where the dogs can see out those rear half-opening windows.

 

[JEndsley]

Every chance I get.

And thanks for making things! Too many people in our economy today don’t want a job unless it’s sitting behind a computer screen.

My Son makes them (Curing press setup tech), I just fix the equipment. Worked in manufacturing in Illinois for over 20 years now. Three different factories. I try to buy USA made when I can, but sometimes it's hard to.

 

[Sparksalot]

Partially complete; enough for a fit test.

It was designed to be at the height where the dogs can see out those rear half-opening windows.

View attachment 270636 View attachment 270637

Mine does the same thing. Here she’s seeing sheep for the first time. About 20 yards away on open range.

 

[bigfootchiro]

Were you driving through Pinellas Park tonight?

 

[Bill 1960]

Were you driving through Pinellas Park tonight?

Not me. Apparently there’s a clone.

 

[bigfootchiro]

Looks like it lol

 

[Bill 1960]

Discovered a side effect of the lowered front diff. When I reinstalled the front driveshaft I noted the boot on the transfer case end was stretched pretty tight. A few hundred miles and it’s popped off one end. I’ll be getting a new shaft built 7/8” longer to return the splines to the factory engagement. And a new boot, the rubber on the original has hardened somewhat.

 

[Bill 1960]

The battery was on life support when I bought the truck, so time to drop in a new AGM. I hate cleaning up acid spills and corrosion so that’s the only type I buy. While I was in there I cleaned up the battery tray and sprayed some rattle can bedliner on it.