73-87chevytrucks.com
General Site Info => General Discussion => Topic started by: frotosride on November 15, 2015, 10:54:44 am
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Ok so we have all done many things to our trucks over the years. Some of these things may not have paid off the way we hoped but there's always that one or two that you wish you would have thought of the day you got the truck. So what is it.
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I will start..
Mine consist of two modifications. The first was replacing the solid glass light bulbs with the aftermarket housings and replaceable bulbs. I further improved on the with a set of HID'S in just the dim light holes for now.
Second is more recent. I just completed my 1800 mile trip from Maine to southern Georgia. Before I left I hooked up a switch from the test port for the TCC lock up to the ground terminal on the ALDL. There are so many benefits. I now call it the Beast Mode switch because of the passability it has given the truck. I loaded old blue down with over 2200lbs of extra weight and he ate up I95 like a champ.
At one point I left it off for about 50 miles and my engine temp stayed up between 205-210 then I flipped the switch after noticing it to see how drastic the load on the engine would change and after 10 miles the engine would barely creep over 165. I wish I would have done this on all the other long hauls!
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Oh and of course my milage went up
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So no one has done anything to their truck they couldn't imagine not having anymore....
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What is this supposed to be about things we have done to our trucks that we wish we would have done long time ago?
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My Grant steering wheel. The old one was just way to big for me. With the 13 1/2" Grant one turning is much more comfortable.
I still have the stock one if I ever change my mind though.
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grant steering wheel vs stock, i like the stock one in my 91 more than the grant in my 79 lifted truck. of course i like the cummins swap and cant wait to test the mpg's on my next trip to Va. last trip with the cummins i didnt have the tcc hooked up and i got 16. but the tonneau cover for my cummins was a waist of money to "save fuel" looks better but doesnt save me any fuel
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I have the grant 13 1/2 but it blocks the view of the speedo. My only complaint.
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What is this supposed to be about things we have done to our trucks that we wish we would have done long time ago?
Exactly...
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Oh boy.... I have a decent sized list.
1 - fuel injection. I had carb for the first 5 years of its life with me, but let me tell you what, TBI is the way to go on something I drive everyday.
2 - overdrive transmission. Following the TBI, the Ole 350 I had was great, but with only 3 gears, the truck sounded angry cruising down the highway at 60 mph. Now, it goes into 4th gear, the TCC comes on, 65mph att 1500 rpm, total gravy.
3 - power windows & locks. If the truck was going for an all original build, I'de of stayed with manual. However, convenience is key in a daily truck and let's face it, as guys, we like things with buttons LOL.
This one doesn't really count as must have but it relates items 1 & 3. viper alarm. It's hooked up to the doors and tho I don't have the extra module, I could have it hooked up for remote start too. Can't figure out why I haven't done that yet.
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Put spacers under the rear of the seat. It picks you up and the back is more upright than layed back. About 1 1/2" long.
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Ugly Wheels gone bye bye. In fact the only thing wrong with these trucks were the terrible wheel backspacing from the factory and poor gear ratio's. If they had put a little more effort into the wheel designs it would have been nice.
Upgraded seats, audio, carpet, sound deadening, POWER, posi, exhaust.
The custom stuff to me is all personal taste and wouldn't classify any of it as a "best modification" just changing the flavor. It's funny, I look back all of the things I have done over the years and some of the things leave me saying, what the heck was I thinking?! The factory had it right!
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Oh boy.... I have a decent sized list.
2 - overdrive transmission. Following the TBI, the Ole 350 I had was great, but with only 3 gears, the truck sounded angry cruising down the highway at 60 mph. Now, it goes into 4th gear, the TCC comes on, 65mph att 1500 rpm, total gravy.
3 - power windows & locks. If the truck was going for an all original build, I'de of stayed with manual. However, convenience is key in a daily truck and let's face it, as guys, we like things with buttons LOL.
This one doesn't really count as must have but it relates items 1 & 3. viper alarm. It's hooked up to the doors and tho I don't have the extra module, I could have it hooked up for remote start too. Can't figure out why I haven't done that yet.
2) I have been extremely curious about my cheapo sunpro tach which I actually got for the 6.0l run stand. On my drive down to GA from Me my speedo was reading 65 and the tach would be 1600-1700 with tcc. I thought that it was e tremly low even with the 35s. Looks like the tach is dead on. I would like to change my shift points.4000 is the highest the old man will spin in every gear with the loud pedal to the floor. 700r-4? What gears in the rear?
3) I promised myself a long time ago that I will never have manual windows again. Thankfully this truck was given to me and power windows and locks were OE options already in place. The only buttons I sometimes regret pressing are the wife's....sometimes!
I really do want an alarm and remote locks. I've gotten so many comments on the truck since being back down south that it has me a little on edge. I do have a remedy for this but I certainly wouldn't post it on the world wide web. Speaking of which I need to go pull a fuse real quick.
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Oh boy.... I have a decent sized list.
2 - overdrive transmission. Following the TBI, the Ole 350 I had was great, but with only 3 gears, the truck sounded angry cruising down the highway at 60 mph. Now, it goes into 4th gear, the TCC comes on, 65mph att 1500 rpm, total gravy.
3 - power windows & locks. If the truck was going for an all original build, I'de of stayed with manual. However, convenience is key in a daily truck and let's face it, as guys, we like things with buttons LOL.
This one doesn't really count as must have but it relates items 1 & 3. viper alarm. It's hooked up to the doors and tho I don't have the extra module, I could have it hooked up for remote start too. Can't figure out why I haven't done that yet.
2) I have been extremely curious about my cheapo sunpro tach which I actually got for the 6.0l run stand. On my drive down to GA from Me my speedo was reading 65 and the tach would be 1600-1700 with tcc. I thought that it was e tremly low even with the 35s. Looks like the tach is dead on. I would like to change my shift points.4000 is the highest the old man will spin in every gear with the loud pedal to the floor. 700r-4? What gears in the rear?
3) I promised myself a long time ago that I will never have manual windows again. Thankfully this truck was given to me and power windows and locks were OE options already in place. The only buttons I sometimes regret pressing are the wife's....sometimes!
I really do want an alarm and remote locks. I've gotten so many comments on the truck since being back down south that it has me a little on edge. I do have a remedy for this but I certainly wouldn't post it on the world wide web. Speaking of which I need to go pull a fuse real quick.
2, I have a cheap tach from O'Reilly's, I got it cuz it matched the overall font and design of the factory gauges for the most part, was about 30 bucks I think. It's a little off but not enough to be bothered by, I think the most I've seen it read wrong is about 100 rpm. As for trans, it's a 4L60 so yes a 700R4, but the late 80s better ones, so 700 or 4L either way it's the same thing, built to withstand bout 500 hp or so. Gears in the rear are 4.10:1 out of a 14 bolt, tires are 265/75R16, BF Goodrich Commercial T/A's. (Btw, I LOVE these tires, like I wouldn't hesitate for 1 secind to continue buying them for the truck for the rest of my life.)
With the months becoming colder and colder, I'm really considering the remote start and/or a block heater.
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Ugly Wheels gone bye bye. In fact the only thing wrong with these trucks were the terrible wheel backspacing from the factory and poor gear ratio's. If they had put a little more effort into the wheel designs it would have been nice.
Upgraded seats, audio, carpet, sound deadening, POWER, posi, exhaust.
The custom stuff to me is all personal taste and wouldn't classify any of it as a "best modification" just changing the flavor. It's funny, I look back all of the things I have done over the years and some of the things leave me saying, what the heck was I thinking?! The factory had it right!
did you have a visor back in the day?
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He probably still has it and a spare in the garage just in case.
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Irish,
You beat me to the punch line.
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Many creature comfort mods in all of my trucks over the years. Better mirrors, stereo's in place of AM radio's, steering wheels, nicer seats and tilt columns with intermittent wipers.
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Many creature comfort mods in all of my trucks over the years. Better mirrors, stereo's in place of AM radio's, steering wheels, nicer seats and tilt columns with intermittent wipers.
I've never experienced any other than intermittent wipers so I'm not sure how bad or annoying it may be.
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I've never experienced any other than intermittent wipers so I'm not sure how bad or annoying it may be.
Not that bad, still have the standard non-intermittent 2 speed wipers on my 84. I only upgrade if the column I used has the option...
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i've pretty much left it stock----unless you count swapping a 4.3 in place of a v-8 a "modification." And that hasn't turned out too well yet because of the time it took AND gas is now cheap again. :-[ So if had put another small block v-8 in, the difference in gas money probably wouldn't be that significant AND it would have been running much, much sooner. But i love the engine..........
Other than that, a tach, a temp gauge and a tonneau cover.
If you consider tires a modification, then unfortunately i CAN NO LONGER recommend Hankook tires.
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I wish I had intermittent wipers. Haven't done that mod yet but I want too.
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did you have a visor back in the day?
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I was never foolish enough to drill holes in any of my trucks to put one of those God forsaken things on. ;D No offense to visor lovers. The stupid things I did when I was younger was like, taking all of the factory trim off and throwing it in the trash, I threw away the stock hood and hood emblem because I got a cowl hood on one, I threw out the stock radio and steering wheel, tossed grille brackets to put in a tube grille etc. Now that I know better I could kick myself.
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Definitely the 8 ball shifter nob I picked up a few weeks back.
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Best mod I have ever done is my crane. Its been in three of my trucks so far. Most I have picked up with it is 1,800 lbs.
Similar to this unit. http://venturo.com/product/ce6k/
it saves so much time loading logs, motors, transmissions, axles, heavy truck, & tractor tires. Can load front & rear axles stacked in like logs.
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I have considered one of those on many occasions. I could definitely use it.
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i've pretty much left it stock----unless you count swapping a 4.3 in place of a v-8 a "modification." And that hasn't turned out too well yet because of the time it took AND gas is now cheap again. :-[ So if had put another small block v-8 in, the difference in gas money probably wouldn't be that significant AND it would have been running much, much sooner. But i love the engine..........
Other than that, a tach, a temp gauge and a tonneau cover.
If you consider tires a modification, then unfortunately i CAN NO LONGER recommend Hankook tires.
What was wrong with the hankooks? I have some on mine and so far they're great, but I have maybe 500 miles on them. Anything I should worry about?
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When I pulled my 400 small block and dropped in a 396.......
WOAH! Nellie.
I kept looking to see if there was a second engine somewhere in my truck that I had over looked and suddenly started working without my knowing.
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i've pretty much left it stock----unless you count swapping a 4.3 in place of a v-8 a "modification." And that hasn't turned out too well yet because of the time it took AND gas is now cheap again. :-[ So if had put another small block v-8 in, the difference in gas money probably wouldn't be that significant AND it would have been running much, much sooner. But i love the engine..........
Other than that, a tach, a temp gauge and a tonneau cover.
If you consider tires a modification, then unfortunately i CAN NO LONGER recommend Hankook tires.
What was wrong with the hankooks? I have some on mine and so far they're great, but I have maybe 500 miles on them. Anything I should worry about?
Well, maybe you are luckier than me but the last two optimo 727's i got from tire rack were out-of-round.
It's Michelins for me from now on.
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did you have a visor back in the day?
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I was never foolish enough to drill holes in any of my trucks to put one of those God forsaken things on. ;D No offense to visor lovers. The stupid things I did when I was younger was like, taking all of the factory trim off and throwing it in the trash, I threw away the stock hood and hood emblem because I got a cowl hood on one, I threw out the stock radio and steering wheel, tossed grille brackets to put in a tube grille etc. Now that I know better I could kick myself.
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I removed nearly every part off of my 70 chevelle and 79 Camaro z28 engine and replaced with cheap china chrome, I tossed all the original stuff, valve covers, entire air clnr assy, intake manifold, qjet carbs, everything. What a stupid move!! Maybe that's why I am so anti-modification and so Pro-stock, I've been scarred in the past! Not to diss anyone, but I quiver when I see a chrome engine, but yet I am relaxed and filled with joy when I see a clean factory stock set-up. Assembly line!!
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i've pretty much left it stock----unless you count swapping a 4.3 in place of a v-8 a "modification." And that hasn't turned out too well yet because of the time it took AND gas is now cheap again. :-[ So if had put another small block v-8 in, the difference in gas money probably wouldn't be that significant AND it would have been running much, much sooner. But i love the engine..........
Other than that, a tach, a temp gauge and a tonneau cover.
If you consider tires a modification, then unfortunately i CAN NO LONGER recommend Hankook tires.
I have also the hankook optimo h724's I believe, had for about 6 months, love them, nice and tight, no wear, and grippy. And $67/tire!
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Nothing wrong with mods but when something suddenly becomes more desirable in factory form and you've thrown everything out you definitely realize how stupid that was. However with these trucks, unless it's 100% original unmolested, it really doesn't matter.
Sent from my SCH-S968C using Tapatalk
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Agreed.
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That's why I keep everything I take off even every but and bolt...unless I find someone that needs the, Philo!
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Thats right man! Thanks!!
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Stewart, thank you for the info, I'll keep an eye out for problems on my hankook, I believe the front are optimos, and the rear are ventus.
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Stewart, thank you for the info, I'll keep an eye out for problems on my hankook, I believe the front are optimos, and the rear are ventus.
Ok, well maybe you guys are luckier than me, but the last two Optimo 727's were out of round and noticeably distorted and i bought them a few months apart too. (This was from TireRack)
Why don't we say, for now, the verdict is still out on Hankooks, because maybe it was just bad luck on my part?
2) Oh, i forgot another mod was installing an polyurethane Energy Suspension transmission mount for the TH-350, because the original mount separated in two pieces. And when i tried installing the "new" 4.3/trans combo i couldn't get it lined up just right---until i discovered the original trans mount was toast. i think this is a good mod. And only about $29.
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^ It's possible, but more likely it was a bad batch. I see that a lot with goodyear tires. My dad had that problem with bfgoodrich tires years ago, but I never had any problems and others I know that have bfgs have no problems.