I've got a car show happening at my school in about 2 weeks and have been thinking a lot about how I can make my truck stand out. Other people are bringing their parents old muscle cars and brand new sports sedans, but I want to turn some heads too. It's a given that I'll clean and wax it, and all the other usual preparations, but I'd like to hear some outside opinions and see what others have done, and have some feedback on how feasible my own ideas are.

The truck is a 2002 Ram 2500 4x4, Std. Cab, pretty much the stripped model. Things I've already done include installing some 55w off road lights, a flow master muffler, edelbrock pro flo air cleaner, billet shift ****, rattle can painted the diff. cover, short flexible antenna, and some other things that escape my mind as of now. I thought about while I'm replacing the shocks to remove the springs and shoot them with some rustoleum to match the diff. cover, painting the wheels black to get that cop car look of black steel rims and chrome hubcaps, adding a Dodge windshield decal, and removing the plastic grill inserts and replacing them with expanded steel or something.

I'm really open to most things except traits borrowed from rice rockets, extreme lifts and tires to match, alloy wheels, and expensive stuff.

Lets hear it!

 

That's all going to be a matter of taste. I clean, well-maintained truck is just as good, if not better, than something with just cosmetics. (my opinion.)

 

Check out this thread and see what others have done. I tend to agree with the above though. It's all personal opinion as to what you think looks nice. I'm more of a fan of function over form. Maintenance before mods.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...e-allowed.html

 

Really clean and shiny go a long way for me. Spend a weekend and a few bucks and really detail the heck out o the truck. Tire shine, even. Bar b que rattle can painted wheels/diff cover wouldn't float my boat. Same with stickers.

 

Thanks for your input. Seems most people I've asked on the forums agree. I just hit the parts store and picked up some soap, wax, the whole 9 yards. I'm hoping to pull some dents from the body panels too. Maybe buying a pneumatic dent puller would be money better spent then bolt on accessories. Hopefully by this weekend, it will look like it rolled off the showroom floor!

 

Thanks for the link! I've browsed through the first few pages, and seen some really cool rides. I agree more now on mantainance before modifacation mindset. Mine has seen a lot of abuse, and not a whole lot of love. Step one is going to be to give it a good once over and clean.

 

Wet sand and polish to a mirror finish! That's better than show room new.

 

If the paint ain't bad, just oxidized, Clay Bar does that without damaging the clearcoat. When you get the truck all spiffy, post up a few pics!

 

Do you have an auto shop class at your school? I was college prep so many years ago, but took the shop class as an elective. Sure beat ancient English Lit. or the Bible as Literature! Anyhow, a shop teacher could give you advice on cleaning up the dents and bump spots and might even have the proper tools!

Welcome to Dodge City, btw!

 

Yep! I'm enrolled in autoshop for the year. I'll ask next week and see if we can pull some dents.