73impala's 2008 Sierra 3500hd Build Thread

James Pate

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Mar 27, 2012
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Margate, Fl
Truck is a 2008 GMC Sierra 3500hd SLT LMM Duramax crew cab long bed single rear wheel.

Current mods are
4-6 Cognito NTBD
22x12 American Force Sprint CC (Original owner said they were custom cut but that's what they look like to me)
33/12.5r22 Toyo Open Country M/T
Cognito UCA
Fox shocks
Bestop electric steps
Danville s475 over stock compound turbo kit powdered green (similar to how my last truck had all green under the hood lol)
60% over Exergy injectors
Air Dog 150 lift pump
ARP head studs
Tuned by DMAXtuners
Built trans with billet shafts
Trans Brace
Clear Headlights with all leds up front
Billet grille and emblem
Interior is all stock for now. Fully loaded minus rearview cam.

On to pics will post a few different post since I will have more pics than allowed per post.

Ad pics

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Day I bought it and brought it home.

Babe go stand in front of it and let me take your photo lol











 

James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Next up are just from a random photo shoot since I had just got the truck. Also removed the front license plate bracket.











Dreaming of my 16x12s being on there







A cool roller a friend took with my mismatched fogs lol.



Then I traded a buddy my smoked headlights and taillights for his factory ones









Then I thought I purchased some Denali taillights but they are just a black border which I like better anyways.





Before



After



 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Random photo



One reason I bought a long bed is to fit my long boy outlander xmr with the tailgate shut lol.



Featuring Tucker the Shih Zu and Remi the Labradoodle



First snow of the season.







Another random photoshoot











Then I added a bow for the holidays

Also added a 25" double row led light bar to the bumper opening at some point.







 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Next up is the big snow storm of 2020 lol. At least for out part of TN

Christmas eve





Christmas day



Got some clear headlights just waiting on some new leds for the front.

Random photo



Billet GMC emblem. Not sure if I want to do a full billet grille with no emblem or not.



Random photos.







An abandoned building I saw





Then I had a wheel hub go out so while I had the wheel off I rolled some 16x10s and 30s up to it. Wheels were suppose to be 16x12 Weld Super Singles and 8x6.5 but turns out they were 16x10 and 8x170. Only paid 200 for them and I have them sold already.





Nilight backup cubes.



Probably could get better light output if I remove the spare tire and reposition them.



 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Finally bought and installed all the leds up front. Everything came from Will Morris @Afterburn Realsirwilliam on IG

Before.



Leds and resistors



Apart



All loaded up.



Put together



Finally out of the garage.





Lows



Highs



Future plans are
color match lower valance, rear plastics, and tows
Possibly buy and install escalade mirrors
Have the 16x12 scorpios redrilled for 8x6.5 and install with 33s
Possibly lift higher with chrome and powder
Shock hoops
OEM third brake light to replace cracked smoked one
Chrome door handles
White clearance lights
Underglow
Billet valance grille
Chrome tow hooks
Leds for the tail lights
Double din
Replacement door speakers
Forward facing subs
And whatever else I can spend money on lol
 
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James Pate

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Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Went and took some photos the other day. It was filthy so I went home washed it and then had to drive it in the snow so now it is a mess again.





 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Out around town took some photos.











Some light output shots with the new led low, high, and fogs

Low and fogs



Low, high, and fogs



Another day another random photo spot. Brought the canon with me to take some photos but the memory card was left at home lol. So phone photos it is.







So finally bought some clear lens and white led cab lights to replace the smoke lens and amber leds.









 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Went to downtown Knoxville to celebrate an anniversary to figured why not snag some pics.









Also purchased some escalade dl3 mirrors and throw them on to see how they looked. Need a driver side window switch so I can se the power fold option. Also removed the window vents. So now to take them apart and have them color matched.

First it needed a wash







 

James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Well one of my managers wanted to take some photos of the truck so I figured why not.

His photos.









Then I figured why not take some myself since I brought my camera.



 
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James Pate

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Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Nothing new to report really. Was planning on shipping parts to have painted to One Bad Habit in GA but didn't realize it was going to be so much with how long the valance is. So I shipped out the mirrors to them and I am waiting to take my valance and wiper cowl to a local shop in Knoxville next week.



 
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James Pate

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Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Was out at the Spring Rod Run here in Pigeon Forge and decided to take some of the truck since I had it cleaned up. If only I had a color matched valance.







 
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James Pate

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Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
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Margate, Fl
Well figured since I have waited this long to drop off the front valance why not send the rest of the parts off to get color matched. So currently the escalade mirrors are with Jeremy at One Bad Habit in GA and the front valance, wiper cowl, rear bumper plastics, and tailgate handle bezel are at Valley Auto & Marine here in Knoxville. Ordered some oem chrome door handles and waiting on the chrome tailgate handle to come in now.











Then since they don't sell chrome 2500/3500 tow hooks for these trucks I decided to try out the 15+ tow hooks since they looked identical online. Found a set locally and compared them to my oem ones. They only difference is that the one part at the end is a little taller so I flipped the tow hooks and added a spacer so they work nicely.









And then finally I added switches to the center console. They are for under glow, reverse lights, and the light bar in the bumper. Not sure where the 12v cover went to but I have it lol.

 
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James Pate

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Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Another small update. Ordered a 2014+ color matched xm/onstar antenna and installed it. The plug is a little different so its not hooked up but I never used it anyways. Got the chrome handles and a chrome tailgate handle installed and got the escalade mirrors back from Jeremy at One Bad Habit in GA. While I had the doors apart I tried my hand at wrapping the wood grain window switches. Not perfect but not terrible. Still waiting on the rest of the parts from Valley Auto & Marine who is local here in Knoxville. Also ordered an OEM style third brake light to replace the smoked cracked one that came on the truck. Finally cranked the keys to raise the front some more to help with the rubbing issue I have in full lock in reverse and to stop it from nose diving as much. It's fully cranked and still about an inch lower in the front, so smaller blocks might be in the future.

Now pics.









Top after bottom before



Angles





Finished the leds on the steps









Before mirror swap





After





Old third



New

 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Got all the stuff back from paint and drove out to Nashville for the Music City Showdown. Loved they way the truck turned out and had a great time at the show with some great people.

Now pics.











Next up for exterior is maybe find a decent used fts or showoff 7-10 inch lift. But main focus will probably be interior, really need to do the audio and get rid of the factory head unit and aux cord.
 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Well major photo dump.

Lets start with some photos from Hayden Burchett Photography from the Music City Showdown.











Next I drove to Charleston to meet up with a body to ride down to South Florida with and he was working at the Coast Guard Station. So he said I could use the USCGC Stone as a background







Tried to get some decent pics with the sunset sky.







Then I finally wired up the Escalade puddle lamps.

The green wire is what I used to tap into the puddle lamp. Then was able to use a pin in the door stich panel for dome light power.







Then for fun laid out the welds again.





Next up I changed the decal on the back window.



Brought back some spacers I had laying around in FL. Mounted them to see how bad the rub is. Going to through in some OEM 1500 keys to try and lift it up some more and give it about an inch higher than the rear. Sits an inch lower currently. Hoping that'll be enough to clear spacers, x12s and 33s

 
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James Pate

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2012
3,691
112
63
33
Margate, Fl
Random photos and some from the 4th of July.







Then decided to add white vinyl to the trailer plug and the plate behind it.



Finally I added more bed lights that I had laying around.

 
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