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CLADDING vs. NO CLADDING

Flint4x4 said:
The Avalanche is titled a pickup truck in Michigan due to the open cargo box. According to state laws and for insurance purposes you can't carry passengers in the box unless all seatbelts in the passenger area are in use. 

That's why a Suburban and Blazer are station wagons, they have a fixed roof.
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It doesn't say pik up anywhere on my title, just station wagon.
 
I went with without cladding when I was looking for one. Heard too many stories of ones here in MI, rotting out under the cladding. I like to be able to see my rust.
 
Cladding always had an cool 'offroad' look to me... WBH has more of a smooth 'city' look. Does anyone use SUT when classifying the Avalanche?
 
greatgab said:
Cladding always had an cool 'offroad' look to me... WBH has more of a smooth 'city' look. Does anyone use SUT when classifying the Avalanche?
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Nope mine is a SLUT no lower cladding is SUV.  :kidding:
 
60VetteFI said:
I went with without cladding when I was looking for one. Heard too many stories of ones here in MI, rotting out under the cladding. I like to be able to see my rust.
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Had my cladded '04 undercoated new, no rust. GM practically paves the truck plant with salt here in Flint, MI. Most of the rust I see on AVs is right above the wheels and it's on both cladded/uncladded. I think many people ignore under the wheels wells and just get the surface clean and pretty, I do the opposite and spend more time spraying underneath in the winter.
 
Cladding is the only way to go. Just need to  Restore Refinish to keep it clean and brite.
 
My 03' (40 k miles) has cladding in great shape as it was stored in a pole barn for 10 year when original owner passed away.  Bought it with 11k on it 2 years ago.
 
Edwardavion said:
My 03' (40 k miles) has cladding in great shape as it was stored in a pole barn for 10 year when original owner passed away.  Bought it with 11k on it 2 years ago.
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I remember seeing your truck at Nationals in 2014. A true time capsule AV!!  (y) (y) I can't remember how many miles it had on it then though, something around 15-20k I think..  :laugh:
 
Got a cladded one for sale? I might bite.  :B:
 
I guess when you discuss cladded versus non cladded nowadays, you have to take into consideration the GMT800 vs the GMT900 trucks too..

I love my 2013, but I think I would much rather have a cladded 06 with equivalent mileage (36k)...

Our 02 just had that extra level of comfort and fit and finish to it.. Less hard plastic, and the dash didn't rattle.

Honestly, I think that the 02 cladding is my favorite, I always loved the light gray compared to the dark.

I know a lot of people like to paint their cladding black, but that just ruins it for me in my opinion. I would much rather take the time to keep the light cladding, original, rather than spray paint it black...

I like some of the WBH trucks too, but cladding is more where I am centered, even after having the 2013 for 3 years.

I honestly don't even care for the painted upper cladding on it either... It's too easily scratched and nicked, and its hard to actually use the bed for anything. It looks great, and cleans up the look of the whole truck, but still..
 
Jerry and ava lanche said:
No cladding for sure cladding looks like a kids toy or a cheep 4 wheeler
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Almost as bad as a knockoff silverado with a working midgate. Cheap toy.
 
We like our cladding - easy to take care of.  We had to replace the right front panel after we lost it from hitting a truck retread in Idaho.  Amazingly the replacement panel we found on ebay matches perfectly.  We're just missing a mudflap on the right front since it got torn off with the panel when we hit the retread.
 
I have no cladding. I think the benefit to that is that anything you need for the front end is interchangeable with the Silverado. Which is one of the most popular trucks from that time period.

Plus the "Cat-Eye Chevy" is my all time favorite look on a truck. So bonus. I get the Avy ride quality with the cat-eye look.

Plus I'm kind of a mid-size hater, so the Colorado look of the cladded version just doesn't do it for me.
 
when I had my 02 Z66, LOVED the cladding and now that I have a newer one, I love it even more.  However, the cladded will always have a special place in my  :love:
 
Ferg said:
Cladding it's nice. It holds all the moisture in and starts rusting
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Not on my 18 year old truck living in the rain belt of the south gulf coast.

Think rust is more a salt northern problem.
 
Ferg said:
Cladding it's nice. It holds all the moisture in and starts rusting
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Rust does not appear to be an issue with my cladded 2003 Z-66 which has lived it's entire life in my area.

I did, however, have to have repaired the common rust spot at the front of both of the lower rear wheel wells of my 2004 EXT.

No cladding was involved.

The rust on the EXT was very small and was easily fixed.

Other than that, I haven't had to deal with any rust on any of my vehicles in 40 years of driving.

I'll take that.

(y)
 
No cladding for sure...don't like all the plastic and upkeep..with that being said I love my uncladded 2005 lifted Avy
 
I will always have a special place in my ❤️for the cladding as this was the first true AV. However; I do love the my refined look my 12 AV has.
 
So I just got my very first Avalanche. It is 04 Z71. I traded my 05 suburban for it since I knew the history for it. My daughter needed a bigger truck or car due to grand kids and I couldn't say no to my 3 years old granddaughter when she asked for Pawpaws truck because of the DVD player lol. It is a non clad and I was wondering if I can clad it or would it be too much work?
 
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