Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Iceburgh, I will take you up on your request.

Thanks. I used this type washer.http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performan...83502/10002/-1 don't remember the size but they offer them in different sizes. I then used a SS flat top allen head bolt. This combination works good because it help distribute the pressure on the bed side. A lot of bed sides are cracked in this area. I know mine were.

Here is a close up to give you an idea.


Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

No tben on the forum in a while. Looks like I've missed a lot. Good work

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Ok, so I have gotten out in the garage a little bit lately. I constructed a tranny tunnel out of cardboard. I also bent up some metal at my friends hot rod shop (Dutchboys) yesterday. No pics of the finished product yet...due to being to f'n cold.

I also started working on the body more. I removed all of the lead from the joints. The ones in the back corners of the roof where in bad shape. This seems to be a pretty common area of decay in these burbs. I also picked at this "scab" on the roof. I knew I would have an issue there but I wouldn't know how bad until I dug into it further. It looks like at some point a tree (or something) might have fallen on the roof. During removing the filler I found all of these worm holes. I was told that this might have been an old technique for pulling dents. I have an idea how I will fix these issues but I would like the opinion of my friends dad (also from the Dutchboys) on the best way to fix.

Oh also the hole below where the rear tail light mounts. I assume it needs to be filled. Any Suburban owners out there have a similar hole in the same location? It looks to be a square hole that's why I think it should be there but I was not sure.

Pics (round 1)

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

pics (round2)

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

same hole here.... I assumed it was there for a bracket for a license plate holder but I do not know that for sure.
The door on mine was beat all to hell and fixed with plastic over 1" thick

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Don't know if I have the hole on mine since that area is filled over with plastic too. That is the area just below where the bullet shaped tail lights mounted on the sides?

Wonder if all the holes were for the old time filler to take a bite? Are you going to replace the leaded over joints with butt welded 19 gauge?

Glad you had some shop time Marc. Looks pretty cozy with the tv up in the corner.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Not sure if this helps. I think it holds the license plate bracket.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks Iceburgh. Yes, I found a few minor dents that were just buttered over with filler instead of just pulled.

My friends dad offered to re-lead it for me. I'm not sure if I will trouble him or just use some modern reinforced filler for these areas. I just want to preserve them from getting worse.

Thanks Chizzler, I will have to look through my parts to see if I have a rear plate holder. I assumed that it just attached to the tail light.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, glad you got some time in the shop, thanks for the update...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Looking good. I dug all the lead out of my '52 panel due to rust under it. I sandblasted and filled it back in with fiberglass kitty hair and it held up great.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

nice work, digging the trans tunnel. I'm more of a square tunnel fan in most builds. allows more utilization and most time I just like how they look.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Eugene

I will probably sandblast the welds then treat them with some black rust guard prior to using kitty hair.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks, I'm getting anxious to get the seat riser welded back in and getting the trans tunnel welded in so that I can get the front floor are all buttoned up.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Love your green truck. The Burb is lookin good and will be awesome.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, great work.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks guys.. I should have some progress to report soon. Porterbuilt is getting close on the drop member that they are building for me. I also made a few changes to my 48 so that has eaten into my garage time. The weather has been nice as of late so I have been enjoying driving the 48.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

So don't keep us guessing, what did you do to the 48, looked perfect to me...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Well Jim, It started with a leaking freeze plug in the front of the block. Once I changed that, it snowballed into a couple other changes. Some changes are more visible than others. Here's a run down.
1 - Upgraded to a new bigger radiator. Needed to create room to fit.
2 - Painted a lot of my billet Street and Performance pulleys and brackets. Billet was too hard to keep polished. Black is the new chrome.
3 - Changed the collectors on my exhaust system and added some SS flex joints.
4 - Re-welded one of the mounts for my tail pipe that cracked (see item 3 above)

You know how it is, after putting miles on them you decided to fix/change some stuff.

I will take a couple pics of engine bay to give you an idea.

Thanks
Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I know what you mean, did you go aluminum with rad...Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yes, but a 4 core. Because of the location of my steering box, I have a radiator that is 4" shorter than a stock radiator. I have never been pleased with the way my previous 3 core radiator cooled. Some of that might have to do with slug that was in my engine from sitting all of those years. I learned after my initial start up that Dexcool when mixed with air turns to a slug. I flushed the block and radiator a crap load of times. I think maybe my old radiator was partially plugged so I figured what the heck lets upgrade to a new 4 core while I'm at it. needless to say I have no cooling issues.

My truck never overheated it just ran hotter than I was comfortable but well within spec for the motor.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Sounds like some good upgrades!! They all need some TLC from time to time.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Nice upgrades on the 48. Looking forward to seeing them....no rush getting back on the Burb. :)

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Hey that's my line...ha ha

Here are a couple pics.

I included a pic of the shrink band that I used. If you have never used these they work great and look clean. I basically changed out the motor components and ss radiator hoses to black and had to notch the radiator panel to make room for the radiator.

Thanks
Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

That truck is just bad ass

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks man....

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Really incredible! Have looked at those bands before and never seen them installed. Were you happy with how they worked out so far?

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Yes, I was skeptical because I always seemed to chase coolant leaks but from day one these sealed up tight. They are more $$ than clamps but sometime its the details that are the difference. I plan to use them on all my builds.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Very clean marc. Looks great.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc! Saw your spread in Street Trucks....absolutely gorgeous!!!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks man...I'm pretty stoked about it.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

If they gave you digital copies, I'd love one of the straight on shots for wallpaper!!!:metal::metal::metal:

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I need to play around and resize the image as the files I have are hi-res. Let me see what I can do

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Due to an expected/unexpected job change I have not been spending anytime on the burb. I did get out there tonight and I plan on working on it more and more now that I'm a couple weeks into a new job. Porterbuilt is close on the AD kits. Here are a few pics that they have shared on Instagram. A few of that changes are now the front and rear will be a bolt in unit. The rear rails flow like the stock rails. I was told they just need to fab the front radiator support and there done. In the meantime I will get my frame blasted in anticipation.

Marc

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Very nice parts. Looking forward to seeing them on your chassis!

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Well I spent a good portion of last Sunday in the garage as well as today. I was able the get the floor out. The problem that I ran into was the rusted carriage bolts that held the wood in around the perimeter. The nuts were rusted and the bolts simply spun. I ended up spot welding each one so that they would not spin. I also removed the rear sill. I was not certain how this was to come out after snapping the heads off of about 12 bolts and cutting a few spot welds I was able to easy it out. I needed to remove it to properly replace the rear driver side cab corner. Here are some pics to prove it.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

I agree, the floor does not come out without a fight. Nice work!
Good to see you on the Burb Marc.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Marc, glad to see you back at it....Jim

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

That wood floor is a bugger to get out. Nice work.

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

lot of work right there....all down hill now :)

Re: 53 Surburban "Family Truckster"
 

Thanks, I'm glad I'm back at it as well. I went back out there today.

Thanks Jim...

You would know Chizzler first hand.

I hope your right...

Marc