New member and proud owner of 87 Silverado with some questions

[rg0115]

Hi, I am new owner of a 1987 Silverado R10 350 and am super excited.  As a child at age 10 I moved to the United States from Germany.  When we arrived, my father got a 1986 Scottsdale for his job and I spend a lot time in it with him making deliveries and seeing the US.  My first visit to Chicago and Washington DC was in this truck.  I have many fond memories with my father driving around town.  In Germany growing up I used to watch “The Fall Guy” and when my father got a similar truck, you can image how cool that was, especially coming from Germany where we really don’t have any pickup trucks.   I knew one day I would buy a truck like this and almost 30 years later, I have achieved that goal and I am somewhat reliving my childhood.

My truck is not perfect and needs some work, but that is the fun part about owning this truck I love getting my hand dirty and fixing it up.  I look forward spending time on this forum and really getting to know the community and of course my truck.  I included some pictures but also wanted to get some advice while I am here

I need to replace the dash cover and noticed that there many options online.  What cover do you guys recommend as the best OEM replacement?  Do most covers just go over the OEM, or do some completely replace the current cover.




Best place to purchase new OEM grill and headlight bezel?



I need a new horn button, the car didn’t come with it.  I also need the plastic ring that sits behind it. Where do you recommend I purchase one and can someone tell me what type of steering wheel I have?



The door panel grab handles broke of the trim. Can just the fasteners for the handle be replaced?  The previous owner just screwed them on. 





My multifunction turn signal  has issues.  My cruise control doesn’t work properly, the blinker gets stuck and won’t automatically turn off, and the previous own disabled the high beams, my guess it’s related to the switch.  Any suggestion where I can buy a complete new switch. 



Will this one fit

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-GMC-PICKUP-TRUCK-TURN-Turning-SIGNAL-CRUISE-CONTROL-STALK-WIPER-ARM-LEVER-/391205080858?fits=Year%3A1987%7CSubmodel%3ASilverado&hash=item5b15a3cf1a&vxp=mtr

Will I need this as well to make my blinker turn off automatically.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SM220-Turn-Signal-Switch-Chevrolet-GMC-JEEP-1976-94-Pickup-truck-/260968868312?fits=Year%3A1987%7CSubmodel%3ASilverado&hash=item3cc2f4e9d8&vxp=mtr


Is it difficult to replace this went window weather stripping? 



I know lots of questions, but I appreciate any feedback I can get.   I look forward to this forum helping me my truck back up to par.

PS:  Already replaced the Starter and radiator. Parts are cheap and truck is easy to work on.

Thanks

[Blazin]

Welcome from New Hampshire.
Congrats on getting the truck of your dreams.
There is a page to introduce yourself here as well, give basic info like what you do for work, what part of the country you live in etc.
Truck looks pretty solid, looks like its had a repaint at some point, little spruce up under the hood.

All the things you mentioned that are wrong are very common issues they have.
The horn button looks to be the stock set up. I would say a salvage yard you could pick up what you need to get that fixed up. You could also find a stock GM wheel off some other model to replace it with. I have on my 86 K2500 a steering wheel from an 84 GMC full size van. My 81 Blazer has a wheel from an 86 Cavalier Z24. My 86 K30 dump truck, & my 87 V20 both have steering wheels from 88 style 1/2 or 3/4 ton pickup.

The blinker / high beam switch isnt to hard to replace. You will need a gear puller to pull the steering wheel. You will need a lock ring compressor to remove the clip that hold the lock ring. The lock ring keeps the wheel from being turned when the key is in the off position. The tool treads onto the steering shaft & pushes the rig down ( compresses the spring under it ) allowing you to use a small screw driver or picks to remove the snap ring that hold it in place. After that is removed there are screws that hold the switch inplace. The wire harness runs down inside the column, & is plugged in down behind the dash face. Little tricky getting it out, & new back in but not impossible.

The door straps are screwed in place from the factory, There are little plastic covers that snap into those holes to cover the ends of the pull strap.

The vent window gaskets are kind of a pain in the back side to replace. Been many years since I have done one, but I do recall it was no fun.

This site has a store that sells a lot of parts too.

[LTZ C20]

Welcome from California. Nice truck. Blazin here has sent you on the right track so far to fixing your issues.

[rg0115]

Thanks Blazin for taking the time to reply.  I am going to take some of your advice and see what I can do.  A little bit at a time.  I look forward to reading more on this board and helping me with issues as they arise. 

[pneuner750]

Ooh those vent windows! I fought mine, trying to look like factory. There just not molded correctly. I finally went with one piece window. Glad I did! To get the original go through Chevrolet. Cost, three hundred a piece. They are molded correctly. The main reason I went with one piece, you cannot break in the vehicle!!!  Twice they tried to steal my 86. They broke the door locks,  inner spring. After that they smashed the back window,  dented the left door they gave up! Even a lock smith could get in, until I finally broke the window completely out. Again I had three piece window. I have just been very lucky!!! Good luck!!! Phil

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[Irish_Alley]

pneuner where you from with a crime rate like that? if i lived there i would have to make a name for myself and show them how crazy i can get lol

[jaredts]

That is an amazing looking truck!  For the vent windows, you might be better off just finding the whole assembly at a junkyard.  I have seen a number of them in the yards that look just fine.

[NCali]

Start looking at the 4wd websites and on line for "frame cracks" or repairing frame cracks. I f you have any plans for putting wider tires on it , your frame will crack at the steering box bolt holes. They also crack at each shock mount on the frame.
Looking for parts? this website sells parts so you mite want to check here first

[Captkaos]

1) Dash - depends on what you are after.  If this is just a driver you could put a cover on it and call it a day, or spend more money and put a aftermarket dash on there.  You cannot by GM Dashes anymore.  The cover just go over the existing dash.  The Dash Pad replaces what you have.
http://store.73-87chevytrucks.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=7&Category_Code=DC

2) Grille - Is there something wrong with yours?  It looks ok to me, same goes with the headlight bezels.  If it isn't beat up I would repair and paint it.  Aftermarket will be either without the bowtie or will have the opening but will come bare.

3) Horn Button - Your is factory, Junkyard part

4)Those (in my opinion) are decorative straps.  You start pulling on them and it starts braking the covers that go in those slots.  The bolts seen on the one without straps are the factory bolts, just missing the strap and covers.

5) signal stalk - if it isn't cancelling right, turn it from lock to lock and see if the wheel is centered before buying parts.  That stalk will work but what is wrong with the cruise, they were not the best in the world in my opinion and if you compare it to something after 1999, they are non functional in comparison.  I would investigate the highs to see what happened, if you pull the stalk and it clicks start with the obvious, does it have the right lights...

6) Vent window- it is very labor intensive to replace it.  I would rate it at a 9.  We have the gaskets in the store also.  You just need to know which one.  Last time I tried to buy GM vent assemblies they were no longer available as I was selling them, that was 5 years ago... 
http://store.73-87chevytrucks.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=7&Category_Code=WTHR