Repair Photos.

[BIGRED_Z-71]

well, i'm going to make a collection of photos here on the repair of my avalanche. I believe i am the first here to take the whole beast apart and put her back together again? so for those interested in whats underneath... here we go.

first photo is just a get-a-started photo... just some outside damage you can see clearly now that the truck has been washed and put inside it's new home for a few months.

both doors were welded shut... and had to be cut off the truck later. you can see some main cabin damage just behind the rear door too... this will have to be pulled and worked out also. the rest is pretty much sheet metal.

~BIGRED

img width/height tags added by brmiller

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

and now with the snap of my fingers, all the cladding will disappear, doors will have been removed, sail panels and third brake light will have come off, tail lights and the fender walls... all off. rear seats, midgate, window, tailgate, and interior roof... all out.

*Snap*

~BIGRED

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

all right... now with some mind power.... I will now make the following disappear...

hood, grille, crossbar, bumper, headlights, driving lights, cladding, air filter housing, umm... that foam thingy behind the bumper... yeah that fender walls... and, and, man I'm getting tired.. lets continue this tomorrow.


~BIGRED

img width/height tags added by brmiller

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

ok, so now for the bed... well, lets start by removing the plastic bins, drains, panels, railling, rear bumper, metal rear bumper, and even more cladding! and last... that big rubber mat, but wait. oh no! looks like the bed is bent... well, I guess it will just have to come off... and i'll just have to settle with a new caddy ext bed insted... darn well, looks like this is as far as I can go for a while now.. till I get the "new find" inspected and quoted. then we will be off to pull the roof back out and start making things straight again.... then we get to chop things off... like fenders and stuff


~BIGRED

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

umm, here is a little goodie to let others know how the repair is coming along.


~BIGRED

 

[Rus7y]

I hated seeing a wreaked ava but the photo were great, I always wondered what was behind the clading on the c-post. Also got me thinking about a access door on the inside of the bed similar to a add on glove box door used on boats only larger to access the storage boxes when using a Snugtop. Hmmm worth thinking about.

 

[02-Z66]

good informative pics BigRed. too bad we had to get them this way.

 

[GoldBowTie]

Also got me thinking about a access door on the inside of the bed similar to a add on glove box door used on boats only larger to access the storage boxes when using a Snugtop. Hmmm worth thinking about.

That has been done and discussed here. ?Maybe I can find the topic for you. ?I think it was about 2-3 months ago.

irontrain found it! See next reply.

 

[irontrain]

I hated seeing a wreaked ava but the photo were great, I always wondered what was behind the clading on the c-post. Also got me thinking about a access door on the inside of the bed similar to a add on glove box door used on boats only larger to access the storage boxes when using a Snugtop. Hmmm worth thinking about.

Something like this?

This is a pic from sjudson. Check out the thread at Bed Hatches

 

[wonder91178]

I feel your pain, but it's nice when you get it out, it's like a brand new truck!

My Wreck (9/16/02)



Kim

 

[Rus7y]

Exactly, silly me, I should have known someone would have figured that out. nice looking mod.

 

[empty]

Thanks for posting the pics, very educational, particularly this. Being a coward I'd never pull all that stuff apart to find out what's underneath. But it's about what I expected. Frankly, I'd prefer to dispense with the storage boxes to get the extra bed space. (Maybe something for Avalanche II.)

img width/height tags added by brmiller

 

[midlifecrisis]

Frankly, I'd prefer to dispense with the storage boxes to get the extra bed space. ?

I'm quite the opposite - I absolutely LOVE the storage boxes, especially for camping. ?Also - where would I then mount my mag lite?? ?

 

[midlifecrisis]

Wouldn't it be cool to get pics of the Av on the assembly line? Has anybody ever visited the plant(s) where they are made?

 

[marc_w]

Wow... that makes me cringe...

Thanks for the pictures. It sure looks like they're doing a thorough job. I sure couldn't do what they're doing.

The sail panels don't look that bad underneath. I wonder what mind would look like if I pulled htem off?

 

[steelheadchaser]

Wouldn't it be cool to get pics of the Av on the assembly line? ?Has anybody ever visited the plant(s) where they are made?

The Av is built in GM's Silao, Mexico plant.

 

[Chief]

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had great fall

All the kings horse and all the kings men

Had better get Humpty back together again!

 

[ColoradoAV]

What a messy project ?. ?When we saw those pics of the Av rolled over it didn't look that bad but those are some amazing shots. ?I don't know if it's me but it seems like the Av has to be one of the most difficult vehicles out there to repair, especially the bed area.

It looks as though the midgate is helping with the repairs ?.

(600 posts - Woohoo !) ?

 

[MrBill]

Thanks for the pics.

I finally found out where the third brake wire goes thru the cab.

 

[Bradburry]

Seems like an awful lot of damage

Why didn't the insurance company total the thing?

Don't know if I would like riding around in it after such a major rebuild. Has to take at least half off the value of the truck.

Wouldn't you like a nice, new, NOT WRECKED '03?
Chris

 

[sovereignmgmt]

Big Red:

Any chance you could get me some pictures of the bottom and side where the midgate is. I'm trying to figure out how to pull wires from the cab to the tailgate without going outside under the truck.

Thanks

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

Seems like an awful lot of damage

Why didn't the insurance company total the thing?

Don't know if I would like riding around in it after such a major rebuild. Has to take at least half off the value of the truck.

Wouldn't you like a nice, new, NOT WRECKED '03?
Chris

they pretty much did... i mean... i got such a great deal on the truck(about 10 off) to start with... the new price was well over what i paid and then i hit me...

it's now a project truck.... see what you guys don't see... are the custom fab fenders and doors (to replace the cladding) being bent and built by a custom fab guy in new york... along with a caddy rear end converstion... and some paint being mixed in florida... i guess you can call this nation wide project? but, you guys have to wait.. to see how my project av will turn out. truckin' magazine has aleady told me they are interested in a full cover story if the truck turns out as good as i said it will (they said that they'll throw in a set of 22' for the story, i said it's a deal)


you choose,

stock 03 yellow z-71 or custom, one of a kind, head turner

~BIGRED

 

[Cape_Cod_Bob]

The first mod you should do on that vehicle is a roll bar!!

Bob

 

[zimmthumps]

I'm all for your custom Av Bigred!

Why have a stock '03 like the rest

Can't wait to see it when all said and done!

What kind of a time-frame you thinking?

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

it's that time again.... got the cuters out and no more fenders.... really look.


~BIGRED