JuberaFab Built GMC Prerunner

[mrs.juberafab]

Figured I'd start a build thread for my old truck which we are currently building for the new owner since we sold it back in August 2020. Many of you know her by her nickname "El Diamante Negro (The Black Diamond) which we gave her back in the Dezertrangers.com days.

The history on the truck...
She is a 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT Extended Cab. This truck was my 16th birthday present from my parents, and until our kids got older I never thought I'd ever want to sell her.

We started the original build on the truck in December 2008 when I was on winter break from community college. Ryan (my now husband, and BF at the time) had just finished building the LT front end on his 99 F150 (#Betsy1418) and I decided I too wanted a LT front end on my truck. The joys of being 19 years old with little money and not very many responsibilities . The truck was mostly stock with 2" coil-spacers, 33" BFG All-Terrains, 17" Mickey Thompson Wheels, and a Prerunner Bumper Ryan had built. We built the front end in my parents garage with minimal tools, Ryan had just purchased his Hypertherm Plasma Cutter (which was a major upgrade from the 4.5" angle grinder he used to cut his LT front end out with), Lincoln 110 Mig Welder, bench grinder, and cardboard templates. I remember once he figured out the geometry, we designed the arms out of cardboard and finalized the design together. We even took turns welding everything on my dad's old wooden bench. Ryan also cut and pulled the bedsides as well as mounted the lender Hannemann front Fenders. The In n Out pic is from the night we got her driveable with the LT front end. The picture of her covered in mud was from her first trip to B Canyon. The picture with both trucks was of our first trip out to Ocotillo with both trucks.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

Fast forward to 2009, we sold the Mickey Thompson's when Ryan bumped Betsy up to 37" BFG Projects and I got his Hand-me-down 35" BFG All-Terrains and 17" bought Robby Gordon True Beadlock Wheels. Ryan customized a Trailer Products one-piece fiberglass hood and made custom mini-fenders to fit the GMC Front lights and grill, built new Upper Control Arms, and new spindles. We got married November of that year as well.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

Over the next year not much changed with the truck. We did put 37" BFG Projects on the truck which was one of the few upgrades we did.



Then in November 2010, we welcomed our first son. We brought him home in the truck.



Fast forward 6 months we moved to my parent's rental, fortunately they gave us the garage to house Ryan's F150 so he could work on her inside while taking on a few projects outside the garage.
During this time Ryan mounted a ProAm steering wheel using a SweetMFG Quick release and built a custom center-console as well. We also sold the bed and customized a set of used Fiberwerx besides to match the front one-piece.

 

[juberafab]

I looked like a little kid.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

During this time we did something I'm not proud of and we bought a Yamaha Rhino 660. But Ryan was having withdrawals of not having a smooth truck since only the front end of my truck was built and the side by side didn't compare, so we decided we would put the f150 build on hold to link my truck so we could go out to the desert in comfort and more often. We linked my truck in record time since we had an upcoming Mojave Trail trip on the desertrangers spinoff site "dezertsilverados", we had the shocks, the hard parts, and metal we just needed time. The trip was scheduled for the first weekend of January 2012 we started the process on NYE 2011 . Link pockets, fuel tank, and trailing arms had been built in advanced and shocks were just waiting to be mounted.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

More Pics...

 

[Joshualater21]

I remember this truck from the DR days. Was one of my favorites!

 

[mrs.juberafab]

We were supposed to meet at the Avi Hotel in Laughlin Friday January 6th, but we were just getting truck on the ground Saturday Morning January 7th at 2am, when we were supposed to start on the trail at 9am Saturday morning.



We pulled into the hotel parking lot right as everyone was coming out of the hotel getting ready to take off.



We installed the GPS we purchased off of one of the members before we started the run as well, in the parking lot. I remember I got an expensive traffic ticket before we arrived for doing 85mph in a 65mph zone, because I didn't want a Jeep to pass me and the police officer was nice enough to drop it down to 75mph. Luckily he didn't get me for anything else, like no exhaust because I'm pretty sure he didn't hear the truck I remember Ryan was like get on the gas slowly, don't hammer down . Overall we had a great trip, one of many trips with the truck.

 

[Steven Tolbert]

I always liked this truck. You two were just kids lol
Looking forward to see the rest of the back story and the updates.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

I always liked this truck. You two were just kids lol
Looking forward to see the rest of the back story and the updates.

Thanks! Looking at the pics we were practically babies. Lol I'm trying to keep everything in chronological order. I'm just working on sourcing all the pics I have.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

January 2012

After the trip we finished the panels with Carbon fiber overlays and some blue mesh accents. I also designed, cut, cleaned, and TIG welded the overlays on the trailing arms. I'm sure Ryan helped some as well. I was all about having all my stuff painted, so we painted the rear fab work and panels. I also painted the two ammo cans we ran on the rear for storage.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

February 2012
we took the truck out to Ocotillo for President's weekend. This was probably the dirtiest the truck's ever been as we hit massive puddles down pole line.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

April - May 2012
We built the front engine cage with a cross member.


In May we also took the truck out a few times with our son
We went to one of the desert races. Then went out a few days later, Ryan even jumped the Barstow Wash jump.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

In July 2013 we built custom Swings Swingset Steering for the truck.

In August 2012 we decided to back half the truck right at the C-notch and build a storage box with the spare sitting on top of it on a lift-gate.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

Over the next few months we did alot of upgrades to the truck, some cosmetic things, but also, added a cab cage, PRP seats, Crow Harnesses, with custom tube structure for our son's carseat (we later upgraded to Master Craft 3G seats as Ryan's back didn't agree with the PRP's).

 

[mrs.juberafab]

In Novemember 2013 Mike Inglesbee contacted me regarding doing a photoshoot for Offroad Magazine. We tiedied up the truck and met up in Cougar Butes for the shoot. she sure did clean up nice.



In January 2014 we welcomed our daughter.


The Magazine article came out April 2014, I believe it was the last issue of Offroad Magazine, didn't make the cover, but made the centerfold.


We took the truck out a lot and kept her looking decent. We built a light rack for her, tidied up the interior, added a radio and intercom, and I continued to use her as my daily.

 

[96f-u250]

I remember a post in DR about adding a piece of round tube to the bottom of the rear axle housing. Do you have any pics of how you landed it on the center section? Im thinking about adding one on my bent 8.8.

 

[mrs.juberafab]

I remember a post in DR about adding a piece of round tube to the bottom of the rear axle housing. Do you have any pics of how you landed it on the center section? Im thinking about adding one on my bent 8.8.

We did truss the bottom of the housing, unfortunately I can't find the pics. Maybe @juberafab will chime in, I can't remember how it landed in the middle. I vaguely remember the tabs on the ends that the tube welded too, it's just been so long.