'00 Silverado - Full Build

[Kenton]

So I've been wanting to build my own truck for years. The first time I went off roading was when my uncle took me out to the dunes when I was 7... thats when I fell in love. Since then I've read, researched, and studied, as much as I can and now hopefully that'll all pay off. I've dabbled a little in welding and fabrication in high school and college, but this is gunna be my first real project.

I started looking for a project truck, and knowing I wanted to go all the way, was in the market for a cab with doors. I came across this truck in the Race-Dezert classifieds and made the 6 hour trip to go pick it up. I'm not really sure how picking up off of someone else's project is gunna work out but for the price I payed I could ditch all the fab work and still come out ahead, so I figured it was worth the gamble.

I'm beginning with a 2000 Extended Cab Chevy Silverado. It's already been caged and the frame's been boxed all with tig welded chromoly. From the start I knew there were things I wanted to change, we'll just hafta see how extensive I get with those modifications.

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[Andrew]

Looks like a start.

Man, the guy who helped you drive 6 hours away and pick it up must have been a really good friend........ =)

[heineken4menotu]

Build that truck!!!!! It looks like a good start and its actually the way I want mine to go. I wish I could have come up on that. Good luck bro!!!!

[Steven_Tolbert]

Need new photos

[bean dip]

Where are the pics.?!

[Kenton]

Oops... not sure what happened there but here they are:


The day I brought her home...




What she looked like when I started...



So I decided not to go with the J-arm set up and am going to go with some centered arms. Figured if I'm gunna do a complete build might as well go all the way... so of came the front end. I wasn't a huge fan of the cage around the doors either so those came out too... gunna do something a little less busy and make it easier to get in and out of.


After some time spent with the plasma cutter...



The aftermath...

[Kenton]

Some pics of the interior cage:












At this point in the game I'm planning on going with 39" tires. I'm gunna be starting work on the front end first so I needed to figure out my front spindle placement. The distance on my stock 04 silverado from the front door to middle of the hub is about 22". Since I'm going with 39s I'm anticipating extending that to about 25" so I can still keep my truck low.

[CHASETHISTOO]

So I decided not to go with the J-arm set up and am not going to go with some centered arms.

If your not going to use the J arm or Center mounted a-arms what are you going to use? Beams?

[Kenton]

My bad... typo... I AM gunna be going with centered arms... hopin to net between 24-26" of travel

[CHASETHISTOO]

Sweet. Sounds like it'll be bad a** when its done. Great start.