High Sierra - The Beginning

To day on trucks. Stacy slices into Project High Sierra by cutting a big old hole in the room. But he's not crazy. It's for a sliding rag top.

Then we'll get behind the wheel of Chevy's new and very unique avalanche for a test drive.

And finally a viewer question about swapping transmissions

going from an automatic to a stick.

That's all today on trucks.

Welcome to trucks.

We have got a great show planned for you. Today. We're gonna start a new build up called Project High Sierra based on this 99 GMC. Now, the project we're gonna do, you're all gonna be interested in whether you're into street trucks or four wheel drive or hunting or fishing

because it involves cutting out about three quarters of that roof and putting in a sliding rag top. Think we're crazy

maybe, but you're not gonna wanna miss it.

Now, anytime somebody mentions a, do it yourself. Sunroof project.

Well, most people think of those old cheap plastic ones that popped up in back and leaked all the time and pretty much destroyed the value of everything you put them on.

That's why they were always on

Chevette and pinos and junk like that.

We're not talking about that kind of thing. We're talking about a sliding canvas rag top like you might find on an expensive luxury car. Still not sure what I'm talking about.

Let me show you what I mean.

We went to a place called Street Beat Customs to get our sunroof. Now, it consists of a frame that's covered with a nice thick, heavy duty, waterproof canvas like material.

We also got a wind deflector plus all kinds of trim and hardware.

And since the sun roof is electric, it has an electric motor plus a wiring harness. Of course, the most important part to this whole kit,

since you're gonna be cutting into your truck is this cutting template.

The first step is to set the pattern on the roof, measure it, make sure it's exactly in the center, then you can tape it in place. Now, this is the most important part of this whole project because

if you cut your whole crooked in the roof, you're gonna end up with a mess that's gonna be impossible to fix and you don't want that.

So make sure you take your time here,

then we'll cut down the line and remove the center

to finish our pattern.

Then we'll carefully trace along this inside edge. Now, this is gonna be our cut line.

So this needs to be straight and perfect. So once again, take your time,

then we'll drill some pilot holes in the corners to give us a place to start. Our saw. I notice we put some tape on the drill bit so we don't go too deep and get into the headliner. Now, this is also a good time to drill the holes for your air deflector and they're well marked on the template. So just drill them out.

We're almost there, but we're not quite ready to cut yet. First, we need to get this headliner out

next, we'll cut out this inner structure using a cut off tool. Now, make sure that you protect your seats and your windows from sparks

and using a thick blanket or plastic or even cardboard is really good for this.

No turning back now

with the interior supports, cut away,

it's time to cut the roof. Yeah, we're actually gonna do it.

Now, you can do this with a Sawzall or an air nibbler or a jigsaw.

But I definitely recommend using the jigsaw because you have a lot more control around the corners. And if you use a fine toothed blade,

you won't distort the top.

Now, obviously, this is an area where you're gonna need an extra set of hands. So I've got be

here

and he's gonna support this roof as I cut it.

This brings up another very interesting point. Remember there is no support under this top. So make sure that you keep your weight off to the side because if you bend these side pieces you'll never get this roof to look. Right.

All right, Barry, are you ready in there? I'm ready. You better watch your fingers.

One thing's for sure, you definitely want to support this center part as you cut. So it doesn't sag down and bend the roof. Now, the best way to do that.

Hey, Barry, push up on this corner, would you please,

is to support these corners as you cut them?

Well, Barry, the damage is done.

Go ahead and push up on this thing.

Ok. Now, obviously we're gonna have to cut the headliner to match that big hole in the roof. So with the headliner back in place, take a P

mark around the opening, then pull the headliner back out

and make your cuts.

Ok?

Ok. Now that you have a huge gaping hole in the roof of a $30,000 truck

and you're starting to wonder just what the heck you've done. Well, it's time to start putting things back together.

We're gonna get started with these protective ceiling strips,

then we'll bolt the wind deflector in place.

These washers are rubber and they're designed not to leak, but

putting down a little dab of silicone is still a good idea.

Finally set the sunroof in place.

All right, Barry, go ahead and push this up

here.

Yeah.

All right. Now, make sure this rubber that goes around the outside is in place because that's what keeps this sunroof from leaking. Now, we're gonna take a break, but when we get back, we're gonna show you how to finish this all up inside here to where this looks like a factory install. Stay with us

after the break, Stacy's gonna finish up high. Sierra's new rag top.

And later, a letter from a viewer who wants to turn his automatic into a four on the floor.

Welcome back to trucks. We're right in the middle of putting a sliding rag top into project high Sierra.

Now, once you get the top in place,

it's held in by these brackets that go all the way around the perimeter.

Now, they hold the sunroof down to the original metal roof to keep it from flexing on you

to make your electrical connections, take the wiring harness that comes with the kit

and plug it in and

then just make the power connections that you need.

Now, one of the neat things about doing a late model truck like this GMC,

you've got a lot of power already run up here to the roof for the console and the overhead lights. So

we're gonna make our connections up here. So we don't have to run wires all the way down behind the dash.

Once you have your wiring hooked up, you can put in your headliner and your sun visors and all this other stuff. Now, if you can't make your connections up here and you have to run the wire down to the fuse panel

just make sure you tuck them up out of the way.

All right, we're coming down the last stretch here because all we have left to do is put on these trim pieces,

then take this flexible trim, run around this in a ring and we're done. Now,

you probably noticed we've got a hole here where the old console used to be. Well, I've got a solution for that.

Take your scrap headliner and cut a piece a little larger than you need.

Then carefully separate the headliner material from the backing

trim, the backing panel,

then use some upholstery adhesive

and roll the material over the edge.

Now you have a nice neat matching panel

to cover the hole.

Look at that, that looks stock. Now, what we've got here is an access panel so we can get into the fuse and the wiring harness of the sunroof. Now, you can get a little creative here if you want to put a dome light in there, cut the hole and put a dome light in.

You can also make this panel out of wood or

the steel, but this is just the easiest way to do it.

Now, a lot of you might be thinking

is all this work worth it. Well, I guarantee you the first time you hit this button

and that top rolls back and you look up at the stars, you're gonna wonder why you didn't do this earlier.

Now, you've got to admit that is nice. Now, I know there's one question that's just burning a hole in your brain.

Will it leak after all? It's made out of some canvas type material? Like a lot of convertible tops and

some of those aren't so hot, but we have the perfect test to see how it's gonna hold up.

We figured that if there would be any place that this would leak, it would be here. Now, check it out. We're in the middle of the car wash, not a leak. I told you this was a good catch.

We'll be back after the break.

It's a truck. It's a SUV. No, it's Chevy's all new avalanche and we'll take it out for a spin when we come back.

Just can't get enough of trucks. Check us out online at trucks, tv.com.

Welcome back. You know, one of the neat things about doing a show like trucks is we get to test all the really cool stuff that's coming out

and nothing has been so eagerly anticipated as the new Chevy avalanche because it's so

different. So we managed to pry one of these things out of Chevy's hands to give you an up close look at one.

The avalanche is one of those rare vehicles that comes along every once in a while that people just don't know how to categorize

the line between the truck and the SUV gets really muddy with this one because the avalanche has the ability to be converted from one to the other very quickly.

The plastic cover for the bed is in sections and they can be removed one at a time to gain access to the bed.

But that's not all. If you flip the rear seats forward and pop out the rear window,

then you can lower the rear bulkhead, creating a bed that's big enough to carry a four by eight piece of plywood or a four wheeler

back inside with everything all buttoned up and you'll swear you're in a full sized SUV, with big comfortable seating,

air bags on star system, killer stereo. Heck, all the comforts of home. Also, you've got four big full size doors that make getting in and out

really easy

on the outside. The avalanche is also really different with its unique front end and grill treatment.

The two tone body with the lower plastic covers

all the way to the back where you've got a couple of storage compartments here on either side of the bed.

Uh,

the wheel and tire combination is ok at 31 inches tall

and about 9.5 inches wide. But for a vehicle as big as the avalanche,

well, they almost make it look a little top heavy, but

with a wheel, well, that's 37 inches wide, you can easily stick a 33 1050 in here. Now, since the suspension is almost exactly the same as the Silverado,

you put a six inch lift on here in 35.

Now

you're gonna have yourself a truck. Think about that

getting out on the road in the avalanche is just what you'd expect from a full size SUV, quiet and smooth. Power is fair from the 5.3 L Vortec

and rumor has it that the 8.1 L will be available in the three quarter ton avalanche

that will definitely help in the gold factor.

The handling of the avalanche is comparable to most full sized suvs on the market.

The suspension is just a hair saw for our taste, which made for a comfortable ride

that gave us less of a feel of the truck both on and off the road as well as a little more body roll through the corners.

Remember you're dealing with a 7000 pound truck,

the plastic fing behind the cab looks good,

but it does create a bigger blind spot that will take some getting used to it.

Now, that's not to say that the stock avalanche is a weenie

if you get one with the Z 71 off road package, like we did,

you get a skid plate under the front, a locker in the rear, which is usually more than enough for the average outdoorsman or enthusiast.

And because of its size, it's perfect for towing a trailer or a boat

without a doubt. The avalanche is one of the most well rounded vehicles on the market with a lot of potential when it comes to modifications.

But that does come at a price one like we tested here with the Z 71 package cost you $35,000 and they get 13 miles to the gallon in the city 18 on the highway. But if you're even remotely interested in a vehicle like this,

you owe it to yourself to go down to your Chevy dealer and check it out.

You will be impressed

when we come back, Stacy's helping out a viewer who wants to swap transmissions

and now truck gear, parts, tools and equipment for pickups and sport utilities.

You buy a four wheel drive to have four wheel drive, right?

Well, if you're driving a late model Chevy Dodge or Jeep, you probably didn't know that that front axle is engaged either with a vacuum actuator or a thermo linear actuator. Both of which are notorious for either not engaging when you hit the button

or for disengaging when you need that front axle the most.

Now the answer is the four by four Posi

lot.

This is a cable operated system that completely replaces the stock setup.

It allows you to lock that front axle in and it doesn't come disengaged until you decide.

Now this kit installs in just a couple of hours.

Price is around 100 and 70 bucks depending on your application.

Every once in a while a product comes along where people go, man.

What a cool idea. I've got to have one of those. Well, Mata

Technologies has exactly that kind of product with the rain tracker.

Now, this uses a sensor that mounts up on the windshield behind the mirror. So it's out of the way,

sends signals down to this box that controls the speed of your wipers, depending on how hard it's raining and you never take your hands off the wheel. So the next time a big truck splashes you in a rainstorm,

the rain tracker speeds up, cleans off your windshield while you concentrate on staying on the road. And these are available for most trucks or suvs

and installation is really simple.

Finally,

a while back, Keystone Restyling products came out with these really cool fiberglass, double scooped hoods for the late model Chevy and GMC trucks. People went crazy for them. They're very cool. There was only one drawback. They just weren't functional,

but Keystone decided to change that came out with their fully functional ram air good hoods. Now, of course, the kit comes with the hood,

the complete air box assembly plus a high flow filter to really get your truck to suck in some air and a nice blast of cold air is something your engine is gonna like too. So now you have a choice. The regular good hood or the RA M air hood.

Today's letter

Dear trucks.

I just bought a 79 Ford Ranger XL T with a 351 V8

and ac six automatic. I want to change it to a four speed manual. That's a good idea.

I was wondering if you had any suggestions on doing so, if you had any tips or parts stores where I could find the parts. Sincerely, Dan

Dan. I am so glad that you're wanting to do that. There is nothing like shifting those gears to give you a feel of that vehicle. Of course, I got to tell you you're gonna spend a lot more money and time doing that kind of conversion than if you just stick an automatic back in there, but it's definitely worth it.

So the first thing that you need to do,

you need to spend some time researching the vehicle. In other words, the parts on your 79 Ford didn't just come out in 79.

You probably find parts all the way from 67 to heck, the mid eighties, but you need to research it and find what is interchangeable. Also,

check your Ford dealership. I mean,

they probably have brand new parts sitting there on the shelf waiting for you to come in and buy them a

little unlikely, but it's a chance. Now, if you can't find that

you're gonna have to go to a junk yard, this is what you're gonna need.

Ok, under the hood, you're gonna need this linkage rod that runs from the pedal,

this equalizer bar, this bracket that bolts right to the frame. Very important. Plus the spring and the linkage from the other side and of course, a transmission. Now, you need to make sure that the parts you're looking at are gonna work with the parts that you have. This is obviously a six cylinder, those parts may not work too well with the V8. That's where your research comes in.

Now, there's more,

come on, we need to go in the cab.

Now, obviously, you need some pedals. You need a lot more than that. You need these bump stops.

You need this big spring that controls it.

And there's also a big structural member that goes from the firewall to the dash and it supports the pedals and it's different on an automatic than it is on a standard shift. So you'll need all of that.

You might as well get the steering column. Don't forget you need to cut a hole in the floor for the shifter.

All right. That'll give you an idea what kind of parts you're looking at in the junkyard. Don't forget you're gonna need that drive shaft too.

Now, here's another option. We bought this whole truck for 100 bucks.

Now, that is the deal if it fits your application

because all these parts, the clutch pedal and all the linkage,

those are gonna nickel and dime you to death after a while. If you can buy the whole truck, well, you can pull the parts off as you need them, then you can turn and sell the truck and probably make your money back.

The only drawback to this is

you gotta get permission from your wife and your neighbors to let it sit in the driveway while you pull the parts off that you want.

Now, there is one other option, you can completely dump that, forget the junkyard

and convert it to a hydraulic clutch.

Now, as you can see, this is usually for a real tight application, it's really slick. It does away with all the linkage,

but you got a lot of fabrication that you've got to do here. You got to mount your pedals to the frame rail. It means the frame rail will have to be boxed.

You gotta have a master cylinder for your clutch. Notice the pedals come up through the floor as opposed to hanging down from the dash,

which means you're gonna have to cut your floor. Dan, I don't recommend this for your truck because you've got too many good options in the junkyard.

I hope this answers some of your questions

that's gonna do it for this week's show. Here's what we got for you next week,

Stacy's pulling off the stock suspension on project high Sierra to make room for a cool six inch lift up front.

Then he'll move to the back and not only lift it but add on awesome track bars and shots

and finally it's a quick tip that will help you keep those cool headers from leaking.

That's all next week on trucks

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