Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks very nice. Was the CAD file off or is there variation in the frames?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Frame is looking good! Do you think it would be beneficial to add a gusset to the body mounts?

My PB parts have a nice brown "patina" to them now due to the awesome humidity here in the south!

Are you planning to paint the frame or powder coat it?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

It wouldn't hurt but I'm not sure it's necessary. This is the stock piece with just a little material removed. It is pretty thick metal. It is one of several body mounts.

Yes, I hit my parts with a wire wheel on my grinder and the parts look nice. I will rub some oil on them to preserve them until I get primer on them. I plan to paint the frame. I like powder coat but I like the idea of being able to repaint if I make a repair or change.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Some of it was the file and some of it was how I was measuring it. I call it operator error (on my part)... ha ha

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Sweet frame! It's a great build and I can't wait to see how it all turns out. I'm already showing my wife some of the pics to spark interest just in case there's another project after my truck!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc,

Great job on the floors! Did you bend them up yourself? You make this part look pretty easy - I'm considering making a rear flat floor for my truck. Any words of wisdom for me? Would you change anything if you did them again? I noticed you rolled in some strengthening beads in the front section but not the rear. Is this because of the seat riser welded on top of it?

Also really like the trans tunnel approach. Any finished shots?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Good luck with that....

Yes, I made the floors myself. I started with cardboard templates and then transferred that to 16g steel. I added the beads for strength but I'm not sure that I needed them since I went with 16g. I was using a buddy's combination shear/metal brake and I kept locking it up because the metal was too thick. 18g would have been better. Over all it was much cheaper to make your own floors apposed to buying them.

No finished tranny tunnel pics. I'm not happy with the tunnel so I will be making a new one at some point.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Today I decided to strip the frame down so that I can get it sand blasted or chemically stripped this week. I then hit most of the PB parts with a wire wheel on my grinder. I then wiped the parts down with a light oil to keep them from rusting until I get them put in primer.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks good... You said you were painting the frame so you could touch it up. What about the PB parts? Powder coat or paint?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I think I will use a combination of paint and powder coat. I have a idea for colors but I'm not sure yet. I did drop the parts off at the stripper today. I'm curious to see how they turn out.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Are you going to remove the cab and running board mounts to get better paint coverage?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Are you being serious??? If so, the answer is no. After removing some 60 or so rivit's with what I have done so far I'm not looking to tackle more. I'm not overly concerned. Overall the frame is in great shape.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Good call! I removed all mine and is was not fun!!!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

While I wait for my frame to come back from the strippers, I though I would separate the motor from the trans and remove more of the engine accessories.

The PB parts that are not getting stripped have been cleaned with a wire wheel on my grinder and piled up to take to the painter next week to put them in epoxy primer. The company I work for Agio Imaging (shameless plug) is closed the week after Christmas so I should get some good garage time in.

I really need to research what all emission crap I can remove from the engine in an effort to declutter. I see so many LS engines that are very clean.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

They can be made really clean looking. Be interesting to see which way you go as I am kicking around ideas for mine with a couple friends. I really like the look Superflysteiney did on Cheap Tricks.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Just finished my harness a month ago. Lt1swap.com has everything you need (complete pin outs). Also has a good Facebook link with pic of reworking the harness. I hate wiring, but it's pretty easy. Can't wait to see your frame with some paint!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Good call, I will go back through his build for inspiration.

I sold my harness. I wanted a cleaner and longer one, so I will probably go with one from BP Automotive. From the sale of my stock harness I can get a custom harness for $200. paint will be a while, as I want to fill some holes before I'm ready for paint. Epoxy is first.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Inspiration...

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Doug we both know I need motivation......
I also really like the look of the LS engine being put together by 68Basket

This is the look I'm going for but a different color for the orange.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Clean look! I like the black out on accessory drive. Man, I've spent too much time on accessory drives lately.... Will you be using the F car accessory drive Marc?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I like that...one thing to watch for on this might be the same thing I ran into with the MSD . The fuel rails are high and might get into the firewall on the passenger side.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I Like!!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yes, Doug you should be teaching a college course called LS1 accessories in the modern world..JK. I will us the F-body accessories them if they work. Whatever I use they will be black in color. On my 48 I used an accessory drive from Steer & Performance. It is nice quality but I grew tired of polishing the billet. That is why I ended up painting them black.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Well I picked up the metal on Wednesday from the stripper (inset joke here). It turned out great. The old frame cleaned up nicely. I took the frame and various pieces to the my painter so that I could use his booth to get all of the pieces covered with epoxy primer. This way I can finish mocking up the frame without it rusting. The bare metal has a coating on it that needs to be rinsed off before you can prim or paint. Good thing for me it is still 40 degrees in Michigan.

On with the pics...

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

My painter Jim is working on some pretty cool projects. A 60's bronco II. Another one is this Chevelle. It has a 2012 Camaro drivetrain and interior. It also sports a custom rear independent suspension. There is also a cool 48 Fo$d sedan. It has a mild tasteful chop. There where too many parts stacked around it to get any pics.

if we don't get the ice storm that the area is suppose to get I will go pick up all of there pieces tomorrow.

Marc