Intro to Rufus

[1Gary]

I bought a 1999 Sonoma Ext cab pick-up.It is a unusual truck that during my three wk search is the only one I had seen.It is a 4.3 TBI 5 speed stick.I look forward to really good gas mileage over a Astro because they are that much lighter and be able to handle a occasional tow of my two trailers when I want to take them to the trailer repair shop for work.It runs well,but needs a clutch which is ok because most of what I buy takes acouple of months or so to speak my my own.It is getting towed to the shop this morning and I will get some pictures posted in the next couple of days.I hope this will turn out to be a good D.D'er/shop truck so I can return to working on my projects.

Nick named "Rufus"

[MountainManJoe]

[97CargoCrawler]

Potential grille badge:

[1Gary]

[astroturf]

KEWL...

[Smiliesafari]

Looks like a great shop truck, Gary.

[1Gary]

It will be Skip once I am done with it.It is loaded and the A/C blows cold.The inside needs a good cleaning for sure.The radio is mia,but that's ok,I'll pick up something for it.

[doyoulikeithere]

Looks Great!
Congrats...

[1Gary]

Got the insurance and plates switched over today.I plated it late Monday.Sure am tired of driving the RV.So clutch slipping and all I drove Rufus home from the shop.I have bought a clutch kit for it and need to have it installed.I decided it was just too much to go wrong laying on my back doing it myself and a have a trans shop lined up to do the work.The drivers side door need door pins and the third door handle is mia so it rattles.That is something I am going fix myself.Everything works.A/C,great heat,cruise,electric windows and mirrors.It is a diamond in the rough for sure.I am impressed with it's cruise potential even with the clutch slipping alittle in 5th gear.
I don't mind shifting again.In fact I guess I have kind of missed that all along.Can't wait to get that fixed to see what it like after that.While I was under it I noticed it has what looks like four new shocks.The rear end has a swap bar too and a weird shock the is on the rear passenger side of the rear end that goes front to back on the top of the axle.Looks like some sort of a damper.It doesn't ride as smooth as the Astro did.It is more stiff going over bumps.I have to replace the oil cooler lines and they look alot look the the ones on Astro's.I have to do the standard tune up stuff plugs,wires,cap and rotor and the oil change with a WIX oil filter.It also needs a new fuel filter.It isn't the just touch key start that I want it to get back to but it runs very strong.

Yeah-a whole another learning curve I need to do on Sonoma's.

Honestly after losing the LT,guys alittle prayer for everything to go well with Rufus could help me out. [-o< If anything goes wrong with it,it would break my heart.

[markmitchinnh]

Good luck with it my friend, I love my 93 S-10 4.3/5 speed/4x4 I have towed with it, and hauled many loads of this and that. Great shop truck!

[astroturf]

GOOD LUCK... Gary

Jim

[1Gary]

Well as I continue to learn more about the Sonoma I bought I found I got the sports model given the rear suspension I have with a sway bar and anti wrap up stock that is on it.Guess it one that everyone wants but is somewhat rare.So I was checking the driver's door for load capacity.The listing there said it takes 235 16" tires.The confusing part of it is the truck has rims the same color as the truck that are 15". Huh??.I do want to bring this back to stock form and I would guess I would get alittle better gas mileage with 16" tires.Never the less the two 15" tires I swap from the Astro are only a yr old and if I where to try to sell them off used I would lose my shorts.So I post on a very informed on a S10 forum asking them questions about the the heck was stock on this Sonoma.I find out this truck stock took a much wanted ZQ8 rims that are 16x8 that have a 4 1/2 backspacing.Very hard to find too. ](*,) ](*,) I did a brief search on Ebay and found only a set of two for $699.00 each Holy crab.I didn't want to start a whole another project.So the good thing is I got by mistake a rare truck,but the bad thing to bring it back to stock in rims only looks very,very,$$$$$$$$expensive.

[astroturf]

Well, Good for you Gary, Good for you.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I wouldn't bring it back to stock at all! I would just do the maintenance to keep it running good and concentrate on the more important projects at hand. I would run the 15's and if you wanted a decent set of wheels, you can find cheap ones all over CL. Just keep an eye open for a good used set of the fancy stock ones.

[Smiliesafari]

Gary, I agree with Dean. This is a "shop truck" not a project truck. Every penny you spend on this truck other than maintenence is money taken away from the projects. Stay focused on the projects or they get lost and interest goes away.