Build Log: Down8's Tahoe Has a Nickname

[Down8]

Yeah, I don't have a nickname for my truck, yet. It'll come.
I'm going with Grayskull. It'll make more sense once I get my Jake logo on it somewhere. Before my next IMSA attendance.

Anyway, it was suggested that I might make a build log for what I've done/will do to my Tahoe. At this point, I've had it a month, and done a lot of small things, but have plenty planned.

Here it is, the day I bought it:


2007 Tahoe LS 4x4, Bose, Titanium leather, 3-rows, 235K. Family friend heard I was looking for a 4WD vehicle; he happens to be a mechanic at a small dealership and called to say they had a nice example (he has a Tahoe, and had already been through it). Anyway, I bought it. It needed small stuff, given the miles, but was generally pretty well taken care of, so I feel like I got a solid deal.

Here's the list of things done so far:
Replaced headlamps
Replaced/added air dam
Replaced driver's lower foam/leather
New Pirelli's (275/60R20 Scorpion ATR)
Replaced/added proper yellow/flex fuel gas cap
Added 2nd battery (w/kit)
Re-painted front wiper arms, new blades
New rear wiper arm/blade
Replaced steering wheel trim w/brushed aluminum style
Added wireless phone charger to center console
Added trim-to-fit floor mats w/removable carpet sections
Cabin air filter retrofit
Removed wide/failing body side moldings
Hit all the plastics with Ultimate Black
DiabloSport inTune i3 => changed tires, removed AFM, 87 octane tune
Replaced broken rear hatch pull handle
Replaced broken rear glass button
Replaced rear radio knobs
Added new key+fob
Added dash mat
2" lower strut lift
x-Buff out ugliness left from removing BSM (this weekend's rain ruined today's plans)
x-Add slimmer BSM (purchased and waiting...)
x-Replace front wiper washer motor (received, but stuck "on" so fused pulled until investigation)
x-DL3 mirror swap (well, ordered signal+heat+puddle lamp, but manual fold version)
x-Replace flaking chrome interior handles
x-New headunit w/wireless Android Auto
x-Debadge? (at least the FlexFuel logo is going away)
x-Fix rear defroster
x-Fix torn CV boot (temp fixed, replacement CV sitting right here...)
x-Might need to replace 4WD switch (intermittent "Service 4WD" notices; replaced, watching for issues...)

Plans:
Painted Z71-style fender flares
Painted hitch cover
Lighted Bowtie? Maybe color-matched?
Roof rack cross bars
Cargo area cover
Tint?
Fix/replace 12V cover in rear console (have part)
3"+ total lift
UCAs
Diff drop
New suspension all around
Fix intermediate steering boot
Fix/replace cracked/weak vanity mirrors
LED swap on interior lights
Paint/powdercoat tow hooks

x=done!

I'll drop the pictures I have below, and then add the future stuff as it happens.

More to come,
-bZj

 

[Down8]

The arm rest was pretty beat up, so I ordered a full replacement, and decided to add wireless charging to it.

Original:


Mid-work (not many pictures, b/c I kept using my phone yo confirm the charging was working:


Keeping in the interior, I recovered the front lower on the driver's side, including new foam. Here's the before:


The mid-progress:


And complete:

Need to clean the belts.

Can only attach 5 pictures, so next....

-bZj

 

[Down8]

Missing radio knobs:


Bam! Knobs:

I have a 12V surround/cover, but haven't gotten around to fighting with the thing to remove the old one.

Broken hatch pull:


Fixed! Like magic:


New steering wheel trim, in brushed aluminum, vs. previous worn black plastic:


There's 5 for this one....

-bZj

 

[Down8]

Let's do some exterior. Here's the new air dam:

Front end is so low for a 4WD - like scraping curbs low. This told me I must at lease level the front, as a moral imperative.

Here are the new headlamps. Man, these are a massive pain to install. Well, just more difficult than other trucks. Open heart surgery:


Prep:


Finis!:


I need to reboot PC. More to come.

-bZj

 

[Down8]

I think my keyboard is dying. Not good; also infuriating....

Anyway, new tires (Pirelli Scorpion ATR, 275/60R20):

(The only thing I haven't done myself.)

Still greazy. And you can see how beaten up the BSM are.


New rear wiper arm+blade:


I put some work into the exterior black plastics:


Oh, and I did the cabin air filter retrofit:


Next,
-bZj

 

[Down8]

I put the second battery kit in:


Repainted my front wiper arms (plus new blades):


And put on the 2" lower strut spacer:




And once it stops raining, I'll get my new BSM put on:


So far, other than the tires, each item has been not too expensive, nor too difficult. Well, the headlamps were more difficult than need be. The seat bottom was not as bad as expected. And the lower strut spacer revealed (expected) work that needs to be done to refresh the suspension. But, I am happy with the purchase, and looking forward to future mods/maintenance.

-bZj

 

[j91z28d1]

the brushed aluminum steering wheel inserts are they real aluminum or the painted plastic. mine are a painted plastic and got some wear marks on them. wouldn't mind replacing them if there was a nice set out that wouldn't do the same thing in a few years.

 

[iamdub]

This thing reminds me of when I first got mine. It's an '08 and same exterior color. I had a 2" front/1" rear lift and 1.5" wheel spacers for a little while.

Repainted my front wiper arms (plus new blades):
View attachment 414546

I almost did the same to mine on my '08. But ended up with arms off a 2010 and used those cuz they went back to NORMAL J-hook style wiper attachments instead of that janky, confusing crap from '07-'09 (or '08?).

And once it stops raining, I'll get my new BSM put on:
View attachment 414548

You got these BSMs pre-painted? Have a link to your source?

 

[Down8]

I almost did the same to mine on my '08. But ended up with arms off a 2010 and used those cuz they went back to NORMAL J-hook style wiper attachments instead of that janky, confusing crap from '07-'09 (or '08?).

Good to know about the different style arms - for later.

You got these BSMs pre-painted? Have a link to your source?

Link to BSM: www.amazon.com/dp/B08BWYXZB4?th=1
Perfect color match:


-bZj

 

[Joseph Garcia]

The arm rest was pretty beat up, so I ordered a full replacement, and decided to add wireless charging to it.

Original:
View attachment 414517

Mid-work (not many pictures, b/c I kept using my phone yo confirm the charging was working:
View attachment 414518

Keeping in the interior, I recovered the front lower on the driver's side, including new foam. Here's the before:
View attachment 414519

The mid-progress:
View attachment 414523

And complete:
View attachment 414552
Need to clean the belts.

Can only attach 5 pictures, so next....

-bZj

Where did you purchase the seat covers? the foam?