Big Red - 2000 Tahoe Build

[Tonyrodz]

Wife says it still stinks inside the truck haha.... I'm sure something got cooked, but at least there's no fire. Everything else in the truck works fine so it seems at this point that it was isolated to the audio wiring.

Plan now is just to run power wires to the sony amp out of the way enough so they're not being tripped on or snagged and run the speaker wires in the same fashion so my wife can at least have sound again.

Once we get to Kentucky, I'm going to gut the interior, pull out the factory audio wires, run new speaker wires and hard install the amp, and do the headliner while I'm at it. Won't have time before then it looks like. Hate hafl-assing it, but it's not going to stay that way long-term.

Figure while the interior is apart, I'll paint the parts I'm planning on painting, clean and dye the carpet, and then suede-wrap the interior parts I'm not painting.

Pulling the headliner sux. Make sure you use some really good adhesion promoter--made for plastic. Paint doesn't like to stick very long to plastic, and scratches super easy.

 

[ArcticYukon]

Pulling the headliner sux. Make sure you use some really good adhesion promoter--made for plastic. Paint doesn't like to stick very long to plastic, and scratches super easy.

I've actually had really good luck with the Vinyl and Fabric paint made by Duplicolor. It's specifically made for interior plastics, vinyl, and cloth upholstry. I mean.... paint's still gonna scratch, it's paint... but it doesn't peel, flake off, or fade like regular old rustoleum on plastic parts.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I've actually had really good luck with the Vinyl and Fabric paint made by Duplicolor. It's specifically made for interior plastics, vinyl, and cloth upholstry. I mean.... paint's still gonna scratch, it's paint... but it doesn't peel, flake off, or fade like regular old rustoleum on plastic parts.

That actually is pretty decent stuff. I used a few cans a couple days ago to dye the cargo area carpet in an Infiniti.
Carpet was the same color as the leather, but something red was spilled back there. Red never really comes out. Most importantly--rug didn't come out crunchy.

 

[ArcticYukon]

That actually is pretty decent stuff. I used a few cans a couple days ago to dye the cargo area carpet in an Infiniti.View attachment 221817 View attachment 221818 View attachment 221819
Carpet was the same color as the leather, but something red was spilled back there. Red never really comes out. Most importantly--rug didn't come out crunchy.

Yeah it lays real nice and is quite flexible.

 

[ArcticYukon]

Monday morning, I took the kids to school, then started on the speaker wires and amp wiring. Got interrupted a few times, but finally finished everything up about 4am Tuesday morning.





Keep in mind, the exposed wires everywhere are just temporary. Going to be ripping the interior out once we've moved to Kentucky and doing a deep clean on the carpet along with a dye job, painting the plastics, doing the headliner, and covering the dash and a few other trim pieces in suede.

Oh and uh... excuse the mess. My kids have left the back of the truck in desperate need of vacuuming which I didn't have time to do.





Managed to fit the head unit in without any modification to the radio basket. If you were to see the install without the trim bezel though, you'd laugh. Essentially all I did was attach the included metal L-brackets to the radio, then made some 1/2" thick wood squares that I screwed the brackets to. That took up the gap between the sides of the radio and the radio basket. So the head unit is essentially just wedged into place... definitely not going anywhere, but definitely not fastened in place haha.



As for the lower portion, I still have to modify the position of the AC controls, but the bezel doesn't interfere with the operation of them at all. I removed the door that "hides" the aux power ports and cut the ash tray cover flush with the metal tray. That allows it to open and close with minimal interference from the trim bezel.

Again, it's not perfect yet, but it will be.

What's MOST important is, it sounds great! Granted, it could sound better with some better speakers, but for the crappy speakers that are in there, I'm really impressed with the head unit and amp combo.

 

[ArcticYukon]

For anyone interested, I did an unboxing video of the head unit and plan on making a review video of it later on.

Here's the unboxing:

And for any audiophile nerds interested in the specs of the amp, it's nothing crazy, just a 4 channel Sony XPLOD XM404EQX. 400w max, rated power is 40w x4 at 4 ohms.

 

[ArcticYukon]

Not much to report. Been busy with getting ready for the move and doing some things to the Ram.

I did get an exhaust tip for Big Red though. Haven't had a chance to put it on, but figured I'd give you guys a look at the tip before it's installed.



Picked it up for about 20 bucks at Advance... about 10 bucks cheaper than AZ. Thought it would look real good with the black theme on the Tahoe.

 

[05Single]

Not much to report. Been busy with getting ready for the move and doing some things to the Ram.

I did get an exhaust tip for Big Red though. Haven't had a chance to put it on, but figured I'd give you guys a look at the tip before it's installed.

View attachment 225302

Picked it up for about 20 bucks at Advance... about 10 bucks cheaper than AZ. Thought it would look real good with the black theme on the Tahoe.

Go out it on lazy lol. Should look good

 

[ArcticYukon]

Go out it on lazy lol. Should look good

Lol right? Such a slacker! Should be getting the tip on and a few other things done to it this coming week. Trying to get everything DONE to the vehicles that I need to this week, so that the following week is the final "clearance" of stuff that we won't be taking with us and the packing up of everything, and the week after will be focusing on cleanup.

I hate moving.

Also... bought these last night:



https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PBJCVGR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I kinda like the idea of being able to switch back and forth from white to yellow light when I need them. Bought a set for a pair of round AUX lights for my Ram as well. I'm sure we'll get a lot of use out of them on the roads in KY going through the hills.

Dave, I'm sure you can vouch for the benefits of yellow lights in snowstorms and fog.

 

[Rocket Man]

Good job so far, looks like fun!