1997 GMC Extended Cab Down Under

[Masterb4tes]

So it has been a while since I last posted here, but hopefully going forwards I will be able to add to this on the regular.

The story goes, My Dad found a 97 GMC Sierra local to him that he liked, we both wanted it, so he bought it but we haven't yet decided who actually owns it. The truck is currently not registered and needs a few things to get a Roadworthy Certificate (RWC) before we can drive it legally. Mechanically the truck is in great condition, it has less then 100,000 miles, the engine and drive line is tight and looks to be well maintained. The paint is pretty shot, clear coat gone with some corrosion in a few spots, mostly the hood. To start with the goal is to get it on the road registered and then after that we will work towards making it a solid, clean truck for near daily use.

RWC items:
Windscreen replacement
Wiper Blades
LHS Door Handle and Trim need securing
Rust in the hood
Rear Mudflaps
Central Locking (RHS Actuator)
Engine Degrease
LHS Rear Axle Seal
Suicide door seatbelt doesn't retract

Issues that are not Roadworthy related
Paint work is ****
Corrosion starting on LHS roof trim
Corrosion RHS behind rear door seal (Would be RWC issue if they saw it)

I'll start posting some pictures as I go, given the lack of available parts here any ideas anyone has would be appreciated. Now I know replacing the hood would be the easiest option.... But getting them in Australia is tricky and expensive and getting them to my area even more so, so we are gonna have a crack of patching it and getting it solid and neat...

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Wow. keep us posted. Looks like a good build. My advise dont cut corners and do it right. That rust is cancerous on these bodies. But once you get it completed, it will be a solid long lasting truck. Depending on you engine and tranny you'll easily hit several 100kmiles. As for the bottom we have a member here that has a burb needing body work and he went the extra step to bedline the entire bottom of the burb. To me sounds like a solid idea to protect the bottom from road salt/debris. Just an idea since you gonna go through the truck bumper to bumper...post pics and were here if you have questions

 

[Masterb4tes]

The one thing going for it rust wise is that there is very little rust in the lower half of the vehicle. It has been in Australia since new, was converted and coated in a corrosion inhibitor. We don't have snowy winters and there is no salt on the road, so it hasn't had the usual exposure to the elements that the trucks get in the US. It has been more so the sun damage really. It has the 4L60E but with the external transmission cooler and the 14 bolt semi floating rear diff. As much as I want to play with the engine I would be foolish to do so at this point. Unfortunately paint and bodywork is not more forte, and getting someone to do it for you here is so expensive I could just import a new Silverado and be done with it.
I'm going to experiment on the hood a little bit and see how we go, it is the roof that worries me.
This is where the rear door is... RHS on this one

You must be registered for see images attach

And this is the LHS where the rear door normally would be... I dunno if I can remove that trim and if I need to get another will I be able to. Australia is hard to get parts for these things

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[tpass]

engine degrease? pretty strict rules for RWC.

looks like fun and good luck!

 

[Masterb4tes]

engine degrease? pretty strict rules for RWC.

looks like fun and good luck!

It could be a lot worse, the seat belt and the windscreen are turning into big dramas because no one here knows anything about them. The windscreens available locally (Australia) that supposedly fit are different measurements to what is on the car. I see people on the forum paying $150 for a windscreen but it is likely I will be paying $700+ and a damn good chance it wont fit when it gets here.

 

[618 Syndicate]

Windscreen from any GMT 400 will fit, they're all the same.
Someone here could send you a working seat belt assembly.

 

[Masterb4tes]

Windscreen from any GMT 400 will fit, they're all the same.
Someone here could send you a working seat belt assembly.

Good to know about the windscreen, the windscreen guys here are convinced that they won't fit unless we get the right one. Are the windscreens in the US models encapsulated?

The seatbelt is tricky as I can only put one in if it has the Australian/New Zealand standard on it. To comply the truck in Australia the belts were swapped to AU standard belts, if I threw a US labelled belt in then it wouldn't pass RWC.

 

[618 Syndicate]

I don't know what you mean by encapsulated...
On the belt I was thinking you could swap out the retraction mechanism rather than the whole thing.

 

[Caman96]

Good to know about the windscreen, the windscreen guys here are convinced that they won't fit unless we get the right one. Are the windscreens in the US models encapsulated?

The seatbelt is tricky as I can only put one in if it has the Australian/New Zealand standard on it. To comply the truck in Australia the belts were swapped to AU standard belts, if I threw a US labelled belt in then it wouldn't pass RWC.

They inspect the seat belt tag????

 

[Masterb4tes]

They inspect the seat belt tag????

Yep, easy **** like that is a great and simple way to fail someone. As cool as Australia is, it does well to remember the English made it a prison before it was made a country.
For years we couldn't use European ECE standard helmets because they didn't have the AU standard approval, even though the ECE helmets were safer in all respects...

I don't know what you mean by encapsulated...
On the belt I was thinking you could swap out the retraction mechanism rather than the whole thing.

The windscreen on mine is wrapped and mounted in a rubber frame.