Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

Did you paint the valve covers? I have some chrome ones that you can have real cheap

Actually, the valve covers are painted. I have never seen silver GM factory valve covers, but they are.

Although, just how cheap is cheap :lol: ?

 

[warmpancakes]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

Actually, the valve covers are painted. I have never seen silver GM factory valve covers, but they are.

Although, just how cheap is cheap :lol: ?

they say chevrolet on them if it matters they are the bow tie ones but they are the taller ones, ill get a measurement tonight and you can verify they fit

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

More little progress.. got the bed done the rest of the way and sitting back on the truck. Also got my waterneck fixed (and let me tell you, that is a tight fit for the hose but it works good). The truck is basically done now, except putting all the sheetmetal back

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

At long last, the GT lives again. Sort of. The starter and power steering are giving me trouble, but it runs and drives. Had to drop the tranny, rebleed and shim the throwout bearing, and then reassemble it to make it work. Then did rust repairs, hopefully finishing mechanicals and starting full body primer tomorrow

Sort of looks like a truck

my new ventilation system... this moves about 8000cfm

Fenders, tailgate in primer, roof ready to go

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

refilled the tranny today, did the purple wire relay fix, and all was good to go, or so I thought. Now it has developed another squealing kind of noise that has me stumped, coming from the bellhousing area but not from the tranny, changes with changes to the clutch. I dunno.

Started prepping the bed for primer, hopefully going to begin spraying tomorrow

Using the giant plastic sheets as an impromtu spray booth with the furnace blower I scored yesterday as the ventilation draw. Hopefully should work out pretty well

 

[Robert Lone]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

jj is a wuss.....



Nice progress...:tup:

 

[SY2455]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

What starter did you end up using? I tried the stock starter and it was too big. So I tried a smaller starter from a GP here and it won't fit because the holes are off. It's looking like I need to buy one of those mini starters that have the 4 bolt holes in a row type. I'm checking a starter for a 1990 S-10 4.3 5 speed next.

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

What starter did you end up using? I tried the stock starter and it was too big. So I tried a smaller starter from a GP here and it won't fit because the holes are off. It's looking like I need to buy one of those mini starters that have the 4 bolt holes in a row type. I'm checking a starter for a 1990 S-10 4.3 5 speed next.

The one I have is from a 383 stroker small block... it was a rebuilt OCA high torque, but I bought it used on ebay so I can't give you a part number. It has the straight 2 bolt pattern and is for a 153 tooth flywheel. I am not sure if the earlier blocks have the bolt holes for a straight pattern starter, but i think the same one can be had in an offset pattern also

I tell you what though, this truck feels real peppy with this tranny.... i think it's going to go pretty good once I get it on the road again

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

jj is a wuss.....



Nice progress...:tup:

At least I can install an engine by myself and don't have to call a wrench session :lol:


Although, it wouldn't work because I'm the only one up here except dave and toolman, and maybe a few others :squint:

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

Today was paint day, so off I was to work all day with the sandpaper. I have never painted anything with a spray gun before, so this was somewhat of an experiment. :roll: After about 2 hours of sanding to fix my first few mistakes, and another 45 minutes of adjusting the gun, I got it to work out pretty well and sprayed the whole thing. There was also 3 hours of bondo work in there... :squint: no rust repairs, just filling a few dings, dents, pits and a little warpage in the new sheetmetal :lol: . Anyhow, here's how she looked through the day

 

[MikeRenz]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

what color is it going to be when you're all done?

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

what color is it going to be when you're all done?

After a lot of debate, I concluded that you can't get much better than black for one of these. This one is also more of a restoration than a restomod, so it's staying black.

 

[MikeRenz]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

rumor has it blacks the hardest color to paint for a novice....thats why i was asking.

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

rumor has it blacks the hardest color to paint for a novice....thats why i was asking.

So I hear .... no one ever said I liked to do things the easy way :lol: ... I might change my mind again since it won't be getting topcoat until thanksgiving, at least by my best estimate

 

[hatrik8]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

Wanna do mine after yours? You can mess up yours first. :rotf: Looks good so far. :tup:

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

Wanna do mine after yours? You can mess up yours first. :rotf: Looks good so far. :tup:

I think I might need a little more practice before I start painting things I can't hide in my garage :lol:

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

Well, last bit of progress for the near future, probably won't touch it again until october or thereabouts, I start classes on thursday ..

Bed back on, in primer, hopefully will get the last remnants of a bad run sanded out and get it topcoated the next time I go home.

And my Ty had to show up :lol:

 

[mattw]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

And my Ty had to show up :lol:

That crooked front license plate looks like crap.. You really should straighten that out.


-Matt

 

[Aeroking]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

that pic from the back, looks like the windshield is cracked?

excellent job BTW.

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

That crooked front license plate looks like crap.. You really should straighten that out.


-Matt

Tell me about it :roll: ... every time I drive the truck it goes right back to that spot. I think I'm going to have to put another bolt in those brackets to get it to stay straight :lol: I hate having the doggone thing on there anyway

Aeroking.... yes, the windshield is broken. It looked like someone hit it with a golf ball / baseball when I got it, and it has since had a few encounters with sockets and other such tools