Wild and Crazy Blown and Bagged 1997 GMC Sonoma

iHatePhil –  Dreams Become Reality

One of the many advantages of being an automotive photographer is traveling the world and seeing the most exquisite and impressively built vehicles. I originally came from a lowrider background and spent my childhood around hydraulics and Kandy paint and eventually ventured out to the truck world where I finally found my niche. For the past 10 years, I’ve covered shows throughout the country, and one day in Morristown, Tennessee, my life changed. I saw a Chevy Colorado with crazy paint and began looking for the owner to do a photoshoot. Over the course of the two-day show, it became harder to locate him. As the show was wrapping up on Sunday, I saw a guy getting in the truck and rushed over to introduce myself to him. 

I believe the love, passion and heart that he poured into this Sonoma should be honored, and I intend to do that for many years to come. 

That guy was Cliff Somers, and we instantly got along. He couldn’t stay a day later for me to shoot, so we both waited until the event was over and I brought his Colorado to the back of the show and shot it. Six months later, I got the call that the feature was printing in the magazine and contacted him to let him know. Over the phone, Cliff was very happy and mentioned he had an event coming up and wanted to know if I would be interested in covering it. Once we talked specifics, he told me about a truck he had stored away in his garage and wanted to know if I could shoot it as well. I told him, as I do everyone, that I would need to see it first.

Later that year I arrived at his show in Ocean City, Maryland, and walked around. I went into the back hall, and it was almost like a beam of light was shining on this bright green truck. I had never before seen anything in the form of a truck as impressive and attractive to me. I am getting goosebumps as I recall this moment right now describing my feelings towards it. I whipped out my cell phone and started video capturing the truck. Cliff saw me and came up to me and mentioned that this was the truck that he wanted me to see if I was interested in photographing. We scheduled a time for the day after the show, and the entire weekend I eagerly anticipated seeing even more of it.

Once I was able to get my photographs after the show, I began to shoot it and fell in love with it even more. When I was done, I asked Cliff if he could drive it for rolling shots, and he said that in the tri-state area of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia this truck couldn’t pass inspection and couldn’t drive on the roads. I was bummed but understood.

Six months later after learning the new feature from the last show was printing in the magazine, I again contacted Cliff to let him know that the truck I loved would be coming out in print. His words on the phone were “don’t hate me Phil!” I responded with “What happened?” Cliff told me he had sold the truck to his friend during the waiting period because his wife Lori wanted the kitchen in his house redone and he needed the cash. I was so disappointed and asked why he didn’t offer the truck to me. He responded that he didn’t know I loved it that much. Now fast forward to the same show I first was introduced to the truck in Maryland, it’s my second year there, and I don’t see the green truck.

I asked Cliff where the truck was and he told me the new owner Rich didn’t bring it. I convinced Cliff and the new owner Rich Gentner to bring the truck to the show and the next day it arrived. Rich drove the truck through the show grounds and I fell in love all over again watching it drive the half mile. During the show I told Rich how I wanted it and the story about how I fell in love with it, and he mentioned that he had plans to remove the top and repaint it silver. I stormed off like a child and went directly to Cliff. My words were simple: “Buy it back and I’ll buy it from you for the same price!” After some negotiation and passionate pleading, I arrived in Dover, Delaware, with a trailer and a wad of cash.

I kept the purchase a secret until my friend Casey Carruthers and I were able to transport it to my house. The very next day I was able to get a title and plate because Florida doesn’t have vehicle inspection. The truck was unique because after 18 years of sitting in Cliff’s garage it had 14 miles on the motor. I said that right and you read that right, 14 miles. Modern upgrades were necessary as I brought the truck to Jimmy’s Rod & Custom in Edgewater, Florida, where my good friend Tim and Jimmy yanked out the entire air-ride and added a state-of-the-art Accuair E-Level system and upgraded the old bags. I had Rich Shewchuk build a pedestal for the controller and Jason Feltham from Feltham Fabrication matched the paint impeccably. KYB Shocks were installed in all four corners for a smoother ride.

Now that the truck was fixed through the suspension, I had to jump through hoops finding out how to tidy up the massive long block 350 and blower. So many different years, makes, and models were integrated into the engine. Being that Cliff couldn’t drive the truck on the streets in Delaware, it had never really been tested. I had every intention on testing this truck to its limits. Hard to believe, but the truck came with the OG starter and lasted about three cranks before I added a high torque starter. With the help of Acro Wilk, piece by piece, the entire motor was reworked and ready for the hot Florida streets.

I’ve spent 20 years shooting vehicles around the country and abroad and never once had these feelings towards any vehicle. When I first met Cliff, I made a lifelong connection that changed my life for the better. I was able to purchase the truck of my dreams with the promise to Cliff that I would never change the style in which he had built the truck. Of course, he has no problem with me ever altering it, but I believe the love, passion and heart that he poured into this Sonoma should be honored, and I intend to do that for many years to come.

TRUCK SPECS

 Owner 

Phil Gordon

• 1997 GMC Sonoma
• Ocala, Florida

Chassis:

• Front Suspension:
• Slam Specialties RE5 Bags
• RideTech tubular upper and lower control arms
• Rear Suspension:
• Altered Image reverse four-link cantilever
• Slam Specialties RE6 bags
• Accuair E-Level air management system from Hornblasters
• installed by Jimmy’s Rod and Custom
• two chrome Viair 480s
• 5-gallon air tank

Drivetrain:

• Engine:
• Long-block 350 with 0.030 overbore
• Comp camshaft
• 6-71 Weiand type N blower
• custom 2 ½-inch door headers and exhaust
• stock rear block painted and chromed
• billet accessories
• Transmission:
• 350 transmission

Body/Paint: 

• PPG Hot Hues Green Xtreme and Snow-White paint
• 3 ½-inch traditional bodydrop
• everything shaved
• 7-inch chop from windshield to tailgate
• smoothed wiper cowls
• door caps and bedrails
• two 35×35 Street Beat sliding ragtops
• Altered Image tailgate skin
• smooth firewall
• suicide doors
• pinstripe on belt by Jason Wharton
• full Phantom grille
• license plate frenched through the bodyline
• Roadster style roof made with chromoly tubing and sheetmetal

Interior:  

• white marine-grade vinyl and bomber seats by Barrett Seat Company
• sheetmetal dashboard
• custom door panels and center console
• chrome tilt-steering column
• billet steering wheel
• Lokar Nostalgia shifter knobs and handles
• Auto Meter gauges
• dashboard built by Wild Bill
• interior done by Cliff and his wife Lori

Wheels & Tires: 

• Wheels: 22×8.5 Centerline Smoothies
• Tires: 235/30ZR22 Nitto