Enough

If I had the space you seem to have and it were my grandfather's it would be a tough decision. Do you have time or desire to see it back together ? Remember that it will have 1952 brakes, steering , and power unless you dive down the other rabbit hole of upgrading during the build. Do you keep it original and accept the mechanical limitations of that era or build it better, safer, and more likely to be driven with modern components ? You could spend the next year or so researching online about upgrades ! At 62 years old I am trying to convince myself I have one more build in me after 8 frame up restorations over the years. But then I plop my butt in the 2020 355 HP crew cab pickup with power everything and forget about it for a while....

Well... mine is leaking from the same spot that was "fixed" the first time so it will be headed back for the second try soon. Whatever sealer they used seems to be making water track to the opposite side where it is now leaking there too. Living in a place that gets 68 inches of rain a year plus the occasional tropical storm or worse having a watertight vehicle is fairly important. Given the price we pay for these trucks we deserve better. Giving up and putting in a fixed glass only enables GM to continue passing off flawed designs instead of making things the right way. I'm too old to put up with crappy engineering. Strike 2 on this truck.

Bonding plastic and glass together is really never a good idea simply because of the different expansion and contraction rates of the two materials, but that's what we have with the sliders. Sooner or later either the plastic will crack or the glass will shatter. The urethane sealants in use now are really quite good at what they do, but the foundation they rely on is questionable. Then for good measure move the third brake light which used to mount in the rear of the metal cab to a plastic spoiler bolted to a metal roof that has holes drilled through it to mount said spoiler. They probably should have designed a sump in the rear floor pan and included a bilge pump with a float switch to the T1's. I am on my first reseal. My dealership removed the spoiler and resealed it too. I have my fingers crossed !

I had a friend in high school that thought he got one over on his Dad when his Dad agreed to let him put duals and glass packs on the family car. Friend was bad about trying to sneak out or come home after curfew. No sneaking out after the exhaust hack. One night after he had been out on an early date he tried to "sneak" back home late by shutting off the engine uphill of the house and coasting down the driveway. The over rich condition caused by the duals dumped gas in the exhaust so when he shut the engine off it backfired and blew up one of the cherry bombs. Woke the whole neighborhood. His Dad laughed hard every time he told that story. When my friend bought his own car it was so quiet a Singer sewing machine made more noise. Lesson learned.

12/19 Silao Mexico Build. Crew Cab Silverado LT with power slider. Just got finished washing the truck. Add me to the leaker club, Dammit ! E9 stamp on the glass.

Now at close to 20,000 miles on the 2020 a few more tidbits. 8 speed trans still doing great. I am amazed at the small rpm range this engine is designed to run in for fuel efficiency. Under normal acceleration I don't feel the shifts at all and even under hard acceleration the shifts are smooth. If I remember to turn the auto stop off right after starting the truck it will idle fairly smoothly in that run cycle. If I forget and let the auto stop activate the truck will not idle smoothly during that run cycle even after turning the auto stop off. Say what you want about the 8 speed's extra gearing making up for the 3.23 rear over the 6 speed with a 3.42 rear. My butt and the pull off of the line tell me different. I wish the 2020 had a 3.42 rear. Still can't get the driver's seat "just right" on the 2020. The 2018 dialed in easily even after my wife drove it and changed all of my settings and was to most comfortable seat my butt has ever enjoyed in a truck. I can't stand the electric parking brake. Unless I follow a specific procedure when releasing it and getting the truck moving from a stop there is a large jolt like the truck has been rear ended when I put the truck in drive. Start the truck. Foot on the brake. Release the parking brake. Shifter to reverse for a bit. Shifter to neutral for a bit. Then to drive. Otherwise I get hammered ! Does not matter level or inclined surfaces. Jury is still out on the electric assist steering. Sometimes it feels quirky. Missing the full center console I swapped in to the 2018 with Phil Gamboa's herness. If you can find a console for a 2020 they want close to 2 grand for it after shipping so that will have to wait. I had less than $600. 00 in the 2018 swap including the harness. I like the power fold, turn signals, and paddle lamps on the 2018 and those options are not available to swap in on the 2020. I've run 24 MPG over 400 miles average in the 2020 for weeks at a time and hit a couple of 25 MPG weeks in a row under the right conditions. 38 PSI in the tires yielded that but firm up the ride a bit. 34 PSI drops 1.5 -2 MPG. For a 4 door brick with an open bed that's not too shabby either way. The 2018 was within 1 MPG of the 2020, even with me enjoying the 3.42 rear from time to time. I like my 2020, but in a perfect world if I could go back to my 2018 without electrical issues I would trade back for it in a heartbeat.

Personal opinion is that the truck will not total, especially with the crazy inflated values of used vehicles right now. Complete frames can be swapped out and not meet the 75% valuation required for total loss in some states. Hopefully you have comprehensive insurance coverage. It's now time to make your agent and his employer go to work and recover those years of premiums you've been financing your insurance company with. It's now their job to get your truck repaired to your satisfaction.

Not sure if this is what you are looking for or not ....... https://www.curtmfg.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+56584+Trailer+Wiring+Harness https://www.curtmfg.com/part/58531

Mac-427, Thanks for this post. I know the stock speakers are just a little more than fillers for the holes in the doors and dash. No need for a thumper but at this price an upgrade may be in the near future. Thanks again for sharing !

Not to be an ass but... for that price you could have bought the OE fog light kit including the OE switch, lights, and wiring then paid the dealer what you paid for the switch to have them flash the truck so the lights would work. https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-parts/gm-fog-light-kit-84962683?c=Zz1leHRlcmlvciZzPWxpZ2h0aW5nJmw9MiZuPUNhdGVnb3J5IFBhZ2UmYT1jaGV2cm9sZXQmbz1zaWx2ZXJhZG8tMTUwMCZ5PTIwMjAmdD1sdHomZT01LTNsLXY4LWdhcw%3D%3D There are a few guys on this forum that are trying to dial in the electrical system on the T1's but for the most part GM makes it difficult to add options that didn't come stock. Best of luck and please post your results !

A couple of guys that have been in the "they only hit my trailer hitch" club have found frame damage after the fact. The way these trucks are designed with the hitch and bumper bolted together makes for some interesting damage and difficulty lining things back up. I'd file a claim. That's why we pay insurance.

I went another route since I didn't want to take a chance cutting and splicing wires. I bought Curt Industries T-connector 56584 and flat wire extension 58531. The T-connector t's into the big bumper wiring harness behind the bumper and the extension plugs into the T-connector. I then connected my aftermarket reverse lights to the extension. This way nothing in the truck's original wiring is altered. This setup also gives me the option to connect other running lights or turn signals using the remaining wires on the extension with no worry about the trucks original wiring. https://www.curtmfg.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+56584+Trailer+Wiring+Harness https://www.curtmfg.com/part/58531 I bought some cheap Nilight lights from Walmart in case this idea didn't work so I've got less than $75.00 in this setup. The lights are plenty bright but don't wash out the camera at night.

You bought a truck with the "mechanical" parts required for the AFM to work with no benefits of the AFM and no chance of being able to activate the AFM at a later date. The gun is still loaded and the hammer is cocked. But hey, you did get the $50.00 discount didn't you ?

Here's the truck I wish GM would build: Make it the size of the S-10. The Colorado/Sonoma is too big and fuel mileage is not much better than the full size trucks. Make it available with a regular cab option. Drop the 2.7L turbo in it with choice of manual or auto. Build it to price in the high teens to low twenties like the baseline Kia Soul that you see thousands of since it's so affordable. With this power to weight ratio it would be fun to drive and easy to maneuver around town. Fuel mileage would probably be in the high 20's with the lighter weight. It would make a great in town delivery vehicle. I daily drive my 2020 Silverado Crew Cab but if I have to get in tight or crowded places I leave the crew cab at home and jump in my 1995 Regular Cab Nissan Hardbody. Think about a true mini truck, not the large "mid-size" that they have morphed into, with today's performance technology. A smooth running 4 cylinder with a flat HP and Torque curve that runs to 6,000 RPM's without skipping a beat...4 wheel disc brakes....it may be time to find a Hardbody with a blown motor and drop in a 2.7......

3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner. Available at Ace Hardware and Home Depot. Very mild but stays "wet" and soaks into adhesive residue. Make sure the truck is cool and out of the sun no matter what you use then wash thoroughly and wax when you are done. I've seen Goo-Gone eat plastic and ruin painted surfaces. If I use it at all it's on bare metal or glass and even then I prefer the 3M Adhesive Remover. The 3M is safe on Gel-Coat and plexiglass too.