97 Z71 Lots of Pics

[LimitedDodge]

Ok guys here is my Dads 97 Z71 that he bought brand new and will probably keep FOREVER! It only has 91000 miles on it but has spent alot of time in the woods! Only been waxed a handful of times (mostly back when it was new, and I waxed it about 3 years or so ago). Even though it was waxed it was often washed with dishsoap! He knows better now!

 

By no means did I try to bring this to perfection but I did get alot out of it. Still some more deeper scratches that aren't that noticeable. Also the hood had some what looked like water spots but if you got down close you could see what looked like cracking in the paint.

 

Had the Truck since Saturday and worked on it when I had time between Baby, Wife and Work. Didn't get a chance to do inside except glass (because you could see from outside- he is a smoker!) His birthday is today so I am taking it back!

 

Washed

Clayed entire truck doing the roof last (see pic below, clay bar is trashed)

2 Pass with yellow pad and SHR

2 Pass with orange pad and SHR

1 Pass with white pad and a mix of Revive and FMP

Used focus pads around windows and on tailgate

Polished wheels with metal polish and 0000 grade steel wool

Then 1 coat of MSW including wheels

Put glass sealant on all window

Used focus pads on front headlights and turn signals (my first time doing headlights -WORKED GREAT!) Turn signals still had some mud/dirt on inside of them.

Focus pad on bug shield and window vent visors

VRT all tires and trim

After MSW cured, about 12 hrs or so- Wiped down with detail spray

Put 1 coat of Americana

 

Here is some before pics. Notice no water beeding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what happen to my clay bar. He has parked under the same tree in his driveway for 13 years and I am not sure the roof ever gets cleaned. Clayed the hood and the roof last and this is the result!

 

 

 

Here is a pic after claybar

 

 

Here is the same panel after 2 pass on yellow pad with SHR- note you can still see some deep scratches from some off those trail riding trips!

 

 

 

Here is a 50/50 shot - Left side has been clayed and right side has 2 passes of SHR on yellow pad

 

 

Here is a 50/50 shot of the bug shield. Left side has been washed! Right side has been clayed then SHR on orange focus pad.

 

 

Here is Headlight/turn signal before Notice before of bug shield as well

 

 

And After - also notice wheels polished! - this pic is after Americana as well

 

 

Before Wheels polished

 

 

After wheels polished

 

 

Here are some after shots (but before a coat of Americana)

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are some pics after Americana - Sorry got dark ( I am taking truck back to him today and I will try and take some pics in the sun then)

 

 

 

[Chris@Adams]

Much better! Tell dad stay out of the woods now!

[Nordgrey]

Jeremy, that is AMAZING! I'm sure he will love his BDay present!

 

 

In the first shots, I thought the seat of your Deere was a huge rust spot for a second.....

[Marylander]

Nice!

[MrVette83]

Wow, that looks amazing. Seeing what Adam's can do to paint makes me wish I had a vehicle with some metallic in it.

[Doug123]

Great job! The after shots really show a darker color of green and a big increase in the depth and clarity of the paint. What a great gift!

[Team Adam's]

I love details like this... sure its fun to see a muscle car, a hot rod, or something exotic, but a dramatic turn around on a REAL vehicle like this always puts a smile on my face.

 

Excellent work!

[dabigbratj]

[Sooners]

Great work!

[LimitedDodge]

Thanks guys - still learning but but love Adams more and more every time I use it. This stuff is just so AMAZING!

 

I will have to get a hold of it again and do the interior. It will be a good tester on Adam's interior products. He is a smoker and coke has been know to fly in the woods. Oh yeah and he has 9 grandkids.

 

Hard for him to stay out of the woods though. There is an off road park right down the road called Gray Rock. It has a bunch off diffent areas where you can watch the big boys do rock climbing, obstacle course, mud holes and things like that. People from all over the country come here. To get to each section you go through a bunch of trails that most of your average 4x4 can go through. Couple of my bros, friends, and uncle have jeeps, so my dad usually goes and watch them and some others that have ridiclous amounts of money in their rigs ride. If you do a search for Gray Rock on youtube you can find some decent vids.

 

Dad is working on something else to ride out in the woods. Gotta Love Rednecks!

 

 

 

Thats right a full 38" spare tire in the hatch!

 

 

Oldest brother seeing what it will do in 2 wheel drive in front yard!

 

 

There is a winch behind the front bumper - thats the yellow hanging down.

 

[11chevz71]

What kind of lift setup is he running been meaning to do something with mine. NOthing major just want to do a nice 2-3 inch lift

[LimitedDodge]

What kind of lift setup is he running been meaning to do something with mine. NOthing major just want to do a nice 2-3 inch lift

 

It just a body lift. If you look close you can see the lift blocks above rear tire. I think maybe like 3". Also has torsion bars cranked on the front. 33" tires. Been that way since about 6 mths after he bought the truck new.

[11chevz71]

It just a body lift. If you look close you can see the lift blocks above rear tire. I think maybe like 3". Also has torsion bars cranked on the front. 33" tires. Been that way since about 6 mths after he bought the truck new.

 

 

Cool never been real crazy about doing a body lift. Ruff Country makes a great level kit that has everything but it is 500 and some odd dollars which is worth but hard to spend that kind of money on something that is not needed. You know what kind a gas mileage he gets now?

[LimitedDodge]

Cool never been real crazy about doing a body lift. Ruff Country makes a great level kit that has everything but it is 500 and some odd dollars which is worth but hard to spend that kind of money on something that is not needed. You know what kind a gas mileage he gets now?

 

 

Yeah I personally wouldn't do a body lift either. Just don't like how you can see more of the frame and because the rear bumper is mounted to frame there is a gap there as well. But body lift is dirt cheap.

 

Not sure on the mileage. I know it sucks some gas big time! I will ask tonight when i take truck back to him. Of course I doubt he has ever figured it out since he doesn't drive it much.

[11chevz71]

Yeah I personally wouldn't do a body lift either. Just don't like how you can see more of the frame and because the rear bumper is mounted to frame there is a gap there as well. But body lift is dirt cheap.

 

Not sure on the mileage. I know it sucks some gas big time! I will ask tonight when i take truck back to him. Of course I doubt he has ever figured it out since he doesn't drive it much.

 

 

Okay probably isnt close to what i get out of mine.

[LimitedDodge]

Okay probably isnt close to what i get out of mine.

 

yeah I am betting around 11-12 max if I had to guess based on when I use to drive it alot.

[11chevz71]

yeah I am betting around 11-12 max if I had to guess based on when I use to drive it alot.

 

 

Yeah i couldnt afford to do that driving to school. I get about 16 out of mine currently but i dont think a leveling kits the problem it going with the bigger set of tires.

[fdresq4]

Great Job Jeremy! BTW, when I'm down in Dothan, Al I see some sights that I ain't never seen sbefore...with cars that is.

 

 

Steve

[RyGo]

Yeah i couldnt afford to do that driving to school. I get about 16 out of mine currently but i dont think a leveling kits the problem it going with the bigger set of tires.

 

If you correct the gearing to go along with the bigger tires you won't see a dramitic change in your mileage. I had a Dodge 2500 with a V10 - 9" of total lift rolling on 42's at one time that still got 17mpg.

 

Just keeping the gearing the same, but running bigger tires will affect your speedo as well as your odometer. That's why some people say "Oh I lifted it & got bigger tires, now I'm only getting 9mpg". Well that's because your using the fuel, but your odometer is reading FAR LESS miles per tank! At one point I checked my odometer with 38's instead of the stock 31's and was off by almost 25%.

 

Was comical the time my Mom drove my truck because she set the cruise at (what she thought was) 70. I was following her and couldn't believe that she didn't realize that she was nearly at the 100 mark. She normally drives like a granny! LoL

 

Once I changed to the correct gearing to go along with the big tires not only did the truck regain it's oomph, it also corrected the shift points, odometer & speedo. It's an extra cost - but if you want it done right, that's what you should consider.

[RyGo]

To the OP : didn't mean to threadjack! You did a fantastic job on your Dads truck!!! I wouldn't tell him to stay outta the woods either, God bless him for playing with his toy.

[Nordgrey]

To the OP : didn't mean to threadjack! You did a fantastic job on your Dads truck!!! I wouldn't tell him to stay outta the woods either, God bless him for playing with his toy.

 

[CorvZ061]

I have a '95 1500 extended cab, that is the same color, but the clear coat is peeling on it, I wish it was a Z71, hell, I just wish it had a V8... It's a dog with a 4.3 V6 and a 5 speed. only gets around 19 mpgs too, idk why they even bothered with a V6 in a full size.

 

 

Oh that looks excellent btw.

[LimitedDodge]

Well I took the Truck back to him on Wednesday and he loved it. He said that he just about given up on "Old Green". He got to where he wouldn't hardly wash it. He would just do a super quick wash and barley dry it off.

He said that now he will spend some time fixing her back up. Things like fix the crooked molding that is coming off in front of back drivers side tire. A lot of the paint is coming off the frame, going to sand it down and repaint it.

 

Never driven one with a V6 but the Vortec V8 still hauls tale. He has pulled a lot with this truck, from when he did some drag racing and has a 5th wheel camper. Pretty Heavy truck too.

 

Here is a couple pics right before taking it to him. These pictures have the Americana on it. Wow what a difference with the Americana on it! Of course it looks way better in person than the pictures I take. The close up picture has fibers all over it from using one of those polishing balls - that thing sheds like crazy!

 

 

 

 

[11chevz71]

I have a '95 1500 extended cab, that is the same color, but the clear coat is peeling on it, I wish it was a Z71, hell, I just wish it had a V8... It's a dog with a 4.3 V6 and a 5 speed. only gets around 19 mpgs too, idk why they even bothered with a V6 in a full size.

 

 

Oh that looks excellent btw.

 

 

4.3 is a great motor

[11chevz71]

Well I took the Truck back to him on Wednesday and he loved it. He said that he just about given up on "Old Green". He got to where he wouldn't hardly wash it. He would just do a super quick wash and barley dry it off.

He said that now he will spend some time fixing her back up. Things like fix the crooked molding that is coming off in front of back drivers side tire. A lot of the paint is coming off the frame, going to sand it down and repaint it.

 

Never driven one with a V6 but the Vortec V8 still hauls tale. He has pulled a lot with this truck, from when he did some drag racing and has a 5th wheel camper. Pretty Heavy truck too.

 

Here is a couple pics right before taking it to him. These pictures have the Americana on it. Wow what a difference with the Americana on it! Of course it looks way better in person than the pictures I take. The close up picture has fibers all over it from using one of those polishing balls - that thing sheds like crazy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

These truck do haul some serious butt. A friend of the family was thinking about selling his 02 2500 with a 8.1 and i was like how much lol. I have always wanted to get a 8.1 the things are monsters.