What's next?
 

So I've got a little money to play with and I'm trying to decide what my truck needs next...it can't be anything too big as my wife and I made some decisions lately that affect our finances and big projects are out for a while, but here are a few I've been tossing around:

1. Interior: two toned plastics, black upper pillars (everyone knows the 3rd and 4th gens all have tan upper pillars), and black microsuede headliner and visors.

Thoughts: The ONLY thing that has made me second guess this is painting the upper pillars. I've heard great things about SEM but my concern is areas of constant use, such as the seatbelt hangers that will get rubbed daily by the seatbelt itself and the grab handles that don't get used as often but when they do there is more pressure applied.

2. Exterior: Shaved tailgate badge (not handle) and re-painted (professionally) two piece fuel door.

Thoughts: I like this but wonder if it's too subtle of a change to spend what little mod money I have on.

3. Flares: Everyone knows I've been itching for some but my current problem is the way the factory flares, such as Kyle's, are designed for the trucks with chrome front bumpers. As much as I love his truck, you can see the problem on Jeff (Lie2Me's) truck here:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...1320404525.jpg

I can't deal with the sudden stop but I'm not sure how to tackle it. NOW, there are aftermarket flares that go all the way down but they are much thinner, much more expensive, and I'm not sure I like the way they look going all the way down in front. The only idea I came up with was to have a factory set tapered down to a point in the front for a clean set but that will add to the cost, and I fear drastically.

4. Headers: I want them but will have to save a bit longer as I need things like new gaskets, stage 8 header bolts, and the exhaust work afterwards. Plus, the only ones in my budget are the JBA shorties and, as some can attest, the ship date is being constantly pushed back.

5: Give me some other ideas.

flares. Look at Kevin's MG lifted truck (Musclemckeester) - those don't look bad at all, and I think flow great.

Flares kick ass.

I say go with option 1. I was planning on doing this in DBLTAKE this summer. I would avoid the painting though if possible. I don't know if they are available for 4th gens, but i was able to find black pillars for 3rd gens a while back. You should try to find them.

see, its not horrible....

http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1262.jpg

http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/...r/DSCN0018.jpg

http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1260.jpg

Flares: I just can't do the sudden stop...if I don't like the look of something it's all I'll see when I look at the truck. HOWEVER, I am talking to a guy at work who's brother-in-law does paint and body about possibly doing the taper thing...

Interior: There are no black uppers. The aftermarket for these trucks is so slim.

Well dang, that's no good. I was looking at SRT10 uppers for mine. I didn't even think about the fact that they don't make an SRT anymore

That's a tough decision. I don't like the factory flares on the sports either, it just doesn't flow well for me. I say go with the black pillars and suede headliner. That would be awesome!

If you really want some flares, these might go cheap...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Laramie-Fend...19fafe&vxp=mtr

Damn nice find Morgan!

I agree on the flares though, that sudden stop just doesn't flow right. BUT maybe you could get some extra pieces and make it wrap around to the bottom of the grille like Morgans truck is. Think that could be possible to do?

flares kick ass. just saying.

:D

And I think on a 2wd, they look pimp.

If I was going to just stick them on that would be tempting as they are already the right color, however, the only way I'm going to install some now is if they taper like my idea...I'm chopping it now.

Nah, there's no space like that on my truck and it would look odd.

this doesn't last well for repeated use so you have to pick and choose what you can do .... seatbelt hangers- no.. also the inside of the clips for the sunvisors no ... and i wouldn't do the rods at all the grab handles are bad for me but i have a lifted truck and i date short girls so they get used alot and girls all wear damn rings that chew that shit up ... so touch ups are needed do you have a sunroof?

with all that said i've had this done for 5 years roughly and can't imagine not having it done... i would do it over and over again even with all the right stuff its only a couple hundred dollars to do it all

So that SEM won't hold up? What do you do for the high use or high wear areas?

Terrible chop, but you get the idea...thoughts?

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j.../Flarechop.jpg

That actually doesn't look to bad... I like how it angles down at the end.

i don't.......I actually like the abrupt ending over that?

i would trim it the other way even with the bottom of your headlight

agreed

Doing the plastic work on the fenders wouldn't be too hard. There are some 3M products that you mold using pink polypro and it is sandable/paintable. My suggestion would be to make some real test panels with cardboard or styrofoam and slowly trim down until you find something you like. You can also look at other truck fender designs and try to find one you like and then graft them together...easy easy

If you don't give the body guy a picture of exactly what you want he will charge you out the ass, expecting to have to change it multiple times.

Luckily the body guy is a relative of a friend and is "interested" in doing something like this because he likes the subtle stuff.

Keep in my the chop is terrible and I still haven't gotten the angle I"m looking for.

I think I figured out what looks funny...it's the rounded finish. There's nothing else really rounded on the truck...they are all straight and hard edges. How about one of these variations that's abrubt but not so "unfinished" looking?

1
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...Flarechop3.jpg

2
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...Flarechop4.jpg

3
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...Flarechop6.jpg

4
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...Flarechop5.jpg

I'm really liking the look of number 4 that I posted.

Yeah dude #4 for sure. It looks the most clean out of the bunch.

^^Agreed

I personally love the look of your without flares. Lol. Guess I'm the weird one here

i still think you're cutting it the wrong way instead of cutting it down you should try a chop with cutting it back so it looks like the factory cut it's just higher up even with the bottom of your headlights it really stands out the other way and looks like it wasn't meant to work

For some reason I didn't understand what you were talking about Matt, but now I see. I'll try that tonight.

In the meantime...thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Flare...ad1eea&vxp=mtr

i think what he is saying is that the bottom triangle is the part that needs to go flush. Keep the length, just taper it back from where it starts - not cutting part of it off to begin with?

Take a pic and show me J?

I think you mean start with the outside corner (nearest the hood) and then make a slight angle cut back and up towards the fender lip?

http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1262.jpg

assuming that you want to taper it down to the bumper from here. not front to back like I think the chops are showin?

Just like that picture just about 2inches higher in the front same angle though

I see what you are saying....opinions on this?

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...Flarechop7.jpg

I just can't get into the idea of it not stopping with a part of the bumper. I change my input to headers!

What if I lifted it a bit more to meet the bottom of the headlight which is the top of that part of the bumper?

Do that and I think it'd be perfect.

Exactly

Sweet.

I definitely like that idea more

Dave, just swap me bumpers. I'm ok with it looking goofy. :D

Well, it doesn't look like the flares are going to work now...having to have a little body work and such done in addition to paint is causing the price to jump to a point I'm not happy with...