BenFowler said:
I've got it in my head that I want to build an early 2000's Chevy 1500 2wd Extended Cab. Long travel Prerunner truck. I drool over Wyatt's on FB all the time. Honestly have zero use for one but think it be a kick ass DD and just something different. Wyatt chime in and give your experience after doing this.
What you are talking about is exactly the internal struggle I fought with myself on for a LONG LONG time. I wanted a truck I could commute in, it was going to be predominately a pavement pounder. I'm a Chevy guy, but love the Raptors for what they are, aside from the EXPENSIVE part, and the "Everyone has one now part".
I had to have a crewcab, couldnt do an extracab. So I looked and looked and looked. And the used built ones that were popping up when I pulled the trigger on a truck to build, werent setting me off. I tried to buy a guy named Ryan Combs truck out of AZ, if you've seen any Mazzulla pics its the black one on 39" BFG Projects. It had those on it for like one day only, but thats the pics everyone associate with. But we couldnt agree on price, and I was leary of it. Hindsite, I'm a 'tard I should bought it. It was a 2007 w/ a 6.0l.
That said when I decided to build, I was open to any Chevy Crewcab that had leather and a big motor (6.0 or 6.2), and semi-local. Big motors are easy to find in 4wd and in GMC's. Chevy 2wd was hard. I'd found a black local one with cloth interior and front and rear benchs and missed it (Thank God), then found a red LTZ in Austin, but I didnt want red. The day I ended up finding this 2013, I jumped on it. Called, and then left work and headed to do the deal before it was gone.
Smartest vehicle I have ever owned.
It gets **** mileage, it turns like a school bus, it cant pull a trailer.
But it doesnt have to slow down for anything. not potholes, railroad tracks, shitty road transitions. I air it out twice a day on my commute. That all 4 off the ground, and you dont feel it.
Think of the best cadillac ride you've ever had and this is better, so cush. I'm ear to ear smiles nearly everytime out in it.
I've only really had it offroad for Texas Raptor Run, and it dominated there, even with all the mud, and slop. And all Raptors are 4wd, and Im only 2wd we pummeled even built Raptors.
I finally cut my front bumper last weekend, cut off the framehorns and capped them, and then built a tube bumper and skid. While my fenders are at my buddies finally getting painted.
I have a lot of money in this truck, but still a little cheaper than a new Raptor, and way more capable. And I plan to hand it to my son to be his first truck in 7-8 years.
You could absolutely do a build much cheaper. MUCH cheaper.
Buy an older truck, by a less optioned truck. Dont do a Cantilever rearend and just do a bed cage with the shocks up through the bed. WAY WAY Cheaper, but I didnt want to eat up my bed.
If you have any questions about any of it, or options out there. I'm happy to answer, I researched, and researched, and now having built one.
