Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

AD, can't wait to see the next section...Jim

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Iceburgh. I'm pretty sure the truck pan won't work on this one and I need to research what will. Probably look that over when I set up the powertrain in the chassis. Man, your 'burb looks great and you are so fast...plus skilled. Killer combination.

Thanks Marc, Iceburgh is amazing and I am more like an old plow horse....just keeping trudging forward. Shop time was more difficult to get when the kids were little and at home....and I am glad it was. Their game / play / recital / open house always came first and now they are grown up and gone. Anticipate you are keeping the priorities in order.

Thanks Chizzler! I was lurking on your build which motivated me to start on this one after waiting....and I went back and looked through your build as I am doing these floors. Great info there!

Me too Jim! Had a rare Monday night at home and got a bit of a start on it. Believe it will work out.

Having the best time on this build.....great husband / wife / family time and input / comments / suggestions / kind words from you guys really helps. Thank you for that.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Here is a pan that I will switch to if needed.
Pans in a scrap yard just are not available around here and when they are they are $300 or more.
https://www.holley.com/products/ls_p...ns/parts/302-1

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Iceburgh, Holley has a good product there. Street and Performance has a modified Camaro pan (though I couldn't find it on their web site).
I also was thinking a stock Camaro pan (if it will clear the cross member) will give good ground clearance.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet+Perf...28771/10002/-1

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

pretty sure all the car pans should work 98-02. check ebay found cheaper GM ones than the jegs price. Shame you can get an LS for 300 bucks these days but guys want 300 plus for a pan that will work for the application, I don't get it.

I have a 54' panel lined up to finish for a friend, its bagged,sub framed and LS, he has the harness already done, I have to put the engine back together and wire it all up so I'll be watching what you got going on!!!!! my first LS experience but have had one sitting for over a year, just haven't had time to get on the project its goin in.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

While we still have some trimming / fitting to do before welding in the section of floor over the differential, here is the direction we are going.

Inner fenders are 67 to 72 truck pieces and the hump has a 6 inch radius with a 1 inch lip on either side.

Debated and imagined a number of solutions
- building a box in the floor over the center housing of the differential.
- leaving the stock inner fenders in place
- widening the stock inner fenders for more tire clearance.

We settled on this because it looks decent and was simpler than other solutions. Really wanted something more elegant than the box steel....and once it is covered with sound deadener / carpet you won't see it.

And we've had about all the fun we want in the floor installation category after @ 55 square feet of it.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

When we first test fit the truck inner fenders to the floor a gap at the side wall was evident.

Wife hit on the solution to simply rasie the fender up 2 inches so we built this framework. Again I wanted something more elegant than the box steel and nothing was coming to me. Used the fender against the side wall to template where the 1 1/2 inch angle iron needed to be positioned. Used the channel pieces going across to provide a support for the "hump".

The 12 inch diameter of the hump allows clearance for the differential center section and air bag connections.

Raising the platform for the fenders allowed the fender to fit tight against the wall and provided more room for the center section of the differential.

We boxed in the channels with two pieces of 16 gauge flat to create a flat transition from the cross channel piece to the top flat surface of the angle iron for floor mounting.

Then we cut, drilled and plug welded in the floor sections.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Filled in between the two floor sections and on the box steel for a flat mounting surface for the fender.

Since the distance between the fenders is wider at the top than the bottom, we made a pattern from poster board. Wife found some at Hobby Lobby that had lines on the back. Probably overkill as we should have been able to get close enough with measuring. Anyway, made the pattern and traced that on the hump.

Close enough would be good enough since to finish that area I'll use a piece of 1" angle in 19 or 20 gauge then stretch to form a curved close out for any gap.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Before final installation of the fenders and the hump we need to fix this mess that was hiding under the trim and also repair the rusted out section where the rear fenders mount.

After a few times hitting my head on the rear upper gate hinges my wife decided to "baby proof" them. Quicker than taking them out right now and that was her solution. Better than my repeated head cracking.....

All in all a great week end. Even took time with the Grandsons Friday night and Saturday.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Nice progress, yeah the wives have to keep us out of trouble now and then...Jim

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

I had to take a nap just looking at everthing that you accomplished. I bet your tired as well.

Nice work.

Marc

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks guys, wife has kept me out of trouble many times over the years.

Wife and I did that work on last Monday night, this Friday night, Saturday and then Sunday until noon....so Marc you are correct we are tired. Took lots of pictures for you.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Your guys attention to detail is awesome.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Looking amazing man. Makes me want a burb bad.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks 68 Four on the Floor....will have to see if the attention span stays engaged with fixing the rusty rear fender mounting area. And the 2 x 2 box tube still really bugs me....have an idea to make it better... maybe.

Thanks Stockish. Your truck and chassis build is awesome! Progress will be slow this week end as we are heading to the Frog Follies in Evansville, IN.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Wow what work you have got done in a short order of time! Killer work. And man I dig it.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks rusty76! Frog Follies show (48 and older) on Saturday in near 100 degree heat, plus high humidity, sapped the energy pretty well so I wimped out Sunday afternoon and took it easy. Plan to be back on the 'Burb next week end.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Man sakes alive. I don't like the heat at all. I'll let you guys keep it...lol.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

We had a reception gathering for 50 people and didn't get anything done on the Suburban yesterday. Had a great time and ended with a cleaned up shop out of it.

Lot's of perplexed questions from attendees about the projects--"Why do you want it to go so low?"..."It didn't come with a V8, can you do that?"...."Not painting it....?" perplexed look.

Had a lot of fun.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Happy Labor Day!

Ok, got the shop back to normal, threw the body back on the body cart for easier access to the area the rear fenders bolt to and started cutting out rusted metal.

Left side is not too bad and the right is a little worse as the rust is into the outer body lip. Ground out some bondo and found the damage. Will form (I hope) a piece to duplicate the rolled body edge just above the rear fender.

The rest of the repairs are pretty straightforward though time consuming.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

not too bad, so you'll have this done tomorrow!!!!! that thing is still much better shape than panels and just about all my trucks.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Hey 99 your generous estimation of my speed and skill makes me smile. Thanks man.

Removed the rest of the rusty metal then took a pattern shape of the body lip. Use the pattern shape to make male and female dies from some plastic type material we had laying around. Rigged the dies together to make a small hammer type form. Slow easy repeated trips through the form while making good use of a hammer formed the piece from 19 gauge material in a one inch wide strip.

Formed a pretty rudimentary body lip and will re-evaluate using it tomorrow.

Slow progress today. Twinged a back muscle yesterday crawling around under the body cart (kinda funny, laying on my back like a helpless turtle while my wife looked on), poor night sleep so ran outa steam pretty early today. Still a great day....even when interrupted by an insurance salesperson.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Decided that piece was good enough for a '48 Suburban so went ahead, butt welded it in and metal finished it out. Looks decent but not great and only took seven hours to make and replace nine inches of the body lip.

Wife was helping and the original body wanted to burn through. She actually said "You're right honey, you do need a TIG welder." My plan is working... Piece of copper strip behind the butt weld helped a lot.

Started making the piece that goes across to the inner body wall. Piece curves front to back so used the shrinker on the flanged edged to create the curve. Have it fitting well for welding in tomorrow.

Yeah, like I mentioned, this is slow work. Yawn....

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Nice progress. Any progress is good progress.

Marc

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Hobart! I've got a little 150 tight and stick machine that runs decent. .

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Marc, continuing to plow ahead.

68 four on the floor - Hobart has good products. Been contemplating one from Miller.

Moved to left side and metal is thin too. Decided it was quicker and easier (with a better end result) to make a larger piece for one of the patches. Then had a brainstorm and decided rather than butt weld, I could place the patch on the back side overlapping the cut out area. Then will fill in with a butt welded patch making one surface for the fender mount. This really helped with the burn through on the thin original metal.

Overkill probably....and I don't want my Grandsons taking this apart 40 years from now and saying "Wow, Grandpa sure did a crappy job on this".

Why is it a week on vacation in the shop goes by so much faster than a week at work?

Had a really good work partner this week.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Stopped by a good friends shop tonight and he will soon be wrapping up this 66 'Burb LS swap he is doing for a customer. Then will get back on the '52 Buick that we found locally in a barn....rock solid and stored away since early 1970's. Only good "barn find" I've ever stumbled across.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

AD
Like what you are doing. You keep me fighting the mosquitoes that use me for the evening meal. Great work

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

patches are coming along swell. that 52' buick is amazing. I got a really rough 53' 4door. Huge fan of the buicks though, can't wait to see what you guys do with that.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Looking good man !

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

boy that LS fits in the 66 much better than in the AD

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks bigtoe2u. Those pesky blood suckers have been pretty thick here this summer too. Looking forward to your Burb updates!

Thanks 99. Plans for the '52 Buick are a 6.0 with a turbo, 4L80, 9 inch rear on trailing arms. He installed a Camaro subframe and it looks gnarly under there (too bumpy, doesn't flow) so it is coming back out and a '03 up Crown Vic crossmember (like an Art Morrison bikini clip) is going in.

Thanks ChiefRocka, really like your action on your Burb. Very cool. Your buddy find seats yet?

Sure does Iceburgh! Bet you've got yours ready for a test drive. Looking really good on your last update.

Here is a before and after with a couple hours to go on the left side....more grelding (if I can use Youngrodders term) to go. Really, the front patch looks better in person than in the pic.

Looking forward to finishing the patches, finishing the floor up and doing something else to this Burb.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

I endorse this message..Good work

Marc

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

metal work is looking real good.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Love your build. I only got through a few pages but will finish it. Gotta hit the sack. Looking foward to finish the rest of it.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Marc! Made us smile!

Thank you Chizzler. Means a lot to me....though I am glad it is going to be hidden under the fender.

Thanks Hydrojunkie....if you can get through all the yackity yack I put in....Holy crap AD, how many pic's of rust repair and floors do you need? We are having a blast though.


Lotta hours on the rust replacement this week and I still didn't get done what I had set for a goal. Figured we would knock out the patch panels, finish the floor with the new wheel wells / hump and maybe set up the engine and transmission....not to be, despite our best efforts. Still decent progress though.

Some things I was reminded of / refreshed on this week:

• No way could a shop have put a bid in on this repair. We all know many / most shops won't as they are setting themselves and the customer up for disappointment.
  
• Would hate to have been doing this for a paying customer. Mr. Jones, we spent 40 hours repairing rusted out places and your bill is $2,000 this week. Good news is it will only be about half that next week and we will be done with the rust.....we think.
  
• Practiced up with overhead welding in 1/10 of a second bursts. Lotta grinding practice too and I can chase a hole with the best of them now.
  
• A better way to fix this would have been to have the body on a rotisserie flipped over, then make a quality metal shaped fender lip extending up into the body into real solid metal, TIG welded it in then metal finished / planished it out. Frankly beyond my skills without a lot of help from my metal shaping buddies.
  
• These Duluth Trading Company firehose pants might be beaver proof but they sure as heck are not welding splatter proof.
  
• It is good to take a break. Took some time to watch oldest grandson play flag football. Lot's of speed and determination with most of those little guys.

Nope littlest grandson, we are not ready for paint yet.

Been a great week!

Always appreciate your thoughts and suggestions guys.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

AD, glad things are moving along, cute little guy...Jim

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

You'll let him paint the burb want ya?

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Jim, he is pretty cute and likes being in the shop.

Rusty76 - Oh for sure! Would be interesting....paint everywhere.

Guys, need you input please.

The rear fender mounting nuts were rusted away (along with the metal) in about half the mounting locations and I've replaced that metal.

The mounting nuts were almost like a rivnut with a large square nut on the back. They had to have been installed when new before the quarter panel joined the inner body panel. Since most of the nuts are not accessable (between the outer quarter panel and inner body panel) I am considering replacing them with rivnuts. Concerned about them spinning out in the hole when tightened (since I have no experience with rivnuts). Plan to do a test or two on scrap metal to see if they do spin out. May place a weld tack on either side of the rivnut.

Option two is to make a hole for placement of a nut in the new metal and weld that in place. Don't think option two will come out nicely.

Other ideas? I am way open minded.

Thanks!

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

AD, my son and I have been using flange nuts for welding for several years and they work good. Drill hole big enough for the nut to go thru and weld the flange part to metal. I'll see if I can come up with a pic...Jim