Jump to content

2006 Silverado Intimidator SS resurrection


someotherguy

Recommended Posts

A copy from my post over on Chevytalk, though I'll omit the "what is an Intimidator SS" lesson since clearly y'all know what's up already. ;)

 

I picked this one up with 80K miles on it from the salvage auction. Hit in the right rear and totalled out for it, it appeared to me that it was an otherwise solid truck so I took a gamble and bought it.
06SS_001.jpg
06SS_002.jpg
06SS_003.jpg
06SS_004.jpg
Richard
edit...wow...trying to post a few entries in a row in one thread, makes them all in one post? Guess I'll wait or something.
Edited by someotherguy (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

August 10th, picking it up in Shreveport LA after my winning bid. Engine runs great! Air is cold! Seats are good! All the power goodies seem to work. Truck is about 99% stock; just has a Pioneer touchscreen radio added, non-working HID headlights, some cheesy custom taillights (damaged anyway), and a Volant cold air intake kit.


06SS_015s.jpg


06SS_017s.jpg


06SS_016s.jpg


Amy's already asking if I'm gonna let her drive it. :D Truck is still filthy and covered in auction marks...

06SS_020s.jpg


Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

August 18th decided to try out the body shop that belongs to the company I work for. Was told I'd get the employee price, special treatment, blah blah blah. Explained to the guy I had already found sources for all the parts including the SS-specific items, just needed someone to do a good job on the repairs. They washed it up to get a good look at it, and started in with the markers...


06SS_026s.jpg


06SS_027s.jpg


And handed me an estimate for $7400 - of which $4400 was the parts list! $4400! I made sure I was squared up with them on the estimate and picked it up right away...no sense trying to debate pricing with these clowns.


Took it home, slapped the bent bumper back on it and tacked the damaged cover on to hide it. Installed some taillights to make it driveable and started making my next plans.


06SS_028s.jpg


Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My dad offered to have his guys do the bodywork, but that means a trip out of state. I have faith his guys do good quality work, it's just a hassle to get the truck there. Seriously considering it though, so I start tending to the things the truck needs to make the trip.


Transmission had a real harsh 1-2 shift; was hoping it would just be a bad 1-2 accumulator spring or piston. Took it to my buddy Joe at Premier Transmission in Tomball - top notch guys; have been trusting Joe with my transmissions since literally the late 80's.


Turned out the spring wasn't broken but Joe felt it was too small. Replaced it with a heavier one, but not before pulling down the valve body to find the real problem - a check ball had worn through the separator plate. He fixed it all up and now I have nice, firm shifts - but no more crazy super hard parts-breaking 1-2.

06SS_030s.jpg


In the meantime I've been collecting parts for the repair. Have a brand new OEM GM outer/inner bedside, good used tailgate, OEM GM bed molding and tailgate molding, good used bumper, new tailgate emblems, and a few other items. I have basically everything on the body shop's parts list - for $1500 (including shipping!), not the $4400 they wanted!


Now on to present day (today!) - new headlights and turn signals; old ones were badly hazed over and the headlight lenses beyond restoration - lots of tiny cracks in them. I also installed LED's for the other bulbs and 35W 5000K HID headlights.

06SS_033s.jpg


Installed the used rear bumper for now, and the old broken bedside corner molding, just to kind of hide the damage until the truck is repaired. Don't really want any nastygrams from the HOA for a "wrecked" truck in the driveway, plus I'm slightly less shamed to drive it around town now. ;)

06SS_035s.jpg


06SS_036s.jpg


Spent some time cleaning up the interior and I'm beat! Done for the day.

06SS_037s.jpg


Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, and those tires in the background are a set of new Toyo Proxes ST2 265/40/22's - meant for the wheels you can also see next to the truck. Those are a set of GM "Transport" 22's that are all steel smoothies. They're meant just for transport of new high-end pickups, Escalades, etc. that have 22" wheels from the factory. They find their way into the market. These have been powdercoated gloss black, and look great, but I'm still not so sure I'm going to use them:

06SS_034s.jpg


So instead, I've ordered a set of 22" Dub Ballers with black hoops and the kind of smoke/tint colored spokes:

06SS_038s.jpg


Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good job getting your parts together while saving some serious coin. Your truck is going to be a beauty once she's all buttoned up. I like the rims you chose, it'll look baller all rite!


Good job getting your parts together while saving some serious coin. Your truck is going to be a beauty once she's all buttoned up. I like the rims you chose, it'll look baller all rite!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sucks to hear about your body work, I know its a pain in the ass to find a reputable place local.

Anyways, my truck got rear ended the same way about two weeks ago, and its in the shop right now.

I have a gentlemen locally that does top notch work, and is the only person I can leave my vehicles with, and not stresss over how good or bad my truck might end up.

 

Give me a holler and I can point you his way, or have you check out my truck after its done, and you can judge for youself. Goodluck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks y'all, don't let the busted old piece of cladding fool you though. It's hiding that gnarly looking bed corner and the huge dents/kinks in the bedside just don't show up so well in that inside-the-garage pic. :D Overall though it's looking pretty decent and it's been a blast to drive these last couple of days.

 

kaze - I have talked to some guys locally that look like they do really nice work, problem is, I'm thinking they may have a hard time sticking to the estimate. Shop like theirs seems unlikely to want to mess around with something this "plain" when they do custom work all day. By the way hate to hear your truck got smacked, that's the first I read of it.

 

The big advantages of taking it out to my dad's place is he's a car/truck guy too, knows what quality work is, and can oversee the job to be sure it gets done right. Plus, he has final say in the cost since it's his shop.

 

Waiting on a few last important pieces to show up. SS emblem for the tailgate, replacement filter for the Volant (man it's nasty plugged), stuff like that. The wheels are ordered but haven't shipped yet, probably next week. They're coming back off for the bodywork anyway. Gorilla locks (full set of 24) and some black tape weights on the way, too.

 

Richard

Edited by someotherguy (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good on ya for bringing the truck back from the brink. She's looking better pretty quick.

 

Have you found the decal for the tailgate that you posted about? If not; Have you thought about trying to find an artist who could paint it on?

I got the emblem but the post office hosed it. I've notified the dealer and they've filed a claim with USPS but I'm 99% sure it will be denied based on insufficient packaging. I sure as hell wouldn't have shipped it like that! I could surely buy another but according to the dealer, that plain envelope with no other protection is how GM sent it to them!

 

While waiting on them to respond, I've had it sitting under a whole stack of shop manuals to flatten it out. When it lays flat, you don't see the break. I'm half tempted to use it as-is, if I can't get any satisfaction out of the dealer. I'm definitely not coming out of pocket for another when the damage wasn't my fault.

 

If u don't mind me asking what was the winning bid?

No offense but I don't normally discuss that kinda stuff on any vehicle. I paid more than I wanted to by a little bit, but I think I did OK based on the overall condition of the truck. I could have spent more than twice as much buying a non-wrecked one with a clean title, but I'm comfortable with salvage title vehicles as long as I know what went into fixing them and I wanted to see this truck rescued. When it's all said and done I should have a nice truck for considerably less than buying one that was straight to start with.

 

Richard

Edited by someotherguy (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got the emblem but the post office hosed it. I've notified the dealer and they've filed a claim with USPS but I'm 99% sure it will be denied based on insufficient packaging. I sure as hell wouldn't have shipped it like that! I could surely buy another but according to the dealer, that plain envelope with no other protection is how GM sent it to them!

 

While waiting on them to respond, I've had it sitting under a whole stack of shop manuals to flatten it out. When it lays flat, you don't see the break. I'm half tempted to use it as-is, if I can't get any satisfaction out of the dealer. I'm definitely not coming out of pocket for another when the damage wasn't my fault.

I wondered why they shipped to you like that... that is not adequate packaging! Dealers get dedicated freight in bins.... way different then shipping in the real world. Too bad they didn't overbox and protect it. Hopefully they will make it right and get you another as they f'd up!

Edited by EXGM (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...