My GN "X Tribute" Progress Thread...

[DJ Red Barron]

I figured since I took the car in for a decent amount of work to begin this week, I would do a progression thread and update it somewhat frequently.

This time around, it's mostly cosmetic changes / upgrades. The car is getting torn apart and painted allllll black. There will be a few cosmetic changes made. No emblems or moldings will be going back on the car. The gauge on the hood is going away. I also have a HID headlight conversion and a cool LED tail light kit for the car. All of the lenses will be tinted and possibly the headlights as well. The Monte Carlo SS style exhaust is getting canned and a more stock looking Pypes cat-back is going in its place. Plus any needed gaskets and seals are getting replaced.
For the interior, I hope to get rid of that horrid digital dash and get my GNX cluster installed along with the 3-gauge pillar replacement and the 2-gauge console pod. I decided instead of going with the original Stewart Warner gauges used in the GNX that I would go a more custom route using gauges from Speedhut. This way my dash gauges will match the pod gauges. And they will have a stock-looking, yet custom-touch appearance to them (if that makes any sense). Also, some stereo work may get done in this stage as well.

The bulk of the work will be exterior with some minor interior. Later on, once I decide what route I want to go from a performance angle, I'll start that stage. And the interior will be redone later on once I decide what seats and console I will ultimately use in the car. Although as it's turned out, I have gotten a TON of various interior parts to go ahead and put in now.





So here's the car when I purchased it in 10/2008. It looked like this until noon Monday when I dropped it off at the body shop...

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Between Noon & 4:30 pm Monday, it changed in appearance a bit...

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Here are a few shots from my visit to the shop yesterday...

I'll probably be updating almost daily with progression pics. Hopefully, the bulk of this stage of work will be completed in about 3 weeks give or take.

 

[BILL HAINES]

Looks Good.

Man... I Wish I Would Have Taken More Photos Of My 4 Year Project.. Your's Looks Like It's Moving Along Well. Hey, You Need To Open The Inner Fenders (gnx Vent). Kirban Sells The Inner Bezels And The 2 Relocation Braces For The Relays On Both Sides(i Made Mine) That Will Let The Heat Out(it Does Work) Now Is The Time To Do The Rear Seat Braces,gnx Trans Cooler, Gnx Bushings(body)..not To Give You More Work,but It's Alot Easier Now.. Good Luck,keep Us Posted,,,,,

 

[theMonch]

I got to tell you, the 10/2008 pits looked pretty good. I salute you for going the extra mile to bring it to perfection.

 

[jcawley3]

+1 on the original pics car looked very nice!.....

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Man... I Wish I Would Have Taken More Photos Of My 4 Year Project.. Your's Looks Like It's Moving Along Well. Hey, You Need To Open The Inner Fenders (gnx Vent). Kirban Sells The Inner Bezels And The 2 Relocation Braces For The Relays On Both Sides(i Made Mine) That Will Let The Heat Out(it Does Work) Now Is The Time To Do The Rear Seat Braces,gnx Trans Cooler, Gnx Bushings(body)..not To Give You More Work,but It's Alot Easier Now.. Good Luck,keep Us Posted,,,,,

Thanks Bill!

Good cal on the inner fenders. I just ordered the kit from Kirban. I'm going to look into the other items you mentioned as well.

I got to tell you, the 10/2008 pits looked pretty good. I salute you for going the extra mile to bring it to perfection.

Thanks Monch! Yea, the car did look really good when I got it. But up close, it needed some work. I decided to go ahead and give it a paint job that wouldn't need to be redone for hopefully MANY years to come.

+1 on the original pics car looked very nice!.....

Thank you!

 

[viper04]

Look really good in the first pictures!! Keep us posted. One more question are you following ME???( Stocker) Ha Ha!! nice jeep.

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Look really good in the first pictures!! Keep us posted. One more question are you following ME???( Stocker) Ha Ha!! nice jeep.

Thanks viper! On both the GN & JGC compliments!

Nice rides you've got in your stable there. One of these days, a Viper will be mine! :biggrin:

What year model Jeep do you have?

 

[DJ Red Barron]

More pics from this evening...

 

[DJ Red Barron]

More pics from this evening...

 

[regal-nut]

i hope that i will be soon on mine the same way but got to get the frame done first. LOOKING GOOD!!!

 

[charlief1]

I wanna see where this goes.

 

[viper04]

Thanks viper! On both the GN & JGC compliments!

Nice rides you've got in your stable there. One of these days, a Viper will be mine! :biggrin:

What year model Jeep do you have?

The jeep is 2007.

 

[DJ Red Barron]

i hope that i will be soon on mine the same way but got to get the frame done first. LOOKING GOOD!!!

I was just looking over your thread. Man, that's a hell of a resto you're doing. I've subscribed so I can keep up with the progress.

I wanna see where this goes.

More pics will be coming soon. A ton of parts arrived today. The pause in pic updates is because I am awaiting the delivery of some special parts courtesy of X Ray that involve some cutting on the inner fenders.

The jeep is 2007.

So you've got the magic fuse that can be pulled to disable the FWD altogether? Wish they hadn't "fixed" that problem at Chrysler.

 

[viper04]

Yes got the "Magic Fuse" fun on the street, but no good at the track. I pulled it at the track and the Jeep when .8 slower. Please keep us posted on the progess.

 

[Way2QWK]

Have you considered pulling the side quarter glasses before painting.

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Yes got the "Magic Fuse" fun on the street, but no good at the track. I pulled it at the track and the Jeep when .8 slower. Please keep us posted on the progess.

Lucky dog... I want to be able to do some ridiculous John Force sized burnout with mine but can't.

I would leave the AWD active at the track for sure, though. My local track prep sucks so bad that I manage to make all 4 spin pretty good at launch. Pisses me right off when that happens, too.

More pics will come soon I hope. Waiting on some parts to arrive so not much has been done lately. A new passenger side window motor has been installed. The driver side one goes in tomorrow. The B&M QuickSilver shifter did go in. It's mounted still using the factory console. A new T-Shifter handle courtesy of TR Customs will top it off as soon as it comes in.

Have you considered pulling the side quarter glasses before painting.

Quarter glasses are out. In fact, I have two brand new ones (PITA to locate, BTW) headed my way and will be selling the ones that came out of the car.

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Here's the latest.

Monte exhaust gone, Pypes cat-back installed...

Bumpers & misc. parts in the booth...

The gauges came in today.

The B&M QuickSilver shifter billet T-Handle along with console appearance upgrade kit were installed.

 

[Boston GN]

What shifter is that? Not the handle, the shifter itself? Nice