76ChevyTrucker

Yeah Balth, I know I have no idea what I've walked into, and she's going to be twice as bad as me and Amy combined, and all the other things. I'll be prepared for it. And yes, this is our first.

You got me there, XM, but how many years did the marketing and ad guys that GM used use THAT one particular song for some of the most "memorable" Chevy truck commericals that I can think of?

I have to admit that laying down long, smokey, inky, black marks is always fun in any vehicle, but especially a GM vehicle, there's just a certain "goody-goody" feeling when you do it.

I make my own every chance I get, but I normally buy Oberto, if I'm forced to. And I like blu, eat the whole damned bag at once.

styrofoam

Well at least you guys aren't like me. My truck only had a stock AM radio in it (which still works mind you). So I had to do a complete stereo design and build. I've got two 10" subs behind the seats, two 6-1/2" mids in the middle of the box for mid-range stuff. Two 6x9s in the center console for some up-front base and mids, two 4.5" for mids and highs, then four fully dedicated tweeters for the really high stuff. The head unit is a 50w-4channel with 5watt-pre-amp output. The amp is a 340-watt Jensen unit that powers just the subs. Overall, its a good system and sounds good in the truck, but then again, I designed and built all the enclosures and everything else. I'll see if I can't dig up some pictures of all the speakers in the truck if I can.

Thanks everyone, I'll do my best to keep y'all updated.

Yeha, bumper to bumper is where the real "problems" lie at, we all know that GM builds the best engines and transmissions out there (see the old, reliable, bulletproof, 2sp Powerglide in drag racing applications).

I definitely agree that GM's powertrains are the most reliable on the road, no doubt there. I also wouldn't mind seeing some advertising, but I can also see how a lot of ads would just bring sayings of "Oh, look, they're following Hyundai/Kia with their warranty".

"Like A Rock" Bob Seger, what song better describes, and IMMEDIATELY makes you think of a Chevy pickup?

there is only one problem that I see with this. Since Hyundai has issued its 10yr/100k mile warrant, finding parts like CV axles has become a bitch. Some people still like to work on their own, so finding the parts at somewhere other than the dealership would be the biggest problem. I can't really complain about the warranty, but looking at it from outside of the dealship parts department, I know I get ugly looks when I say I don't have, and can't get the CV axles for Mr. John Q Public's 2003 Hyundai Sonata because of the damned warranty deal with them.

All right boys and girls, I know I've already said that I've got a baby on the way, but now I can give all of y'all an update. Everything is going fine, Amy (the wife) had a doctor's appointment today and had the ultrasound done. Its going to be a girl! I'm pretty well stoked about it, and so is everyone else in the family. We've already got a name decided on, Heather Anna, honoring my sister-in-law and Amy's cousin who were killed in car crashes not too long ago. Everything looked great, it was really awe-inspiring to see the baby sucking its thumb and kinda waving at the ultrasound thing as it passed over. Anyway, I know I'm kinda blubbering on, but I just wanted to pass along the good news.

then it maybe the one that Victor Rienz supplies us is a plastic-base with rubber/silicone beads. I took a look at it yesterday.

It'll be a plastic base for the gasket with rubber/silicone beads for the sealing surfaces. They do pretty well as long as you keep the anti-freeze changed and you don't use a ton of RTV (silicone gasket maker) if you ever have to replace it, since the RTV does a nice job of slowly eating the plastic up.

Let see, at 65.00 shop labor (pretty standard for a lot of shops). R&R=Remove and Replace. R&R Water pump: 4.2 hours, 168.00 R&R Timing Belt: 3.5 hours, 140.00 Cost of Timing Belt: 41.25 Cost of Water Pump: 93.25 (new) 36.59 (reman) All in all, about an 8 hour job for a shop, and you'd be looking at roughly $442.50 if you went with the new pump.

I actually use the Tornado in my Impala and its helped out some, I wouldn't, and HAVEN'T seen a 20% increase in fuel mileage, but I have seen roughly 12-15%, which ain't too shabby. I would also recommend a new fuel filter, along with the plugs and wires. Another thing to do would of course be the O2 sensors (preferably all four of them, but if you can't afford it, then just the front two up in the manifolds). After that a good air filter, and an oil change and you should be good to go. Another thing would be synthetic oil which is "slicker" and not as "dirty" as conventional oil which could help free up some power, may only be one or two horses or a ft-lb or two of torque, but the more you have, the less you'll have to get into the throttle to find it. The LT1 engine in the Camaro is a pretty good engine as far as power-to-weight ratio is concerned, so its not like you'll really have to tax it hard to get going like some cars can be woefully underpowered.

Mute I can't really say anything other than have a good one and I hope that you can come back soon, even with the past standing like it is. I know that I haven't had any bad encounters with ya and I hope that all is well. You'll be missed.

I always saw the "first tank free" thing as a courtesy that the dealer did for the customer. Oh well, when I got my GA, the first tank was on them, and then after my GA was totalled, my Impala came with what was in the tank (hardly anything). I always guessed it was the perogitive (sp?) of to dealer to tank you up.

I really enjoyed reading all of that. Thanks a ton for all the posts and info. I really liked seeing the various El Camino conversions, they look pretty good although I do have to agree that it wouldn't be right for Poncho to have such a monster.

nemo

DeVille

Yeah, it is. Unless you feel like taking that much time it, just plant a load of TNT under the hood, set a timer and run like hell... I don't really hate the NorthStar engine in a general sense, but I damn sure HATE how they mounted the starter.

4.6 in an XLR? I know if its like FWD DeVille or something like that you have to drop the exhaust crossmember and its under the back-bank exhaust manifold.

Our Cobalt isn't unreliable. I don't get where you're saying it is.

Hundred