The '88-'98 Chevy and GMC body style is still a very popular truck, both on the street and at shows across the country. Their availability in the classifieds coupled with the amount of aftermarket parts that are offered make them a perfect project truck. We teamed up with several resellers - procarparts.com, Billet Superstore, Street Scene, Sir Michaels, Universal Auto and In-Pro Car Wear - to give the GMC a fresh start. Follow along as we update the nose with an assortment of clear lenses, slip on a set of sleek mirrors to smooth out the truck's profile, remove the moldings to clean up the sides, and add a roll pan to the rear of the truck. A special thanks goes to California Body Works for squirting all our new pieces factory white to match the rest of the truck.
1. We began by removing the...
1. We began by removing the upper grille shell bolts on the core support.
2. Four screws secure the...
2. Four screws secure the running lights to the shell on both sides. Twist the bulbs free once the light assembly is loose.
3. Once the running lights...
3. Once the running lights are out of the way you can access the screws behind them.
4. Hidden behind the grille...
4. Hidden behind the grille are upper and lower screws that must be removed.
5. Before the grille shell...
5. Before the grille shell is pulled off, unplug the side marker lights.
6. The entire grille shell...
6. The entire grille shell can now be taken to the workbench.
7. Use a ratchet to remove...
7. Use a ratchet to remove the bolts that secure the front bumper to the framerails.
8. Now that the bumper is...
8. Now that the bumper is free, you can set it aside for target practice.
9. Reuse the bolts to attach...
9. Reuse the bolts to attach the front bumper to the truck.
10. The smoothie bumper from...
10. The smoothie bumper from Universal Auto already helps the front end nicely.
11. Use a cut-off wheel to...
11. Use a cut-off wheel to remove the plastic bars on the new grille to make room for the new billet piece.
12. Next, test-fit the billet...
12. Next, test-fit the billet grille into the grille shell and make sure everything matches up.
13. Once the grille is in...
13. Once the grille is in place, three holes are drilled on the top and bottom of the shell and the billet grille is secured using the provided screws.
14. Remove the retainer clips...
14. Remove the retainer clips and the top filler piece from the old shell.
15. Using the retainer clips,...
15. Using the retainer clips, secure the filler piece to the new grille shell.
16. Pull out the plastic spacers...
16. Pull out the plastic spacers from the old shell. A nut driver will help collapse the plastic clips.
17. Snap the spacers in place...
17. Snap the spacers in place on the new shell, which the running lights will later mount to.
18. Next, remove the bolts...
18. Next, remove the bolts that hold the headlight in place. Once the bucket is loose, twist the bulbs free.
19. The new diamond-cut headlights...
19. The new diamond-cut headlights and running lights from procarparts.com will help update the look of the truck. Snap the new bulbs into the stock wiring harness, then twist them into the headlight bucket.
20. Using the factory bolts,...
20. Using the factory bolts, tighten the new headlight assembly into place.
21. There would be no reason...
21. There would be no reason to leave the super-orange corners next to all our clear lenses. Remove the two 13mm speed nuts; be easy with these as you might break the tip off if you get a little over-zealous.
22. The same goes for installing...
22. The same goes for installing the new In-Pro Car Wear clear corners: Tighten them just enough.
23. Now that the lenses are...
23. Now that the lenses are nice and clear, they still have to blink orange, so a new set of amber bulbs is provided. Just pull the old ones straight out.
24. Carefully position the...
24. Carefully position the new grille shell in place and bolt it to the core support.
25. Finally, tighten the four...
25. Finally, tighten the four torx head screws that hold the running lights in place.
26. Here is the new front...
26. Here is the new front end complete with grille shell, billet grille, clear corners, diamond lights, and smoothie bumper. What a difference!
27. We had Colby at Billet...
27. We had Colby at Billet Superstore rip off the moldings that were cluttering up our truck. Colby recommends using a heat gun to get the molding soft enough to pry up the edge.
28. Once there is enough to...
28. Once there is enough to grab, you can pull it free from the cab.
29. A 3M body eraser is used...
29. A 3M body eraser is used to take off the leftover two-sided tape.
30. The fenderwell trim was...
30. The fenderwell trim was also going to look out of place, so we decided to remove it. Phillips head screws hold it on. If the screws look rusty, spray on some WD-40; the small heads could break if they're stuck.
31a. There will be some residue...
31a. There will be some residue left over from the eraser. Colby wiped it off with some M.E.K. body solvent.
31b.
32. Here's the truck looking...
32. Here's the truck looking much cleaner now that the ugly side moldings are gone.