Who Does This?! LS9 Box-Headlight Tahoe!

"M.T. Blake" (autohabit)
06/12/2018 at 13:00 • Filed to: sleeper, Bring A Trailer, ls9, chevrolet, tahoe

Seriously, what one of you hood rich, sleeper-lovin crazies made this thing? Stand up now! I’m going to first, ask you for a loan, and second, congratulate you on making something we wouldn’t (except on paper).

If only they came from the factory like this...

This thing is bonkers. The owner started with a pristine 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe 4wd with 33 thousand miles. Knowing that it was cool-ish but not suiting their speed demon dream, they dropped a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! into it! A supercharged LS with 638 screaming ponies and 604 pound feet of twisting?! That is automotive-motivation.

Imagine a clean Tahoe. Then add 10 points and try again.

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Buuuuuut, they couldn’t stop there. The rear end was updated to a built Dana 60 with 3.73 gears and the good ol’ Detroit locker. Apparently this can handle 1k hp. I don’t doubt it. I applaud this set up. I have always loved the Dana 60. I wonder if it had to be shortened to fit properly?

I’d eat off this. I’ve eaten off worse.

The front end has a ‘GM performance front axle’. I’m not sure what that means. Sounds like a little bit on snake oil on top of the stock axle. While the 4L80E 4-speed transmission is also upgraded to handle all those wild stallions. Thank god for that last one. If they hadn’t done anything to the trans, you’d probably get a couple (or one) fun launch before some noise and no more movement would happen.

Whoa. Factory fresh.

Man o’ man is this Tahoe clean. I will admit however this build is STUPID. I mean that in the best way of things. We all do something stupid now and then. Stupid is the best way to describe those things that have very little reward and many risks. For instance, I was at one point, racing with SCCA. People would ask, “Why do you race knowing that it is dangerous?” Because, “It’s stupid”. The mental reward for putting yourself though something so ridiculous is sometimes more than the actual reward you can achieve.

Maybe he will trade me the LS9 for my Camaro?

I think the owner of this Tahoe had something to prove to themselves. Seeing a clean Tahoe with 30-odd-something miles on it is rare and probably moderately expensive. Buying a LS9... 21 thousand dollars. Having a shop install it all? Very, very expensive. The current bid is just over $23,000. I don’t think they will be making any money off this one. The reward was building the worlds best sleeper box headlight Tahoe.

DISCUSSION (30)

crowmolly > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:03

I wonder if it had to be shortened to fit properly?

Almost a 100% chance it’s a custom housing.

This thing is tremendous. Zero corner cut fuckery. The engine even looks factory.

Edit:

I don’t think they will be making any money off this one.

Well, this makes it like just about every other performance build out there.

JeepJeremy > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:05

WANT!!!!

and 100 more > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:05

That is an incredibly clean swap.

HammerheadFistpunch > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:06

I also wondered this when this was posted previously. I had a hot rod GMT400. I wouldn’t do it again.

Ash78, voting early and often > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:09

Best bodystyle, most generic color, great sleeper.

I see that interior and I can actually feel its high-tolerance, flimsy plastics, like pulling the door handle 7 feet to get the door open. Or wondering if that dashboard air vent has any left/right resistance left or does it just flop around?

I mean that with the utmost sense of nostalgia, by the way.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:09

Makes you wonder why they’d sink $50k+ into a job like this and then sell it after less than 2000 miles.

HammerheadFistpunch > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:12

I will say that its undoubtedly quality work, worthy of drool. I suspect the Dana 60 was custom, but thats pretty easy with a dynatrac or similar. You can provide them with spec and they will cut tubes to length and weld on brackets and perches to your order.

As for the front axle I think they said it had shot peened gears for strength, other than that I don’t think its anything special. The 4l80E is a great choice for this application though, they are tough transmissions and with a little work can handle that power easily.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
06/12/2018 at 13:13

Guy with lots and lots of money did what he wanted to do, drove it for a bit, and is now on to some other project.

BeaterGT > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:14

Heroes. Heroes do this.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:15

Honestly, anything under $30k is a steal for this thing.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > HammerheadFistpunch
06/12/2018 at 13:17

Are the front axles the same in a half ton vs. a one ton? Maybe it’s a one ton.

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:18

as clean as it is i bet the interior still rattles like it was made for it

HammerheadFistpunch > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!
06/12/2018 at 13:19

Could be a one ton axle. I know they are different. ours was a 3/4 ton and its front axle was pretty beefy. We had about 550 lbs feet going to the wheels.

EL_ULY > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 13:25

Raaaad!

RIP mpgs haha

M.T. Blake > Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No
06/12/2018 at 13:57

NVH issues abound!

M.T. Blake > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
06/12/2018 at 13:58

Isn’t that crazy to think? It’s just an old Tahoe... but it isn’t. I bet the owner spent about 45-50k to build it.

M.T. Blake > BeaterGT
06/12/2018 at 13:59

He isn’t the hero we needed but the hero we wanted.

M.T. Blake > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
06/12/2018 at 14:00

Maybe it was built with parts salvaged from an Indian burial ground and it is now forever cursed?

M.T. Blake > Ash78, voting early and often
06/12/2018 at 14:02

Most people would be upset that a beige Tahoe walked away from them at WOT on the freeway. I’d have a smile.

M.T. Blake > HammerheadFistpunch
06/12/2018 at 14:03

I don’t think its many people’s platform for ‘going to build another one’.

M.T. Blake > crowmolly
06/12/2018 at 14:05

Agreed. The more and more I’ve bought, fixed, modified, and sold, I have realized it is difficult to ever make money on vehicles. This owner built it out of love or madness, I can’t tell which. I’m going to guess love as the rest of the car is fairly pedestrian. Now if it was lifted with chrome and powder coated undergarments... madness.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > HammerheadFistpunch
06/12/2018 at 14:05

Sounds like a party.

crowmolly > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 14:12

Flip a car? OK, maybe you can make some bucks.

Take a car you like, drive it, modify it to your tastes, and not lose your ass? Ha ha ha.

Also

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

You’d be lucky to get $.50 on the dollar for a lot of things.

Censored > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 14:20

After all of that, those are the wheels they chose. Out of the literal ocean of wheels, those were the ones that they consciously thought were the best fit. This is one of the coolest, cleanest, most factoryest builds I’ve seen in awhile and it is totally ruined by 1 bad decision.

CalzoneGolem > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 14:31

This just happened:

Kinja'd!!!

M.T. Blake > Censored
06/12/2018 at 14:48

Wheels usually make or break a build for many. We’ve all seen an utterly hideous build that when the wheels and (dare I say it...) stance are fixed, it transforms the vehicle.

It does need better wheels. Absolutely.

M.T. Blake > CalzoneGolem
06/12/2018 at 14:50

I agree with your boss. Now get back to work!!!!!!!!!!!!

CalzoneGolem > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 14:54

M.T. Blake > CalzoneGolem
06/12/2018 at 15:14

Haha! Good rebuttal.

shop-teacher > M.T. Blake
06/12/2018 at 23:04

WHOAAA!!!! That’s my kind of stupid!!