2018 WT to LTZ Conversion

[DCazares]

You can find the complete seats and console on Facebook listings for around $1,200 all day. That would be a start.

[It's Tim]

18 hours ago, CBesh157 said:

I got an extremely good deal on it and was looking to throw some cash since I saved so much on the purchase. 
 

Should have just bought what you wanted.

[Donstar]

18 hours ago, CBesh157 said:

Hey Yall, Im brand new to the forum but not to the brand. Ive been a Chevy guy my whole life and just now reaching out to the community to get some helpful advice. 
I JUST bought a 2018 Silverado WT (5th Silverado Ive owned). I got an extremely good deal on it and was looking to throw some cash since I saved so much on the purchase. 
I wanted to start with the exterior before tackling the interior. It has the black WT trim bumper and grille on it currently. Wondering how much work it takes to swap it for the higher trim bumper packages? Looking for reliable vendors, parts, etc. 
Besides replacing the wheels, tires, and mirrors, I believe that is all I will need to make the exterior look like the LTZ package (High Country Maybe?), but any more tips and hints will be great.

Are there any threads on swapping the interior? Bucket seat conversion, Entertainment console, Center console, Door panels, audio system, the whole 9 yards.
Also looking for threads on leveling kits with tire size and what not. So if there are any helpful threads please let me know. 
 

Welcome to this forum!  You will find a lot of helpful information and opinions on this site.   My suggestion is for you to wait and read.  Enjoy your truck as it is for a few months.  Your WT will do the work and drive the same as a LTZ.   Also, many of the standard features on your truck were optional upgrades not too long ago!  The modifications you are planning will likely serve to devalue your truck in the long term.  Most used truck shoppers are discouraged by DIY enhancements.  You may find the equity in your "extremely good deal" will go a long way in paying for a higher trim level truck.  Make your truck into a really clean WT that will command top dollar for a buyer looking for an unmolested, pristine used truck! (IMO)

[CBesh157]

3 hours ago, It's Tim said:

Should have just bought what you wanted.

More of a built not bought kind of person. 

[CBesh157]

2 hours ago, Donstar said:

Welcome to this forum!  You will find a lot of helpful information and opinions on this site.   My suggestion is for you to wait and read.  Enjoy your truck as it is for a few months.  Your WT will do the work and drive the same as a LTZ.   Also, many of the standard features on your truck were optional upgrades not too long ago!  The modifications you are planning will likely serve to devalue your truck in the long term.  Most used truck shoppers are discouraged by DIY enhancements.  You may find the equity in your "extremely good deal" will go a long way in paying for a higher trim level truck.  Make your truck into a really clean WT that will command top dollar for a buyer looking for an unmolested, pristine used truck! (IMO)

Thank you for the reply! 
Thats a really interesting point... I appreciate the opposing view! 
Im a huge fan in DIY projects, and I figured this would be a great base for one.. but maybe your right. I know Ill do little things here and there. Only changing a few aesthetic things on the exterior for me will be a must have. But using this as more of an equity base for something even better... Interesting. 
 

[CBesh157]

7 hours ago, DCazares said:

You can find the complete seats and console on Facebook listings for around $1,200 all day. That would be a start.

I need to get on and check. Really like the brown leather option in the High Country. Would be amazing if I can find that. Also thought about going with a set of KatzKin... Not really sure which way to go. 

[Jaychevy81]

Join the FB group gen V Silverado/Sierra there always selling full interiors and all kinds of parts.


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[superdave160]

Welcome to the forum!  I have a 2017 Silverado WT.  I wanted the transfer case floor shifter, not the knob on the dash.  So far I have added the Denali cluster, steering wheel with DIC buttons, and upgraded the radio with the Alpine I209-GM.  I don't like the I06 GM radio, which is why I went with the Alpine.  I've installed a level kit and replaced the steel wheels.  I put lights in the bed and tied them to the reverse lights, so they come on when it is dark and I unlock the doors with the key fob.  I put a Putco light bar on the back of the bed under the tailgate.  I've also added some chrome.  My next project is to replace the painted bumpers with chrome.  I'm old school and I don't like the "dipped in paint" look. 

[CBesh157]

9 hours ago, superdave160 said:

Welcome to the forum!  I have a 2017 Silverado WT.  I wanted the transfer case floor shifter, not the knob on the dash.  So far I have added the Denali cluster, steering wheel with DIC buttons, and upgraded the radio with the Alpine I209-GM.  I don't like the I06 GM radio, which is why I went with the Alpine.  I've installed a level kit and replaced the steel wheels.  I put lights in the bed and tied them to the reverse lights, so they come on when it is dark and I unlock the doors with the key fob.  I put a Putco light bar on the back of the bed under the tailgate.  I've also added some chrome.  My next project is to replace the painted bumpers with chrome.  I'm old school and I don't like the "dipped in paint" look. 

YES! Youve built what Im looking to do. 
Mine does have the transfer case floor shifter. My thought process with that is I wont be able to add the center console and ill have to keep the bench seat. Unless Im wrong.
How large is the Alpine you put in? and why did you decide to go with that one? 
Whats your wheel and tire set up? Do you have pictures? 

The only place we differ is the dipped in paint look. I love that style IMO. 
 

[Taco318]

Here's my progress so far. Still working on mine.........

[superdave160]

On 5/28/2020 at 8:07 AM, CBesh157 said:

YES! Youve built what Im looking to do. 
Mine does have the transfer case floor shifter. My thought process with that is I wont be able to add the center console and ill have to keep the bench seat. Unless Im wrong.
How large is the Alpine you put in? and why did you decide to go with that one? 
Whats your wheel and tire set up? Do you have pictures? 

The only place we differ is the dipped in paint look. I love that style IMO. 
 

There is a post in on this site where someone put a console in a truck with the floor shifter.  There is a pocket on each side of the console and (if I remember correctly) this person cut the bottom out of the pocket area and the shifter fit right in there.

I went with the Alpine unit because it has a 9 inch display and I like the way it looks a lot more than the Infotainment radios that GM truck come with.  My son has a 2017 GMC and my radio sounds way better than his.

Here's a picture of my truck now.

[silverado2k18]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:07 PM, superdave160 said:

Welcome to the forum!  I have a 2017 Silverado WT.  I wanted the transfer case floor shifter, not the knob on the dash.  So far I have added the Denali cluster, steering wheel with DIC buttons, and upgraded the radio with the Alpine I209-GM.  I don't like the I06 GM radio, which is why I went with the Alpine.  I've installed a level kit and replaced the steel wheels.  I put lights in the bed and tied them to the reverse lights, so they come on when it is dark and I unlock the doors with the key fob.  I put a Putco light bar on the back of the bed under the tailgate.  I've also added some chrome.  My next project is to replace the painted bumpers with chrome.  I'm old school and I don't like the "dipped in paint" look. 

i'd love more info on what you have done.  i have a 2018 silverado custom, and want to make some upgrades myself, including adding factory fog lights and front bumper.

[silverado2k18]

On 5/27/2020 at 8:54 AM, pgamboa said:

Another thing to consider.  Some configurations of the WT model will determine how easy/hard the radio upgrade will be.  There are IOB, IO3, IO4, IO5, IO6 Radio configs.  The 8" screen that you see on the LT and higher trucks are IO5 or IO6 (IO5 is non-nav, while IO6 is nav).  IO3 and IO4 are the smaller screen.  IOB is the 7" screen.  IO3/IOB have a large more complicated upgrade path while IO4 has simpler one.  You'll still need new hardware and programming, so when I say "simpler", I really mean doable  

 

I would do these upgrades in phases so that you don't have the truck completely torn apart trying to do it all one time.  Troubleshooting issues becomes more complex too when you have multiple layers of variability. 

do you have a harness that would add the factory cd player to the 7" screen, in a 2018 silverado custom?  is this possible?

[superdave160]

15 hours ago, silverado2k18 said:

i'd love more info on what you have done.  i have a 2018 silverado custom, and want to make some upgrades myself, including adding factory fog lights and front bumper.

I followed instructions from other posters in this forum for all that I have done.  I have seen posts where someone has listed the parts required to add the factory bumper fog lights.  Spend a few days reading through the forum and you will likely find that someone else has already figured out how to do what you want to do.  You will probably also find some things that you want to do that you haven't even thought of!  PGamboa and the guys from White Auto and Media Services (WAMS) have products that can make some mods much easier.  I also highly recommend Black Bear Performance for tuning services.  I installed a Black Bear tune and it really woke up the sleeping ponies under the hood.

[superdave160]

15 hours ago, silverado2k18 said:

i'd love more info on what you have done.  i have a 2018 silverado custom, and want to make some upgrades myself, including adding factory fog lights and front bumper.

If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.