Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[bridgecity]

If that Vibe was available when Junior wrote off the Focus, I likely would have made the trip for it. I like it.

Did the winter wheel swaps on the X and Tundra today. The Tundra will need new winters next year for sure.

The X is 8.5 years old now. It will likely be around for a while longer, still looks and drives like new.




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[Firm]

Finished detailing the Sonoma (started last weekend and got interrupted), and took the XKR for one last good rip on the backroads. Then tucked everything away in the home garage for the winter.

[bridgecity]

The paint on the Sonoma looks fantastic Firm. Such a nice little truck.

[Firm]

Thanks, it's original paint, and it has it's battle scars from being a teenager's daily driver, and work truck, for a portion of it's life, but every scar has a story, so I like it the way it is.

[JohnnyMac]

Thanks, it's original paint, and it has it's battle scars from being a teenager's daily driver, and work truck, for a portion of it's life, but every scar has a story, so I like it the way it is.

With all those older muscle cars and what not, have you ever had a desire to restomod them?  Put a modern powertrain or just an upgraded period correct motor?  Or is the fun just keeping them running and looking good?

[Firm]

Thanks, it's original paint, and it has it's battle scars from being a teenager's daily driver, and work truck, for a portion of it's life, but every scar has a story, so I like it the way it is.

With all those older muscle cars and what not, have you ever had a desire to restomod them?  Put a modern powertrain or just an upgraded period correct motor?  Or is the fun just keeping them running and looking good?

Not really, I tend to like stuff stock, or stock-ish. The XKR is a better performing car than anything I could build, so on the rare occasion that I want to drive something that's properly fast, it scratches the itch. The old stuff has personality, and the original drivelines are part of that personality....Hearing the secondaries open up on a Quadrajet 4bbl, the rasp of an old GM 2.8L, the roar of the big inefficient cooling fan clutch on Sonoma....All that stuff makes them what they are.

Plus, if I wanted and LS powered F-body, I'd buy a 98+ and have a nice clean factory setup, never understood why guys spend so much effort swapping an LS into what is essentially the same platform. 

[blur911]

Thanks, it's original paint, and it has it's battle scars from being a teenager's daily driver, and work truck, for a portion of it's life, but every scar has a story, so I like it the way it is.

With all those older muscle cars and what not, have you ever had a desire to restomod them?  Put a modern powertrain or just an upgraded period correct motor?  Or is the fun just keeping them running and looking good?

Not really, I tend to like stuff stock, or stock-ish. The XKR is a better performing car than anything I could build, so on the rare occasion that I want to drive something that's properly fast, it scratches the itch. The old stuff has personality, and the original drivelines are part of that personality....Hearing the secondaries open up on a Quadrajet 4bbl, the rasp of an old GM 2.8L, the roar of the big inefficient cooling fan clutch on Sonoma....All that stuff makes them what they are.

Plus, if I wanted and LS powered F-body, I'd buy a 98+ and have a nice clean factory setup, never understood why guys spend so much effort swapping an LS into what is essentially the same platform.

You really should bring one of your toys to the track sometime. 

[JohnnyMac]

Thanks, it's original paint, and it has it's battle scars from being a teenager's daily driver, and work truck, for a portion of it's life, but every scar has a story, so I like it the way it is.

With all those older muscle cars and what not, have you ever had a desire to restomod them?  Put a modern powertrain or just an upgraded period correct motor?  Or is the fun just keeping them running and looking good?

Not really, I tend to like stuff stock, or stock-ish. The XKR is a better performing car than anything I could build, so on the rare occasion that I want to drive something that's properly fast, it scratches the itch. The old stuff has personality, and the original drivelines are part of that personality....Hearing the secondaries open up on a Quadrajet 4bbl, the rasp of an old GM 2.8L, the roar of the big inefficient cooling fan clutch on Sonoma....All that stuff makes them what they are.

Plus, if I wanted and LS powered F-body, I'd buy a 98+ and have a nice clean factory setup, never understood why guys spend so much effort swapping an LS into what is essentially the same platform.

I get it, and I know there is a lot of sentimental feelings for them.  I would like to modify a vehicles performance some day to cross it off my bucket list, but it would be done to likely a vehicle I don’t have history with.

[Bubba]

Finished detailing the Sonoma (started last weekend and got interrupted)

A comment on Bring A Trailer this week on a 2001 S-10 LS Extreme auction.

"frantav327 This author's likes: 1,317

I was the suspension development engineer for all versions of the S-10, Sonoma, Blazer, Jimmy, and Bravada, and was responsible for envisioning and developing the ZQ8 Sport Handling suspension that was offered on Chevy and GMC versions. It was the first comprehensive sport truck suspension, including lowering springs front and rear, larger front and added rear stabilizer bars, quicker steering ratio, monotube shock absorbers, and low profile 16 inch tires. The truck’s performance exceeded targets, and was comparable to sporty cars of the time. Several complimentary magazine articles verified the performance, including a cover article on AutoWeek and the attached short take from Motor Trend https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/1996-gmc-truck-sonoma-gt-truck-trends/ . This looks like a beautiful example, and they are rarely seen with such low miles. Agree they were more fun with the 4.3 V6, and the real unicorns are the V6 with manual transmission of which just a few were built. Best of luck with the sale!!!"

[Firm]

Finished detailing the Sonoma (started last weekend and got interrupted)

A comment on Bring A Trailer this week on a 2001 S-10 LS Extreme auction.

"frantav327 This author's likes: 1,317

I was the suspension development engineer for all versions of the S-10, Sonoma, Blazer, Jimmy, and Bravada, and was responsible for envisioning and developing the ZQ8 Sport Handling suspension that was offered on Chevy and GMC versions. It was the first comprehensive sport truck suspension, including lowering springs front and rear, larger front and added rear stabilizer bars, quicker steering ratio, monotube shock absorbers, and low profile 16 inch tires. The truck’s performance exceeded targets, and was comparable to sporty cars of the time. Several complimentary magazine articles verified the performance, including a cover article on AutoWeek and the attached short take from Motor Trend https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/1996-gmc-truck-sonoma-gt-truck-trends/ . This looks like a beautiful example, and they are rarely seen with such low miles. Agree they were more fun with the 4.3 V6, and the real unicorns are the V6 with manual transmission of which just a few were built. Best of luck with the sale!!!"

Yes, I've seen that guy posting on other BAT auctions as well, pretty cool to have info on them come right from the source. Mine is a ZQ8 and does handle shockingly well for an old pickup....ride quality leaves a lot to be desired. It's a fun truck though, and the torquey 4.3L is a good fit for it.

[OliverD]

Finished detailing the Sonoma (started last weekend and got interrupted)

A comment on Bring A Trailer this week on a 2001 S-10 LS Extreme auction.

"frantav327 This author's likes: 1,317

I was the suspension development engineer for all versions of the S-10, Sonoma, Blazer, Jimmy, and Bravada, and was responsible for envisioning and developing the ZQ8 Sport Handling suspension that was offered on Chevy and GMC versions. It was the first comprehensive sport truck suspension, including lowering springs front and rear, larger front and added rear stabilizer bars, quicker steering ratio, monotube shock absorbers, and low profile 16 inch tires. The truck’s performance exceeded targets, and was comparable to sporty cars of the time. Several complimentary magazine articles verified the performance, including a cover article on AutoWeek and the attached short take from Motor Trend https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/1996-gmc-truck-sonoma-gt-truck-trends/ . This looks like a beautiful example, and they are rarely seen with such low miles. Agree they were more fun with the 4.3 V6, and the real unicorns are the V6 with manual transmission of which just a few were built. Best of luck with the sale!!!"

Here's the auction. RNM at just under $20k. Gross mods and the four cylinder + auto combo probably didn't help. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2001-chevrolet-s-10-7/

[Firm]

^ Agreed. super low mileage and minty truck...but those plastic hood scoops, silly wing, and altezza tails really kill the looks. I always preferred the step side as well, even though the fleetside is way more practical. I also owned a rough beater spec Xtreme (also 4.3 auto) with a fleetside, it was only about 10 years old at the time, but was a rebuilt title, 300K kms, and plenty of rot. The fleetside bed was way better for hauling crap though.

[revalations]

That’s the exact S10 my brother in law has less the mods. His was the 4.3 extreme and it came out of Oregon with only 60k miles. He ditched that 4.3 and inserted a nicely built 6.0 LS/6L80 combo. Only had one ride early in its fine tuning stage, pretty insane.


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[Firm]

That’s the exact S10 my brother in law has less the mods. His was the 4.3 extreme and it came out of Oregon with only 60k miles. He ditched that 4.3 and inserted a nicely built 6.0 LS/6L80 combo. Only had one ride early in its fine tuning stage, pretty insane.


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Yep, if I was going to do any sort of performance build, it would be a 6.0L into the Sonoma. It's a very common swap, but because of that, you can buy a kit that basically makes it plug & play, and will the factory equipment (gauges and whatnot) will work. Bonus, if you're neat about it you can make it look nearly factory under the hood as well.

[revalations]

I snapped this lousy pic this summer. He’s quite a ways further in the build now.


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[Great_Big_Abyss]

Got my new WS90's mounted and installed on the $200 17" Kijiji alloys.

[Bubba]

Got my new WS90's mounted and installed on the $200 17" Kijiji alloys.

 

[Blueprint]

Had the van detailed for winter (wash, vaccum, windows, interior clean, wax) in the parkade next to work - all of $80. Guy was amazed at its condition for a 10 y.o. !

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Had the van detailed for winter (wash, vaccum, windows, interior clean, wax) in the parkade next to work - all of $80. Guy was amazed at its condition for a 10 y.o. !

Minus the rust, right? 

Complete opposite case for my brother's minivan.  2021 Odyssey, and I imagine by now it has a layer of crap six inches thick from his four kids...

[Blueprint]

Had the van detailed for winter (wash, vaccum, windows, interior clean, wax) in the parkade next to work - all of $80. Guy was amazed at its condition for a 10 y.o. !

Minus the rust, right? 

Complete opposite case for my brother's minivan.  2021 Odyssey, and I imagine by now it has a layer of crap six inches thick from his four kids...

No rust left after the trip to the bodyshop. Might get it a yearly Ziebart before it snows to make sure the repairs hold for two years.