'99 Police Package (Z56 ?) Border Patrol retiree Tahoe

[strrangerr]

Just aquired a '99 Border Patrol retired white 4wd Tahoe for 5,400 with 81k, great engine, worn paint and battered suspension. Tan (Neutral) interior in pretty good shape with vinyl seats and (contrary to 5W5 specs) carpet. Also has good Rear AC, though I've read some posts from people who said it wasn't available. Are the Special Service 4wd models still considered Z56, or is that just the pursuit 2wd model with the 3.08 rear-end?

http://home.earthlink.net/~rmeyners/images/Rambo/leftfront.jpg

Will try to attach pics from the original dealer ad and take more later. Check the tailgate shot where you will see decal shadows of a unit number and look real hard for BORDER PATROL across either side of the latch. Everyone asks why it is not green but the wide decal that was down the side would have carried the traditional Border Patrol colors. Unfortunately the center hub covers were stolen while it was on the lot before I bought it. I thought someone had swapped the wheels but now I find out that the 4wd Special Service editions came with these aluminums.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rmeyners/images/Rambo/leftrear.jpg

No immediate plans for mods other than towing gear and eventually restoring the original 3.73 rear end that someone changed to something higher, sabotaging the 4wd and towing performance. I actually like the WT Cheyenne clip and will keep it and leave off the molding, too; however might consider black nerfs and the black bumpers and grill guard from my old '92 K Blazer if my son decides to get pipe for it. I also prefer the functional tailgate to the ambulance doors. The reciever and equalizer hitch are newly added.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rmeyners/images/Rambo/rightfront.jpg

Was not looking for a police package but was fascinated with it when I ran across it while looking for a vehicle that would tow my travel trailer. Wife wasn't impressed at first but it has grown on her to the point she has named it Rambo. Definitely a real TRUCK - not SUV.
Everyone figures the miles on these are hard ones but I tell them that applies more to the the suspension and body than the engines which are extremely well maintained and at any rate virtually indestructable. Front end is tight enough but noisy with a broken shock bracket I will get to soon.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rmeyners/images/Rambo/right.jpg

Will be very interested in technical info, especially regarding the wiring in these. I didn't see anything in the rules about referencing other forums and would like to mention a new board specializing in the Z56 at http://z56tahoe.com

:fsc:

[j20m715]

Just so you know those wheels arent stock for that.
They are from a newer truck.
I have had 6 or 7 of these & subs (ex border patrol).
Check for frame cracks & look the body mounts over real good.
Swapped rearends is real common in these.
They will steal parts from wrecked ones to patch others.
Check the frt suspension out real good.
I have seen some that are just flat worn out.

Whats your plans for the rig ?

[strrangerr]

Have looked real hard and only serious problem seems to be the broken shock mount. 81K sound pretty low to retire one but the rear end and shock mount seem to be the only reasons I can find. Other than that the various bushings are worn and noisy but some of that is the bumper rattling from at least one missing bolt. After fixing the shock mount I'll be able to tell more.

Those are all things you'd expect and look for in something like this. At first look we thought there was a problem with the 4wd but that turned out to be the rear end pushing faster than the front end was pulling. T-Case appears fine, though it's skid plate has taken a beating. The front skid plate and the rest of the underside look fine.

Our plan other than daily driving is to tow a travel trailer be ready for occasional and moderate off-roading. I kind of like the spartan all-business look of it and plan little in the way of serious mods other than possibly black bumpers, grill guard and nerfs. A seat upgrade and fresh paint might be in our future if everything else works out.

[strrangerr]

Oh, yeah, do you know if these are considered Z56, or it that just the 2wd interceptors?

[mveale05]

Your sig is absolutely massive. You need to resize that picture and make it A LOT smaller.

Police vehicles have usually had the sh*t driven out of them, but, of course, that's what they're built for. So good luck with that. Is it mostly gonna stay how it looks now, or any new body parts/repaint/lift/slammed planned?

[Cowboy Silverado]

Welcome to the site :bowtie: ...BTW Congrats on the Hoe!

[ChevyGrl]

Welcome to the site.:D

[Nick]

This may be a dumb question, but wouldn't the Z56 RPO be in the glove box if its a Z56? :dunno:

[Izzy]

Yep it's a 5W5, The Z56 was 2wd only. There should be a Z56/5W5 code in the glove box. I saw that on auto trader a few months back before I picked up my 'Burb.

If you're in DFW I have the grill off my old '99 Z56 you're welcome to have. It's lost some of the argent color but the grill is in great shape other than that.

[strrangerr]

I was checking out an RPO list last night and figured out what y'all have now confirmed, that it's a 5W5 Special Service package. Should work pretty good for my purpose - towing a travel trailer and moderate off-roading (in reality, unpaved county-roading in Colorado and elsewhere).

Is the Z56 grill different? The grill (including the Argent color) on mine is in such great shape I wonder if it was swapped in, cause the bumper and hood are kinda rough. Most people, including my wife don't care for the WT grill much but I like how it doesn't look like just another SUV. It has really grown on her, though.

I live near Cedar Creek Lake and bought it in Arlington, making it to Mesquite or Dallas 2 or 3 times a month.

I guess the wheels are too new looking too but the specs show this package fitted with bright cast aluminum wheels of some sort. I like them but wonder what the originals look like.

Finished installing the brake controller and gave it a towing trial yesterday. Definitely better than the '92 2dr. K Blazer my son now has but I look forward to even better tow performance with the original 3.73 ratio restored.

[strrangerr]

BTW, it does have the Certified 130mph speedo, though the 5W5 is supposed to only get a Certified 100.

[Izzy]

It's the same grill but I was going to toss it and figured I'd offer it to yah, I work in Lewisville.

That's cool about the cluster, I'm about to pick one up to install in my 'Burb. I'll have to get the Dakota Digital signal modifier but I like the look of it. I'm thinking of putting in some white Escalade needles in the cluster too.

[davkenrem]

Nice looking truck, I have a Z56 and love it, although I sometimes wish I had gotten a 4wd. The front grill swap is a piece of cake and really freshens the look of the truck, I did one on mine.


davkenrem.net/truck

[454ss]

Yep it's a 5W5, The Z56 was 2wd only. There should be a Z56/5W5 code in the glove box. I saw that on auto trader a few months back before I picked up my 'Burb.

If you're in DFW I have the grill off my old '99 Z56 you're welcome to have. It's lost some of the argent color but the grill is in great shape other than that.
That would have been a perfect truck for you....I bet it has some family history behind it:LOL:

Welcome to FSC:rocking:

[Izzy]

That would have been a perfect truck for you....I bet it has some family history behind it:LOL:

Welcome to FSC:rocking:
Kiss my taco. :mexsmoke: :LOL:

[strrangerr]

Nice looking truck, I have a Z56 and love it, although I sometimes wish I had gotten a 4wd. The front grill swap is a piece of cake and really freshens the look of the truck, i did one on mine.


davkenrem.net/truck


Thanks. I couldn't get your link to work.

UPDATE - The link works now! Great looking truck! I've always loved the black SS wheels on the 2wd police pack & would try to find some if they had 'em in my size. Nice ambulance doors, too, though I'm partial to tailgate functionality. Did you change the wheels after you got it home? the street pics with the new grill looks like different wheels. I have a red ZR5 with black trim that is 4wd but has 5 lug 15's - wonder if they would fit? Still got em?

So far I'm liking the Special Service look and resisting suggestions to replace the W/T grill, including from my wife. Would like to get black bumpers, nerfs, etc. (flares if they were'nt so overpriced) but don't know how soon. It has grown on my wife too as long as I don't put black pipe/diamondplate bumpers on it, which I wouldn't rule out if they weren't so heavy.

My son was able to weld back the broken front-right shock tower, so front end is tighter but still needs new shocks and probably other work.

How many miles on your Z56?

[davkenrem]

I changed the wheels on my truck to Cragar Soft 8's in 16X8 and Tires are 265x70-16 Toyo's.
My truck has about 120,000mi on the clock it was jus under 100,000 when I got it.

[chevyguy98]

Good to see others who have the police models, they do stand out that is for sure, I just picked up a 01 Tahoe 5W5 and I love it already. Just bolted on some side bars tonight and cleaning it up. Too bad the new tailight guards don't fit the barn doors, only tailgate back ends.
Both trucks look good for Police service (abuse)
BTW davkenrem, did you pick up yours from Keymotors, the lot looks familiar?

[Izzy]

eBay, I've seen a few pop up there in the last year.