GMC Safari resurrection

GMC Safari resurrection Here you can follow the progress, as we aim to restore a 1994 GMC Safari back to its full glory.

A productive weekend on some of the bodywork and another rattle can emptied lol.Sometimes it's good to reflect how far B...
16/08/2026

A productive weekend on some of the bodywork and another rattle can emptied lol.

Sometimes it's good to reflect how far Blue has come. 3 years of hard work, disasters, doubts, regrets, surprises, failures and much more. Looking back through the photos, shows just one aspect of the transformation.

Update - simply the fuel pump relay. Normal service resumed.Well he's looking better.... Shame he won't start - again. 🤷...
11/08/2026

Update - simply the fuel pump relay. Normal service resumed.

Well he's looking better.... Shame he won't start - again. 🤷🤦

Fix one thing.... Another thing breaks.
After 3 years, I finally solved the passenger window switch mystery. It's always worked from the drivers side master, but never from the passenger side. Over time I've replaced, both switches, added relays, bypassed the wiring, etc. but nothing worked. When I finished putting the passenger door card on etc. I put it all back as it was and gave up. The window now magically works!
What did I do? Well during the investigation I found a 115ohm bleed, which is why I added the relays for a true zero ground. However it turns out that when I replaced the back of the master switch (which has always been missing and held together with insulation tap), this solved the 'bleed'.
The simplest things are often the most overlooked.🤦

Now onto the next problem.... 😔

Freshly painted wing mirror. Really starting to put the whole theme together, bit by bit.Red, white and blue all the way...
05/08/2026

Freshly painted wing mirror. Really starting to put the whole theme together, bit by bit.
Red, white and blue all the way! 🇺🇸

No dogs were harmed in taking this photo. I've not run over Loki. He always lays in the stupidest places when I'm working on the van 🤦🤣.

New exterior door handle ordered. Found a crack in the casing causing it to twist and keep coming unhooked.😔Replaced the...
01/08/2026

New exterior door handle ordered. Found a crack in the casing causing it to twist and keep coming unhooked.😔
Replaced the lower roller bracket on the sliding door. Can't believe how bad the old one was. Both rollers were completely jammed and the hold-open catch was seized open. Cleaned 32 years of crap out of the gully, including a pencil end with rubber, a couple of pen lids and a bunch of random bits. Cleaned, degreased and lubricated all parts.
All in all, quite pleased with today's progress. I can finally close the sliding door without a fight. 💪
Oh and also repaired and repainted the wing mirror. 😎 (No pic yet)

The door is on! What a task 😱.New hinge pins fitted with the 'new' door. Handle and key lock transferred from the old be...
31/07/2026

The door is on! What a task 😱.
New hinge pins fitted with the 'new' door. Handle and key lock transferred from the old bent door. I never want to replace an exterior handle ever again.... Fiddly is an understatement and certainly stressful.
All the wiring done today. Including another attempt to work out why the window switch doesn't work. 2 switches tried, 2 wiring looms tried, every single wire tested and working as it should.... But it remains a mystery 😔. It works from my side, so I guess he'll have to carry on requesting the window up and down lol.
Started repainting the wing mirror, once that is done it can be fitted, then the door card can go back on.
Unfortunately putting the new, straight door on has highlighted a dent on the sliding door I'd not noticed until now. So whilst I'm replacing the bottom roller bracket, it looks like that will need sorting 🤞.

And another transformation taking shape. 😁
19/07/2026

And another transformation taking shape. 😁

Coming along nicely now.Removed the old door pin (lazy door removal = cut hinge off van🤦).Couple of coats of blue on the...
19/07/2026

Coming along nicely now.
Removed the old door pin (lazy door removal = cut hinge off van🤦).
Couple of coats of blue on the inside, so far.
It's gonna be the best part on the whole van, once it's finished and fitted 🤣🤣.

Today's task was opening the window on the replacement door. In true GM style, the wiring is as usual - confusingly comp...
15/07/2026

Today's task was opening the window on the replacement door. In true GM style, the wiring is as usual - confusingly complicated. Eventually managed to get a tiny 'jump' from the motor with my 12v supply, but that's all it would do. Removed the motor, sprayed it with plusgas and hit it a few times with a hammer. Refit the motor, plusgas applied to the window mechanism. Once again, managed to get the motor to jump, enough for my son to get his fingers in the gap. Team effort of 12v to the motor and him pushing the glass down and it's done. Obviously it's been sat unused and seized up.
Once the window was down, I removed the window rubber and rubbed down the inner paintwork ready for respray.
Just waiting for more paint to arrive now...⌚

15/07/2026

Blues passenger door is not very happy, at some point in its life it's been damaged and twisted and now flares outwards from the van at the bottom corner.
A while ago I acquired a pair of doors (only need the one, but doesn't hurt to have a spare lol). The only issue was the colour.
Started work on removing all the decals, badge and metal kick-trim. They need an award for the glue they used for the metal trim. Heat gun, scrapers, everything - such a slow process.
The door itself is in remarkable condition with only one tiny dent up side of the window, which I have now filled. Not a spot of rust anywhere either.
All the outside is now prepped and ready for the Indigo! 💪.
Next - flip it over and start on the inner edges. Most of the door is covered by the door card, but all the edges need painting in Blue.
Anyway, coming along nicely now. 😎

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