2500HD Diesel Project

[EZ SPEED]

I have owned this truck for a little over 3-1/2 years now. Got it in Feb 2008

But here is a picture when it was stock.

2004.5 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax Diesel / Allison Transmission
Color: Silver Birch Metallic
Only modification was a spray in bedliner

[EZ SPEED]

Exactly 20 days later here is how it looked.

[EZ SPEED]

And 2 months later I got the Cowl Induction hood for it.
Its pretty much looked the same on the outside since the hood.

[EZ SPEED]

August of 2009 - So far the only modification that I let someone else do the work was when I had Suncoast Performance in Destin, Florida build the transmission for me. New Converter, billet junk inside…blah blah you know.
Supposed to hold 800 rwhp and 1400 rwtq

[EZ SPEED]

April of 2010 I removed the crappy factory leather and installed a complete Katzkin Custom leather interior grey with "carbon nickel" inserts, and with my “shop” logo on the headrests. Redid the tan headliner in dark grey also.

[EZ SPEED]

Then in November 2010 is when I had to pull the cab to fix the leaking head gasket from a little racing..LOL

[EZ SPEED]

April 2011 - installed Rough Country Dual shocks with hoops

[EZ SPEED]

August 2011 – A new look !!
went crazy with “plasti-dip” and painted my front grill surround, front bumper, rear bumper, fender flares, and wheels.

[EZ SPEED]

159,000 miles

Current Modifications:

Performance Suncoast Stage V Transmission and 1056 converter
Air Dog II 165 Lift Pump
PPE Race Fuel Valve
LBZ Mouthpiece
Modded Stock Airbox and tube
Banks Hot side intercooler Pipe
Pro Fab Performance Downpipe
Diamond Eye 4” Exhaust
PCV Re-route
Edge CTS Diesel Monitor
EFI Live Tune by Georgia Diesel
OLD Dyno Numbers - - 527 rear wheel horsepower and 840 rear wheel torque
These parts were added since last tune / dyno
* Flex-A-Lite Electric fans
* EGR Deleted
* AFE 3” Cold Side intercooler pipe
* Pro Fab Performance 3 inch Y-Bridge
* BD driver side Manifold
* Drilled fuel rail fittings - 1/8” drivers side and 1/16” pass side
* LBZ Injection Pump
* PPE High Flow Fuel Line
* ARP Head studs
* “C” Head gaskets
*****should be about 580 rwhp / 1080 rwtq right now*******

Rolling On
18x10 Diamo 17 Karat Wheels
325/60-18 Nitto Terra Grapplers
Truxx 1” Level kit
Firestone Load Leveler Air Bags
Cognito Pit and Idle arm braces
PPE Tie Rod sleeves

For Looks
Katzkin Leather Interior with Carbon Nickel inserts
Katzkin Custom Embroidered Headrests with my “EZ’s Speed Shop” logo
Matching Grey headliner (no more tan)
35% Tinted windows
Amp Research Power Steps with LED Lights
Cowl Induction hood
Undercover Bed Lid
Punch Grille
Clear Headlights and Marker Lights
Recon Smoked Cab Lights
Recon Smoked LED Third Brake Light
Smoked Tail Lights
Smoked Undertailgate Brake Light
5000k HID headlights and Fog Lights

[TheJeanyus]

:drool:

Need to plastidip the badges to match the door handles, wheels, and grill. :yup:

[asilver2001gt]

pm sent

[ncontt]

dammit man....I don't see how you got time to run a business pimpin' out all these freakin' bada$$ rides.....:eric: oh, and btw....:drool:

[EZ SPEED]

Thanks guys. :chug:
I am thinking about doing something different with the paint and adding another turbo, thats all I am saying right now ...heheh...give me a couple of months and see what happens :jester:

[QWKSNKE]

dammit man....I don't see how you got time to run a business pimpin' out all these freakin' bada$$ rides.....:eric: oh, and btw....:drool:

? He works at Honeywell with me except he is in a job where he gets paid for o/t :tlash:

[ncontt]

oh...lol....

[EZ SPEED]

Friday night I installed a 5" Stainless exhaust with a 6" tip...to replace the 4" setup I had been running for the past few years.
4" is supposed to be good up to around 450-500 rwhp, which I exceeded quite a while back.
I feel like I gained 20-30 rwhp with this exhaust...truck pulls harder at the top end of each gear better than before.
I really need to re-dyno it and see how close I am getting to the 600 rwhp mark :)

[NO2MORO]

:metal: Truck looks great!

[EZ SPEED]

Here we go :jester:

[rtusnake]

4 Lambo doors is gonna be awesome :jester:

[EZ SPEED]

4 Lambo doors is gonna be awesome :jester:

:spit: Bahahahaha!

[natedawgg94]

yea just cant figure out why the lambo doors came in different color mmmm... :think::bananahum

[TheJeanyus]

Weight savings for better mileage? :jester:

[EZ SPEED]

Weight savings for better mileage? :jester:

:lol:


My truck is so fast I blew my own doors off !!! :jester:

[TheJeanyus]

:rofl:

[EZ SPEED]

Painted it satin black yesterday

.

[EZ SPEED]

OK here are the finished pics.
took me about 60 hours of sanding and prepping. Cost...$350 in materials :chug:

I painted it myself using Summit Racing Equipments "Hot Rod Satin Black" single stage Acrylic Urethane paint.
I also added smoked headlights and smoked marker lights

Reasons:
1. I loved my black 1993 Lightning truck.
2. when I went to buy a Duramax I wanted black but couldnt find one
3. Seems like EVERY Duramax around my area is silver.
4. Cause I like punishing myself with huge projects...:jester:

[TheJeanyus]

Might as well go ahead and do the center caps and lug nuts now too. And the shocks. :jester:

It looks good, but personally I liked it better before. I like the contrast of black accents against a light color better than the monochromatic "Darth Vader" look. It isn't my truck, though, so more power to you. :nice:

[EZ SPEED]

Might as well go ahead and do the center caps and lug nuts now too. And the shocks. :jester:

It looks good, but personally I liked it better before. I like the contrast of black accents against a light color better than the monochromatic "Darth Vader" look. It isn't my truck, though, so more power to you. :nice:

Thanks.
Leaving the centercaps, lugs and shocks for just a little touch of color.
Yeah I know its not everyones style. I was going for the "Batman Tumbler" look like the attached pic :jester:



.

[TheJeanyus]

Yeah, it's well executed too. I like his Murcielago better. :D

http://images.wikia.com/batman/images/5/5b/Lamborghini_Murcielago.jpg

[ncontt]

Ok...thanks for no warning for the above picture....I scroll down and then IMMEDIATELY "blushed in my pants...."

haha! BTW, the truck looks good and LOVE the Murci'!!! :yup:

[TheJeanyus]

:rofl: Sorry about that.

[asilver2001gt]

Eric. I have a 99 jeep grand Cherokee we have been using for offroading. Would love to paint it the same color

[SteedaChaos]

Nice sexy truck, Its looking stealth an tough!

[QWKSNKE]

Might as well go ahead and do the center caps and lug nuts now too. And the shocks. :jester:

It looks good, but personally I liked it better before. I like the contrast of black accents against a light color better than the monochromatic "Darth Vader" look. It isn't my truck, though, so more power to you. :nice:

Yeah I am the same way. I have only seen a few cars that were able to pull it off and they were European ones I saw in Germany last year.

However your truck looks way better than that satin supra that is here in town

[EZ SPEED]

However your truck looks way better than that satin supra that is here in town

Yeah thats my friend Chris.


Here are some pics from when I was painting it.



http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/Diesel463.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/Diesel476.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/Diesel480.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/Diesel503.jpg

[04350Z]

Badass eric!

[EZ SPEED]

Since last update, I added factory towing mirrors, plastidipped the centercaps and lugs black, blacked out the factory 2500 emblems, added an Iron Cross front bumper, and bought a used camper shell off Craigslist then painted it Hot Rod Satin Black like the truck... and added a roof rack to the top...not I can switch beween the bed cover or the shell when I need to.

Here are some new pics.

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/DSC_1624a.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/DSC_1639a.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/ezspeed03/DSC_1655a.jpg

[EHardy1971]

Damn! That looks wicked! Especially the bumper. I'll bet THAT was fun to put on. :D

[04350Z]

Badass eric!

[EZ SPEED]

Damn! That looks wicked! Especially the bumper. I'll bet THAT was fun to put on. :D

not too bad, only weighs 182 lbs. :jester:

Badass eric!

Thanks Dude!!

[QWKSNKE]

Mirrors are a definite improvement!!

[EZ SPEED]

Young girl and her younger brother (18 and 15 yrs old) pulled out in front of my wife this morning...luckily nobody was hurt.

The big ass bumper did its job of protecting the truck...and the balljoint took most of the hit as you can see.

no body damage at all. I didnt get a really good look today, maybe later this afternoon.

[04350Z]

Like, i said. Glad michelle is ok..

[EZ SPEED]

Like, i said. Glad michelle is ok..

Thanks Ray ;)

[TheJeanyus]

Yikes. Glad she is OK!

[rtusnake]

Glad everyone is ok

[ncontt]

glad all are ok but sucks for your truck!

[qkjuicedpony]

That's why I put my wife in a F250. Big enough to handle an impact. Glad she is ok.

[QWKSNKE]

When is the adjuster suppose to come out?

[EZ SPEED]

When is the adjuster suppose to come out?

they said 3-5 business days, so that is sometime between now and Thurday the 11th.

[yellowSVT]

Glad she is ok!
Robbie

[EZ SPEED]

Thanks everyone :chug:

Just found out yesterday the damage to my truck was $6220.95 !!!

[EZ SPEED]

the truck is almost back on the road, should get it back tuesday
here is a progress pic

[EZ SPEED]

Time for an updated pic


http://i1330.photobucket.com/albums/w578/z06vette9/IMG_2363a_zps6beefc7e.jpg (http://s1330.photobucket.com/user/z06vette9/media/IMG_2363a_zps6beefc7e.jpg.html)

[EZ SPEED]

Next week I will have owned this truck for 10.5 years.

It still cleans up pretty good to have 232,600 miles on it !!!

http://i.imgur.com/JqD77YNh.jpg (https://imgur.com/JqD77YN)

http://i.imgur.com/10iVUggh.jpg (https://imgur.com/10iVUgg)

[rtusnake]

I didn't know you kept vehicles that long lol

[EZ SPEED]

I didn't know you kept vehicles that long lol

its the ONLY one I have kept this long.
there were 3 that I kept for 6 years, but most of the time 3 years is max i keep one. LOL 3 hours is the shortest I ever owned one. LOL

[EZ SPEED]

This month is 12 yrs that I have owned this truck.
It now is at 244,000 miles.

Over the last 18 months since my last post on here about my truck I have worked on it quite a bit.
Whenever im not working on my Camaro I am pretty much always upgrading and adding custom touches to the truck.

Here is a long list of things:

Rock lights in fender wells
PSC XD steering gear box and XD Pitman arm
New left and right side CV axles, upper ball joints, and both front hub assemblies
Fox 2.0 reservoir shocks on front , Custom Fox bump stops on rear
Removed the Rough Country front shock hoops and replaced with Cognito shock hoops
New tires…. Nitto Ridge Grappler 325/60R18 (same exact size I have always used on this truck just went from Terra Grapplers to Ridge Grapplers)
New wheels… Moto Metal Wheels MO970 18x10 Gloss Black -24mm Offset (same exact size and offset as the old wheels))
New Alternator , factory one lasted 237k miles
Replace the factory gauge cluster with a new Cadillac Escalade style gauge cluster
Changed EVERY interior bulb and dash lighting bulb to blue LED (window switches, HVAC controls, steering wheel lights, headlight switch, etc.)
Re-tinted side windows and front windshield
Custom made mesh grille by me with stainless and black Duramax emblem behind the grille
Custom built driving light brackets for the front bumper by me and new lights ( cut out the round holes in the bumper and made new cover plate / bracket for the more updated “pod’ style LED square lights)
Added pod style lights to rear bumper (for more backup lighting)
Added LED bed lights under the bed rails
OPT7 Redline Triple LED Tailgate Brake Light Bar with Reverse & Sequential Turn Signals under the tailgate
Ordered new rock lights to replace the lights for the Amp power steps (haven’t installed yet)
Started building a new set of headlights over a year ago using parts from The Retrofit Source to convert over to projector style headlights with Led signature and sequential turn signals like new cars and trucks have (still haven’t finished)

I dont have pics of everything, but here are a few things.

http://i.imgur.com/07jbKKTh.jpg (https://imgur.com/07jbKKT)

http://i.imgur.com/vEpGTs7h.jpg (https://imgur.com/vEpGTs7)

http://i.imgur.com/8nllK67h.jpg (https://imgur.com/8nllK67)

http://i.imgur.com/f8avtnLh.jpg (https://imgur.com/f8avtnL)

http://i.imgur.com/VlGun2Ih.jpg (https://imgur.com/VlGun2I)

[EZ SPEED]

Finished up my projector headlight retrofit I started over a year ago.

And installed a 6" Rough Country lift this past weekend. :metal:

Its nice after 12 years to finally have my steering and suspension geometry correct !

Now I need some traction bars and redo the lower brackets on my front shocks and it will be perfect

http://i.imgur.com/TmGYFITh.jpg (https://imgur.com/TmGYFIT)

http://i.imgur.com/B46WTVeh.jpg (https://imgur.com/B46WTVe)

[QWKSNKE]

Nice!

[EZ SPEED]

Nice!

Thanks.
Bought new upper control arms (only $27 each) and also bought new shock mounting tabs, and brackets.

Going to weld it all up together in the next few days. (very similar to how it is now) Just raising the upper shock mounting points on the hoop and lowering the shock mounting points on the control arms to give me the required 3" of shock travel.
A lot of work for only an 1.5" more (thats what she said..LOL)

[tayzoid1]

So, been a long time guys. Just got to thinking about this place and saw this was the only thread that was up. I was thinking of trying to tag all the old guys to see if they checked their emails. Crazy how times change.

[QWKSNKE]

So, been a long time guys. Just got to thinking about this place and saw this was the only thread that was up. I was thinking of trying to tag all the old guys to see if they checked their emails. Crazy how times change.

You shoukd start a thread on your Lexus and Land Cruiser projects

[EZ SPEED]

Time for a truck update. Last March I installed the Rough Country 6” lift (see previous post and pics)

Ever since then it has been bothering me that the truck really needed larger wheels and tires to make it look better.

So I finally decided to do it.

The setup before was :
Nitto Ridge Grappler tires size 325/60-18 (33 inches tall and 13 inches wide)
Moto Metal MO970 Gloss Black wheels 18x10 -24offset 4.56 backspace with 4.1” lip

New setup:
Atturo Trail Blade Boss tires size 375/55-20 (36.5 inches tall and 15.50 inches wide)
American Offroad Renegade A106 Gloss Black with machined spoke edges
20x14 with -76 offset 4.51 backspace with 8.2” lip

Pictures do not reflect how Bad Ass and Huge this thing is in person. Its Massive Now!!

These tires measure exactly 16” wide (3” wider than the others)
And the tires are 3.5” taller than the others.

Here are some pics:

https://i.imgur.com/2d1jZ4Fh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/T4nCcJXh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hbCRmo2.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/elxX6Le.jpg

[EZ SPEED]

https://i.imgur.com/y2nv1CB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/D1TQ1lY.jpg

[rtusnake]

Looks much more aggressive. Great job. How you liking the weather there?

[EZ SPEED]

Looks much more aggressive. Great job. How you liking the weather there?

Thanks! yeah it looks like a beast now. lol

The weather out here is really amazing!

So far this is what is so great about Arizona weather.

We started swimming in our pool on April 10th!
NO Pollen to speak of. Well, I know there is pollen, but none that you can see .... like it piles up on everything in Bama.
No bugs, I never have to clean bugs off the front of my car.
We stay out on our patio a lot... I have seen one mosquito and one fly, hardly ever see ants (and the ones we have seen are tiny)
I can go multiple weeks without washing my car because it rarely rains. Just hit it with the California duster once a week.

I know its going to be hotter than Satan's A$$hole in a few months, but I dont think that its as bad as everyone makes it out to be. but we will see.

[rtusnake]

The no bugs would be a huge plus. I’d imagine the heat wouldn’t be so bad since the humidity would be lower. I didn’t mind it the few times I’ve been out to Vegas

[EZ SPEED]

The no bugs would be a huge plus. I’d imagine the heat wouldn’t be so bad since the humidity would be lower. I didn’t mind it the few times I’ve been out to Vegas


Exactly, my wife has been to Vegas a few years ago and she said the same about the humidity being lower its not as bad.

We are flying back to Alabama in June for a week to visit. So I will get a little reminder of the humidity.. LOL

[EZ SPEED]

Yup, after being back in Alabama all last week I dont miss the humidity at all. LOL
I did miss out on the 115-117 degree week last week in Arizona, when we got back Saturday it was only 112.

[rtusnake]

Yeah last week was pretty humid lol. I see pics online of people’s trash cans melting from the temps, does that really happen?

[EZ SPEED]

Yeah last week was pretty humid lol. I see pics online of people’s trash cans melting from the temps, does that really happen?

LOL, I havent personally seen anything that extreme, but I just asked my friend here at work and he said Yep, he has seen trash cans melt here. LOL

Everyone here at work is saying " Hey ! its raining today, YAY?" I told them "thats not rain, thats less than a sprinkle".
I have been here about 7-1/2 months and it "sprinkled" rain for a whole day. Thats the closest I have seen to what we Alabama people know as "rain". LOL

But Monsoon season is now here in Tempe (mid june thru sept), so I am curious to see what thats like.

[QWKSNKE]

Yeah last week was pretty humid lol. I see pics online of people’s trash cans melting from the temps, does that really happen?

and shoes getting a little soft if you spend to much time out on asphalt or concrete.

Eric,
Good to hear you are enjoying it out there. I like to visit but I couldn't live out there because of the heat. I have been out there to many times on the 105+ days. kills me.

And yeah on the rain comment, it cracks me up the way they get exited over 'rain'. Wait till you see the dumbasses outstide playing in a lightning storm. Once you see that, you will understand how so many dumbasses get struck by lightning each year. LOL

[EZ SPEED]

and shoes getting a little soft if you spend to much time out on asphalt or concrete.

Eric,
Good to hear you are enjoying it out there. I like to visit but I couldn't live out there because of the heat. I have been out there to many times on the 105+ days. kills me.

And yeah on the rain comment, it cracks me up the way they get exited over 'rain'. Wait till you see the dumbasses outstide playing in a lightning storm. Once you see that, you will understand how so many dumbasses get struck by lightning each year. LOL

Hahaha, yeah these people go crazy over "rain".

We started having dust storms last week. Those suck. I have those rain visors over my windows on my truck and I always keep my windows open about 1/2" to keep the hot air venting out.
Not a good idea to leave the windows like that during a dust storm... next morning I had 1/8" or more of dirt covering EVERYTHING inside my truck.

With me about 110-112 is where is starts to feel pretty hot. But honestly as long as I can find shade its not too bad.

My neighbors think im crazy being outside @ 112 degrees with a pop up shade over my truck working on it for 12-14 hours a day for 2-3 days in a row. LOL

[QWKSNKE]

The dust storms are cool to see roll in from a distance but yeah I imagine clean up from windows being cracked would suck. Not to mention pool clean up.
You will definitely have to keep spare air filters for all cars in case you get caught driving in one

[EZ SPEED]

The dust storms are cool to see roll in from a distance but yeah I imagine clean up from windows being cracked would suck. Not to mention pool clean up.
You will definitely have to keep spare air filters for all cars in case you get caught driving in one

Oh yeah, it totally screwed up our pool for a few days.

[EZ SPEED]

SOLD. It now lives in South Texas, sold it about 2 months ago.
I also sold the 2019 Camaro SS about a year ago, had a 2013 Cadillac ATS for about 8 months, traded it for a 2021 Tacoma TRD Pro that I had for about 4 months. Now I have the Range Rover.