"Before" & "After" '02 Tahoe pics

[KMeloney]

Hey all,

 

This is my first shot at trying to post (or at least link) photos of my Z71 Tahoe, so bear with me!

 

The first photo is of my Tahoe shortly after I bought it. It's sitting there in its stock form. That didn't last long!

 

http://www.photohost.org/gallery/showphoto...php?photo=11467

 

The second photo is of my Tahoe now, after tinting the front windows to match the rest of the factory tinting, after the installation of Ford keys and cranking of the torsion bars to level the front of the vehicle, and after adding Escalade "smooth vent corners" to the rear of the truck. Unfortunately, the truck is VERY dirty in the second pic, and would look a whole lot better if it were clean. Until I can get a pic of it while it's clean, I thought I'd post this one to show the effects of the external changes I've made.

 

http://www.photohost.org/gallery/showphoto...php?photo=11468

 

Despite the truck being dirty, what do you think? I'm very pleased with the look of things at the moment.

 

Any and all comments and questions are welcome. Hope you like the pics (if they WORK, that is)!

 

-Kirk

[greyghost03]

Links work!

 

Hoe looks much better leveled out and the tinted windows give it the "complete" look.

 

BTW - If the 2nd picture is VERY dirty I'd hate to see what you call filthy! It looks pretty clean to me. I think the pewter hides dirt very well.

[kgornek]

Looks great.

 

I'm looking to do the same with mine and it's nice to see the what a few little changes can do to make the truck look so different.

 

If you don't mind a couple questions, how much of a drop did you do in the rear? And what equipment did you use? Did you just leave the front of the truck at stock height?

 

I'm traveling to South Bend next month to see my brother and am wanting do get the tinting on my front windows done as well. What % did you go with and what was the cost?

 

Nice looking truck. Although, I am partial to the Tahoes

[KMeloney]

If you don't mind a couple questions, how much of a drop did you do in the rear? And what equipment did you use? Did you just leave the front of the truck at stock height?

 

I'm traveling to South Bend next month to see my brother and am wanting do get the tinting on my front windows done as well. What % did you go with and what was the cost?

Thanks for the compliments!

 

Re: Leveling

I didn't DROP the rear at all. Instead, I raised the front end to match the rear. I did this by adding Ford keys to the torsion bars (which buys you more room to work with on each side of the truck) and cranking up the TBs a few turns. The ride is still great, and I think the stance is a million times better now.

 

Re: Tinting

Hmm... This is pretty lame of me, but I don't recall the % of the tint. What I DO know is that it perfectly matches the factory tint in outside darkness (so, it's on the darker side). With the sunroof open, you can see in pretty well. With sun coming through the windshield, you can see in pretty well also. But at night and whatnot, you can't see in too well at all. It's not "limo" tint, but it is on the dark side. And, it doesn't appear to have ANY blueish hue in it, so the match is perfect. I'll have to give the guys who did it a shout and see what it's called. As for the cost, I believe it cost @ $60-$80 to do the fronts.

 

Thanks again for the comments!

 

GreyGhost -- Thanks for the good words. And yeah, the truck IS dirty, but pewter does a nice job of hiding the dirt. As you can see, not only is the truck dirty, but the weather was also crappy in the second pic, making for a bland-looking truck pic. But I'll replace that pic with a sunny & clean one soon!

 

-Kirk

[01Burb]

Interesting. Looks good. I've been thinking of tinting my fronts.

 

As for the smooth rear vents, where did you get them and how much. they look so much better than the stock ones. What do they do anyway? Are they for the rear HVAC?

[hcvone]

Hey all,

 

This is my first shot at trying to post (or at least link) photos of my Z71 Tahoe, so bear with me!

 

The first photo is of my Tahoe shortly after I bought it. It's sitting there in its stock form. That didn't last long!

 

http://www.photohost.org/gallery/showphoto...php?photo=11467

 

The second photo is of my Tahoe now, after tinting the front windows to match the rest of the factory tinting, after the installation of Ford keys and cranking of the torsion bars to level the front of the vehicle, and after adding Escalade "smooth vent corners" to the rear of the truck. Unfortunately, the truck is VERY dirty in the second pic, and would look a whole lot better if it were clean. Until I can get a pic of it while it's clean, I thought I'd post this one to show the effects of the external changes I've made.

 

http://www.photohost.org/gallery/showphoto...php?photo=11468

 

Despite the truck being dirty, what do you think? I'm very pleased with the look of things at the moment.

 

Any and all comments and questions are welcome. Hope you like the pics (if they WORK, that is)!

 

-Kirk

Looks good Kirk, just one questions, what do you do with all that Zaino you get from me? I can see you do not apply it to your truck Just kidding see you Wednesday night.

[KMeloney]

Interesting. Looks good. I've been thinking of tinting my fronts.

 

As for the smooth rear vents, where did you get them and how much. they look so much better than the stock ones. What do they do anyway? Are they for the rear HVAC?

You, especially with aftermarket wheels and whatnot, NEED to tint your fronts! That looks to be all that's missing from your Sub right now.

 

Oh, and care to link me to a site where you got your grille inserts? They look good!

 

I got the smooth vents from my local Caddy parts counter. Theyre actual Escalade corners. I know that Street Scene (I think it is) makes some completely-smooth ones, but 1) I wanted OEM parts, and 2) didn't want to completely smooth-out the corners and have my Tahoe look like a Blazer ("...Not that there's anything wrong with that..."). The Escalade corners have a vertical line through them which looks great on the Tahoe, IMO. And, since they came in black (not even sure if they're PAINTED black, or just a shiney black plastic), I could put them right on the truck without having to have them painted first. (If I later decide to have them painted the color of the body, I can always have it done.)

 

The Escalade corners are parts numbers:

 

- 15045877 (left)

- 15045878 (right)

 

Also, GM calls them "appliques" -- so, if you go into shop asking for "smooth vent corners," they're not going to find anything in the computer.

 

As for the functionality of the vents, I think that they simply allow for circulation of air in the cabin. I think that they allow air to escape (so that your air conditioning works, so that you can open and close your doors without blowing out your eardrums, etc).

 

Thanks for the good words!

 

-Kirk

[KMeloney]

Looks good Kirk, just one questions, what do you do with all that Zaino you get from me? I can see you do not apply it to your truck Just kidding see you Wednesday night.

Carl -- Apply it to my truck? It's SUN TAN LOTION, isn't it? You sent me bottles of SPF 1-6. I just don't understand what the "clay bar" is for. Is that like Zinc Oxide, to be applied liberally on the nose?

 

 

See you Wednesday! Now go tint your windows -- the sun it out!

 

-Kirk

[Shaners]

Looks Good!!!

[Taaaaaaahoe?]

Interesting.  Looks good.  I've been thinking of tinting my fronts.

 

As for the smooth rear vents, where did you get them and how much.  they look so much better than the stock ones.  What do they do anyway?  Are they for the rear HVAC?

You, especially with aftermarket wheels and whatnot, NEED to tint your fronts! That looks to be all that's missing from your Sub right now.

 

Oh, and care to link me to a site where you got your grille inserts? They look good!

 

I got the smooth vents from my local Caddy parts counter. Theyre actual Escalade corners. I know that Street Scene (I think it is) makes some completely-smooth ones, but 1) I wanted OEM parts, and 2) didn't want to completely smooth-out the corners and have my Tahoe look like a Blazer ("...Not that there's anything wrong with that..."). The Escalade corners have a vertical line through them which looks great on the Tahoe, IMO. And, since they came in black (not even sure if they're PAINTED black, or just a shiney black plastic), I could put them right on the truck without having to have them painted first. (If I later decide to have them painted the color of the body, I can always have it done.)

 

The Escalade corners are parts numbers:

 

- 15045877 (left)

- 15045878 (right)

 

Also, GM calls them "appliques" -- so, if you go into shop asking for "smooth vent corners," they're not going to find anything in the computer.

 

As for the functionality of the vents, I think that they simply allow for circulation of air in the cabin. I think that they allow air to escape (so that your air conditioning works, so that you can open and close your doors without blowing out your eardrums, etc).

 

Thanks for the good words!

 

-Kirk

Looks GREAT!

Did you install the for keys yourslef? Or have it done? also, would you care discolose how much those smooth vents were? I can only imagine they wanted a LOT of $$ for them??

Looks great!

 

I did the window tint too, to me that makes a huge improvement in the look!!

 

Looks great!

 

Mike

[KMeloney]

Did you install the for keys yourslef? Or have it done? also, would you care discolose how much those smooth vents were? I can only imagine they wanted a LOT of $$ for them??

Looks great!

Whooooops! Forgot to say how much the corners were! I think that they were only $183 with tax. I say "only" 'cause I expected to hear that they'd be that much A PIECE -- but, I thought that $183 for two pieces of OEM Caddy molded plastic was actually pretty darn good! They came boxed and in cheese cloth and were pristine.

 

Installation, by the way, is one screw and pressure-fit tabs-in-grooves. It should take you no more than 10 minutes, start to finish to install these.

 

As for the Ford keys installation, I did NOT do that myself. I didn't have the proper tools, so I left it to an expert.

 

Thanks again, all!

 

-Kirk

[trckn4life]

Looks good. The ford keys and leveling looks sweet and I like the tint! The rear vents give it a nice touch too. btw, if you don't mind my asking about how much did the ford keys run and how much was the install?

[01Burb]

Oh, and care to link me to a site where you got your grille inserts? They look good!

Thanks. Found them on Ebay. They are not molded - just flat but they were only $40. Here is the web site: http://www.grille-tech.com/

[greyghost03]

Oh, and care to link me to a site where you got your grille inserts?  They look good!

Thanks. Found them on Ebay. They are not molded - just flat but they were only $40. Here is the web site: http://www.grille-tech.com/

01Burb - That grille does look awesome!

 

The grille almost looks gray in your sig pic. Is the grille you got the diamond or race style? Black or silver? If you don't mind me asking.

[KMeloney]

Looks good. The ford keys and leveling looks sweet and I like the tint! The rear vents give it a nice touch too. btw, if you don't mind my asking about how much did the ford keys run and how much was the install?

Thanks!

 

The Ford keys were only $30 or so (for both) -- they're super-cheap. Make sure you get the Ford (F150) keys and not one of the over-priced "leveling kits" out there. They're the same exact part, but there's a company out there that charges $150 or so for the same thing.

 

The install took to the mechanic around an hour. I paid $75 for the install. Expect to pay whatever someone typically gets for 1-1.5 hours for a job.

 

-Kirk