Iceman's 2015 project Blackbird

[TeamsterGene]

Alright man..... it's bad enough you haunt me in the regular part of the forum. Now you've gotta come to my own build thread and remind me I should have never settled for Black after telling myself I would only buy white lol! You've got a great looking truck [emoji4]
 
To answer your questions; I'm still not sure. I thought it was 110% a sticker but it didn't peel like one. I expected to be able to get under the corner with a set of vinyl tweezers and just gently pull off in one whole piece; boy was I wrong.... Instead it came off in about 40+ little chips/chunks almost like nail polish on my Mrs. fingers. To make make matters worse the backside of it had an adhesive from hell. It resembled small ultra-sticky buggers that would smear across the emblem instead of coming off. You didn't really remove them as much as roll them around and make it worse.
 
Tried the other side with a heat gun after struggling with the first one just as it was. Heatgun ended up making the adhesive's properties even worse. I was sitting on a small stool out in my driveway for literally hours staring at my door while simultaneously swearing and going through a massive amount of cleaning solutions and q-tips. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts lol.
 
 
The Mrs makes police shadow boxes utilizing vinyl so I'm comfortable in saying I know it's not vinyl. If it was it would have removed 100x's easier. Maybe it's a sticker like I've never seen before or maybe it was some hybrid sticker/paint concoction?
 

 
(Figured you might appreciate these)
 
 
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These are fantastic! I have a great deal of respect for those that protect and the sacrifices that not only they make but their families also.


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[Iceman22]

These are fantastic! I have a great deal of respect for those that protect and the sacrifices that not only they make but their families also.


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Thanks Gene! I'll be sure to pass the kind words along.


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[Iceman22]

Christened the bed of the truck today and brought this bad boy home.

True Manufacturing and Refrigeration TDD-2. Made proudly in the USA.


For the first time I was happy I hadn't lifted it yet. Was nice not having to lift 320lbs any higher than stock ride height on the bed


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[Iceman22]

Big purchase update:

Finally got wheels and tires this morning. I went back and forth about million times over the past month and finally decided to rip the bandaid off or I’d end up freezing up and not choosing anything

Fuel Maverick 20x9 ET +20
Falken Wildpeak 275/65/20

Fit like a glove. Was able to stuff a 34” tire with just a 2” leveling kit. Only point of contact is on my Front weather tech mudflaps in reverse with the wheel cranked while hitting a bump. Very very pleased. With the mudflap not installed I’m confident there would be no contact at all. Now I’m just debating if I let it ride or notch a cutout on the inner side of each mudflap with a dremel. (Contact with the mudflap is is the same location one would perform a Nor-Cal fender mod to give you a visual point of reference)




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[chrispassas21]

Big purchase update:

Finally got wheels and tires this morning. I went back and forth about million times over the past month and finally decided to rip the bandaid off or I’d end up freezing up and not choosing anything

Fuel Maverick 20x9 ET +20
Falken Wildpeak 275/65/20

Fit like a glove. Was able to stuff a 34” tire with just a 2” leveling kit. Only point of contact is on my Front weather tech mudflaps in reverse with the wheel cranked while hitting a bump. Very very pleased. With the mudflap not installed I’m confident there would be no contact at all. Now I’m just debating if I let it ride or notch a cutout on the inner side of each mudflap with a dremel. (Contact with the mudflap is is the same location one would perform a Nor-Cal fender mod to give you a visual point of reference)




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Looks real nice buddy! Midnight edition gang!


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[Iceman22]

Looks real nice buddy! Midnight edition gang!


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Thanks for the kind words! Did I see you’re going lifted soon?


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[chrispassas21]

Thanks for the kind words! Did I see you’re going lifted soon?


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You are very welcome sir! I already went for the lift a couple weeks ago! CST 4.5” kit.


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[Iceman22]

Looks great man! What’s your ground to fender measurements front and rear?


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[chrispassas21]

Looks great man! What’s your ground to fender measurements front and rear?


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Thanks! Everything is just around 41.5”


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[Iceman22]

Thanks! Everything is just around 41.5”


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Running the factory 265/65/18 duratracs?


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[chrispassas21]

Running the factory 265/65/18 duratracs?


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Yes! When I️ need new tires I️ plan to go up to 33” duratracs. I️ love the factory wheels. I️ think it will have the perfect look in my opinion.


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[Iceman22]

Yes! When I️ need new tires I️ plan to go up to 33” duratracs. I️ love the factory wheels. I️ think it will have the perfect look in my opinion.


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That explains I️t! Was wondering why you only had me beat by an inch in terms of measurements. Can’t wait to see I️t on 33’s!!! Factory midnight edition wheels and and a legit lift kit was what I set out to accomplish until I couldn’t get past the cutting that was required. Look forward to living vicariously through you lol


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[chrispassas21]

That explains I️t! Was wondering why you only had me beat by an inch in terms of measurements. Can’t wait to see I️t on 33’s!!! Factory midnight edition wheels and and a legit lift kit was what I set out to accomplish until I couldn’t get past the cutting that was required. Look forward to living vicariously through you lol


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Thank you very much sir. You will eventually get over the cutting part. You need that lift kit! The truck will look 1000% better


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[Iceman22]

Just had my Magnaflow 12909 muffler installed. Super disappointed but trying to be positive. Had I️t installed by the only dedicated exhaust shop in town. The guy didn’t exactly follow the directions I gave and therefore had to use “a custom extension” aka a 3” piece of aluminum tubing. Was initially told $50 for install when I made my appointment but the extension doubled the price to $100[emoji35][emoji35][emoji35][emoji35]

 

On top of that the welds look terrible. It’s air tight but certainly not pretty. I wasn’t expecting stacked fish scales like the welds on my road bikes frame but a little pride in craftsmanship would have been appreciated. Definitely wouldn’t recommend the shop but it’s water on the bridge at this point. I texted the Mrs after learning the news but before paying and she said just pay and be done with I️t. So it’s done and over with I guess I just want a minute to vent....

 

Gonna try to gently grind down some of the spots where I️t pooled and then hope a couple days worth of road grime masks I️t anyways

 

 

 

As for the tone itself; I’m kinda meh about it. I did an awful lot of reading first and thought I had a good grasp on exactly what I’d be getting by deleting the v4 flapper and retaining the resonator. In my opinion it’s barely above stock. Maybe it’ll louden up a little bit with time? I mean I didn’t want anything obnoxiously loud and really wanted quite while cruising which is why I went this route but I was under the impression it’d have a fair amount of bark at WOT. Maybe I misunderstood

 

 

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[Iceman22]

The rub was driving me crazy so I spent the morning notching out my mudflaps. A table vice, dremel and fine grit sandpaper was all that was required. Ended up removing about a 2.5x2.5” chunk from each mudflap in the area of where you’d perform the Nor’Cal mod. No more rub. I call that a win!








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