Miklo's 2001 Silverado 2500HD Build Thread

[Mikloangelo]

Wow, that looks impressive! Show truck frame

Those fifties...[head explosion emoji]

Haha. Definitely not show quality, but Thanks for the compliment nonetheless

 

[ORVietVet]

It's almost good enough for government work.
IMO, looks good enough to eat off of, if you had a plate to set the food on.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Finally put a coat of the Satin Black Rustoleum today. I plan to give it another coat before I call it good enough and go back to wrapping wiring harnesses. Overall, I am pretty happy with the results.
After I put on a coat of paint, i decide to unbolt the seats and remove the center console to prep for the heater core removal while i wait for the engine to get back from the machinist. While removing the cassette player from the auxiliary center console, i found $200 in fifties. I guess she is paying me back for cleaning her up. So that was a nice surprise!

The plan while the dash is out is to replace the three blend door actuators, heater core, and AC evaporator core. I may go ahead and order those Temu top dash assemblies. If you didnt know, Temu sells the top of the dash, not a cover, a replacement. I have seen good reviews on them. Mine is okay shape but a few of the defrost vent blades are broken. I will also probably prep and paint the dash and pillars.

All I ever find is change, how did you find $50's?

 

[Mikloangelo]

Yesterday I had the time to finish up the painting on the frame. The frame is now done. At least the firewall forward I mean. Today I spent a bit of time after work tearing down my dash to replace the heater core and blend door actuators. Let me tell you, this would suck to do if it was the only thing I had wrong with the truck. The tear down is simple, it's just involved and a lot of pieces and screws and bolts. You definitely need organization to do it. I have parts back that I attach to each part I take off to keep things organized. Tomorrow I will clean and vacuum what I can in the dash and replace the heater core, ac condenser and blend doors.
My wife got my a 30L sonic cleaner for my birthday, so this evening I've been running parts through it to test it out. In the picture you can see my oil pan, and the difference it makes. I need to adjust my solution but it's working pretty well.

Heater core replacement guide

Amazon Listing for sonic cleaner

 

[Mikloangelo]

Well I was able to cobble together a few hours between rain storms over a period of a few days and do some work. I pulled out the entire airbox behind the dash and replaced the AC condenser, heater core, and the three blend door actuators. Threw in new cabin air filters and mounted the box back. Sorry I didn't grab any pictures. Today I was able to put back the dash back to where it needs to be. We'll, I at least got the hard part out of the way, still need to put the glove box, and dash pad and all that back on. I still want to clean all the panels and repaint everything before I do.
So while I was putting the dash back together I decided to pull out the OnStar module behind the glove box and the other communication module behind the instrument panel.
Also while it rained the other day I decided to re-wrap my coil wiring and mount my new coils on its bracket. Not important, just cosmetic

 

[Mikloangelo]

Well boys I decided I dont like money and bought something that I absolutely didn't need.
I'm putting in a cheap double din touchscreen with wireless android auto in my truck and while test fitting the radio, I thought to myself, "I wish my steering wheel had audio controls to pair with the radio. Surely I can just buy a steering wheel that's in better shape than mine and has audio controls and put it in".
Well, I found one and also found the correct clock spring to pair with it that has the audio wires I need to connect my radio.
As if i hadn't spent enough money or had enough to do.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Just to pile on the hurt. I found a bed that's in much better shape than my truck. The color doesn't match but im planning on painting it anyways at some point.
Unbolted my old bed and listed it for sale. Someone already came and picked it up. Now, is the time to go ahead and paint the rest of the frame and put a new fuel pump on. So the other items will be put on hold until the frame is painted and the "new" bed it mounted.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Got the frame degreased and powerwashed. Letting it air dry over night before I start the painting.
Had a bit of time to kill after powerwashing, so i installed my $50 temu radio and tested out the harness I soldered for it. Works perfect. Now just have to wire up the steering wheel controls when I get it.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Temu dash board came in unexpectedly. Temu thinks it's lost, and I had ordered another just in case. That one will be here tomorrow.
Temu lists it as an overlay, but it isn't. It is a perfect replacement. Im pretty impressed with the color and overall design. I test fit it in the truck and it fits exactly. I have read that you should put some sound deadening material where the brackets are by the windshield to eliminate any noise, so i will plan on doing that.
I am super happy with this and recommend to anyone looking for a new dash for around $130.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Temu dash board came in unexpectedly. Temu thinks it's lost, and I had ordered another just in case. That one will be here tomorrow.
Temu lists it as an overlay, but it isn't. It is a perfect replacement. Im pretty impressed with the color and overall design. I test fit it in the truck and it fits exactly. I have read that you should put some sound deadening material where the brackets are by the windshield to eliminate any noise, so i will plan on doing that.
I am super happy with this and recommend to anyone looking for a new dash for around $130.

Link to this product?

 

[Mikloangelo]

Link to this product?

https://share.temu.com/D84CrCm0OIC

 

[Mikloangelo]

Been working on the bed frame the past couple of days. Finished painting it today. Im pretty happy with the results, but never want to do that shit again. I brushed on the rustoleum primer, and the first enamel coat then opted to spray the second coat just because I didn't want to make a mess again and didn't have the time today to deal with it.
Since the bed was off I changed out the fuel pump with an OEM pump. I had to change out the retaining ring because it was rusted out as well. I also changed out the cabin pressure vents on the back of the cab since I had one missing anyways.
Tomorrow I have to run to Orielly's to get some fuel retaining clips but for the most part she's ready for the bed to be put on tomorrow.
Stopped by my machinist to drop off my TSP cam and retaining plate. He just got the crank back from getting balanced and polished and he starting to put together the short block. So by Tuesday he will be done with and ready for me to pick it up. Im stoked because this block looks brand new. He even is going to paint the block chevy orange for me.
So fingers crossed that this time next weekend I'll be putting my engine together.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Well boys, the bed is on. It doesn't match but it's in much better shape than my old one. Looking like a truck again.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Got the engine back from the machinist. Waiting on a new crank bolt before assembly. I sent out the crank with the bolt and didn't get it back. So now I wait for a bolt that should have been here yesterday.
Meanwhile, I cleaned all the covers plates accessory brackets, harmonic balancer, steering pump pulley, and two valve cover sets and painted them satin black. I think between the chevy orange and satin black covers its going to look very nice.
As far as my paint bay, its been too windy and way too much pollen in the air so I draped some painters plastic over the garage door guide rails, over the top and over the floor. I used bailing wire to hold up my parts and threw in a fan for positive air pressure and the garage door open slightly. Worked fantastic.

 

[Mikloangelo]

A sneak peak. Almost done just need to prime the engine and then i can throw the valve covers, fully install the valley cover and knock sensors, and throw on the headers and I'll be ready to toss it in the truck.

 

[stutaeng]

A sneak peak. Almost done just need to prime the engine and then i can throw the valve covers, fully install the valley cover and knock sensors, and throw on the headers and I'll be ready to toss it in the truck.

Sweet!

You can prime it with those adapters and a $10 Walmart garden pump sprayer and sone hardware fittings...

 

[Mikloangelo]

Sweet!

You can prime it with those adapters and a $10 Walmart garden pump sprayer and sone hardware fittings...

Thats exactly what im waiting for. I have the pump sprayer, just waiting for fittingnto come in. Should be here tomorrow, but I wouldn't bet on it. Probably Monday.

 

[Mikloangelo]

Tried buttoning up the engine today, put the valve covers on, and decided to install the sparkplug before I put on the headers. Well the threads on my #8 cylinder spark plug hole I guess was boogered up, and installing the spark plug made things worse. I thought i was careful but I ate up half the threads. I bought a thread chaser for it but also got a thread reamer and thread insert just incase. Im betting I'll need to use the reader and threads. But we will see how it goes. So now I wait again, with the engine out so I dont have to deal with it when the engine is installed.
Link to thread chaser
Link to reamer and thread insert kit

 

[Mikloangelo]

Engine has been taking longer than expected but I was able to ream out the old sparkplug hole and put a thread insert in it. Works great now. I did have to remove the head to clean out any shavings, So with that done I've been putting the final pieces on. Got the headers on, spark plugs and sparkplug wired installed. Just gotta put on the accessories and I'll be ready to drop her in then start the front end assembly.
A camper shell popped up near me for a good price and I jumped on it. They were kind enough to deliver it to me and help me put it on. She isnt perfect but once i start paint and body this thing will look great!

 

[Mikloangelo]

Accessories mostly done. I still haven't cleaned up the alternator, and im missing some bolts for the tensioner. I found a cheap new alternator/steering pump bracket and installed it instead of the bulky hunk of aluminum. It was easy enough to install and it looks much better in my opinion. I also mocked up my tbss intake on top to see how she looks complete-ish. Now I cant keep going into my garage and looking at it. . Hopefully by Sunday I will have it in the engine bay.