Poor-Man's Syclone: 1992 GMC Sonoma GT


























As cars become more and more valuable, the more well-known vehicles typically become more and more expensive. Muscle cars are no exception, and as cars like the Mustang and Camaro become more and more expensive by the generation, an automotive enthusiast must turn to alternative vehicles to build. Hot Rod magazine writer David Freiburger once wrote an article on building up a pickup truck to handle and perform exactly like a muscle car for a fraction of the price. That truck, a 1974 Chevrolet C10 Step Side appropriately named "Muscle Truck", has since gained notoriety on Freiburger's YouTube show "Roadkill". A bit more factory-built is this 1992 GMC Sonoma GT, which is a limited production, budget-friendly version of the Syclone built for only one year in 1992. Find it here on David's Classic Cars in Phoenix, Arizona, with an asking price of $10,995.


























Based off of a regular-cab Sonoma pickup with a six-foot bed, GMC sent 806 Sonoma pickup trucks to PAS for conversion to the Sonoma GT. Considered one of the lowest production GMC vehicles ever built, the GT, dubbed the "poor-man's Syclone", shared the Syclone's body kit, but used its own unique wheels. This Sonoma GT is number 663 out of 806, and overall looks to be in good, driving condition. The front bumper is a bit misaligned and has a few scratches and scuffs, and the paint could use some compound, but otherwise the truck looks pretty solid and complete. Seventeen-inch SLP wheels are a nice addition, and I like the "Sonoma GT" windshield sticker. I would touch up the paint on the bumper, polish the wheels, get some sticky, high-performance tires, and compound and polish the paint to bring back its luster (or, if necessary, repaint the whole truck).
























Unfortunately, this is the best view of the interior a person can get in regards to this Sonoma GT. From what can be seen, the interior appears to be fairly solid, complete and in decent shape (here's a full-view look at a 1992 Sonoma GT interior). I wish the seller would post better pictures of the interior so a potential buyer could assess the overall condition. Also unfortunate is the fact that the seller did not post pictures of the drivetrain (here's what the drivetrain of a 1992 Sonoma GT looks like), but it is powered by a high-output 4.3L V6.  Rated at 195 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, the lack of the turbocharger and the all-wheel drive that the Syclone had makes the Sonoma GT a tad bit slower, but performance is still decent, with a 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 16.0 seconds at 85 mph. Having said that, I would swap the drivetrain for a small-block Chevrolet V8 and automatic transmission, with possibilities leaning towards a LT-1 and 4L60 automatic out of a 1994-96 Caprice 9C1 or any LS-based drivetrain. Though in need of a bit of work, this Sonoma GT would be a cool truck to build up, and given the rarity, would be an uncommon-yet-welcome sight at any car show or cruise night. What are your thoughts on this rare, one-year only Sonoma GT?
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA

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