Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yea Summit carries alot of their stuff or you can shop direct.

https://www.allstarperformance.com/catagories.htm

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Ok I need to come clean.....I have been sand baggin a little. I have been working on the Suburban pretty steady for the past few weeks but I haven't been updating my build thread so I will warn you this update will be picture and text heavy as I attempt to catch this up to real life...ha ha

Ok about 3 weeks ago I realized that something needed to be done with my Porterbuilt rear bag mounts as they didn't allow the bag when fully deflated to collapse enough to lay the running boards flat. I was about 2" short. To most this probably seems like I'm being picky. To me I have come this far and I want what I want. Nate at Porterbuilt was super accommodating in getting me new reworked bag plates. Full disclosure when trouble shooting this with Nate, he informed me that I installed the plates upside down. He took the blame as I never really had install directions. The new set of bag mounts did the trick (see the instructions provided....ha ha)

While I had the rearend out to cut off the old bag plates, I fixed my disc brake issue. If you recall my calipers hit my frame rail when fully aired out. so what I did was index the backing plate to place the calipers/brackets closer to the ground and clearing the notch. Other than making a slight clearance on the frame rails this corrected this challenge.

Ok some pics

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

The next thing I shifted my attention to was to start mocking up the middle and rear seat for placement since my wheel tubs where welded in place. when I placed the middle seat I saw that the wheel tub in its new location and size limited how far back I could mount this seat. In an effort to maximize leg room for the middle seat, I cut away the wheel tub to clearance an area so the seat frame would not interfere. Then I needed to come up with a way to add metal back an try to make it look decent. I'm happy with how it turned out considering I don't have an English wheel to make it the right way.

Pics

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

So on the rear seat if you recall I narrowed it already 3" to fit between the wheel tubs. I also removed the legs. While tying to fit this rear seat with the new tubs, the side supports of the seat hit the tubs. So I needed to cut them and move them slightly to clear. I wanted to retain the factory look. When I'm done I will be surprised if anyone will know the amount of work that I have put into the factory seat too fit and still look factory.

Pics

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Ok, here is the fruits of my labor. I welded in the new bag plates and after more cutting I was able to clearance more metal for wheel clearance.

I'm liking how it looks laid out flat...

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Dang Marc..you have been busy..looking good as always...I wonder if Doug's been hiding in the bushes as well..

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

OH YA that looks great, lays out just right.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

sweet. nice when them hurdles get cleared. at first they always seem so daunting. and really no need for fancy tools. I'v went years without even the most basic handy tools, so if I can do it anyone can. the seats look rad, makes me want one even more. Forget the family belair i'v been wanting to do, I want to do a family burb!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, great work as always. Anyone with a burb will catch the change, most lookers won't...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, It is looking Awesome and making great progress.
Build it the way you want the first time.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Good work Marc, lots of cool and resourceful modifications!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks...I'm sure Doug is getting stuff done...

Thanks it has been a chore.

Yes, I have more confidence figuring stuff out as I go. This was not the case when I built the green 48.

Thanks Jim

Thanks. Yes, I am taking time on this one to figure out the little snags.

Thanks Doug...

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks awesome layed out!

:uhmk:

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Nice work....Looks like its coming together nicely.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks I like the look, I'm glad I went the extra mile.

Thanks, I will be happy when I'm done cutting the welding. I needed to clearance some frame rail for caliper clearance once fully aired out....2 steps forward.....3 back. Ha ha

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks really great layed out! nice job going bit by bit until you got it right!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yes but they were big steps forward and only little steps back...Great progress.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thank you

Thanks man...

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Those pics just put a laid out 'burb on my bucket list of builds.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Careful what you wish for.....it is a ton more work to layout a suburban over large diameter wheels while keeping decent seating inside. I found this out the hard way...ha ha

I'm just about done cutting. The cool thing is I can just put enough air in the bags to get it off the ground and it rolls nice and smooth. My 48 truck does not..


Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Truck looks great Marc. I don't think you are being picky at all - you have that much work into it - why settle for something you don't want?

Awesome.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks man I appreciate it. This weekend I hope to finish creating the small pocket in the frame rails for caliper clearance when aired out...then I have about a weeks worth of grinding welds from the wheel tubs...

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Grelding.....right?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Following along on this one keep up the good work!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yes, Doug did I mention that I bought a new grinder??? I burned mine up a week ago...How did that happen???

Thanks I appreciate it.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

How would that happen?? it's not like it ever got used ;)

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Since the weather was pretty crummy this weekend, I did get some work done. I decided that I will go with a 2 piece drive shaft. Picture supplied by Nate. This is pretty common with the C-10 trucks and my Porterbuilt kit is very similar to their C-10 stuff. The benefit to a 2 piece drive shaft is I will not have to cut anymore of my floor (major bonus). I will need a carrier barring bracket from PB. This will be the next care package from Nate.

I finished the small notches for caliper clearance. The notch is not as big as it looks, and there is a lot more frame than what shows in the picture so some worry its safe. I welded pipe inside to notch to reinforce the notch.

I also cleaned up the welds on the underside of the wheel tubs. I coated them with Por15. Next will come the seam sealer and later the raptor bed liner. Pics to come on this later.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Are you planning to run with all of the PB parts bolted together, or are you thinking of welding it all together?

:uhmk:

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Bolting it together. When all bolted together it will be stronger than a stock frame..

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I have been working on a few small items. One was mocking up the gas filler. I have had this idea for about a year now. One challenge was the angle of the gas filler on the tank. It was slopped back too much. I cut some relief cuts in order to level out the filler then I welded it back closed.

I then located the correct location in the wood floor so I could cut in a hole. I also had to notch the rear flange slightly. I will be replacing the wood, so I want to figure out all my holes and cuts with this rotted wood so I can swap them over to the new wood. I will dress up the tank welds once I pull the tank.

All that is left it to weld a piece of 2" pipe on the bottom of the filler housing so it will match the diameter of the tank filler. I will then join the two with a couple of hose clamps and some 2" rubber hose (rated for gas).

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

a few more pics

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looks good Marc, the way I fill I would have gas everywhere...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks

I'm usually pretty careful. I thought about putting a catch basin under the filer but I like the simplicity of how this looks.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I like that cap.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

pretty nice details in everything you do Marc !

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Where did you get that cap? I really like how you have it sitting on the floor.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, whose filler is that? Do you have a link?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thank you
Thanks, I try to think things through and this idea I have had bouncing around in my head for a while
Here is a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/231307752485...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
That one is sold out but there are others. The price is pretty cheap too.
See above.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

It's all in the details!!
Nice work!!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

In an effort to put some pressure on Doug to provide some Suburban updates I figured that I would through up a few of my own.

I started with deciding to eliminate the lead joints on both sides of the cowl. I saw where Shannon did the same on some pictures he posted to IG. Pretty straight forward.