Pete's (Now Nate's) 2003 Denali Budget Build thread

[Tonyrodz]

man, i swear i have mocked up 50 different wheels in photoshop. and the one's that look the best to me are the common Boss 330 / U2-55 wheels everyone runs. Everything else just looked cheap or too flashy or too much chrome. I would love to have a set of Billet Wheels made but thats $750 a piece each wheel. I can't justify paying $3000 for wheels on a vehicle i paid $4000 for haha



i just want to go for a dang ride in the rocket! that thing must be a blast.

If it's anything like this one, it has to be insane!

Wow! That's fast!

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Grille turned out awesome

 

[Sevenevez]

Nice work on the chrome grille color match! It looks sick! I wanna do it to match my silver birch paint, but I know it's a pretty involved and time consuming process. Plus it takes painting skills I just don't have. Lol. So for now I'm stuck with chrome. Anyways looks good man! The nbs Denali is my favorite body style. Clean lines. Yours looks super clean for 195k! I'm subbed for the progress on your truck!

thanks. yeah, painting is fun. well, the prep is kind of a pain. but thats what makes the difference. I love spraying and especially peepling the tape! realistically it works way better with an HVLP Paint Gun and a decent compressor. I sold my huge compressor. Need to get a better one so i can paint this whole vehicle. I'm good with stuff like that, just wish i was a better mechanic

Wow! That's fast!

yeah that thing is crazy fast. the speedometer moves as fast as the RPM gauge. Does @Red Rocket have a video of his launching?

Grille turned out awesome

thanks, man!

 

[adventurenali92]

Yeah me and paint just don't get along. I hate painting. It isn't fun because I can never got it even close to perfect which irritates the crap out of me. Lol. So I leave paint to the professionals. I csn do small not too in depth mechanical work. But my skills are pretty limited. So I wanna get better at that too. Maybe I'll let you color match my grille haha.

 

[Sevenevez]

Yeah me and paint just don't get along. I hate painting. It isn't fun because I can never got it even close to perfect which irritates the crap out of me. Lol. So I leave paint to the professionals. I csn do small not too in depth mechanical work. But my skills are pretty limited. So I wanna get better at that too. Maybe I'll let you color match my grille haha.

sweet. you can install my Oil Pressure Sensor while i do that! haha

 

[cmc76]

OPS , need the socket ( 22mm i think ?) and a swivel and extension. I put it off forever too. Then finally swapped it, took all of 8 minutes.

 

[Sevenevez]

OPS , need the socket ( 22mm i think ?) and a swivel and extension. I put it off forever too. Then finally swapped it, took all of 8 minutes.

thanks. that's the reassurance i needed. it's way down at the back drivers side of the engine right?

 

[cmc76]

from the drivers side, you can reach behind the intake manifold. the bulk of the 8 minutes was fumbling with the plug.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

thanks. that's the reassurance i needed. it's way down at the back drivers side of the engine right?

Here's what I used. It's just a regular deep well...

Here's where it is....

Keep this piece of of the old one...

You're gonna need it...

Tough reach, but easy job. Do it.

 

[Sevenevez]

Here's what I used. It's just a regular deep well...
Tough reach, but easy job. Do it.

that helps me a lot man. thanks for the pics!
i actually just pulled my plastics off and using lights and mirrors i still don't see it yet. is it in the exact same spot on the 6.0?i gotta go get a socket at the store. i got everything else

 

[HiHoeSilver]

that helps me a lot man. thanks for the pics!
i actually just pulled my plastics off and using lights and mirrors i still don't see it yet. is it in the exact same spot on the 6.0?i gotta go get a socket at the store. i got everything else

I'm not positive about the 6.0. Jam your arm down there and feel for the plug.

 

[#1taho]

Subbed

 

[Sevenevez]

I'm not positive about the 6.0. Jam your arm down there and feel for the plug.

ahh yes. i feel it now. it's right next (to the left) of another plug down in that hole

 

[HiHoeSilver]

ahh yes. i feel it now. it's right next (to the left) of another plug down in that hole

Yup. And it feels like the socket won't fit without removing the other one, but it will.

 

[Sevenevez]

I was about 1/3rd the way there.
Could never even see it, i could only feel it.
My buddy Austin stops by. (who just happens to be a mechanic at a custom 4x4 shop)
Took him about 4 minutes to do the whole swap. i can't take credit for this one.

Bought the 1 1/16 Socket at OReilly's

Old Oil Pressure Sensor

wow, gauge works now!

 

[Sevenevez]

My buddy said i have a small leak on the hydroboost (for the brakes) and that i need a new oil pan gasket.
But, Aside of that he said it looks great top to bottom. So i will probably handle those two things soon.

If i can get this Denali very reliable i will probably sell my Lexus. I don't need 3 cars.

 

[05Single]

Nice work on the grille and lights restoration.

Yea those are nissan titan/armada wheels. I have the 6 spoke version. Welcome to the club, I think there's 3 of us now lol.

 

[Sevenevez]

Nice work on the grille and lights restoration.

Yea those are nissan titan/armada wheels. I have the 6 spoke version. Welcome to the club, I think there's 3 of us now lol.

ha, thanks man. yeah thats interesting. i swear the radio in mine says Nissan on the digital display sometimes. Can't believe Nissan and GM adapt to each other.
The wheels don't bother me. They got fresh tires on them.
Makes me wonder though.

I'll be swapping those out anyways. thanks for checkin the thread

 

[05Single]

ha, thanks man. yeah thats interesting. i swear the radio in mine says Nissan on the digital display sometimes. Can't believe Nissan and GM adapt to each other.
The wheels don't bother me. They got fresh tires on them.
Makes me wonder though.

I'll be swapping those out anyways. thanks for checkin the thread

Saw a tahoe couple days ago with infinity QX56 wheels on it lol.
When I got my tahoe I had stock 16s, within a week I got my nissan 18s. Figure I'd buy 20s or 22s later.....not realizing gm 20s are $1500 used up here , even on dead tires
So I've been stuck with these nissan wheels for 2 years now. But I get alot of compliments on them, clean looking wheel and my custom center cap throws people off everytime

But your radio sounds possessed lol. At least you know your engine is GM lol.

 

[Sevenevez]

Saw a tahoe with infinity QX56 wheels on it lol.
When I got my tahoe I had stock 16s, within a week I got my nissan 18s. Figure I'd buy 20s or 22s later.....not realizing gm 20s are $1500 used up here , even on dead tires
So I've been stuck with these nissan wheels for 2 years now. But I get alot of compliments on them, clean looking wheel and my custom center cap throws people off everytime

But your radio sounds possessed lol. At least you know your engine is GM lol.

hahaha, i better double check under the hood!