I printed up a set of seat headrest plugs to cover up the holes.
Blog
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Pillar & Windshield Caps
When you convert your ride into a Roadster you will need to figure out what to do with all the exposed areas affected by chopping the roof off.
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Grill Insert
I’m not a big fan of the large “GMC” logo in the middle of the grill. I removed the emblem and added a billet grill insert to change up the front.
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Dash Cluster Cleanup
When the truck was painted a lot of overspray got into the interior area. The cluster cover had a lot of paint that needed to be removed.
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Steering Wheel Swap
Another eyesore for me was the large air bag fitted stock steering wheel. That had to go as soon as possible. I like the wooden grain look so that’s what I went for.
I’ve pulled and replaced steering wheels so I have every puller tool needed.
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How about AI?
One good thing about AI it allows you quickly visualize a concept or idea. You can literally come up with accurate renderings within a few minutes.
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Sports Mirrors
One of the first things I had to change are the mirrors. The stock set look great for a stock look. Totally functional for the purpose but does not add anything to the coolness of truck. These suckers need to come off quick.
Replacing the mirrors is a simple task, it shouldn’t take too long to complete the exchange. One suggestion is to go ahead and preorder the plastic panel fasteners that secure the door panel. It’s almost a gimme and certainties that the old clips will break during removal.
If there is anything additional you can do while the door panel is removed that’s a bonus. An example would be upgrading the stock speakers.
Dynamat used for sound deadening. I had some thought replacing the existing speaker since it was exposed for easy removal. I need to research and see what would be a good replacement speaker. I’m not sure if these were stock or already replaced.
There’s a set of mirrors most guys want to install on their Sonoma. They are a sports brand that is no longer manufactured but can be found by guys selling used parts.
I purchased my set from Amazon. These are not the sought after brand but the look and mounting position is damn near close.
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Front Wiring – Driver Side
The harness and wiring located above the front drivers side wheel has been worn through due to riding slammed and the tire cutting through the insulation. I’m going to eventually tub the front fenders to avoid this type of damage.
For now, I have relocated the affected wiring harness higher so no contact is being made.
If you look closely you can see the LED lighting kit. This was used to light up the fender wells during the evening hours.
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Air Leak Testing
If you get a bagged ride you know the first thing you need to do is go over the air ride system. The Sonoma has a Ride Tech 4 link setup with Slam Specialties air bags. It’s an older setup with a single steel tank with GC 350 quick valves. The whole setup is connected using 0.5″ air hose lines, compression fittings are used for interconnections.
I like to get all 4 wheels off the ground when I do an inspection. I also check for fluid leaks while I’m under the truck.
When you are trying to find air leaks in your mind you’re hoping the leak is taking place somewhere that is easily accessible. Nobody wants to remove the front tires and pop off the Upper Control Arm so you can create enough space to drop the lower control arm and remove or inspect the air bag.
Rarely will you ever find the actual air bag leaking, it is usually due to a poor fitting installment or failure. There are probably professional leak testers used but I grab my bottle of soapy water and spay all the possible points of failure. If there is an air leak you’ll definitely see the air bubbles forming.
These examples are common, the more fitting connections the more chances of having an air leak in the system. That being said, having air manifold block is super convenient and clean. I’ve had great success using that hardware method. The reason why I don’t go with one on the Minitruck setup is the speed. I want a good pop going up, going down I like using valve slow downs so the frame doesn’t slam on the asphalt.
