2001 GMC Sonoma 4x4
- Thread starter Dougnuts
- Start date
Dougnuts
Well-known member
With the time change and cold weather (26°F this morning), I will be doing the majority of work and filming in the garage, so I had been contemplating making changes to the garage. As luck would have it, my coworker was renovating his garage, which gave me the opportunity to pick up a free work table and cabinet. I cut down each end of the table, stained all of the bare wood, purchased a $17 task light from Walmart, a power strip from Lowes, and spent the whole weekend in the garage making it work. The table is now full of Sonoma parts, which means they are no longer in the room that we will be using for Thanksgiving. I (read: my wife) loves it when a plan comes together.
All that time in the garage without any progress on the truck was tough, but this will pay dividends. Having a work table is much more important in my 40's than it was in my 20's.
Before:
After:
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ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
With the time change and cold weather (26°F this morning), I will be doing the majority of work and filming in the garage, so I had been contemplating making changes to the garage. As luck would have it, my coworker was renovating his garage, which gave me the opportunity to pick up a free work table and cabinet. I cut down each end of the table, stained all of the bare wood, purchased a $17 task light from Walmart, a power strip from Lowes, and spent the whole weekend in the garage making it work. The table is now full of Sonoma parts, which means they are no longer in the room that we will be using for Thanksgiving. I (read: my wife) loves it when a plan comes together.
All that time in the garage without any progress on the truck was tough, but this will pay dividends. Having a work table is much more important in my 40's than it was in my 20's.
Before:
After:
Please tell me you kept that "before" work bench. That looked nice. Of course, all the rest of the new to you stuff also looks great!
Dougnuts
Well-known member
Yes, that is the table that is now in the corner.
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
Ah. The red toolbox is under it. Cool
Dougnuts
Well-known member
Work continues on the Sonoma. In the last few days I replaced the rear shocks with Rancho RS5000's and finally got the seat lever installed.
The driver's side shock had zero compression resistance and would not self extend. The passenger side had neither compression or rebound control for the first 3-4" of travel. I'm still waiting on the title, so the test drive was limited to the neighborhood, but it felt like a new truck. I hope to get to the front end this weekend.
The seat lever required me to find a longer thread cutting screw than the one shipped with the lever, but all was well once I sourced that. No more vice grips required.
Here's a link to a short YouTube video of the shock install.
The driver's side shock had zero compression resistance and would not self extend. The passenger side had neither compression or rebound control for the first 3-4" of travel. I'm still waiting on the title, so the test drive was limited to the neighborhood, but it felt like a new truck. I hope to get to the front end this weekend.
The seat lever required me to find a longer thread cutting screw than the one shipped with the lever, but all was well once I sourced that. No more vice grips required.
Here's a link to a short YouTube video of the shock install.
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Dougnuts
Well-known member
Big weekend for project Sonoma - heater core replacement.
First, I drained the coolant, unhooked the heater hoses, removed the blower motor resistor, battery, and coolant overflow bottle.
One of the bolts for the heater box is inside the underhood HVAC box, so I drilled a hole just big enough to get an extension through, and put the socked on the end, inside the box. I also removed two additional heater box bolts on the firewall and then spray painted the rusty battery tray.
Moving inside the cab, I removed all of the lower kick panels and worked my way up (mostly 7mm with a few 10mm) until I could lay the dash back. Tutorials are available on YouTube, but watch a few because it seems they all leave out something.
After the dash was removed, I got the heater box pulled back and removed and replaced the old heater core.
Foam was cut and installed to replicate factory locations, not just around the perimeter as it shows below.
While I had the dash out, I decided that it was the right time to replace the speakers. I ran to Best Buy to pick up these 4x6" Pioneers. Part Number TS-G460, cost $60.
I then tore the factory speaker connectors off and soldered them to the new speakers.
First, I drained the coolant, unhooked the heater hoses, removed the blower motor resistor, battery, and coolant overflow bottle.
One of the bolts for the heater box is inside the underhood HVAC box, so I drilled a hole just big enough to get an extension through, and put the socked on the end, inside the box. I also removed two additional heater box bolts on the firewall and then spray painted the rusty battery tray.
Moving inside the cab, I removed all of the lower kick panels and worked my way up (mostly 7mm with a few 10mm) until I could lay the dash back. Tutorials are available on YouTube, but watch a few because it seems they all leave out something.
After the dash was removed, I got the heater box pulled back and removed and replaced the old heater core.
Foam was cut and installed to replicate factory locations, not just around the perimeter as it shows below.
While I had the dash out, I decided that it was the right time to replace the speakers. I ran to Best Buy to pick up these 4x6" Pioneers. Part Number TS-G460, cost $60.
I then tore the factory speaker connectors off and soldered them to the new speakers.
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Dougnuts
Well-known member
While I was out picking up the speakers, I stopped by Lowes for a 3/8" bolt and rubber washers. Since the hole I drilled in the HVAC box wasn't on a flat surface, I needed some give, so I stacked 4 rubber washers. One metal and one rubber washer on the inside and three rubber and one metal on the outside (one metal washer is missing from picture), used a magnet to pull the bolt through the hole, had my son reach into the HVAC box to hold the bolt head while I tightened the stack. So far, it seems like a perfect solution.
I cleaned as much of the dash, vents, and kick panels that I could and began putting things back together.
I installed a new coolant overflow, new blower motor resistors (I don't think that speeds 1 and 2 weren't previously working), and put the dash back in. Once completed, I added coolant and fired the truck up. It idled perfectly (no forgotten vacuum hoses) and without any warning lights. I cranked the heat and it got hot and even smelled fresher from all of the cleaning efforts.
The new work bench was great, and the old work table was used to label bolts as I took them out.
One of the dash speaker covers was brittle and broke when I removed it. I went to RockAuto to order a replacement and ended up going through all of the closeout items. I spent another wad of cash, but I did get some good deals.
I cleaned as much of the dash, vents, and kick panels that I could and began putting things back together.
I installed a new coolant overflow, new blower motor resistors (I don't think that speeds 1 and 2 weren't previously working), and put the dash back in. Once completed, I added coolant and fired the truck up. It idled perfectly (no forgotten vacuum hoses) and without any warning lights. I cranked the heat and it got hot and even smelled fresher from all of the cleaning efforts.
The new work bench was great, and the old work table was used to label bolts as I took them out.
One of the dash speaker covers was brittle and broke when I removed it. I went to RockAuto to order a replacement and ended up going through all of the closeout items. I spent another wad of cash, but I did get some good deals.
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Dougnuts
Well-known member
The roof of the Sonoma looked horrendous.
I'm getting more confident with the DA, and I had a few minutes, so it came out to see how much the paint could be improved. Other than the obvious blemishes in the clearcoat, made worse by filling with rubbing compound, it came out quite well.
I'm getting more confident with the DA, and I had a few minutes, so it came out to see how much the paint could be improved. Other than the obvious blemishes in the clearcoat, made worse by filling with rubbing compound, it came out quite well.
85_Ranger4x4
Well-known member
ThundahBeagle
Well-known member
I was gonna say. It looks like metal flake or, just call it the galaxy paint job. Everyone will want it
ITTOG
Well-known member
paintNot sure if mispelled... either "pain" or "paint" fit...
Andrew_S
Observer
Awesome, what a great start. Subscribed.
In addition to how reliable these can be, you've got to love how cheap they are to maintain. You're kids going to get one hell of a first truck to enjoy that also comes with a great story. Looking forward to watching this progress.
What are the vehicles did you have to choose from?
In addition to how reliable these can be, you've got to love how cheap they are to maintain. You're kids going to get one hell of a first truck to enjoy that also comes with a great story. Looking forward to watching this progress.
What are the vehicles did you have to choose from?