Rocket Man's 02 Denali Build Thread AKA "THE BEAST"

[Rocket Man]

I replaced the lower radiator hose just as a maintenance thing. The old one felt kinda soft to me and I believe it was original. The new is an AC Delco Professional and has a protection piece around the middle section for some reason. What fun it was to install it, everything seemed to be in the way. Oh well, it’s done.

 

[Rocket Man]

Bought a new rug and new set of matching grey Eagle Klaw carpet clips for the cargo area.

 

[iamdub]

Bought a new rug and new set of matching grey Eagle Klaw carpet clips for the cargo area.View attachment 381584

Looks like the one I sit on while eating edamame with chopsticks.

 

[Rocket Man]

Looks like the one I sit on while eating edamame with chopsticks.

I don’t even know what that is.

 

[George B]

Bought a new rug and new set of matching grey Eagle Klaw carpet clips for the cargo area.View attachment 381584

Looks like the one I sit on while eating edamame with chopsticks.

You just need a Zen garden and some aromatherapy candles back there now.

 

[Rocket Man]

You just need a Zen garden and some aromatherapy candles back there now.

The dog would insist on snacks also.

 

[iamdub]

You just need a Zen garden and some aromatherapy candles back there now.

*snap claps*

 

[Rocket Man]

The dark seat dye never came out the exact color as the original even though I tried 3 different ones. I even contacted one of the leather replacement covers and they gave me a damn Ford color they use because they can’t get leather in the exact match for the GM color so I crossed that on the color chart and came up with medium dark pewter. I tested it after I got it and decided it was close enough. They even sent me a bottle of the very dark pewter in case I wanted to mix it myself and darken the medium dark. I decided f it, I’ll probably just get the bottoms recovered eventually.

I don’t recommend using their dye over the top of their dye. It took 6 coats this time around and it’s still streaky. Maybe if I had one color seats it wouldnt have been so hard but having to get the seams where the 2 colors meet as close to perfect that many times was stupid hard, and never came out perfect any of these last 6 times I had to do these new colors. I quit. They’re close enough until I pony up the cash for new leather. The leather on the edge of the one where the dog stands is in bad shape anyway so I doubt it will last long. But he is happy to have his seat back and appears to approve of my work even I’m not happy with it.

 

[Tonyrodz]

The dark seat dye never came out the exact color as the original even though I tried 3 different ones. I even contacted one of the leather replacement covers and they gave me a damn Ford color they use because they can’t get leather in the exact match for the GM color so I crossed that on the color chart and came up with medium dark pewter. I tested it after I got it and decided it was close enough. They even sent me a bottle of the very dark pewter in case I wanted to mix it myself and darken the medium dark. I decided f it, I’ll probably just get the bottoms recovered eventually.

I don’t recommend using their dye over the top of their dye. It took 6 coats this time around and it’s still streaky. Maybe if I had one color seats it wouldnt have been so hard but having to get the seams where the 2 colors meet as close to perfect that many times was stupid hard, and never came out perfect any of these last 6 times I had to do these new colors. I quit. They’re close enough until I pony up the cash for new leather. The leather on the edge of the one where the dog stands is in bad shape anyway so I doubt it will last long. But he is happy to have his seat back and appears to approve of my work even I’m not happy with it. View attachment 381908View attachment 381909View attachment 381910

Hopefully it won't peel in a few weeks/months. Not trying to jinx you, but I've seen it happen plenty of times.

 

[Rocket Man]

Hopefully it won't peel in a few weeks/months. Not trying to jinx you, but I've seen it happen plenty of times.

The leather or whatever it is on the outside edge of the driver side, where the dog stands with his front feet while he sticks his head out the window, is thin, in bad shape and was torn and I didn’t have high expectations to start with. I just want it to not look as bad for awhile until I pony up the money to have the bottoms reupholstered. It’s already started to fail there. He is rough on (hard **is censored) that, with his huge claws and the fact he weighs over 105 lbs. The rest looks good still.

 

[RAMurphy]

@Rocket Man Obviously I've been following your build for quite some time. Way back when I was hoping to put a supercharger on my Tahoe. Many of the improvement/upgrades I have done on my Tahoe was based on things I learned from your build. As I have commented on some of your posts - I'm totally amazed at the detail you put into these upgrades. Awesome build Mark

 

[Rocket Man]

@Rocket Man Obviously I've been following your build for quite some time. Way back when I was hoping to put a supercharger on my Tahoe. Many of the improvement/upgrades I have done on my Tahoe was based on things I learned from your build. As I have commented on some of your posts - I'm totally amazed at the detail you put into these upgrades. Awesome build Mark

Thanks Bob. It’s been an adventure.

 

[Rocket Man]

Hopefully it won't peel in a few weeks/months. Not trying to jinx you, but I've seen it happen plenty of times.

Yep it peeled and looks like shit. Not sure if it was just because I did so many coats in order to do it a second time or not but whatever. My dogs giant catlike claws and the fact he weight 110 lbs and stands with his front feet right on the edge of that seat so he can stick his head out the window takes its toll. I’m planning on having an upholstery shop recover it since nobody sells replacement covers for the second row. Sigh.

 

[Rocket Man]

@Rocket Man Obviously I've been following your build for quite some time. Way back when I was hoping to put a supercharger on my Tahoe. Many of the improvement/upgrades I have done on my Tahoe was based on things I learned from your build. As I have commented on some of your posts - I'm totally amazed at the detail you put into these upgrades. Awesome build Mark

I just saw this post, thank you.

 

[Gmg0547]

@Rocket Man I just read through your entire story. It took about three weeks but we'll worth the read. Fantastic work and attention to detail. Beautiful truck you have built.

 

[Rocket Man]

@Rocket Man I just read through your entire story. It took about three weeks but we'll worth the read. Fantastic work and attention to detail. Beautiful truck you have built.

@Gmg0547 im honored, that’s a lot of reading. Thank you for the compliment.

 

[Rocket Man]

Been awhile since I updated. There’s a couple issues right now. First, the clear coat on the hood is peeling. My body snd paint guy said it’s at its end of life after 6 1/2 years because he can’t buy as good of products as the factory so it doesn’t last as long. I feel like that’s a bunch of shit but what do I know. Anyway, I’ve been looking fir an HD hood to buy snd modify for the headlights but can’t find one. New aftermarket ones are out of stock around here, OEM are no longer available and used ones are real hard to find. I might just have him repaint them cowl hood, not decided yet.

The second issue happened tonight when I came out from Oreilly and it wouldn’t turn over- the starter solenoid isn’t even clicking. Battery appears good, crank fuse is good, starter relay isn’t the problem. The headlights don’t dim when I try to crank it.

And as I was waiting for a tow from AAA which ended up taking 2 1/2 hours for them to show, some dude in a Durango backed into me and drove off, but I ran and caught him before he could exit the parking lot and got his ID and insurance info. It’s not much but it’s definitely scraped. What a night.

 

[Doubeleive]

Been awhile since I updated. There’s a couple issues right now. First, the clear coat on the hood is peeling. My body snd paint guy said it’s at its end of life after 6 1/2 years because he can’t buy as good of products as the factory so it doesn’t last as long. I feel like that’s a bunch of shit but what do I know. Anyway, I’ve been looking fir an HD hood to buy snd modify for the headlights but can’t find one. New aftermarket ones are out of stock around here, OEM are no longer available and used ones are real hard to find. I might just have him repaint them cowl hood, not decided yet.

The second issue happened tonight when I came out from Oreilly and it wouldn’t turn over- the starter solenoid isn’t even clicking. Battery appears good, crank fuse is good, starter relay isn’t the problem. The headlights don’t dim when I try to crank it.

And as I was waiting for a tow from AAA which ended up taking 2 1/2 hours for them to show, some dude in a Durango backed into me and drove off, but I ran and caught him before he could exit the parking lot and got his ID and insurance info. It’s not much but it’s definitely scraped. What a night.

At least you caught him

 

[03catburban]

6 1/2 years on paint is a load of crap.

Shop I just left from had clear coats with 10-15 yr guaranteed warranty from the manufacturer for their product

 

[Sam Harris]

Been awhile since I updated. There’s a couple issues right now. First, the clear coat on the hood is peeling. My body snd paint guy said it’s at its end of life after 6 1/2 years because he can’t buy as good of products as the factory so it doesn’t last as long. I feel like that’s a bunch of shit but what do I know. Anyway, I’ve been looking fir an HD hood to buy snd modify for the headlights but can’t find one. New aftermarket ones are out of stock around here, OEM are no longer available and used ones are real hard to find. I might just have him repaint them cowl hood, not decided yet.

The second issue happened tonight when I came out from Oreilly and it wouldn’t turn over- the starter solenoid isn’t even clicking. Battery appears good, crank fuse is good, starter relay isn’t the problem. The headlights don’t dim when I try to crank it.

And as I was waiting for a tow from AAA which ended up taking 2 1/2 hours for them to show, some dude in a Durango backed into me and drove off, but I ran and caught him before he could exit the parking lot and got his ID and insurance info. It’s not much but it’s definitely scraped. What a night.

Wtf is wrong with people!?!