Project Vehicle: Introducing Project Murderado

Build Updates: Project Murderado

Steven Olsewski
•
July 27, 2016

project murderado

For build updates, newest to oldest, scroll down.

The time has come to step up our project vehicle lineup with a full-size truck. We bring to you our 2013 Chevrolet Silverado Extended Cab 4×4 short bed. This, like our current projects, will have a specific build direction.

Project Build Updates

– Project Murderado: Increase Stance With Skyjacker SuspensionsThe overall concept for the truck is to turn it into a vehicle that is daily driveable and off-road capable when our project is complete. Project Murderado will be able to perform in the desert, through mud, and rocks. The concept will be more of an expedition or camping vehicle that you can still play around in and enjoy while maintaining an everyday truck duty.

Project Murderado will turn into a flexible vehicle to take overlanding, and everything we do to the truck will have that in mind. The 5.3-liter V8 motor will give the pickup plenty of power to carry all of the weight we will be adding.

7/28/2016 – Road Trip: Going Off-Road

Not everyday do you get to go on a road trip like this, but we were going to get the truck to a ton of places.
Not everyday do you get to go on a road trip like this, but we were going to get the truck to a ton of places.
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The first outdoor stop along the way was to Brian Head, Utah. Being in Southern California we do not see snow for long, but seeing it late in the year like we did in Utah was a nice sight.
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The great thing about road trips is the ability to see what once was. We stopped by Cisco, Utah to see the old town and everything it once offered.
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In the South Eastern part of Utah there is an area that is called the Valley of the Gods, and by the look of what is around it only seems fitting.
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With so much to see in our great country, it has to be on the top of everyone’s to-do list. The amount that you get to experience and see off-road is a just as incredible if not more.
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Crossing the Colorado River. Something that we knew would happen sooner or later along the trip.

4/19/2016 – Increase Stance With Skyjacker Suspension

With the lift kit in, we wanted to get the truck up in the air and the product on as soon as possible. Everyone knows an off-road truck is not off-road worthy until it gets a little height added to it.
Everything that you need to get the suspension installed is included in the kit. Shocks, nuts and bolts, and all the brackets make for a straight forward installation.
New Skyjacker M95 shocks provide extra dampening both on and off-road.
Before installing the new Skyjacker crossmembers, the front differential is placed back into the truck with new brackets. Once in, the new crossmembers can be installed with the anti-torque arm.
With the lift kit installed, we made a quick over to the alignment shop to make sure everything was pointed in the right direction before we hit the dirt.
This kit gave us the look we were after when we started this project, and allowed us to clear our 35-inch Dick Cepek Extreme Country mud terrain tires. It did come with the lift blocks in the rear, but this is something we can look at upgrading down the road.

1/25/2016 – Plan For The Build

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Our stock 2013 Chevy Silverado 4×4 is begging to have work done.

Until we get it lifted and put some new wheels and tires on it is not an off-road vehicle – which will be first on the list of things to do. The name Murderado gives a clue about the overall color theme we will be going with – black, black, and more black.

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Chrome is not the name of the game in this build. All the chrome will be exchanged for black.

New front and rear bumpers start to transform the look of our truck into an expedition vehicle. We will need to use a spare tire carrier mounted outside of the bed, which requires the addition of a bedcap.

The cap will also allow for protection for all the gear needed long-term trips off the grid. Protecting gear and making sure it stays dry is the key to success in the bush. We will not use the bed for sleeping, but plan to add a rooftop tent that will keep us up off the ground and safe while sleeping.

Not much done to Project Murderado at this time, but that will soon change.
Not much done to Project Murderado at this time, but everything that will make it a capable overlanding vehicle will soon be on the truck.

The whole goal with this project is to keep it functional both on and off-road. This is a build that you can head out after work on Friday, spend the weekend being disconnected from the world, and arrive back to work Monday without ever having to go home.

We chose to make an overland vehicle out of a truck for one simple reason – more space. Space is everything when heading off the trail and allows us to use the entire truck bed compared to just the back of a 4Runner or Land Rover. Plus, we like to do things that no one traditional does to push the limits of off-roading.

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These looks will only last so long. Before you know it, Murderado will begin the transformation.

We are looking forward to adding body protection, LED lights, and every accessory we would need for life on the trail. Of course, we will also be upgrading the axles, gears, and strengthening key components to make sure that we have peace of mind hundreds of miles away from civilization.

Keep checking back with Off Road Xtreme as we wrench on Project Murderado, and work towards creating the perfect overlanding truck.

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