April 2026 :

Now that I have collected some parts and pieces.. It’s time to get to work !

First thing on the agenda. And because need to still drive the car. The plan will be to work with what I have that’s not currently on the car..For now it’s.. The trunk lids.  Today I gave them a bath so I could look them over carefully, decisions need to be made.  The blue one is the original trunk lid, and was changed out most likely because it has a welded up place where the latch mounts. Kinda messy too. But it has the six luggage rails that are proper for the year. Also the centre brake light is dented down.. Again I see why it was changed. The black lid has the proper latch mount. But only has holes for four luggage rails.  New holes are easy to do. Welding up four old holes is easy too. Also I would want to paint both sides, inside and outer. I’m leaning toward the black one.. Because to repair the blue lid I would have to weld the latch mount from the black lid into the blue one.. And that position needs to be accurate ,so not ideal for me.

But I could do that.  After all one of them (if not used ) is scrap. Here’s photos of top and bottoms.  All stripped down.

Yup sounds like a plan..   Here’s a video I made while working on these lids…

So I have a few things I can do before Starting the work on the car once it’s in the shop. And that’s coming soon I hope.  But meanwhile I have two sets of the centre taillights..  And they are slightly different.  Below is what is currently on the car..  I like these.. they are the real 1988 taillights.

I know these work … I saw them on when we were moving the car before I bought it.  Below are the ones that came with the blue lid.. but are likely from the lid that’s currently on the car.. It’s complicated !

And of coarse those are 1993 taillights like the lid..  More reflector… less backup lights.  In very good condition.  They are all interchangeable. Therefore I will use the ones I like.. Once again decisions will be made on condition and originality considered.

Here’s something else…  I was digging through my stash and found this keyless locking kit I had bought years ago.. For what I don’t remember.  But this would be ideal for the Cavalier.

Ideal ! Because the fob has a “open trunk” button as well as the door locks.  Perfect the Cavalier has a electric “pop the trunk” button… Right now the car has what’s left of a remote start system and I presume an alarm too. No fobs for that !  And that system will be wired into the door locking and the “flash the park lights” wires. I’ll be having fun with that..

Paint Code:

Wow I found the RPO code decal in the trunk !   And now I have the paint code…..clear as day.

WA 9346.. is the colour. “Bright Blue Metallic”   I’m not worried about the silver for the bottom..  So long as it’s close.. I’m re painting all of that.  The debate is whether or not to remove the lower cladding before painting. I’ve got lots of time to figure that one out.

Today I removed the key lock from the trunk lid that’s on the car. I’m having it keyed the same as the doors..  Simple and not costly.  While I was messing around I decided to remove the spoiler and centre brake light.

The trunk lid is from an early 90’s car..  The spoiler was bigger and so was the brake light.  As you can see the holes do not line up.  I was considering using this lid, but I would have to drill twelve new holes and fill these two.  Also this lid was red… and some of that shows on the inside.

You can see some of that red peeking through in places.  Like I said before I have three to choose from and that can wait.

March 2026 :

Let’s carry on …Like we know what to do !

Well that’s a maybe..  And I’m not ready yet.. Officially it’s still winter for a few more weeks. I have to keep the car covered and dry.  If it was in a garage I would start right away. That would be nice. But that’s not going to stop me from doing research on solving some of the issues I know of.  “I know of”  Ya.. there are still some unknowns.  The car needs to go on the hoist and all the stuff you can’t see checked.  Brakes, suspension, frame, lines… and the whole condition of the underside. For now my focus is on keeping mother nature from doing further damage.  I believe I have sourced the weather stripping needed for the windows. Also I have a local shop that can replace the roof..  For now these I consider the next most important things. However for the time being this is my view out the window.

Stay tuned there’s more videos and stories to come as I learn…

Well I had the place in the states send me five samples of the “belt line” window sweeper gaskets.  And I found a very good match to what was there.  An order has now been placed for more that enough for the four windows.  Should be here soon.

In the mean time…  I had to go to Cranbrook for vehicle pick up so I stopped by the place where I bought the car..  He has another car ( not convertible) that’s for parts.  So I got the sad looking seats and a few goodies.

These are very dirty and in need of repairs…not to mention the rusty parts.  Can Rob clean and fix these ? You bet I will try..  Consider this photo the “before” photo.  I can make a whole post on fixing those..  And here is the other bits I got…

On the left is the “under hood”  light that should come on when the hood is opened.  It has a mercury switch and one of those dome light bulbs.  Mine is only missing the lens..BUT this gives me a chance to make the better, brighter light.  And on the right is the right side of the dash bezel for the wiper controls and under that normally has the rear widow defrost.  However I have a convertible without defrost… but the roof control would be here instead.  In the introduction video I made I showed the roof control.  Changes are coming..   Stay tuned.

April 2026:

The weather is going to be nice for a few days.  So I unwrapped the Cavalier and moved it to our driveway.  Needed to open the windows and air it out..  starting to smell musty. Noticed a few things.  One was yet another mystery switch under the dash by the hood release.

Hiding a switch has to mean some kind of security thing.  We will find out later.  But nicely done!  The other thing bothering my ” OCD things in the right place” mind..  was the horn button.  The Z24 was upside down when the steering wheel was straight.  Sure enough The horn ring has a notch and three possible ways to mount it.

They got it wrong… the notch should be at the top.  I guess they thought “the horn works so what the hey”   I’m certain to find more.. Meanwhile my new roof guy has come by and had a look at what’s needed. Then we’ll get that ordered.  The paint colour has been confirmed, and I can get what I need here locally. I’m not changing the colour or the two tone theme with black trim. That look has grown on me and is a recognized 80’s look. Off to Creston again this week to get the original trunk lid and a few other bits for the donor car. Here’s a video I made after moving the car to my driveway….

More bits & pieces..

I’m back from a trip to get more parts.  I brought home two trunk lids… so now I have three ! That should be enough to make one good one.

The one on the left is the original lid… The one one the right came of the parts car, which was a 2 door hard top.  The light assembly is off the blue lid, and I just found out the red lights are just reflectors !  Only the backup and licence lights work. Interesting ….  Wait ! there’s more…  I got two perfect Z24 emblems for the lower valances.

Just got to figure out how to remove them without harm.  Yes it’s still attached to the valance. Plus.. I got a complete trunk carpet (grey), dirty but it will clean up.

Consider this photo the “before” photo. Also in the picture is a second piece that goes between the hood and the windshield.  I’m sure it has a name…. just don’t know…at the moment.  Having this (un attached) piece shows me how to (un attach )  the one on the car.  Yes I will need to do that..

Here’s another spare part, this time interior. The centre dash bezel.  This means I have two… and that means I can experiment with modifying one of them. I don’t want or need an ashtray…or cassette tape holder.  Or green switch for that matter. And last but not least some extras…

A window belt gasket. A door sill, and wiper arm. You just never know what you’ll need. AND having removed parts helps learn how to remove the bits on the car come painting time..  Yes I would rather remove stuff then mask them off.

March 2026:

Note: I constantly update this blog post and other posts too..   

Winters are hard on me.. Time to get stupid.. and buy something. BIG

But was I stupid ??

It was cheap. ( so not much invested)  It drives,  and I could have driven it home if it wasn’t still winter.  This photo was taken in Creston when we stopped for lunch. Doesn’t look like winter does it . It’s still clean! But not for long… There is still snow on the mountain passes, and we have three of those to get home.

Meanwhile back in Grand Forks…

It’s here now ( home) and a little dirtier. And soon off to the car wash for the trailer and the car then I will unload the car. I’ve got to remember this Chevy is 38 years old !   Guess what I found in the glove box ??

The owners manual !   In excellent condition.  Blew my mind. I never expect that. And yes I read the whole thing.

History Lesson…

What little I know. I bought the car from the son of the owner.  Dad owned the car from 1992 till now. (Claimed) Only driven in the summer and stored under cover…  OK I’ll buy that. It is a convertible and I can not find any rusty places.  Dad was a heavy duty mechanic for the coal mines and lived in Elkford.  Winter lasts more than six months there. So unless the dash was replaced, he drove a whopping 300,000+ kms in those 34 years.  Yup possible, the math sorta works. However that 9000 kms every summer seams like a lot of driving. So the whole mile’d up thing is up for debate, and not what I was hoping for. It could be that this car came with the…  ( notorious ) digital dash from these years that was prone to failing.  And the only one he could find (from a wreaking yard) was this one with lots of Kms.  We will never know for sure.

I must note here (after reading the manual) that the odometer has a feature that tells you if the numbers have been tampered with. Suffice to say THIS odo has not been tampered with..  But could have been changed.

I’m writing this post a bit early.. Haven’t even unloaded the car from the trailer.Got that done today and made a video too…  Check that out …

Today I have had a much closer look at the car..  Put a new battery in, and air in the tires. Some gas in the tank..  Took it for a drive …about 4 kms on our rural roads.  No issues. It drives better than I expected.  I like it !

That’s the good..But let’s look at the bad stuff…

And you know there’s got to be some things not right. Let’s put aside the terrible paint job. That’s not going to be a problem for the time being. And it looks fine from 20 ft away. I’m more concerned with the condition of the weather stripping and the seals for the windows.  It’s an old convertible !  Which means even more places that’s going to let the rain in. Sourcing these seals is going to be a challenge. I’ll take some photos of what I’m referring to.

#1 bad place to leak.

The belt line seal for the drivers door/ window on the outside is missing. The rain will just run down inside the door.. Not Good !

#2 bad place to leak !

This gap is between the front and rear windows.  Is the rear window to blame for this?  Is there a seal missing ?  That metal piece comes off and I suspect it’s on the wrong side.

#3 Bad place to leak ! chunks are missing..

This time the rear drivers side belt line window seal.  All four should be replaced.  I wonder if something generic could be used. So I pulled this belt line moulding off to see how the felt / rubber seal is attached.  ( what’s left of it )

Here it is.. the belt line is a metal cap that snaps onto the top of the door , or in this case the body behind the door. stapled to it is the rubber / felt window seal / wiper.  I found a place in California that sells just the rubber / felt part…. By the foot.  So I can repair this. What little is left of these seals is hard, brittle and doing nothing to stop rain from coming in.  Two down one to go..

A new top !

The other part to keeping the car dry inside is the whole convertible top..  That’s a big one.  But just today I found out the local upholstery shop here can replace the top… with a”glass” window for approximately $1600.  My choice of colours..   I think I’ll stick with black.  The rain is coming so for now I have a tarp over the car and a car cover over that.

That should keep it dry.. Intro is done… Time to start a new post for the repairs / restoring work.

Page 2

Jan 2026 ! :

New Year.. New Love ..

And.. New work to do on the Avalanche.  So first thing right away is the exhaust  manifold leaks. As I write this it’s in the shop having that done.  And then before winter is done… the knock sensors will be done and hopefully that will finally turn that darn check engine light off. Even before these things get done I just haveta say the Avalanche has been reliable and driving great. To be expected given the amount of new parts and work done since I’ve owned it.

Lucky me just the left side exhaust manifold needed to be done ( I think it’s quieter? ). And with that job out of the way.. Time to try out Peter’s new scan tool..  Yes it shows the Knock sensors, An evap leak plus a random miss fire on #8 cylinder. What the hey ! Time to check that spark plug.. And yup it’s got a cracked body. So a new plug went in and the codes reset. Will the check engine light come on ?? Now I drive the Avy till it does, or it doesn’t.  In the meantime !  It’s time to do an upgrade to the stereo. Here’s a new head unit..

This should be fun.. I haven’t done one of these in a few years..  The 2009 Avy was supposed to get a new stereo, but I sold it before that happened.  So this gives the 2006 a big upgrade in it’s functioning. Bluetooth, touch screen, navigation, USB input and most important to me a rear camera ! Never use the CD player. I’m putting the camera on a switch so I can leave it on while hooking up and pulling trailers.

That handy little panel next to the climate control.. and it’s lonely traction control button now has friends.  A second USB and the switch for the rear camera.  This is an Android based stereo so it works good with our phone. I’ve played with it a bit on the table, can’t wait to try it in the Avalanche.  I’m making a video on the install, and I will link that later.  I’m waiting for one last piece of the puzzle.  The interface so the chimes , bose amp and the steering wheel controls will work.  Here’s the camera I bought to use with the stereo..

Not all the cameras have the power wire in the cable all the way to the head unit.  Most come with it short and intended to hook up to the reverse lights for power.  That’s the way I need it. That’s what the yellow switch is for …  So instead of the reverse gear triggering the camera, I use the switch.

All wired up now, and the camera wire routed to the back..  Looks like it belongs..

Not the easiest to set up.. I did get the volume controls on the steering wheel to work..  Really all I need or care about.  But I can’t get the camera to work yet.. I’ll keep working on stuff..

November 2 2024:

Well let’s get down to the mechanical work that needs to be done.

The visit to the shop I use here where I live was yesterday, and I got a new list.  Some has to be done within a month for insurance purpose’s. I’ll list those three first.  Some can wait a bit.  Here’s the list:

1. New tires.  No surprise but needed badly
2. Steering pump and Pittman arm. That’s my loosey goosey steering.
3. Wheel alignment.  Also part of the problem.
4. Left CV axle.  For sure.
5. Rear shocks.
6. Right front axle seal.
7. Rear differential cover seal leaking
8. Left rear wheel has missing stud.
9. Two codes show up.. Evap leak & key in ignition.
10. Battery is weak.

Some of these things I will do, like the rear shocks.  One thing not covered in the list is the hard shift from 1’s to 2’nd gear.  Very common for these transmissions, and fixable by a transmission shop.  Meanwhile I got the new LED flasher installed, and the the bug / hood protector too.

Look’n spiffy..  A week from now the Avalanche is scheduled for four new tires, and the next day for the steering fix and wheel alignment.  Then we’ll see how nice it drives.

# 1 Can get crossed off the list.

New tires are on and the driving experience just got better.  Still wanders all over but that is next.  Defiantly a quieter and smoother ride.

This is the same brand of tires I had on the 2009 Avalanche.  All season all terrain.  Now #2 is the steering..  New power steering pump and some other parts… plus a wheel alignment, and now we have no more wandering Avalanche .  And we passed the safety inspection.  So I’m now driving it.  And that’s a good thing because as if on cue the Buick has a failed alternator.  And it’s going to take a week to fix.

December 2024:

Alrighty Early this month was another visit to the shop and we can cross more off the list.. # 2, 3, 7 and 9 all fixed. Also some wiring in the steering column. No more check engine light. We don’t need number 6 on the list.  And it’s driving great.  So much so that I’ll take it to Edmonton just before Christmas.  The CV axle can wait till spring.

Update:  Wouldn’t you know it the check engine light came on again… This time it’s the knock sensors. Motor operates just fine without them, but they will need changing if I want the light out.  I drove over 700 kms over the holidays without any problems. Somethings I have noticed… Warming up in the cold takes longer than it should . So I’m thinking the thermostat needs replacing. But the heated seat makes up for it and I have to turn that of within ten minutes or my but gets too hot.   There is a howling noise coming from the drive line when pressing the gas pedal, or under pressure. Also the motor roars out louder when climbing a hill.  this could be an exhaust manifold leak caused by broken bolts.  So I’m going to make a new list.

1. Transmission needs a service.
2. Needs a new thermostat.
3. Replace the knock sensors.
4. CV axle still needs replacing
5. Exhaust manifold bolts needs replacing.
6. I will need a new windshield come spring.

So we will pick away at these things as funds allow. So far the battery is hanging in there, but winter is just started and some very cold weather is yet to come.

March 2025:

Big changes for us and the Avalanche will be involved. We are moving back to Grand Forks BC.  And that means putting the Avalanche to work.  But before I make the first of two trips I got the windshield replaced.  The rest of the stuff will have to wait till my nephew can help.

Here we are the day after the movers left with out stuff. The Award trailer is hooked up for the ten hour drive. No problem for the Avalanche. A week ago it pulled a “loaded” U-Haul trailer to GF with all my shop stuff.  This is now mid April 2025 and we are saying good by to Drum.

May 2025:

In order to register the Avalanche in BC it needed to pass another inspection.  And some things needed to be done for that to be successful.  Here’s the list of stuff we did…  New CV axle, New brakes, New shocks all around.  It passed !  So even though sporting a new BC licence still needing The manifold leak and the Knock sensors done.  But it runs great and a pleasure to drive.

Fall 2025:

This fall we did a big job..  The whole rear axle and the springs were replaced with a used one that does not make the howling noise that was getting worse. A big job and a big improvement.

I have made many trips out of town with the Avalanche this summer and fall. To the Okanagan and to the Fraser Valley too.  Used it to pick up some lawn tractors..

Like this little guy.  This summer it got to don the kayak rack that was made 20 years ago and proudly take the trailer and kayaks to family camp.  This coming spring more fixin will get done and a new aluminum kayak rack will be made.  Stay tuned !  And let’s start a new post for a new year !

Page 6 … New Beginnings.

Oct 20 2024

Two more things remaining to do..

Got to fix the rust hole in the rear panel.. and the flaked off paint on the passenger front door.  Oops no “before” photo..  but it’s in the video.  Trust me the paint was flaking off just above the rubber side moulding. Only the front door. Right down to the primer.

Not no more !  The great thing about a plain white vehicle, easy to match the paint.  And here’s the last body fix.

Can you tell where I painted ?  No !  Only half way up the lower panel.. Yes the match is that good.  No more rust.  Now for round three of the hatch cables. They still keep braking apart. This time I got some steel cable and some real cable crimps,

And yes this made for a much stronger cable.  I even put some heat shrink on the steel cable.

There ! take that..  Dare you to break.. If you do I have lots of pop rivets and cable.

Today I got the chance to go parts shopping and I got the tools & jack, plus a new end for the tube where the handle goes in the bumper.  With lock but no keys.

These things are in excellent condition.  I put the jack away under the right rear seat.  The other tools I used to “try” to lower the spare tire..  Got it down about 6 inches and hit a stuck part..  So there’s some work to do..   The bumper cap needed a good cleaning and it needs to be installed.

As for putting that locking cap back..  No I don’t have the key and it’s not needed.   So let’s figure out the lowering of the spare shall we…  Well that was fun.. NOT!  Five hours later I got the tire down. After years of cranking the spare up under the back of trucks, some brainy engineer thought we needed a safety catch.  Just in case the cable broke.  Ya right.. That happens all the time… NOT! The cable mechanism to lower the spare works great.. It’s not seized up nor is the cable rusty.  But the safety catch was seized..  Sure glad I’m doing this now, in the shop, with all my tools.  There’s no way you can do this on the side of the road.  I’m fixing that dumb idea.. I have a grinder !

Here’s what my spare looks like.  Good tire and still holds air, just a ugly looking rim.  Let’s make it look better.  Just some black rust paint is good enough.

There!  Now I won’t be embarrassed to use this spare. But hopefully I will never need it. I took the whole spare tire holder mechanism out too so I could make it not look so rusty.

And fix that safety latch for good..  Here it is and it no longer has a hook / catch.

It was seized up so bad that no amount of lubricant was going to fix it.. PLUS it’s riveted together.  The winch part still works as it should. Most likely because it’s well protected from the elements.  I’ll grease the cable lightly before winding it back in.  Should be able to put this all back where it was…just better looking.  Done and everything worked great. And with that..I believe I’ve got a lot done now.  But really never say that. There’s all ways more. Yup.. still some mechanical fixes.  And in time new tires. I have a new hood bug deflector on order. That will cover up the paint chips and road rash. I have to change the flashing relay for a LED one. Change the cabin air filters. And lastly get an inspection done for me and the insurance folks.  This will tell me how to move forward with the mechanical stuff.  So time for a new page..

Page 5

Oct 13 2024

And now with the back end to the bench we have a few things to do.

The tailgate makes a nice work place…

Remember the list !

1. Remove the seats now that I have the proper tool.
2. Clean the carpets. New floor mats are coming.
3. Paint the trailer hitch. Can’t have it rusty.
4. Repair drivers side rear hatch cable.
5. Fix leaking gaskets on the box covers

Ok don’t get upset, but I skipped to #4 on the list.  And I decided to replace both. This is what I’m talking about.  And we are looking at the driver’s side.  In the above photo I have them both open beyond where they would with the cables. The cables hold the hatches just beyond 90 degrees.

I’m not aware of these being a part you can just buy.  So I’ll will be making my own. Mine may not look as scookum as the factory ones.. But then again those broke !  The passenger side is so close to breaking I may as well make two sets.

And those hinges are rusty. Nope can’t have that ..  As you can see these are riveted on, so not easy to replace. I may use small bolts, or pop rivets just don’t make them tight.  And the pop rivet idea works.

Yup that’s electrical wire and crimp fittings.  I’m cleaning the hinges and painting them too.  So skip back to #1 on the list.  Drivers seat !  Came out easy with the right tools.  And I’m $1.75 richer.  I wonder what I’ll find under the passenger seat ?  A quarter !  Now I have two bucks !

Not near as bad as it could be..  This should clean up real easy.

Yes it sure did !  Once it’s dry I’ll put the passenger seat back.  The drivers seat will have to wait. Number one and number two are done.  Well my fix for the side hatches did not work.  The crimp on the wire was not strong enough.. So I’m making new ones with a stronger crimp and better wire.  And I’m waiting for some pop rivets to arrive tomorrow. In the meantime I’ll remove the bottom seat cover.  I was pleased to see the heater pad to be in perfect condition.

I’ve watched the videos on how to install these covers..  so I should have no problems.  Oh my new floor mats came yesterday. The carpets are dry today so here they are.

The rear mats even cover the hump! That great…

The front’s are very basic but do the job of protecting most of the carpet.  Sorry about jumping around from one thing to another. However I’m waiting for things to come, dry…  and that’s how I work anyway.  Passenger seat is back in, and it’s never going to look this clean again.

But I will try.  There’s still a few things on the list, and I’m finding more… but let’s not rush into it.  One more thing I did take the tailgate handle apart ( I know how ).  Cleaned and lubricated and it works great.  There’s protection product that blackens the plastics on the rear parts.  It’s a nice contrast with the white.

I’ve got two days till the seat cover comes so I’ll work on the hitch and the spare tire mechanism. And the (hopefully) final assembly of the side hatches. Also paint the bottom of the doors.

Yeah! This time it works, and looks close to factory.. , So far so good..  Much stronger than my first attempt.  As for the spare tire lowering mechanism… I’ll need the tools from an auto wrecker to make that work.  That means today is hitch painting day.  Done !  And paint the bottom of the doors too.  It’s taking a while to work through the list..  Meanwhile the hitch is all painted up nice, and I use some undercoat spray on other bits under the rear.

Yes it does not look new that’s for sure.. But it’s got rust sealer under the paint..  should do well.

And with this photo you can see I’ve installed the new seat cover.  Was not hard to do.. And that’s the list all done, except for some bodywork.  That’s next ..  So here’s a new video.

Mechanical stuff is next..  New page for that.

PAGE 4

Oct 11 2024

With all washing done outside now it’s time to welcome the Avalanche into the garage.

What’s going on with the grill…  Well that’s me changing the messed up flat black Chevy bow tie back to gold.  Sorry it was bugging me.  No I’m not sorry…

That looks bad, and if your going to shine up the rest of the front …well we need to fix that.

More to my liking!

I’m doing other things too.  While we are up front I changed the daytime running lights and the turn signals to nice bright LED’s  When they arrive the fog lights will be LED’s too.  And there will be more to change in the interior.  I also tested the trailer plug , and it shocked me by working 100% correctly.  Today I got my new key fobs, 4×4 buttons, and new LED door lights,  Now it’s time to rid the Avalanche of the parasite called a “remote start”.  Of coarse it’s not working, and of coarse it’s causing problems. This means the driver’s seat may have to be removed. Two reasons for that…  easier to work under the dash, and I need to replace the leather seat bottom.  And wouldn’t ya know it.. there is special bolts holding the seat.

What the heck kind of nut is that!  I’ve ordered the right sockets. Due to arrive in a few days. In the meantime I will work under the dash with the seats in. So I took the dash apart.. only takes me a few seconds because I’ve done this many times. Now I can find that problem black box..  AANNDD Found it !

And it’s 5 lbs of wires..  Looked up the wiring diagram for it to make sure I have all the connections..   Now your going bye bye.

And this is what I think of aftermarket remote starters.  That’s the round file !

And With that done..  I was able to program one of the new Chevy key fobs I just got..  WE ARE GOOD !   While I have the dash apart I’m going to do some cleaning and change the older brake controller for the new ” Primus IQ” trailer brake controller.  I have now done a good cleaning of the interior, except for the driver’s seat and the carpets.  I have a week to do those things.  Here’s a new video #2..

I’m finished with the front of the Avalanche for now, so today I’ll turn it around and back it in. There’s a bit of work to do on that end of things.  Here’s my list..

1. Remove the seats now that I have the proper tool.
2. Clean the carpets. New floor mats are coming.
3. Paint the trailer hitch. Can’t have it rusty.
4. Repair drivers side rear hatch cable.
5. Fix leaking gaskets on the box covers

And of coarse install the new seat cover when it comes.  One last photo before I turn the truck around.

All spiffed up except for the front of the hood.  Let’s start a new page for that list.

Page 3

Sept 30 2024

This is replacing “Gramps”

I’ve lost count of how many Avalanches I’ve had over the years !

What !  Ok I’m told this is number seven.. What can I say… I love’m !

I have a post about those many many Avalanches .. HERE

All I have for now is the photos from the ad..  and the Avalanche is still in Edmonton because it needs a left front hub replaced before a long trip. I’m in no hurry, and will pick it up when I get a ride up there.

It looks good in these photos..  And the body is way better than others I’ve seen, the interior is also very good.  However we need a bit of mechanical work.  Oh .. runs and drives, the motor and transmission also seem fine..

I’ll start with the positive stuff first.  This one is a Z71 off road package with the 17 inch wheels.  The model is a ” LT ” which is the deluxe model of that year.  As you can see leather heated memory seats, Bose 6 CD stereo, Power folding mirrors, Trailer towing package, Auto climate control, Steering wheel controls and all the usual stuff that Avalanches have.  And as an added bonus this one has the 4:10 rear end gears for better towing.  Roof rack and the owners manual is in the glove box too!

Ok enough of that… Now for the BAD !  The driver’s seat has a tear in the usual place..  They always do.  But that is an easy fix, and it’s cosmetic..

Let’s see where to start.. Right away I need a new left front wheel hub, and possibly CV boots on that side too.  The muffler is rusted out and the tail pipe is missing..  Too loud for me !  The check engine light is on… Told it is the O2 censer?  We will see.  The rear diff is wet from a leak..  The windshield has a big crack.. ( Alberta ! ).  Someone installed an after market remote start piece of crap.. and of coarse it does not work and the cause of the locking not working..  I suspect the AC needs work too.  The battery is old but okay for now.  Needs a good cleaning too… But that’s just fussy old me .

The Avalanche went to a shop my daughter uses for an inspection of what’s up.. what’s wrong , what’s needed….  Here’s the quote.

“Hello Rob, here is a list of items we found during the inspection you can let me know if you would like an estimate for any of it. WINDSHIELD CRACKED, STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTRE , TRUCK WANDERS, POOR SHIFT QUALITY, PASS SIDE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT OUT, DRIVERS FOG LIGHT NOT WORKING, CODES FOR KNOCK SENSOR, EVAP VENT SOLENOID, AC REFRIGERANT PRESSURE SENSOR, MODE SWITCH CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION AND KEY IN IGNITION CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION ( there’s that f@%&g remote start), FRONT LEFT WHEEL HUB, MAY HAVE DAMAGE DUE TO OVER HEATING AND SEIZED CALIPER, Needs TIRES LT265/70/17 Thank you Alish.”

I corrected some spelling and added the comma’s.  Well I knew of all these things but question the caliper.  No mention of three of the things I was told by the fella selling the Avalanche. And they are.. The missing exhaust system, and the cracked CV boots. And the wet Differential ?  Sooo  The Avalanche is going to the muffler shop in Edmonton and they will also replace the hub.  Not going to fix anything else for now just want to get it home..

Sure enough they found the caliper to be damaged, so got that replaced and new brake pads.  Driver’s side axle boot is split , but I’ll fix that.  It’s funny no one is mentioning the rear differential ? The Truck should be good now to drive back home safely.  So I’m taking the bus to Edmonton this weekend and do just that.  And that worked out good.  Got all the fixes done quickly and at a very reasonable cost.  Drove the Avalanche the three and a half hours home without any issues.  The steering is still a little loose. Or an alignment is needed, and I think the front axles are protesting. But the truck was WAAAAYYY quieter and the cruise control worked perfectly. I could be hearing and feeling the 8 year old tires.

We are home !

And I’m taking inventory of the things I found inside..  The manuals, inspection sheets from 2021, key fobs, the proper antenna and a pair of RV mirror extenders.

I thought I’d better make sure the mid-gate works.  Sure enough the cover that covers this gap and folds with the mid gate has come off it’s mounting, and there’s what seams like 19 years worth of dirt too.

So there is certainly some cleaning to do… I’ll start tomorrow.  Mostly the interior and the motor bay..  I thought of a way to fix the broken mounting ears on the cover.

This is some kinda moulded fibre something ?  And these hold the whole thing in place.. I’ve seen this before. They brake if you jam something up front and it catches the lip.  Here’s my fix. …

Pop rivets !  and a custom metal ear.  After the cargo area was clean and dry, I re-installed the cover.. Speaking of cleaning…   How’s this..

That looks like a rust stain.. Nope it’s from heat !  And that’s what you get for not replacing the tail pipe from the muffler back.  Good thing the rubber mat is not damaged.  As I clean I’m realizing that the body and all the “avalanche” bits and pieces are in very good condition. No dents..  All the covers and cubbyholes work the way they should. While I had the pressure washer out I cleaned the door frames. Also treated some rust spots.

Looks great ! Original white paint by the way.  Someone liked those “Bose” speaker emblems a lot.. They just had to have them. The interior will get it’s turn for cleaning in the garage soon. But the motor is next while it’s outside.  Darn I forgot the “before” photo..  But anyway here’s the after.

It wasn’t super bad..  mostly dusty.  Just as long as I feel better.  I took the two headlights into the garage for a good polishing.  And then I used a ceramic coating on them..  Yup they are better too.

Now the turn and DRL’s look not as good.  Oh well…  One more thing too do while I have room in the garage..  Clean and treat the box covers.  Found a good product for fixing the faded grey.

Supposed to last a year..  We will see..  But it really did remove many years of fading.  And now they look new and so does the other plastics !

Looks like it’s wet.. But it’s not.  So with the messy stuff done, it’s time for the Avalanche to visit the garage…  But first here’s a new Video I made..

New post for the interior work…

Page 2

Aug 2024 :

Now that the truck is running great and reliable to go anywhere , it’s time to get the trailer wiring done.  Today I made space in the garage.  Plans are:

1. Repaint the hitch with rust paint.
2. Install new 7 and 4 pin plugs.
3. Run the wire for the back up camera.
4. Push the dents out of the rear bumper.

I have all the parts I need so let’s get to it !

Here’s what I have so far.. There is more on the way. I’m going to replace more than just the lever on the steering column. The high beam part of the switch is not working .. New one coming and a new cam for the turn cancel too.   Above I have a new trailer plug 7 and 4 pin combo, and the adapter. New digital brake controller. Back up camera with a screen.  Key less locking kit. New headlight switch. And the new multi function lever.

Gramps in in the garage ready for all this work to be done.  I have to run the power wire and the camera  wire to the front first.  Here’s the test for that.

Very handy for both backing up and hooking up trailers. It won’t be automatic when in reverse, I’ll have a switch on the dash.  Same thing for the 12 volt power to the trailer plug.  I want control over these things.  Here’s a short video of the progress…

I realized that the wires to the back of the truck needed to start at the front.  So I started taking the steering column apart and the dash too.  I’m still waiting for a few parts and added to the order today.  While I have the dash apart, I’m changing the lights to LED’s. Polished the lens today and now that looks so much better.  Progress has been slow on the truck..  But I got back to it.. Have all the parts I needed and it’s time to get the steering column back working.  I decided not to pursue the locking system at this time. That involves removing a door panel… Nope I hate doing those.  Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• New parts in the steering column DONE. Horn fixed too.
• Cleaned and polished dash parts.
• Installed back up monitor and wires going to the back.
• Running a power wire to the back , with switch.
• Installed new brake control.

The monitor fits nicely here..  works great..

Just need to get the truck up higher so I can run the power and the camera wire.  A jack and jack stands work good. Wasn’t too hard..  And I got the wiring mess at the back done.  We now have a nice trailer system.  With a camera !

I do need to paint that hitch though..  One more thing left to do ..  The old ash tray is getting a makeover.  With a new 12 volt plug and two USB ports for charging stuff.

This will be handy, just need to install this back in it’s place.  I’ve tested all the wiring and it’s all good.   I’m hitting the road in a few days …so the truck will get a good test.  We are good and ready for the road trip.

And what a road trip !  I didn’t get far and the transmission started to act up.  Not serious things at first… So carried on.  Just geared down on the mountain passes and that worked fine.  The overdrive ( 4th gear) was slipping and jumping around on even the slightest hill.  So I put some magic (no slip) in the trany thinking that may work.  Nope !  On the way home after going over the third and highest pass It started to get a knocking sound at slow speeds. And the oil pressure gauge was going up and down..   I was determined to get home so I put up with that..  And I did make it home..  Turns out that noise is coming from the motor… and it’s bad news.  We suspect it to be a rod bearing..  Not fixable given how long I drove with this happening.  So Gramps needs a new motor !  YIKES !  So I could throw more money at the truck … Lots of money and still have other things to fix..  Or cut my losses and sell Gramps as is..  I’m choosing the latter.  The final determination of the problem is the oil pump.  It was failing off and on and that lack of oil damaged one of the connecting rod bearings on the crank shaft. This would have damaged the crank as well.  Still drive able but with a bit of noise. I got it across town and drove it onto the semi truck trailer that was taking it to it’s new home way up north.

  Bye Gramps. I hope you can be fixed.