Tacky or Tasteful?

[ocnblu]

I have decided to keep my truck for the foreseeable future. It runs great and returns good mileage for what it is. So I'm looking into some mild pimping options.

Today I ordered a grille for it, with a carbon-fiber-look frame and chrome factory-style mesh, along with a billet bowtie (which I may refuse, I think I prefer the factory gold one to match the one on the tailgate).

I am also looking into ordering from Putco a set of chrome mirror caps, chrome door handles and tailgate handle.

If I could find a set of chrome inside door handles, I'd order those... I will wait to see if GM puts them in any trim level of the '07s, as I may order OE.

I have also priced a Leer fiberglass cap and Bed Rug (a really cool bedliner with a soft, yet impervious carpeted surface).

I am also searching far and wide for a set of 15" custom rims for it. Yeah, 15s, so I don't have to buy tires. They have proven to be very difficult to find.

One other interior thing I'd like to do (if anyone knows a way) is to cover my 4X4 switch bezel and the blank cover next to it in chrome. I think it would set off the center stack nicely and tie in well with the chrome door handles.

Let me know if you guys think I'm truck nutz.

[Satty]

Chrome mirror caps rarely look good, in fact a lot of times they look gaudy, the rest of your ideas dont sound bad.

[z28luvr01]

Unless the chrome stuff is from GM, I wouldn't touch it. It'll either turn yellow, rust, or pit - depending on what it's made of. As for the wheels, I'd say wait till you do need tires, then go for a 16" wheel/tire combo. If you still want to go for 15s, I can see four of these working on a Colorado.

[FAPTurbo]

I may be a young truck owner, but I haven't stuck a thing on my vehicle. Each to his own I guess, but I find most of the "swag" put on trucks to be very tacky.

[razoredge]

Well you know Blu, if it looks like something you like, thats all the counts. Personalized vehicals have character. Your ideas sound pretty good to me.

? - are you saying 15" truck tires are becoming hard to come by ?

[ocnblu]

Yup... 15 inchers are going the way of the covered wagon, I'm afraid, especially in the odd, 6 lug bolt circle of the GMT355.

The chrome parts I'm thinking of buying are made of the same stuff as OE. For example, the mirror caps will only cover the mirror head, much like the '99-'02 uplevel GMT800 trucks, before they went to all-black (I see GM now has a "chrome package" option, which returns the mirror caps and adds door handles to the outgoing 800 pickups).

The handle covers come complete, covering the cove and the handle. I would only put the handle part on and leave the cove black, then only use the handle cover for the tailgate, not the bezel. This would brighten it up without overdoing it, imo.

[PurdueGuy]

Today I ordered a grille for it, with a carbon-fiber-look frame and chrome factory-style mesh...

188398[/snapback]

I'm involved with sport compacts, and at least in that world, when you talk to serious people, anything "carbon-fiber look" is tacky. If it's not the real thing, it's "rice".

Of course, another more important rule is "it's your car - do what you want with it."

[Camino LS6]

The grille doesn't sound so good to me, but the rest seems ok. For the wheels I'd keep an eye out for take-offs from an uplevel 355 or 360 as these are often available with tires when someone goes nuts with the "dubs". Buy an Auto Locator, they have ads for places that sell all sorts of wheels and tires (recent and old) here in PA.

[balthazar]

razor- "? - are you saying 15" truck tires are becoming hard to come by ?"

ocn- "Yup... 15 inchers are going the way of the covered wagon, I'm afraid, especially in the odd, 6 lug bolt circle of the GMT355."

ocn's talking rims, not tires.

[Northstar]

How about wheels from the Colorado Xtreme?

If you want some H3 wheels and tires, here are some for $600, though I'm not sure about the big black spots where it said Hummer: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-HUMMER-H3...1QQcmdZViewItem

Ebay generally has good deals on wheels, but I didn't find many for the 'rado.

Or, you could screw all those things and go for a sleeper:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Powerdyne-S...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Cremazie]

I would go for all the stuff! I am looking at getting a cap or tonneau too.. I was thinking leer but I found this one looks much better: http://www.raider.ca/images/04colorado_nomad.jpg

I like how the windows are at a straight line from the door windows. Then again I may go with a tonneau. I like the handles too, just worried at how they will look over time.

[ocnblu]

Well, another day, another plan...

I'm thinking I should call the truck accessory place as soon as they open on Tuesday and cancel the grille and bowtie. The front of the truck takes a lot of abuse from stones, and I'd hate to have the aftermarket grille fail that test after spending $200 on it. I'd really like to get a cap and a BedRug from them though, for camping and to protect the bed floor (which is in excellent condition, with only a few scratches from not using the furniture quilt I put in there). I still want the chrome mirror caps and handle trim though. Putco is an old company, they were one of the pioneers of diamond-plate aluminum running boards for pickups, back when they were popular. The parts are made of chrome-plated ABS plastic, and they stick on with 3M 2-sided tape, the same as an OE application. With proper prep (alcohol), the tape should last the life of the truck, it's the same stuff that holds the side moldings on, etc. My only concern would be stone damage on the mirror caps, but that should be minor, and no worse than a factory chrome mirror (everybody uses plastic chrome caps nowadays).

That cap is good looking, Cremazie. If you get it, please post pics of you and your truck (or even if you don't, ha.) Leer has a plant in Milton, PA though, and the store I'm dealing with is like 5 miles from my house. With the interior lamp wired to my battery and a headliner to prevent condensation from dripping on me, it should be the perfect way to go for camping the way I do it.

[Croc]

Good on cancelling that grille...I'm with Camino...grille sounds tacky, but everything else seems pretty kosher.

[capriceman]

Some Truck nutz!

http://www.trucknutz.com they make chrome ones too!!

[ocnblu]

Funny thing is... that F-150 looks like a brand new truck sitting on the lot... I wonder if the truck nutz are a dealer promotion?

Those things are mesmerizing. Last time I followed a truck with a set of those under it, I almost missed my turn... swing left, swing right, swing left, swing right......

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Why not try a grille from the Colorado Xtreme? I think it would look nice.

Order some catalogs, too, and browse them in your spare time. I've ordered one from JC Whitney and another from LMC Truck for my S-10.

[ocnblu]

I ordered the Bed Rug and the handle covers this morning off of two different sites. The mirror covers are showing on the list of parts, but they don't seem to be available anywhere right now... possible production problems?

If I don't take off for the campground tomorrow morning, I'm going to call the store I ordered the grille from (if they're open), cancel that, and order my cap.

[ocnblu]

Minnesotans call 'em "toppers"? That's funny. :AH-HA_wink:

[Cremazie]

I think I may end up with a Truxedo tonneau!

[capriceman]

i think chrome rock guards that mount fromt eh hood look very nice. Well I had one on my 01 truck.

[ocnblu]

Well, my Bed Rug came today, and I put it in this evening. It fits well, and it was relatively easy to put in. I think it will be ideal for camping. Yay!

Oh... and I ordered my cap on Tuesday evening after work. It should be here in 2 weeks.

And I've picked out some rims, I just need to find the cheapest place to order them from...American Racing Atlas, polished.

Edited September 8, 2006 by ocnblu