When Aimee approached us for help finding and fixing up a new truck for daily and recreational use, we were excited to take on this special project.

The first thing we had to do was find the right vehicle for her needs. She wanted a reliable truck with a good engine that could be purchased and fixed up affordably. What we found was this 2005 Silverado with decently low mileage and really good bones. There was one big problem, however: the cab was completely rotten.

We knew that this was going to be a big job, but we spared no expense to make sure that it was done right. Although we did have to find some creative work-arounds to replace and repair some costly and hard-to-find parts. Luckily for us, the customer was willing to do whatever it took to breathe new life into the truck.

The first thing we had to do was swap out the entire cab, as the floor and frame were rusted right through. Even the rocker panels were rotten. While we could have done work to fix this up, it only cost a little more to locate a new (used) cab in the southern U.S. and do a full swap. And so began our 3-week rebuild.

First, we removed the interior and cleaned everything out. In the process, we found that the instrument cluster on the dash wasn’t working properly. Although it’s not a normal part of the work we do, our mechanics exercised some special skills to remove all the burnt-out bulbs and solder in new LEDS, before getting to work on the temperature gauge and other elements that weren’t working properly. Being able to repair it ourselves, instead of sending it away for someone else to work on, was a lot of fun.

At the same time, we put new LEDs in the dome lights on the doors and installed a new audio system. We also replaced the headlights and the cracked high mount brake light assembly with brand new LEDs.

With the cab removed, we also discovered a number of parts that needed to be replaced. The brake master cylinder was leaking into the brake vacuum booster, the power steering cooler was rotten (but somehow not leaking), and a number of parts needed to be replaced or repaired, including: the exhaust manifold had broken bolts, the water pump was leaking, the serpentine belt was cracked, and the tensioners were stiff to move. The windshield also had to be removed to complete our work on the cab, which meant that it needed to be replaced too.

Before putting the new cab on, we had to order new rubber cab mounts from the dealer (we couldn’t find them anywhere else, but we had to wait 4 weeks to get them!) and rebuild the rotten cab frame mounts. We added 3/16” steel plates to reinforce what was left of the frame mounts, customized to fit exactly on top of the original parts. As a result, the truck had to be lifted 3/16 of an inch, but the whole assembly is now much sturdier and more rust-resistant.

Other body work included replacing rusty fenders and cross braces. Unfortunately, the cross braces were discontinued – the bright side was that we were able to create our own out of much stronger metal that will last her a long time.

Once all of the reconstruction was complete, the fun could begin! Aimee had a distinct vision for her truck wrap design (applied by her family after the work was complete) with black on the top and white along the lower sections, accented by pink pinstripes. She also insisted on oversized, 20” wheels to complete this striking look.

But, before the wrap could be applied, we had to buff out all the sunburnt and spray painted areas from the previous owner. We also ordered a Pro EFX Teardrop Dual Cowl Hood (which turned out to be cheaper than buying the proper Silverado hood replacement) and a vinyl roll-up tonneau cover.

One thing Aimee knew she wanted to do with her new truck was to take it camping. So, we added a Class V trailer hitch and wiring for a trailer plug-in. Due to the location of the hitch, we had to modify the after-market dual exhaust to go out the sides of the truck instead of the rear.

The customer’s final request was that we add an exhaust dump with an electric switch on the dash so that she could bypass the muffler when desired and take full advantage of the loud exhaust – without annoying her neighbours every time she leaves for work.

Now, with her fuzzy dice swinging proudly from her rearview mirror, Aimee loves driving back roads and going on trips with friends. She couldn’t be happier with how it all came together, or more satisfied with all the upgrades we were able to throw in. It’s a whole new truck now – you’d never know that it was a rusty shell of a Silverado when she bought it.