Country_Feller

Hey, all. I have finally decided that I want to do a build thread. I've been debating for a while whether I just wanted to keep the truck stock, but I've come to find that I am in need of a hobby, and what better hobby than building my truck, eh?

I got the truck 2 years ago from a guy about 35 miles away. It was his mom's truck, and it had only been used as a grocery getter. Well, she passed away and the truck sat in his yard for 4 years, until he finally decided that he couldn't bear it being there anymore, so he put up a local Craig's list add, and that is where I got it. It needed some serious work, both to the engine, fuel system and the tires, all from sitting so long. So I got its issues fixed, and for a while, I was happy. Then, the mod bug bit me. LOL!


Ok, enough chit chat. I suppose I'll start with what has already been done:

New fuel tanks
New fuel Pumps
Lower end engine rebuild (it had an exhaust leak, and upon fixing that, I heard the dreadful knock of a rod bearing.)
Magnaflow Performance Exhaust (1 in, 2 out setup with tips coming out either end)
LED lighting conversion, including the headlights
Undercoating
Tailgate Applique' resprayed
Silver interior trim resprayed
Pinstriping

Things to come:
New custom grille
Clear headlight housings
Headache rack
Leveling
New wheels and tires
LED switchback turn signal strips
LED running light strips in headlights similar to the 2015 F150.
Custom LED taillights (instead of the bulb towers I have now)
New front end (Steering, suspension, ball joints, etc. Eventually.)
Custom logo for new grille
LED light bars integrated into grille

I may add more things to come, but for now this will get me started. I want the truck to look clean, not butchered.

Oh, just for the record, my truck is a 2WDSB. I do not, at all intend to adjust the ride height, whether lifting or lowering. I simply intend to level it. I think they look so good leveled out. Here are some pics, in order from when I first bought it to the way it is now:






Shortly after I got the truck.





A pic of her working at the dump.





A pic of one of our dogs guarding her.





A look at the front of the pinstripe I did.





And here's the back.





Just trying a new look. How would the grille look black?








With the slotted bumper installed.





The way she sits today. LED's are in at this point, but I haven't gotten the new housings installed.





And the tailgate applique'. I did the top graphite, but left below the reflector alone, so as to make the conversion from the tailgate to the bumper less sharp. I think it turned out great, and it's graphite plasticoating, so I can remove it if i feel like it.

Country_Feller

So I went to the parts store today to pick up some more LEDs, and a guy I know from the job I currently work was there. As I was purchasing the bulbs, we got into a conversation about his old truck he wrecked: an old body Suburban. Said he has 4 20" LED strips with dual brightness functionality thst he was going to use, 2 per side, as turn signals for the sides of his truck. I got to thinking about it, and the lights would look pretty good in the grille that I am going to fabricate, eventually. I was thinking one per side of the grille, like this, only in the top instead of the bottom:


Or maybe I could do something like this?



I don't know. Any suggestions? I think I like it better with them down the sides, but that would probably require a smaller light strip. Tell me what you think!

CCR90

That truck sure is clean for 20+ years old. Gotta love 90's two tone. But looking good.

As for lights, personally not a fan of them in the grille as much.I do like them flush with the bumper, especially like smcox's.

Country_Feller

Thanks for the compliments! And smcox1... His truck is the epitome of awesome for the obs trucks.

I'm not too sure yet of just what designs to go with: similar designs to his, or a more flush "integrated" look. I like cleanness of my truck, and I don't want to compromise that, (well, at least too much, LOL!) but I do want something very unique. When the money comes in, I'll hopefully have a better idea by then, but I'm thinking something that keeps it clean.

CCR90

I've always been a fan of a clean,simple and less is more approach to things

travisgg

Kudos for great maintenance and detailing on this truck! I haven't seen 20 yr old trucks looking this good in a while. Not sure abt getting grills, but if you're to have them fitted i hope you get ones that suit your model. More modern, fancy grills might ruin it.

Country_Feller

Thanks for the replies, guys! I appreciate the comments, and I think I will stick to something that will keep the truck looking classic, albeit with a slightly modern twist. Maybe billet grille? I've seen the billet grilles you can get from places like LMC, and those look pretty clean, but I was thinking that it's a fairly common modification, and I don't want anything too "common." I want a slightly more modern interpretation of the obs trucks with this one, while still retaining most of the classic look, and at the same time being as unique as possible. For instance, the paint scheme will remain the same: Mocha Frost with a Medium Mocha centre stripe.

Speaking of paint, I was thinking about in the (very) near future, of making my skull caps ptm the rest of the truck. Just, if I did that, I don't know if I should go with the top color (Mocha Frost) or the center stripe (Medium Mocha.) I was going to paint them because, although you can't tell in the pictures, they are starting to fade and even pit up a little bit. I thought about trying to restore them, but thought if I got a proper paint job on them (base coat, clear coat), they might look good, as well. Also, I want to incorporate turn signals into them soon, and that would be the time to do it, when the mirrors are removed and taken apart.

Country_Feller

Oh, and here's a couple of pictures from the ride home last night from work, just for the heck of it.

CCR90

if you want modern and different, why not a mesh style grille?

Country_Feller

Hmm. I hadn't even thought of that. That looks pretty good, actually. Good looking call there, CCR90! That truck shown in the picture above looks clean, too. I think I am going to take that picture you posted and do some photoshopping on it when I get home tonight (if I have time, LOL) and play around with that picture and a picture of my truck and see what it would look like if that grille were on mine. Also think I will play around with colors for the mirrors and maybe the bumper.