Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, just think, if those old parts could talk what that would have to say...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

We can do that...I usually have 3 or 4 other trucks with me.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Sometimes the dirtier the work is, the funner it is. Will you be keeping the original set-up with the torque-tube or updating?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Fun only that it's done. Removing that suspension worked me over. A lot of rivets and 60 + year old mud and grease holding things together.

I plan to run Porterbuilt suspension so I will try to sell this OE stuff. If I still have it by the time spring rolls around I will take it for scrape metal.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Worked on pulling all of the glass out. Overall everything is in good shape. No real rust or rot.



Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

That's sounds good, looks real clean...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

nice, I just love this thing. If spring would show its face for more than a day life would get easier.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Jim its getting there. I tried ligtly sanding some of the primer and I started to see some Maroon coming through. It is killing me to see how the finish will turn out.

Thanks 99 & yes, I agree. I see more garage time in my future. Heading over to work on a friends 50 (5/w) this evening. We have been waiting for some warmer weather to knock some things of the list.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Anyone with an AD Suburban knows how difficult it can be to find a set of interior window trim. My friend Eugene (Alaska gasser) gave me a smokin deal on a set that needed some repair. I had one trim piece for each shaped side window that was in good shape. I started with a sheet of scrap MDF and traced the shape of the trim. Then I nailed scrap wood around the trim. I wanted to be able to keep the shape while I cut out the bad spots in an effort to weld in new metal. The trick is to take passenger or driver side door trim and cut it up to repair the bad sectons since the Suburban trim is not reproduced.

Here are some pics. Welding to come.

Thanks
Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, nice ideal with holding the shape, looks good...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

thanks for the tip.... I have one I need to repair as well

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looking good Marc...Gonna be up close to your neck of the woods this weekend. Going to Silver Lake to play on the dunes.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks...yes the dunes are a great place.
Have fun..

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Great idea on the trims Marc. Got to fix up some of mine too

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc,

Do you have a build thread for your truck?

Greg

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Greg-

Sorry, no I don't. It was a long build (11yrs). I will be updating my burb build soon. I have made some progress I just need to get the pics up.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Wow, you've got me beat by 2 years! I thought I was stretching it out pretty good at 9. Will you be coming to Centreville on Saturday? They've been doing "Feature Vehicles" the last couple of years and this time it is Classic Trucks.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

No sorry I wont make it. A couple of us are going to drive up to Crafty B's open house in Caladonia. Maybe stop off along the way for a burger and a beer. I was the the Vicksburg car show all last weekend so driving apposed to sitting sounds a lot more fun. After the power tour you are probably thinking sitting apposed to driving sounds more like fun.

Good luck Saturday.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looking forward to those updates!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Me too...JK
I will try to get on it in the next day or so.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

AD-

You modivated me...

Here are a few of the rust repair.

I added a floor brace for improved structure. When I put the seat riser back in, the front will be supported by this brace. I also metal preped and put por rust gaurd on the floors and sill. I used 16 guage sheet metal for the floors.

More to come

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Here is my swap meet deal. I picked this up a few weeks ago. Originally I was going to go with a 60's Nova SS wheel but this one is from a 62 (I think) Impala and it looks close to the Nova wheel plus this one was CHEAP...

I need to weld in the passenger side floor board before I can pull the body off the frame. As you can see it is just sitting in there. I need to do some other repairs before that panel will be ready to weld in. I also started filling the firewall.

Other than that I have been, selling and saving for a Porterbuilt set up. As soon as I sell my Raptor 660 I will be close.

Oh I almost forgot... We are taking my 48 to an open house at Crafty B's shop tommorrow. http://www.crafty-b.net/
He is an artistic dude that builds speed parts and hot rods. It should be cool to check out his shop and put some miles on the 48. I will snap some pics.

Until then

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

You are moving right along. Your floor looks nice.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Great find on the steering wheel.

The floor progress is looking good! Which motivates me to jump on my floor / toe board repair tomorrow.
Really appreciate the updates!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yeah I want to get back on this rust repair. Now that my sons are done with sports for a few months I want to push to get the metal work done. I also sold my quad tonight and I have a guy picking up a set of sock 16" rims that I'm selling so my suburban budget has received a shot in the arm.

Now get to work on your floor panels..

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, nice update, enjoy the trip and show...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

On it Marc..lol..at least a little bit. Checked out Crafty B's web site. Their fuel caps are what I had in mind for the '35 and I couldn't find them. Incredible artistry.

I am debating battery position as I move to replacing the floor pan sections in front of the seat mount on my build. The floors are solid enough to build around the battery access hole. What are your plans for battery mount?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Check out Crafty's Facebook page or follow him on Instagram. There is a lot better content there. Here are a few picks from the open house. I took more on my I phone but these are a few from my camera.

I never liked the idea of needing to rip up 1/2 of the interior to change a battery. On my 48 I used a SS drop down battery box located on the frame rail behind the passenger side front tire.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

More...

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Advance, don't mean to steal your thread Marc, but I also used a drop down box on my pickup, here's a couple pics...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc,

Looking good, the Impala wheel will add a nice touch. Keep it up!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Great pictures of the gathering Marc, thanks for sharing. Really cool look to his designs.

And thank you Marc and Jim for the battery drop down box....I really had a mental "blank out" on that one. That is the value of asking a question and kicking things around.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Great progress on a nice build. dug

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Dug. I have been working on it and I need to get some pics updated. I got a very nice chrome grille from a friend for basically free.

Stay tuned.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Nice score on the grille! Looking forward to the updates Marc.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Well I made it back late this afternoon from the Columbus GG show. It was great. I got to meet Bob "Old N Slow" and check out his truck. Very cool when you can have a human interaction with someone that you have only talked to or followed on this forum. I also meet Justin from Pro Performance and Scotts from Scotts hot rods.

I bought a couple of cool piece for the Suburban. I have been thinking of making a cool roof rack and filling it with random stuff. Here is a pick of what I'm thinking.

I bought the following:
Vintage luggage to either go in the subruban or on the roof rack.
A crusty guide light that will clean up great. Cool light for $20
I also put down a deposit for my Porterbuilt drop member with Justin at Pro Performance. No turning back now.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I love the rack

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Me too. Sounds like you had a good time. Get's the juices flowing to do more fabrication. I was 20 miles from GG in Columbus and didn't have time to make it there.

Suitcase is cool. Reminds me of my buddies Suburban done in an "Island Bus" theme.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Ok, I got some time on the Suburban this weekend. I need to travel to Chicago for work so I will be off it for the next few (hot) days.

I started by drilling and tapping (2) passenger side door hinge bolts that were snapped off. That went pretty well once I sourced a 3/8 24 (fine) thread tap.

I treated the back side of the cowl areas to degresser followed by metal prep then por15. I wanted to treat this area on the backside prior to welding up the cowls.

AD trivia time. What year AD cab came with louvers on both the drive and passenger side cowls???? Anwser.......only available on 1953 :lol:. I have always liked louvers and this was an idea I had when looking at the remains of a cowl patch that I used on my 48. On my 48 I filled in the driver side flapper door and passenger side louvers. For some reason in the pics the louvers look upside down. I can assure you that they match the passenger side.

I also sent my seat riser with my buddy that is taking a customers 69 Camaro to a media blaster.

I need to keep pluggin away because Advance Design is making us all look bad with his progress....

Until next time.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

looking good, I absolutely luv the louvers on these trucks. also the upper cowl vent that most guys weld shut. Gotta luv those little things that actually serve a purpose and look cool. keep up the work, can't wait to see another burb on the road.