Sonoma GT 519 - the rebuild saga (picture intense)

[jjorgensen52]

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

Well, it has been a while for this truck, but progress is finally being made again. I've got a motor secured (finally) and body work is now under way
Today's mission was to clean and POR15 the rear of the frame:

And also, just showing off the new fender and rust free S10 Baja tailgate I picked up on ebay

Started to bend some sheetmetal pieces tonight, going to be replacing the lower edges of the bedsides tomorrow and hopefully getting ahold of some tubing to replace the bed supports as needed. Then going to strip the front clip off, POR15 the remainder of the frame, and start prepping the truck for paint. Firewall will be staying black, as it should be. The truck itself is going to be 2 tone laser blue and graystone metallic.

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Succeeded in creating some sheet metal havoc for myself today... got it all under control now, I think. Anyway, bought a bunch of odds and ends to drop the motor in and started repairing sheet metal

 

[MikeRenz]

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

looks good. looks like it'd lose the 'fun' value after the first couple spots :lol:

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

looks good. looks like it'd lose the 'fun' value after the first couple spots :lol:

You're telling me... I'm getting the hang of this, but it takes a long time... and I'm still being ultra-cautious about warping the metal (did that on the first one, took me a while with the wood and mallet to fix it tolerably ) ... fortunately for me, these repairs are all going to be under the cladding. I have two more sections to go, and the last one is going to be the worst

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Alright, have now finished all 4 fender locations that needed help (the cream colored stuff is seam sealer, which GM factory applied to the sheetmetal joints and I used to seal the welds from behind. Going to POR15 over that stuff tomorrow). Have left the supports (tomorrow) and one rust spot in the bedrail, which I will get to tomorrow as well hopefully. Then I went and ripped the front clip off the truck in prep for the motor and POR15.

 

[Drag SGT]

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

Geez... makes me scared to start tearing into mine... which I have to soon since I no longer have the excuse that it's cold outside...

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Geez... makes me scared to start tearing into mine... which I have to soon since I no longer have the excuse that it's cold outside...

I'm begining to wish I hadn't :lol: ... finding more rust everywhere I turn. Finally got some replacement bed supports (had them made from 16 gauge stainless). May have to replace the core support (going to try and fix it first). Other than that, going to POR15 the front of the frame tonight and hopefully get started installing the new motor :tup:

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Well, not quite as much as I wanted... got the frame done

made myself a wrench port so I can put the motor mount pad back on :roll:

did the rear axle as well

 

[MikeRenz]

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

why not the leaves and aarms and everything else? or you just not get to it yet?

 

[fronzo]

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

Lookin good!!!

 

[hatrik8]

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

Must be on spring break from the USCG? I wish I could find the time to do work like that.

About how much does it cost to POR the whole frame? That stuff isn't cheap.

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

why not the leaves and aarms and everything else? or you just not get to it yet?

I haven't gotten to it yet, and at this rate I may not... they're a PITA to clean

Must be on spring break from the USCG? I wish I could find the time to do work like that.

About how much does it cost to POR the whole frame? That stuff isn't cheap.

I'm just about finished with 1 quart... I think I paid about $35 a quart, bought it on ebay. Have one more sitting here which I will probably open but I doubt I will finish it

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

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

Did you buy the Motor Frame Pads from Mike on s-series ??

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Did you buy the Motor Frame Pads from Mike on s-series ??

Was originally planning to do ES poly mounts, but it wasn't working out so I POR 15'd the stock frame pads and bought some NAPA mounts

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Well, not much visual progress today but got a lot done.
Removed the old bed supports (only broke one spot-weld cutter :lol: )

Tacked the new supports in place (I'm going to one-up warmpancakes, these babies are 16 gauge 316 stainless :tup: ). Had them made by the local sheetmetal dealer ... took them about an hour and they charged me $85 for the pair

Moral of this story ... I should have known better than to think I could drill holes in 16 gauge stainless... wrecked every 3/8 and 1/2" drill bit I own, plus 2 more of each I bought to finish the job (and that was drilling 8 holes :roll: )

All that's left to finish the bed is fixing the rear panel (ought to take 30 mins), POR 15 over the few rusty spots, then I'm bedlining the underside

 

[JSM]

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

Stainless work hardens when machining. You gotta run slow rpms and push hard and get a good cut. I bet you had the bits running full speed with your drill. Once it gets hot and work hardens good luck.

Slow, very slow lots of pressure and keep it cool (water, anything).

Otherwise good luck on the progress.

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Stainless work hardens when machining. You gotta run slow rpms and push hard and get a good cut. I bet you had the bits running full speed with your drill. Once it gets hot and work hardens good luck.

Slow, very slow lots of pressure and keep it cool (water, anything).

Otherwise good luck on the progress.

I knew that was going to happen, but slowing the drill down (drill press) did nothing for me at all... I was able to get the holes in, I have a few left but I think I'm going to just drill small pilots and use the carbide burr to do those, that actually works :tup:

 

[jjorgensen52]

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

Well, today was a slow day. Partly because a 40 minute trip to the parts store took over 2 hours because it decided to start snowingm and people don't know how to drive. That and my Saab wouldn't climb the last 35 feet of the road my street is on, so I had to go back and come around from the other side, which is about 5 miles out of the way (and at 15 mph, that takes time :tdown: )

Anyway, got the bed supports fully welded in place and undercoated the bed

Also, began assembling the new motor, although now it looks like I might have to change plans again.

Would you believe that those are the valve covers that were in this picture?

I also suspect the motor that was in it of being non-original because these covers definitely
didn't come on it from the factory.

One last shot, the snow as of 10pm... the Typhoon has been evicted while I finish the bed for the GT

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

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

holy snow batman - Maybe you should have had SS ski's made for your Sab.

 

[kentuc]

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

You should have tried to back up on the hill, usually works.