The Impossible Mod?

[CYKBC]

Oook as soon as I read here that the hybrid hood is aluminum I saw $$$ signs.

I want to seriously do the reverse. Put the hybrid front bumper onto my regular ltz.

Can you check this list please of needs?

Hybrid al hood
Hybrid hood liner
Hybrid front grill (or can I keep my ltz grill?)
Hybrid front bumper

-anything else I need like bolts, brackets?
-am I blocking any necessary airflow like the tow hooks area that's open?
-do the ltz toe hooks and fog lights get in the way of the hybrid bumper?

Thanks!

 

[soulsea]

You will need:

1. Hybrid bumper cover
2. Hybrid Hood
3. Hybrid hood liner
4. Hybrid black plastic grilles and associated hardware ... you can later add the Grillcraft overlay grilles like I did if you want the LTZ look:



Usually the ones I've seen for sale on ebay have the entire bumper assy together, including all the lower and upper grilles, plastic fog caps and valance. That would be the preferable way to go so you don't have to track down every single minute part.

The attachment points (so far as I can tell) are exactly the same on all the trucks, for example my Denali bumper attaches at the same points (and same brackets) as on my tahoe hybrid. There might be one or two small screw differences, but not enough to affect the integrity of the bumper.

Cooling won't be affected ... the Hybrid has a 6.0 which presumably requires more cooling that the 5.3.

The hybrid bumper does have two removable plastic caps at the bottom of it (where you see little square grilles on the above pic) ... the fogs definitely don't line up with them and have to be removed. There might be a way to rig them to relocate them on that spot to retain the fogs, I just never went far enough with this process to know. Those lower gaps in the hybrid bumper seem to line up pretty close to the regular tahoe tow hooks, but again you'll have to learn as you go cause I just don't know. One thing is for sure, as there are only two gaps you can't retain both hooks and fogs, and the likelihood is that you won't be able to retain either.

Hope all that helps a little.

 

[CYKBC]

I actually dont want the tow hooks or the fog lights so fine getting rid of them. You seem like a guy who cares about the details. Awesome and thanks!

More questions.

I'm going to do the full hybrid aero conversion to my Ltz.

I know now what I need for the front end. The sides are easy.

-hybrid running board
-hybrid side strakes behind front wheel and in front of rear

The rear remains unconfirmed.

-hybrid rear bumper
-hybrid d pillars
-hybrid rear lights
-hybrid rear spoiler

I'm unclear how the rear spoiler mounts to the rear hatch window because the Ltz version looks like it runs higher. The actual lift gate looks to share part numbers. Any guidance here?

 

[soulsea]

You are correct on the running boards, they are a straight swap, and the moldings stuck on there with automotive adhesive.

The rear end is a LOT more complicated, in fact it's more complicated and expensive than the front end. The rear bumper isn't an issue it's a straight swap, you'll sacrifice access to your spare however cause the hybrid doesn't carry a spare so there's no access hole in the bumper for the hoist rod.

But to do what you want to do with the lights/spoiler/appliques you will have to swap the entire liftgate assembly, there's simply no other way. The spoiler has completely different attachment points because the hybrid lifgate window doesn't separate independently from the liftgate like the regular spoilers do. And without that spoiler the hybrid appliques won't line up. And without the appliques the hybrid tails won't line up. And on a side note on the hybrid tails you will have to fabricate a custom harness cause the regular harness won't work on account that part of the hybrid tails are led. The cost involved to swapping to a hybrid aluminum liftgate assembly is crazy unless someone can find one parted out on the cheap. Plus I don't even know if the latching hardware is the same ...

Keep in mind that a lot of details related to hybrid specific parts are hidden, and the only way to discover them is as I did, by trial and error. The liftgate thing could prove to be a very expensive ordeal, and one that has no guarantee of working.

All this said, wouldn't it be easier to just trade for a hybrid?
It certainly would be cheaper.

 

[CYKBC]

I concur absolutely with your investigative efforts. The rear end is really where the project begin$.

Not to slight hybrid owners but I really don't feel it's ready for prime time. It needed this gen to get the tech worked out kind of like BMW's smg unit to today's awesome dsg in their m3s. Given that my tahoe is a daily beater for me I want smooth workhorse performance. Mpg is of little concern for me. I could be wrong of course!

Awesome content here soul sea. Impressed with your tenacity! Your hybrid looks top shelf.

 

[CYKBC]

I think I've settled it this base to hybrid aerokit project I'm rather enthused to complete.

Hybrid front end, side

Hybrid rear bumper

Get rid of rounded Tahoe appliqué and rear lights via escalade equivalent swappage which better matches the squarer, squatter hybrid design theme that I love.

Total project estimated budget at an even $10k. Mix of sourcing big parts from dealer, others from gmpartsdirect and forum sponsors.

I've already purchased black aftermarket wheels and escalade roof rails.

 

[felixgun]

^^^ Awesome. That'll be a fun/costly project to tackle. Take LOTS of pics

 

[ig109]

I want to do the opposite of this to our hoe.. I want to find someone to trade our non hybrid front end out for the hybrid setup.. want to see if there's an mpg difference....

 

[Goodinblack]

I want to do the opposite of this to our hoe.. I want to find someone to trade our non hybrid front end out for the hybrid setup.. want to see if there's an mpg difference....

The cost of the mod alone buys more gas than you would save.

 

[soulsea]

The cost of the mod alone buys more gas than you would save.

This ... plus it won't save you that much gas all by itself, unless you drive a huge amount of highway only miles.