Been Driving A Sonoma
 

It's my friend's Sonoma and I don't even know what year it is. I think we are working out a trade of me build him porch railings and I get truck but things are casual between us. It's a 4cyl/5spd regular cab which is perfect. It would be perfecter if 4wd, but I have the Suburban for that. I would of course need to personalize this one but not wanting to do a lot. It's purpose is to be cheap all around. I think I'd lower it a bit, change wheels & tires to suit me and I would love to put a windowless fiberglass cap on, since it carries my tools to jobs and could use a way to haul long things. For Carlisle in spring I threw together a rack so I could stack tubs higher and so I could drape a tarp over for a place to sleep and keep things dry if it rained.

I want to dress it down, more of a work truck. I'd like to find the 4wd steel wheels like my '99 ZR2 has. At first glance they look like the base steel wheel for S-models, but those are stamped and these are heavier plate. That would make a subtle change, the kind I like. If not those, I'll get steelies and put hubcaps on. I'm thinking argent wheels.

I'd find a rear bumper and brackets as well

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

I think the wheel backspacing is different between the 4WD and 2WD wheels, as I recall.

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

I think you are correct. I never see a 4wd with the steel wheels. That's one thing I liked about the '99 ZR2 when we bought that, and the 5spd. My wife passed it on to our son or I'd still have it.

I forgot to mention my other choice for wheels, the IROC wheels that came on the S10s with suspension pkg. They look better on the S10s than IROCs, IMO. These are what I'd really like. This S10 had that suspension pkg as well as some drop. This is the look I'm after

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

That stance and those wheels would look really good with the black paint.

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Now we'll see if I can get the truck from him. If I do, it will be those IROCs going on with same stance

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Good luck!

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

I talked to my friend on Sunday after he texted "might actually run again lol", speaking about my '95 Suburban. It's been at his place since January and I've been in the Sonoma all this time. I told him don't sweat it, take your time :lol:. We worked out a trade on the repair, me doing work on his house for him fixing blown head gasket. That was because it was January and he has a shop to work in. In the same text I asked, "How much for the Sonoma?", and he answered "Do you like it?". "I like it enough", and he gave me a deal I couldn't refuse. I'll be owning my first mini truck. It's a '99, so I'm still stuck in the 20th century, never having anything newer yet. I actually bought a new '99 ZR2 extended cab 5spd, but that was for my wife. I was hoping to end up with that one when she got her next vehicle, but she handed it off to my older son.

I really want a windowless fiberglass cap for it, so I can keep tools dry. Having an open bed has been a real challenge. I stopped by a place yesterday to inquire on availability of these and Leer still makes them. $2,600.00!!!!! :jdp: I put a Leer cap with tinted windows, screens, and the faux liner on the ZR2 and it was $800. Holy cow! I used to buy Reading utility bodies for $1,500 new! (unpainted)

The Hokie rack on it now I built real quick for Spring Carlisle so I could stack tubs and throw a tarp over to sleep in the bed. It's still on there so I can haul a ladder or longer lumber. Once the Suburban is back, I'm done with that rack. I need to find a used, hopefully windowless, cap. Then come the wheels and lowering

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Nice looking little ride. I had a 97 S10 extended cab, 4 banger/5 speed for about 2 years. Good daily driver. Only issue I had is it kept leaking around water pump and thermostat housing. Chevy replaced them twice, but they still would start leaking after about a month. Got rid of it when wife got pregnant so we could have room for 2 kids. had it about 20 months and put on around 30K on it.

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

S10/ Camaro wheels look great polished

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

That's a cool little truck. I'm betting it does well on gas. I'd be tempted to lower it to get it 'under' the wind and lighten it however possible (within reason) to get the most out of the gas savings, since you have other more 'robust' rigs for the heavy/big stuff.

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Those are the ones I want, but I don't want then too shiny. The vibe is sporty beater :lol:. It has a lot of paint issues I'm not bothered over
I want to lower it like that raspberry colored one. I want the same look only black. It's all about being a fuel miser runabout on the sporty side.

The muffler has come apart on the inside. It started sounding like hell all at once, buzzing and vibrating sounding like crap. I had to drive it the next day and all that settled down and now it just sounds throaty with a touch of raggy. I just ordered a Borla cat-back, so step one in the sportify process. Probably do a clutch next, because it could use a new one. I'll go with something performance. I guess the next step with be lowering and I'll just live with the wheels and tires for now. The tires are mud & snow, so get through the winter at least.

Yesterday on my way to the lumber yard

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

The lumber yard doesn't have a road to it? :lol:

Borla. Isn't that Italian? You'll be choosing your wines by the region next...

Kidding aside, that's a cool little truck. Paint looks good from here. Not that you're looking to perfect-ify it, but a lot can be done with it to bring it back. That raspberry one sits nice. Those are actually pretty cool wheels for steel. Sporty and utilitarian. I think they have trim rings on them. That's a good place to save a critical weight (the Camaro wheels would probably be a noticeable weight gain) and I think it'd look cool without the rings. Maybe rattle the wheels argent when they're off next. Anyway, I like it, I'd roll it, and it gets me thinking how I'd modify it.

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

:lol: I take backroads to this old lumber yard. I've been taking photos of old barns and I pulled over for one. There is a blind hump in the road, so I pulled well off in case, by rare coincidence, two vehicles passed in opposite directions. seemed like a good photo op.

The wheels I want are part of the LQ8 suspension pkg the Xtremes have but also available as a stand along option. The raspberry truck has that pkg plus a little more drop. I hope my friend remembers what he did and what size tires he used. That truck is perfect.

The wheels on it now are the later LQ8 wheels and are also alloy. They were also made with a dark grey center. I just don't care for them, like the others way more. I also have a thing, it seems, for going retro (backwards in time) with wheels. Older is better to me.

Borla was the only performance cat-back I could find. I searched "99 GMC Sonoma cat-back exhaust". I'd find results for Magnaflow and other popular brands for much cheaper, go to order, and get "this part will not fit your vehicle". Look at the listed vehicle and it would be K1500. WTF? I guess search engines now over ride using quotes and still show what the internet wants you toi see, not what you want to see. It happens all the time. I think even on Jeg's site I put in my vehicle, then searched, and got K1500 results. Those systems are way cheaper than S-series

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Oh yeah, the paint. Other than dings and scratches, the hood and top paint is failing. It looks like a type of spider webbing. Like a contaminant got on it or is under the paint

I can't wait till I get my Suburban back on the road so I can take the rack off. I made it to come of and on easily, but as soon as I take it off I'll have a need for it. I'm thinking a frame-type tonneau.

Once the 'Burb is back I want to go into the Sonoma and get everything right and do the suspension. Get the wheels and new tires last. These tires are mud and snow

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

My exhaust system came in. I remembered wrong. It's a Gibson exhaust. I can't wait to put that on. Step one in the sportification... in the form of a routine repair. Next I'm looking into getting it in top tune and some brake work

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

The Gibson exhaust is on, new coil packs, and TPS. I got the calipers and pads for the front to put on yet. A wheel bearing is bad and I might as well put now brake hoses on. I need to get those couple things before doing the brakes. Also need to get around to replacing the wiper motor module. The wipers started getting out of line on my and doing their own thing :lol:. I think about ordering one every time a drive in the rain. We had a dry year! :lol:

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

That's a nice little Sonoma. I had a 2000 stepside that I was doing an LS swap on then I sold it. It's at my BIL place in pieces along with a complete s10 worth of parts.
I just texted him this weekend and said not to scrap the parts that I wanted them.

Here I go AGAIN!!!

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Good work. It's on its way.

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Is the Suburban close to getting Engine back?

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

I'm sure you'd like that little thing with the V8. This same friend built one, that looks just like this one, with Escalade motor & all wheel drive. Like a later LS Cyclone!. It's crazy fun! I looked but I don't have pictures...Nabbit! Other than the hood bulge and wider they look the same. I think that's a coincidence he ended up with both the same trim, black, w/silver graphic
Bit by bit. I can't check my prior post while I reply here, but I have calipers and pads to install, but need to get wheel bearings/seal for the r/f. I'll get hoses, too. then it's clutch release bearing/mechanism. Then it's see about that attitude change. At this time I'm thinking 2"
Last we talked about it, in Oct, the heads were on but still needs finished. It has a list of things it needed that I want to catch up on that I need to get up there to take care of. Some need to wait until it's running, but I have a nice steering wheel. The truck came with a bite out of high noon. GM changed the air bag mounting, so I need to take from the old and make work for the new. p/s hoses waiting for last underhood. Oh, and it wasn't making heat. I had to replace the control head (used) and I think that one's bad or something else is up. So, that's waiting till the engine can make heat

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

As of now the LS is most likely going in my C10 but time will tell. :lol:

Re: Been Driving A Sonoma
 

Yep, that's how it works. Until the wrenches come out, anything can happen. I go with original color these days, most times. But when no going original and someone asks what color I'm using I tell them, "I'll let you know after I but it"