Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

[quote=84blaze;7393282]Do you know when PB Fab will start releasing these kits to the general public?[/QUOTE

I would say soon. Give Nate at Porterbuilt a call and ask.

Thank you...di you get yours yet?

I hope so. it's nice to finally see some progress on it.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looking pretty nice! - are you planning on welding everything up to the frame after its all figured out? I would think that would be better for strength overall.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

[quote=youngrodder;7394625]:no: ... Still waiting

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I doubt it. By the time you add all of the support pieces and bolts it is quit stout. It will be a much stronger frame bolted together then the original frame was riveted together...I'm not worried at all about the strength.

[quote=69CST-V;7395374]I bet yours is close.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Just a Question: If all your using of the original frame is the straight center part why not build the whole thing new.?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

You could. I'm also using the back of the frame. Keep in mind you would need to add your body mounts and running board mounts. To me you are taking a stock frame and just improving on it. That is different than making a totally custom frame.

Again there is a bunch of different ways to go about it. This is the route I chose since I don't have experience setting up a chassis from scratch. I would rather pay PB for their engineering...ha ha

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Cool sounds good. Can't wait to see this thing put together.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Maybe I missed it, but what truck suspension goes on the PB kits? I assume its C10 stuff. Also, did you order everything including arms, rack and shocks from them? Or are you going to source those parts later?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yes, it utilizes C-10 components. I bought everything from PB minus the rack which I sourced locally just to save some some shipping. Porterbuilt is great on providing you everything you need or just the parts you want. I actually purchased my parts from Travis at Pro Performance. He's a vendor on this site and great to work with.

I will have more pics of the a-arms and other components soon. I'm getting ready to cut some rivits from the factory center support and bold in the new PB one. This center section is very nice look part (as is the case with all of the PB parts).

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I have spent the last few day fine tuning and confirming my rear dimensions. Nate at PB has been great to send me all sorts of cad drawings to make sure that I was spot on with my measurements. Keep in mind that this is first Suburban frame, so we need to make sure that there are no major differences. SO far so good.

I'm getting ready to drill the remaining holes for the rear notch and add the other support pieces. Then I will turn my attention to the factory support center section to get the rest of the rivits cut out in order to install the PB center support.

I plan to get out in the garage this weekend.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Nate sure provides outstanding customer service in addition to his high quality parts.

Marc, the only difference I've noticed between the Suburban and truck frames was the body mount outside the frame by the rear running board bracket that you had a picture. There might be others. My chassis was built from a truck frame so I just transferred that mount.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

looking good... I assume this will be able to drag the running boards if you want?
Have you decided on size of wheels?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

yes, like most things in life you get what you pay for. As for the suburban frame that's what we are seeing but we wanted to make sure as we where not agreeing on some of the measurements but it good now.

You know it.. ha ha. I believe that it was set up for 30" diameter wheels. I need to confirm that. I will probably run 20's. I have time to figure that out and it depends on how much I need to cut up. I want to retain front inner fenders and I will have to most likely tub the rears.


Thanks Mark, it just feels good to be making progress and have some actual pictures to flood my build thread with.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Talked with Nate this morning and confirmed a few things. I went back in the garage tonight and finished mounting the rear notch complete with notch/frame caps. The brackets that are hanging down are where the panyard bar connects. Now that the rear is in the right place, I only need to notch the rear body mount and I can bolt them back to the frame in their original location.

Here are some pics

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, looks great...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looking good.. Nice stuff

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Quality chassis going together.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks guys...

I have since flipped the frame over to get at the rivits better and to drill some of the bottom holes for the PB stuff.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

New suspension is looking great.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Chizzler. Once I get it mocked up I will blow it apart and get the frame blasted....

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks great.....

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks, It's getting there....

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

That chassis is just Art!!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Mark...that is why I said from the beginning that this build will be everything my 48 isn't. On the 48 it obvious where the money was spent. On this 53 build I will have more money in things that will be less noticeable.

I will detail this chassis much more than the 48 but I don't plan on having nice paint on the body like the 48

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks, its getting there. I plan on really detailing it.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Really nice Marc. You will have to haul show mirrors around with you so people can see. :)

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I wouldn't go that far...I will detail the frame much more than my 48 but I will look to drive this one more so I will be smart about it.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks great. That does suck tho all the hard work we all put into the stuff under the body no one ever see's.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Is there any way you could send me those cad drawings? I recieved my dropmembers this week and might have a fitment issue with my front rails (mine's a 54). I emailed Nate and we were suppose to talk Thursday night, but he had a family thing come up. I change my plans this weekend so I could work on this frame. Also was your frame flat were the front rails bolted on? My 54 has a triangular stamping in the frame right were the first two bolt holes are (closest to the front cab mount). I'm thinking I will have to modify the new front framerails a little?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Soo...this may be getting a bit to personal but what did you pay for that Camaro? I was thinking in the future doing something similar. Most LS1 drop outs on eBay go anywhere from $2500-3500, then throw in shipping, a trans, wiring harness, there's another $1,500ish.

Buying a car that you know runs and drives, pull what you want, then part the rest is starting to sound like a better way to go.

Enjoying watching your build by the way, great work!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

The CAD drawings won't help because they were for after you get your front rails mounted. It was for locating the rear notch. Not sure if a 54 is different. I would wait until you talk to Nate. It is pretty straightforward with the front to locate the cut line and location for the rails but Nate will know for sure.

Mine was pretty much assembled. Nate was doing me a favor and this was the first set out the door so they left it partially assembled after mocking up on a frame.

Yes, those were my thoughts plus Craigslist can get sketchy when buying motors. They ALL seem to be perfect low mileage motors (only until you try to get them running that is..ha ha)

PM sent on the cost.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I got back out in the garage this weekend for a bit.

I discovered the bolt pattern on my PB center section was off slightly due to a glitch with a CAD file. Nate has agreed to send me a new one with no issue. I could weld and re-drill this one but I rather not. I removed the OE center section. It was only held in with some 20 rivets. I ended up cutting it in 1/2 to easy in getting it out. I then trimmed and bolted in the body mounts that I had to remove to install the PB stuff.

I then started to tear apart the front drop member to get the frame sand blasted this Friday. I need to clean the metal. It has been so damp here lately that the PB parts are rusting slightly. I hit some of them with a wire wheel to clean them. I will get this stuff in primer after Christmas.

Here are the pics

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

A few more.....

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Nice job. Looks like it's going together nicely. Keep the updates coming.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

You know it....

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks good Marc...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Slick! Frame looks great.