My 2013 Sierra Daily Driver - Pic HEAVY
 

The story of/about my truck is probably not much different than any of you - Had truck, wanted newer truck and no plans to modify but stereo system, rims/tires and turbo found their way in/on vehicle somehow! That's the jist of it but I'll tell my tale none the less :D
A little over 3 years back and my 2008 Silverado RCSB 4.8 was starting to get a bit long in the tooth (for my liking) with close to 145K on the odometer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5S...=w1559-h806-no

While it drove just fine, no issues what so ever - I did not like the ride quality of a lowered truck (guess I'm old). Combine that with it approaching 150K and it was a wrap.
I put it for sale at 10:30 in the Morning and it sold by 5:30 that evening. I guess the asking price was too low ($8500) but I didn't lose any sleep. Buyer was happy and so was I.

I always liked the lines of the Sierra better than the Silverado, so I set my sights on a ECSB Sierra (grew tired of sitting up straight).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/b4...c26ncA=s818-no

Got her home and told The Boss "I'm pretty sure I'll leave it stock." She rolled her eyes at that. For about 3 months I did nothing to the truck at all. Fast forward one Saturday afternoon and I'm struck with the need to tinker with something other than the Vette (as I hate working on that platform/car!). I decided it was long past time to put some bottom end into the sound system (stock crap is pathetic). I took some measurements and noted the uneven surfacing of the floor board and the impossible angle/curve as you get towards the back wall - I knew fiberglass was going to be in order (I can't think of an enclosure I've built in the last 10 - 12 years that did not require a good bit of glassin')
4 Surround Audio 8"'s in a custom fiberglass/mdf enclosure I built under the rear bench seat

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fx...tBuJ3A=s818-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/n2...g=w614-h818-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fr...g=w614-h818-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4N...YkwBUg=s818-no

I kept the factory radio but used a LC2 signal processor to fix the attenuation that is built into the factory stuff. I put a pair of Fosgate 6.5" in the doors, wired the rears in series mono. The midbass and highs are pushed by a kicker 2 channel and the subs are powered by a PPI 1000 both located underneath the center console . Way over kill but the Surround Audios are beast and handle it with ease!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qh...x8wXcw=s818-no

I didn't do any changes/mods to the truck for about 9 months - as my house was involved in a fire that started in the garage. What the fire didn't destroy - the soot from the fire did! If it was in the garage, it was a total loss. Hell, there was literally nothing in my house that didn't sustain some type of damage.
My garage before the fire:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eQ...=w1680-h592-no

Aftermath

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HO...HyZkHg=s818-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7s...J4Q1Qw=s818-no

Even though we lost a lot of material possessions - no one was injured (and I had the grand baby over that weekend).
The road to recovery was arduous (dealing with 3 damn insurance companies - 1 for house, 1 for bike and 1 for car) but it eventually all started to fall into placer (that's sugar coating it - it was a challenging 5 - 6 months).

Well, fast forward 7 months post fire and the house is about 85% rebuilt. It's close enough where we can move back home (been in Hotels and short term rentals during the process and we were ready to be HOME).
I'm perusing the classifieds and find a great deal on a replacement GS. It's in the Kentucky area so I get on the phone, make an offer and it's a done deal! 2 weeks later it's delivered to my front door. It was just what I"thought' I wanted. I mean, I had the big 416 stroker and ported heads sitting on an engine stand. The ECS kit with 2200 blower and all the supporting mods to make another 800-1K HP killer again, right?!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EG...8HucHA=s818-no

Turns put, I'm not so eager to wrench on Vettes (for free) as I once was - as it's a lousy platform to work on! I love the car but hate the tight confines and the added difficulty to do anything (like changing the fuel pumps - I'd rather chew glass!).
So the car sits for 4 months as I continue to do things around the house along with having rotator cuff surgery which sidelined me for 2 months.
No working on the truck but I did have a few ideas swirling in my head ;) while I was laid up with nothing else to do (rotator cuff surgery is a b!tch)
I knew I did not want to put all the parts on the Vette - but I still wanted a Vette, what was I to do???
Goodbye C6 Grandsport - Hello Zee Ohh SEX!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/G_...=w1174-h818-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yr...cSSXgQ=s818-no

650 HP/TQ and a warranty ... Yes Please!

Now that the car issue/dilemma is resolved, what about the truck. You know the one I said I may not modify ...

Well I always felt the back sat up too high. Not wanting to put it on the ground but needing to decrease the wheel well gap called for a 2" shackle kit. The shackles got it close to where I wanted it to be but not quite perfect. Hmm, no reason to to not get a bigger rim tire at his pont - how about a set of 24's I think to myself.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TB...=w1333-h818-no

Now remember I mentioned that I had a lot of time to ponder things while I was laid up with my arm in a sling ..g One of those pondering sessions lead me to a turbo. I mean, I already had the turbo, from a previous project that didn't see fruition so why let a perfectly good unit just sit in the attic for another year?!
I went with a Spike performance kit because they are somewhat local (opened a shop in Pasadena Texas). It's a decent kit but there are several things I dislike such as the wastegate location (and that it was dumped to atmosphere -but I fabbed it into the down pipe) Though I expressed several times that the kit was to be for a 2013 Sierra - yet the cold air piping was for a SLOT style MAF (LS3). I kinda wish that I had of stuck with my first mind of a KBTurbo kit (Used to be local to Houston but he moved to the Portland area)

Into the air the truck goes for disassembly

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XD...zRA6xQ=s818-no

Wrapped all the hot piping and protected all the wiring in the area with high temp gold reflective

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GT...DIxbiA=s818-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ay...=w1090-h818-no

Intercooler and 4000k Transcooler installed

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dl...=w1090-h818-no

All buttoned up

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/S4...q8r7SA=s818-no


Got Gauges???

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Pw...gKxHQg=s818-no

Made a 3" pipe with with 2 Dynomaxx Bullet mufflers - runs from turbo to back bumper

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vh...7fm5Ig=s818-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uK...1cjAnw=s818-no

Looks great!

Well at least 1 person read it all ,,
 

Thank You

Glad you bounced back from the fire, I couldn't imagine. Truck looks like a fun project

You got your hands on some fun stuff! Coolest grandparent around id have to imagine

Glad no one was hurt in the fire.

That was quite the fire. Any indication how it started?

I really like the truck. It's a huge upgrade from your previous RCSB. I'm curious how that exhaust sounds. Any dyno numbers?

An oily rag underneath or next to the car caught a spark (I was welding a bar b q pit) ... it simmered for about a half hour as I working out back. By the time I walked back into the garage it was just black. When the fire dept arrived and opened the outside door - it gave it oxygen and off it went!

The exhaust is far too "raspy" under normal driving conditions. In boost - the turbo sounds are symphonic! But just normal light throttle situations, I hate it and looking into ideas to get it to stop sounding like an 80's pick up with cherry bombs!
No dyno numbers as I street tuned it. Currently sitting just a hair shy of 15psi and it's runner when the hair dryer gets going. Flooring from a stop - makes the heavy 24's spin as if they are on ice.
So far I like everything but the sound of the exhaust.

What’s your overall impression on the spikes kit? Any fitment issues?