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What did you do with your GMT400 today...or yesterday....

Finally got around to putting on the camper shell back on my truck today, it's not a perfect fit as it hangs over the bed rails by about 1-1/2" on each side, but for scoreing it from a junk yard for $35 im not complaining lol. pulled the center cab tail light out and wired in some leads to the cargo lights (bulbs were burned) so I can have the dome light work inside the camper. I discovered that the cargo lights only work when the switch is on and the door is open. as soon as I shut the drivers door, the cargo lights go off. I was hoping to have the switch work the dome in the camper for things like tailgating and when I needed light to see working on something out of the back. Might end up running a separate power wire from the fuse box to the bed for that unless I can figure out how to rewire the cargo light switch.
PICS ? ? ? ?
😹😹😹😹
 
Figured out the cargo light wiring, used the hot from the switch and ran ground to the bed and camper frame. lights work independent from the cab dome lights. also got the center brake light working too :)

one of these days I'll find a taller camper that fits the truck better
 
Thats a nice looking unit.
It is good to have extra windows out the side of the truck, campers can block vision, a regular cab, that can be hazardous to other vehicles, when backing out of a parking place. Dont even ask. 😖😵‍💫😹😹😹
I had to install a backup camera since this truck is so long! (21ish feet) when I first got it, we all went out to a restaurant out of town. tried to back into a parking space where there was a wooden privacy fence behind that. needless to say the fence was no match to the back bumper lol.

with the camper installed, I might relocate the camera from the license plate to the top of the camper.
 
Transmission update:

Transmission and transfer case should be done in 2 to 3 weeks. Translation: 4 weeks. My local mechanic will pull the transmission and transfer case the week of 2/13. My wife may have to go alone to Portland to do the exchange due to my work schedule. Obviously she will not load or unload this stuff. She will bring the transmission and transfer case to our mechanic for install. They offered free shipping, but I negotiated a lower price by picking up and delivering core at will call. I have no idea what it would cost to ship that stuff from Stevensville, MT to Portland, OR, but I assume it would be pricey.

My mechanic did get the Suburban in for alignment and that came out well, validating all the work I did. At least some success.
 
Took the ‘99 Suburban out for a 20+ mile loop drive hitting the ACR Hardware in Florence and the Super 1 Market in Stevensville. Got it up over 80 mph on the highway and the front end is solid with the steering as close to factory tightness as it will ever be.

Little more than a week out from transmission and transfer case removal. Will have to pull some PTO on a Friday to get over to Portland, OR with the transmission and transfer case in the 4Runner to do the exchange. Probably leave Thursday and spend the night in Spokane. Transmission place is only open M-F.
 
Update on my transmission and transfer case:

Called Transmission Exchange Company in Portland, OR to get an update on their progress. Person on the phone said they hadn't started on it and there were 10 transmissions ahead of me. I pointed out in my call 3 weeks ago they said it would be done in 2 to 3 weeks. Then the guy gets a little agitated saying that they've been impacted by COVID, Holidays (only New Years and MLK), etc. and what do I want them to do. I told him given my work requiring me to return to office on 2/28, I need the transmission and transfer case done and ready for pick-up by 2/18. He said he couldn't do that and I said fine, we're done, and I hung up.
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I have a Genuine GM dealership 4L80e with approximately 12K miles that we harvested from the '95 Suburban which was wrecked when my son hit some black ice in Utah:
1644456427284.jpeg

I will have my wife bring that up to my mechanic here in Montana.

I ordered a reman NP 246 transfer case from: Transfer Case Express, Inc. · transfercase makes & models for transmission shops & car repair services (transfercases.com) in Spartanburg, South Carolina. They install a new heavy duty rear case half to address the pump rub and they have a 2 year, 70K mile warranty. They ship anywhere in the lower 48 for $125 which includes the return shipping for the core.

I ordered a Genuine GM Encoder motor off Amazon.

My wife has an appointment with shoulder surgeon in SoCal on 3/7, after which she will drive back to MT with the transmission and things should get moving. I have an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist in Salt Lake City on 3/22 for a second opinion on my foot. I will fly up 3/21 where my wife will drive down from MT to meet me and I take her out to dinner for 30th anniversary, then foot doc the next day and back up to MT.

I have little tolerance for BS and excuses.
 
that 12k tranny you got there looks like a better option for ya. I never have been able to trust mechanic shops. even the ones around here, it's getting very rare to find a trust worthy shop, only some of the old timers that do things on the side seem to be the ones to go to.

is that engine ya got there with the tranny still good?
 
I dont know how far You are from Citrus Heights over close to Sacramento. A shop over there did the 4L60E fom My 93 GMC K1500 and they did a heck of a sweet job on that.
Red D transmissions. They did all of the uprated components without Me telling them and that transmission had over 100,000 on it when I sold the truck and it was still shifting and holding like a new one.
 
Not on my truck, on the wifeys 1990 Toyodah scrody, oops, corolla.
Bright/dim lamp switch. Old one failed. Gotta new one frum Rock Auto.
Switch been setting round here for a munth or more. Tonight got tjat piggy into the garage. Got the steer column switchy thingys all removed and unplugged. Tookum to the working bench. One wire atta time, remove one from the plug, punch another with the same color into that hole. Got down to the last three or four wires, I saved them for last, the colors didnt match the original switch wires. Sortta looked them over and plugged them in.
Took the switchings back to the car. Plugged in the harnesses.’took the signal stalk, twisted the headlamp function to on, headlamps all lighted up. Pushed the little button for bright and they all went to bright.
Now tomorrow, puttit all back together. Going to measure that little detent ball before I start on it though, just in case it decides to go into orbit. 😹😹😹😹
 
that 12k tranny you got there looks like a better option for ya. I never have been able to trust mechanic shops. even the ones around here, it's getting very rare to find a trust worthy shop, only some of the old timers that do things on the side seem to be the ones to go to.

is that engine ya got there with the tranny still good?

Yes the engine was good before the wreck. 185K miles on it and little blowby. I tried to swap the IP from it onto his 1994 Suburban and it never worked. Just would not flow fuel through it. The engine is stored in a military crate with a metal lid on it.
 
@Big T I'm gonna be looking for a good motor real soon for mine. Wife and daughter think I'm nuts for wanting to put more into my truck instead of cutting losses and get another one. I honestly feel like I have put so much into this one it's gonna be real hard to let go of it and start over. only unless another one that's in better shape happens to fall into my lap I think I would let this one go!

I was looking on a site for ones like mine and found a real beauty, 2000 model with 44k miles but they were asking 32k for it. I was like WOW!
 
Snooping around on car-part website I found a couple of engines with around 130k on them for around $2500. but those come from salvage yards and I'm a little skidish about going that route rather than getting from a trusted source or even hearing it purr before bringing one home!
 
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