My 99 Expo EB Rebuild

[402 Motoring]

Hey guys,

I'm new to this site but I've owned this EB since it was new. After laying around my shop for the last 4 years after an accident I finally decided that it was time to get it rebuilt and back on the road. Basically as you can see we have completely stripped it down for the repaint. The truck is going from white to pearl white. Other plans include a complete custom leather interior, lowering, exhaust, brakes, some new 22's and of course a custom audio system. Here are a few photos of the painting process, more photos will be added as I go along with the build.

Enjoy.

 

[METALLICA]

can't wait to see when its done man...

 

[fiveohpoepoe]

In for progress

 

[402 Motoring]

Yeah progress is going to be a little slow. We have a few builds going on for the NOPI show on the 24th and the shop is busy otherwise. My stuff always comes last..hence the 4 year delay in even getting to this point. I still have to edge all the fenders and doors and gate and then hang them to shoot them all as a whole. Pearls can be a PITA and its better to paint everything at once.

 

[402 Motoring]

Ok...I'm kind of torn....while I like the look of the 99 front end I also like to be some what different. I've been toying with the idea of using an 03 nose on the truck along with a custom hood that I built but I can't decide. This truck was suppose to be more custom but my wife wanted me to tame it down a bit, hence the single color pearl paint job. Whats your opinions? This is the 03 front end and custom hood.

I would most likely also make a custom grille for the bumper instead of using the oem one.





If I go ahead and use the 03 nose then I plan to use the Stillen lower bumper cover and attach it to the upper oem cover.

 

[mmrseed]

That is looking so cool....can't wait to see the next stage of progress

 

[nvycrmn]

should be intersting. looking good as she comes along. cant wait to see more...

 

[trdragons44]

In my mind it would definately look good with an 03 bumper if it was done good. Dont how it would look with the stillen lower. Unless it was blended so there was so seperation line. That is a whole different story. but its looking good so far.

 

[402 Motoring]

Progress has been a little slow lately. My stuff always comes last, especially during this time of year. Anyways last night we finally pulled the dash in order to get it painted with the new Escalade interior color. Also built a removable underhood panel that will be meshed and allow cold air to enter the engine compartment. I should have that all finished by tomorrow night and then I'll post more photos of the finished hood then.

 

[GAINMOB]

where are you located...402?

 

[402 Motoring]

Jersey Shore

 

[nvycrmn]

any advice on pulling out that main dash assembly? i need to pull mine out so i can paint it.

 

[402 Motoring]

any advice on pulling out that main dash assembly? i need to pull mine out so i can paint it.

Its a bit of a PITA but I didn't do it personally I had one of my techs do it for me.

If you have a specific question I'll get you an answer.

 

[riccoh]

402,
let me know if I got this strait, the 03 front end lines up with the boddy lines of the 99? or did your shop modified it to fit?

 

[402 Motoring]

Yes they pretty much line up but the 03' to 06 use a large lower mldg that I did not want to add to the rest of the truck. So all those holes had to be welded up and smoothed to replicate the look of a 99 fender. We're also going to have to deal with the front bumper mounting brackets that are welded to the frame sine the 03 uses a different bumper reinforcement. I'll most likely have to cut off the 99 ones and weld on the 03-06 version. Not a big deal for us but if you have to pay someone to do this for you its going to get pretty expensive.

 

[402 Motoring]

Ok just got finished painting the dash and all the little pieces that go along with it. I was going to shoot it with the new Escalade interior color but once I mixed it I wasn't crazy about it. In the end I decided on the Ford Cashmere interior color off the 2010 chart. Its alot lighter then the GM color and it will match the new leather alot nicer. Tomorrow we'll install a new heater core just to play it safe then get the dash all back in the truck.

These photos show the progression of the process it takes to change the interior color. Basically once everything is out of the truck it is all washed with soap and water and blown dry. Then once in the booth we wipe it down with a plastic cleaner and then prime it with a clear plastic adhesion promoter, and then a light grey plastic primer. Once thats dry I mixed up the color and added a basecoat hardner to it. After that its all baked at 150 degrees for 20 minutes.

Here are some photos from today.

 

[402 Motoring]

For the panel that surrounds the gauges, I'll be painting it like I did on my sons 99 F150. His truck was done in a Lexus Dark Cherry Pearl so that what all the accent pieces are painted in the truck. I don't know what color I'm going to do mine yet since the outside of my truck is white pearl and I don't think that would look to good.

Here is what I did to my son's F150

 

[nvycrmn]

that looks great. how do i remove my steering wheel and the pass airbag system? do i just have to unhook the battery to make sure i dont set them off?

 

[402 Motoring]

that looks great. how do i remove my steering wheel and the pass airbag system? do i just have to unhook the battery to make sure i dont set them off?

Well thats not how an air bag gets set off but as a precaution I would definately pull both positive and negative terminals off the battery before you disassemble the dash.

Good luck.

 

[nvycrmn]

i figured as much but just to be safe. so the whole air bag assembly comes out as a unit? also, are you painting the door panels? can you post up some pics if you do?