Growing up doesn't have to suck

[iamdub]

I keep posting in the "What did you do to your GMT900 today" thread but not updating this one. There hasn't been a whole lot of mods, but lemme see if I can catch up...

 

[Rocket Man]

Good job so far...

 

[PG01]

Good job so far...

Better than me...

 

[iamdub]

Bought some stock chrome-clad OEM GMC 20s with Goodyear Eagle LS-2s with great tread for $400, factory lug nuts included:



De-cladded and cleaned them with heavy-duty paint stripper:



Smoothed the ridge around the lip using a grinder and the Tahoe idling in gear as a lathe:




Made some rings out of PVC pipe so OEM-style center caps could be snapped in and out just like stock:

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Better than me...

And me.

 

[iamdub]

A local vinyl graphics shop donated some black vinyl for me to cover the gold bow ties on the center caps.

Put a center cap on the copy machine to get a half-assed template. Cut it out with an X-Acto knife and positioned it over the gold part to get an idea of what I was gonna do:

Taped it to the vinyl with clear packaging tape and cut it out, adding about 1/32" to all sides:

They're not perfect, but plenty good enough for freehanding on this budget project:

Mounted up:

 

[iamdub]

Gave the lug nuts a "brushed" finish to better match the de-clads.

Chucked a replacement stud in the drill press upside-down and ground down the head as it spun until it was even and could be chucked in the drill the other way. Then screwed a lug nut onto it and pressed it into a sanding block for about 15-20 seconds. Looks good enough for my purposes.

Before:

During:

After:

 

[iamdub]

After putting on the de-clads, the chrome door handles really clashed. I scored a full set of Graystone OEM take-offs on ebay for $50, so those went on soon after the wheels.


Before:

After:

 

[iamdub]

To further the de-chroming, I sanded some base model black mirror caps to remove the texture then painted them.


When I first started sanding:




320 grit:




1500 grit:



Primed:




First base coat:

 

[iamdub]

Cleared:




Outside for the sun to help harden it:




Compared to the A pillar: