[Dommieboy]

I'm a little late on starting this but I was thinking about stuff that I have done to my truck and more that I want to do and would like a time line of it.

This is my first truck since high school, where I had a '63 Chevy half ton. With a straight 6 and a 4 speed (could only use 1st gear if I was going to tow someone's house off the foundation).

I got my Silverado in March of 2016. I flew out to Pittsburgh PA to pick it up. I was searching for a while and couldn't find anything in Utah to my liking as far as engine, packages, and mileage. So to PA I went. I landed a 2012 LTZ with 28k miles a GM warranty and a 6.2L. All for the same price as a 2010 LT with 98k miles (the only comp in Utah at the time). Utah truck prices are crazy. I then drove it across the country to put it to work and start making it mine.

I'll start filling in with the things I've done, as I did them to get to where I am today.

 

[SSchup]

Nice truck, with low mileage. I got my Sierra SLT with 6.2 out of Minnesota, flew out and drove it back 750 miles 2 years ago. They are hard to find.

 

[tsuintx]

Looks like a nice start. Low miles are definitely a big plus!

 

[nealinator]

Interested to see what all you have done. That is quite a long ways to pick up and drive back. I know a lot of folks would have something shipped...but I would have to see and drive a vehicle myself when buying.

 

[Dommieboy]

The cross country drive was the best part. I plan on doing it again in the future.

So there were a few things that I wasn't a huge fan of when I got my truck.
I know there are a lot of people out there that like chrome, I'm not really one of them when it comes to accessories. So the chrome window cover/shade things had to go. This would be the start of of my de-chroming.

I added a 2.5" leveling kit, took off the badges on the tailgate and painted the bowties as well.

Like I said this has been a few years in the making and I'm just trying to catch up on what has been done. So more updates to come.

 

[nealinator]

I can see that a being a fun adventure...going across country in your brand new to you truck. My son and I did a short trip right after getting mine...and I loved every minute of it!

Very glad removing that chrome add on stuff was first order! haha

 

[Dommieboy]

One of the things that was first on my wife's to do list for me was some sort of rear seat entertainment. So the search began.
After doing some looking and hearing of how much some of the members here like Rosen/Carshow. I went to their site to learn more. I picked up the set for $300. The section of the site that I ordered from was removed the next day. I guess I found something that wasn't supposed to be there. Either way, I really like them and the leather matches the seats perfectly.

 

[nealinator]

Do those connect into the dash HU or are they stand alone?

 

[Dommieboy]

They can be both. I have it connected to my stock radio, (not NAV) so I can run the sound through the truck speakers. They came with IR headsets. I really should have done a write up on it.
I connected it up to the Fuse slot that would be used if the truck had come with them from the factory as well. So for the most part they function like the OEM option.
We don't use the stereo part of it that much. There is only so many times you can listen to "Cars"

 

[nealinator]

For sure. I have a set from Eonon that i put in for the kiddos. They are a bit larger with 10.1" screens. Completely stand alone right now (and each can show its own movie). But was wanting to connect in one of them to the hu to make it easier to change the movie and start it etc for the younger daughter.

 

[tsuintx]

I like chrome up to a point, but those window thingies are definitely wayyy too much. Good job getting rid of them.

The cross country drive was the best part. I plan on doing it again in the future.

Done it myself a few times, too, and that is a lot of fun. I've picked up cars from all other corners of the country and in between other than the northwest.

 

[Dommieboy]

Now that the kids are happy, it was time for me to be a bit happier. I threw on a few of the more common upgrades, air and exhaust. I didn't go all out on either but wanted a little more than the stock setup offered.
I started with the air side. I got a 90mm TB and an AiRaid intake tube.

The two of these helped out quite a bit in the throttle response. HP wise....I'm sure I got a few but nothing super noticeable. I'm fine with that though. The intake sound changed a little (in a good way) and the response were good enough for me.

Then I got a Spintech 5000 series truck muffler. The sound is awesome. Zero drone. For anyone that is looking for a flowmaster chambered type sound but wants it to flow a better. Check them out. The 5000 series is louder than stock but not crazy loud. I had to keep it more on the softer side because my wife drives the truck to and we haul kids. If it was just mine I would have gone louder.

After that I picked up a Diablo i2030 tuner and have it just doing a canned tune.......I know I need to get Lew on it and have it actually tuned. It's on the "to do" list. The only other thing that is keeping that on the "to do" list is that I want to put some long tube headers on but those are $$$$. So I wait.

 

[Dommieboy]

I dropped my new wheels off to get powder coated. I found me these take off's from a GMC Denali, and loved them just would love them more if they were black. So I pulled the tires and just dropped them off at the powder coating shop. I might have them by this week end, but more than likely will get them back on Monday. I rounded up some 285 60 20 Firestone Transforce AT's. That new taken off of a D****. Not my first choice for tires but After selling the ones that came on my wheels, I made a few bucks getting these.

 

[nealinator]

Look forward to seeing how they turn out.

 

[Dommieboy]

I got the powder coating done! I love how it turned out. As dumb as it sounds it feels like I got a new truck.

The tires are Firestone Transforce AT's in 285 60 20. The wheels are 20's off of a Yukon/Sierra Denali. I have the GM mud flaps on the front and rear. I like them but I have had to trim them down and they still rub so they will be coming off. Other than that no issues. I like the stance but I think I might do a 1.5" body lift some time in the near future.

I still need to paint the center caps and get some different lug nuts

 

[nealinator]

Turned out nice Dominic. It does transform the look of the truck.

Did you have your steps powder coated also?

 

[Dommieboy]

I swapped out the chrome OE ones for some Black powder coated OE steps.
Thanks for noticing

 

[Dommieboy]

So I get to do some deconsTRUCKing. Some lady texting on her phone lost control of her car when she slammed on her brakes as she was approaching slower traffic on the freeway. She went into the median and shot back out on to the freeway. I was the unlucky person to stop her car.

Nobody hurt, and now she gets to pay for my new bumper.

I also get the pleasure of taking it all apart and putting it all back together again. So I will post photos along the way to help out anyone else that needs to do a bumper job.

 

[nealinator]

Dang. I would take it to a body shop and get a full estimate....then use that number to make a claim on her insurance and then do it yourself. No way I would do all the work and do it for parts and save her the money.

 

[Dommieboy]

I got a couple estimates, I just have to wait for her insurance adjuster to come out and do an estimate of their own, before I get a check. I got the others so I can keep them honest.