Project Daily Driver has come...
Project Daily Driver has come a long way from a stock truck to a true boulevard-scraping show-winner.
Custom body modifications...
Custom body modifications make all the difference in the world for this truck&8217s overall appearance.
In the name of clean body...
In the name of clean body lines, we decided to shave the factory rubber side step moldings. Jeff Rickerd of L&G Enterprises removes the factory rubber step by gently prying up the edge.
After Rickerd removes the...
After Rickerd removes the factory bolts that hold the fender braces to the side steps, he grinds out the mounting holes in preparation for the fiberglass epoxy that will be used to fill the factory bolt holes. Once he&8217s done, he smooths the edges with an air-powered sander.
He then lays a thin coat of...
He then lays a thin coat of body filler across the previously epoxied bolt holes. Once it&8217s dry, Rickerd lightly sands the area and then goes on to the other three side steps. When each one is sanded smooth, all the steps will be primered for the final coat of paint.
Part of maintaining smooth...
Part of maintaining smooth body lines is getting rid of any excess moldings and unnecessary holes in the body, such as the stake pocket covers located at the top of the truck&8217s bed cap. Rickerd likes to make his own pocket covers rather than use prefabricated pieces. He cuts out the necessary strips of metal from material left over from another truck project.
He hand-fits each piece of...
He hand-fits each piece of metal to the pocket opening to check for correct fit.
Once Rickerd is sure all four...
Once Rickerd is sure all four pocket covers are going to work, he welds each of them into the pocket hole. He welds on all four openings simultaneously, going from hole to hole with very small spot welds to keep from warping the factory bed metal.
With the excess welds ground...
With the excess welds ground off, Rickerd applies a thin coat of body filler to the four welded pocket covers in preparation for a final coat of paint.
The front vented portion around...
The front vented portion around the windshield wipers is pretty unattractive. Thats why we chose to install a Traders Truck Accessories smooth fiberglass wiper cowl cover. It can be painted to match the factory paint on the truck, making the hood appear much longer than it really is when its closed. Smooth and subtle--just what we love.
Before installing the new...
Before installing the new wiper cover, Rickerd removes the factory vented cover. After L&G has painted the new piece to match the body color, he slips it under the rear of the hood lip.
Rickerd attaches the new wiper...
Rickerd attaches the new wiper cowl cover with the provided hardware.
Nothing is wrong with large...
Nothing is wrong with large factory mirrors when theyre painted to match the body color, but we felt that since our truck was on its way to smooth success, smaller electric mirrors were in order. Street Scene Equipments new Cal-Vu Sport Mirrors are smaller, more aerodynamic pieces that offer all the benefits of the large OEM mirrors and can plug directly into the factory wiring harness.
Remove the factory unit. Open...
Remove the factory unit. Open the door and gently pull off the upper plastic cover where the OEM mirror mounts. After the three nuts that attach to the mirror base are removed, the mirror can be changed. Rickerd installs the new Cal-Vu mirror into the truck. He inserts the electrical connector into the door pillar and attaches the new mirror base with the OEM nuts.
With the Cal-Vu mirror secure,...
With the Cal-Vu mirror secure, he makes the necessary electrical connections.
Further enhancing our truck&8217s...
Further enhancing our truck’s smooth lines is a Checker Products CheckMate flush-mounted tonneau cover. Constructed of aluminum and heavy-duty foam core, the cover sits right on the edge of the bedrail. It installs easily in roughly one hour. L&G even painted the cover to match the body for an extra special look. Installation requires setting the CheckMate tonneau cover on the top bedrail and marking the position of the front swinging hinge so it can be secured to the front bedwall.
Rickerd then attaches the...
Rickerd then attaches the gas struts to the upper part of the bedlid. These are designed to hold up the tonneau cover so you can access the rear cargo portion of the bed. Rickerd installs the lower portion of the strut once he determines how much the tonneau top is to open. He attaches it with the provided brackets and sheetmetal screws.
No ultra-trick-looking sport...
No ultra-trick-looking sport truck is complete without a matching painted smooth front bumper, so a quick call was placed to Stylin’ Concepts, which sent one of its steel pieces, complete and ready for paint. After removing the factory chrome bumper, Rickerd lifts the freshly painted Stylin&8217 Concepts bumper on top of the brackets.
He then attaches the five...
He then attaches the five bolts that hold the bumper on the front end and torques them down to factory specifications.
In the last story we showed...
In the last story we showed you how to install a trick new phantom grille from DeLillo Truck Center. We decided to paint the factory grille shell to match the body color, only we made one exception. We left the center bar in the factory chrome finish and painted the upper and lower bars in matching body color. The result is trick-looking and sets our truck apart from other trucks with painted grille shells.
Prior to installing our freshly...
Prior to installing our freshly painted grille shell, Rickerd painted out the vertical chrome supports with flat black spray paint after scuffing up the vertical bars with a Scotch-Brite pad to ensure good paint adhesion.
In the continuing series of buildup and tech articles featuring our Project Daily Driver 1996 Chevy three-door Extended Cab truck, we bring you the completion of last installment’s numerous body modifications. All the alterations we made were done to enhance the truck’s already outstanding good looks. Since we’re in the business of promoting and preaching about slammed, dumped, radical sport trucks, we knew if we didn’t make ours look as good as some of the country’s finest sport trucks, we’d get bags of hate mail.
To prevent our mail room from becoming severely frustrated over reader complaint cards, we made numerous modifications to Project Daily Driver, using ideas gleaned from the hottest truck shows across the country. So we assembled some industry heavyweights to help us complete our monumental task of turning Project Daily Driver into a roadworthy terror.
Completion
Body modifications start and end with good products. Simply put, if the products aren’t constructed of the highest quality, the overall effect will be mediocre. Fortunately, we didn’t suffer from poor-product ills since we used a set of Street Scene Equipment’s hot new electric Cal-Vu sport mirrors, a smooth wiper cowl from Trader’s Truck Accessories, a flush-mounted Checker Products CheckMate tonneau cover, a smooth steel bumper from Stylin’ Concepts, and extensive paint and custom bodywork by L&G Enterprises. Without the efforts of these companies and individuals, our Project Daily Driver wouldn’t be the really radical daily driver it is. Follow along on our expansive coverage of the body modifications that took place at L&G.