'05 Chevy 2500HD 4x4x4 door build

[FlatlinesUp]

This thread will serve dual purpose as both my intoduction thread and my build thread. I've been ghosting here for several months and have been inspired to build my truck with a slightly more serious timeline than 'whenever', and have a much better idea of what I want to end up with in the end.

I've been into off roading off/on for the last 20 years or so. I'm 41, from Arkansas and happily married and have the best 3yo boy on the planet.

I bought my first new vehicle back in '05,
I"ve always been a build it vs buy it kinda guy and will most likely build most of my rig up myself if at all possible (Havn't figured out how to build Hella 500's better/cheaper than Hella... "yet" lol)
My garage is a direct reflection of the old saying "10 lbs of stuff in a 5 lbs sack", and I've often got to move tools out of the way to get to the tool I need to use, but it's pretty well equipped for a two car and I often have to pull out my famous redneck engineering degree for my designs and my CAD files are usually made with a sharpee marker on the back of a cardboard box

Here are a couple orig shots of my 2005 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 to start off with:
w/orig dinky donut tires

after the 285/75's

obligatory expo front yard poser shot:

Since these old pics I've added: custom tune on the 6.0 by Wheatley Tune, hacked the old 2 in, 2 out/into 1, exhaust and made it true duals, AEM bruteforce intake, 285/75/16 Sport King tires, and more... I've been working on a front bumper that is approx 70% done, and will be posting up pics of it soon as well as the other projects as I go along

 

[Zatara]

This thread will serve dual purpose as both my intoduction thread and my build thread. I've been ghosting here for several months and have been inspired to build my truck with a slightly more serious timeline than 'whenever', and have a much better idea of what I want to end up with in the end.

I've been into off roading off/on for the last 20 years or so. I'm 41, from Arkansas and happily married and have the best 3yo boy on the planet.

I bought my first new vehicle back in '05,
I"ve always been a build it vs buy it kinda guy and will most likely build most of my rig up myself if at all possible (Havn't figured out how to build Hella 500's better/cheaper than Hella... "yet" lol)
My garage is a direct reflection of the old saying "10 lbs of stuff in a 5 lbs sack", and I've often got to move tools out of the way to get to the tool I need to use, but it's pretty well equipped for a two car and I often have to pull out my famous redneck engineering degree for my designs and my CAD files are usually made with a sharpee marker on the back of a cardboard box

Here are a couple orig shots of my 2005 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 to start off with:
w/orig dinky donut tires

after the 285/75's

obligatory expo front yard poser shot:

Since these old pics I've added: custom tune on the 6.0 by Wheatley Tune, hacked the old 2 in, 2 out/into 1, exhaust and made it true duals, AEM bruteforce intake, 285/75/16 Sport King tires, and more... I've been working on a front bumper that is approx 70% done, and will be posting up pics of it soon as well as the other projects as I go along

You're on ARFCOM also ?? :sombrero:

 

[maximumrob]

So, ahhhh, wat'er-ya-gonna do with it? How bout scanning in some of those Sharpie sketches so we know where you're heading?

 

[FlatlinesUp]

You're on ARFCOM also ?? :sombrero:

Yuppers, and several other forums related to shooting, trucks, paintball, machining etc

So, ahhhh, wat'er-ya-gonna do with it? How bout scanning in some of those Sharpie sketches so we know where you're heading?

I"m not smart enough to do them ahead of time lol, it's kinda do as I go thing.

Already have topper, and I'm doing front/rear winches, 3 batteries, inverter (possibly solar as well) on board air, on board welder, beadlocks, stupid strong roof rack w/awnings, lotsa lights, rock sliders, skid plates/armor, storage system in bed w/a sleep surface on top, TV(s), cameras, comms, computer/gps you know, pretty much the same as everyone else lol

Here's the starting of the front bumper:

 

[FlatlinesUp]

and since everyone loves pics:

my 6 wheel drive moc up:

ok, so really I was checking out my new (used) Hutchinson beadlocks...

here's the comparison w/the superswamper 36's that I got a good deal on just to try the size:

 

[02TahoeMD]

Good job on the front bumper. Hmmmm, a 6 X 6 setup? Intriguing concept.

Nice looking rig. Will keep an eye on your build. :lurk:

 

[FlatlinesUp]

Good job on the front bumper. Hmmmm, a 6 X 6 setup? Intriguing concept.

Nice looking rig. Will keep an eye on your build. :lurk:

sorry forgot the "I just made a dumb statement" smiley on the 6x thing (although one of the mags had one a few years back, believe it was a dodge tho)

On the bumper, I still have to put the splayed hellas, the front receiver, shackles/mounts, winch door, wire up the smittybuilt winch and some clean up. I just filled my welding bottle today, so hopefully I'll be able to get back on it within a week or so

 

[FlatlinesUp]

Couple mods:

Picked up a KargoMaster rack from Craigslist for $250. It's rated at 1700lbs, but it also was sized to go over "tall" bed shells, so I cut/lowered it 3" and cut/sleeved/narrowed it 2" so it'd sit a little tighter against my body and shell. I left it tall enough to get my washing brush under it easily.
I also added some additional framing in the way of 1" square tubing for future additions (solar panels in the 2x4' spaces, light bar in front) and I added expanded mesh steel over the camper shell to use for antenna reflection as well as a very sturdy base for whatever I need to toss up there.

I also mounted my beadlocks w/36x12.5 Swamper Radial TSL's. The beadlocks are DOT legal aluminum Hutchinsons and the tires were local/cheap for mockup. I'm going to sell em now that I've got the cutting done, and hunt up a nice AT style 36" (or a true 35") and hope to find one around 10.5-11" or so. The fitment was basically trimming inner fender panels and a little of the fender. They really improved the look/feel of the truck and added 1.5-2" of clearance under it. I haven't decided on the fender flares at this time (hence why they're still on the back, but not the front, if I keep the stock ones, I've got to cut them and don't think they'll look very good. I may end up going to a fiberglass widened fender/flares eventually)

I still have a few things left to finish on the front bumper (lights, receiver, shackles), and then I'll prob start in on the slider/rocker guards. Look for updates on skid plates, rear bumper w/swing outs, light bar, dual batteries in bed, OBA, OBW, comms etc lots of plans too little time and $ lol

anyway, here's a few pics of how she sits now:

 

[Finatic Angler]

That rack is sweet!

 

[Michael Slade]

Do us all a favor and when you get to the 6x6 portion of your conversion don't invoke the name of Daniel.

 

[92 red cummins]

that's an awesome truck!:Wow1: