Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Here's the story. A couple months ago I found this old 1970 yellow and white Chevy K20 Suburban at the junkyard. It was all original except the 350 had been replaced by a 454! I bought the seat(black vinyl), dash pad(also black), and fan shroud out of it, and I came back for some other stuff a week later and it was gone. Somebody bought it and it sat about 20 miles out of town on some guys land. What happened was, this guy let his friend that bought it keep his trucks on his property and he left 'em there way too long. So what happened? The property owner got tired of 'em being there and called the same junkyard the burb came from to pick it up. :lol: We went to the junkyard today and Dad saw it sitting way in the back, and I told him we gotta buy it before it gets crushed/stripped. Get this, the guy at the yard is selling it to me for $300, with a clear title!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:metal: :metal: :metal: It still has the BB/tranny/x-fer case and both axles. The rear is the Eaton HO52, the front should be a D44. I don't know if it is original, I didn't look for brake drums. It had the red lockouts on it so it might not be. It has four 16.5 slot rims that are painted steel? with 8.75-16.5 tires. It has a real big bumper on the front that I think had a winch before. The rear bumper is pretty big too. It has rust problems at the top corners of the front and rear roof but it's real solid on top and not dented or real rusty, most of the truck has original paint. It has the tailgate and lift hatch, all glass windows are good. Has original gauges, radio, black non-tilt auto column and wheel, black door panels and all rear trim panels, and the glovebox lid with the 4x4 sticker, and it also has the original 4x4 shift knob, I think it has the NP205 t-case. It's weird though, it has front heat and rear A/C. The compressor is gone and so is the heater box, the dumbass that bought it had all kinds of crap thrown inside and messed the center seat up, and I guess he's the one that took the heater box. No biggie, I have a spare. The engine looks like it'll run with some new plugs and basic stuff, not sure about the tranny or t-case. I'll have to check all the grease levels and gears, etc before I try to drive it around. I should have this by next Friday!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!:metal: :metal: :metal:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Cool, will go good with your other '70!!!!!

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

cool cain't wait to see pixs,my 70 K/10 also has the red lockouts.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

What a deal!!!

Sounds like a runner. The tranny and xfer case probably leak, but only need an oil change. Unlikely that they'll prove problematic to get the truck back on the road. The interior parts and body are another matter.

I sure hope that 454 runs. That would be sweet. Drain the block and flush the block from the thermostat neck through the block drains before running it, though. Just spray garden hose thru while blocking the water pump intake. New thermostat, too. Probably needs a new water pump.

Maybe have the radiator cleaned by a rad shop. Only $36 here if no repair needed. They use an acid tank with ultrasound waves to loosen any crud in the tubes. Much better than just flushing.

Make sure the tank has good fuel. Rust and congealed gas will clog a carb fast. Best to drain it and have it also cleaned by a rad shop. Perhaps, sealed, too. Then get to the brake hydraulics. Who knows what you'll find there, too. Safety first. ;)

Looking foward to pics.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Great advise from 4x4poet.You`ll also need a black dashpad,seat,and fan shroud.:)

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm gonna put the seat and dashpad back in it when we get it home. :lol: I kept the old seat from my truck and fixed it and put a new green saddle blanket seat cover on it, just never got it put back in the truck. The first things I'm going to do are try and fix the rust areas around the roof, but I wanna try to get it running before I do that! The engine looked complete, had an air cleaner on top of the Quadrajet so at least the carb should be clean enough to fire the engine up. The gas cap was on the filler neck too so hopefully the important stuff is in good shape. I'll change the oil, flush the cooling system, change the fluid in the tranny, t-case, and both diff's., and get the gas tank cleaned. Man it's gonna take some work. The brakes are gonna be fun, I don't know if the return spring for the pedal was broke or if it was disconnected but the pedal was to the floor. I will take a lot of pictures of it when we get it home. I'll probably end up pulling it with my truck since it's only a couple miles to my great Uncle's house, I'll bet were gonna draw a lot of attention. A green truck pulling a yellow Suburban. :cool:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

pixs,pixs,we need pixs man the suspence is killing me.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I won't have 'em till Saturday, try not to think about it too much. :lol:

:lol:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Can you at least draw a picture:confused:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

lol!Draw a pic! ;)

Good find... How rusty is it???

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

If they are cool looking slot wheels, they should be aluminum. Sounds like a sweet deal. Is it already street legal, or is it going to need alotta work?

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

My handwritin ain't too good, so a drawin picture is out of the question. I'll take the camera and see if he's open tomorrow.

bagged91, it's not in good shape in the roof areas, but it's fixable and is in way better condition than the cab on my truck. Overall the body is in good condition with the exception of the roof.

Jake, I know they were slot wheels, but they were rusty and had been painted white. Sounds weird but that's what me and Dad saw. They are 16.5" wheels that are 8.25" wide and they have 8.75-16.5 tires that are at about 30% tread and holding air. There was another one in the spare tire holder in the back that had a big blowout in the tire, so there's a complete set of 5 wheels. I'm keeping those wheels on there since they look cool and I don't have any spare 8 lug wheels or tires. I'll paint 'em silver when I can get around to it. This Burb is gonna be a whole new project. Full brake system needs to be gone through, fluids changed, cooling system flushed, probably 2 hours worth of cleaning the interior out, etc. I sure as hell hope that big block runs good!!!! :metal: There was all kinds of crap thrown inside, me and Dad were cleaning it all out at the junkyard there, so most of the big stuff is out except for the stuff that's staying like the gauges, radio, glovebox lid, and all the hardware that was taken loose. This guy had a big diesel tank from the back of a pickup in there with another gas tank shoved against the center seat(seat is OK!), junk engine gaskets, etc. I found a big logging chain in the back and some hard hats, this used to belong to a construction company according to the records that were in the glovebox. There was a spare belt for the engine that had "Old Yeller" written on the paper sleeve too. :lol: Pics will be here soon, stay alert guys!

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Tell ya what, since I'm a nice generous kind of guy, I'll buy the 'Burb off from you for $301, therefore you will be making profit. Not only that, I'll let YOU ship it up here to Maine, in to my driveway, at no cost to me. Sound good?

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Hell no! :lol: I should have it here tomorrow, but we're having a big paintball war at a ranch for one of my friend's graduation party. :metal: So it's gonna take awhile longer, as usual.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Have fun, and get the pics ASAP.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I knew some crap like this was gonna happen............Yesterday morning I went and checked it out again, yes it has the original front axle and the 205 T-case. I would've bought it last week but Mom wouldn't let Dad buy it for me. Well the guy at the yard said someone wants the steering column and steering box. I was pissed, and I didn't have enough $$$ and still don't. Damnit I hope nothing's missing off of it..............Will post back ASAP when I find anything out.............

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Damn that sucks. Hope its in one piece when you get it.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Uh oh. Mom ain't keen on the obsession. :eek:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Well the guy never came to get the parts!!!! YES!!!! :metal: Dad went out there this morning to talk to him, and the guy at the yard is gonna make sure nobody messes with it. Dad's gonna drop off half of the money for me tomorrow while I'm at school. It'll be home soon!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Well thats good. Congrats. :metal:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Thanks dude. I can't wait to hear that BB rumble, it already has a dual exhaust with long glasspacks that's still in good condition. :metal: I might have trouble with the pass. side hub, I couldn't get it to go into the free position with just my hands. The engine will crank over, when I looked at it Saturday morning I turned it with a breaker bar. The tranny and transfer case go into all gears/ranges too. It has a TH350, hopefully it'll work OK. There was clean red fluid on the dipstick, and the engine was full of oil too but it needs to be changed bad.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Whew that was close,now go get that sucker so we can see it.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I'll take pics if the yard is open late, he usually closes at lunch time and I get out of school at 3:37. Our last day of school is thursday so it'll be friday at the latest!!!!! Class of '06 rules!!!!!! :metal:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Buy it. How hard would it be to find a steering box and column if you looked around a little? I'm sure if you looked around, you could find an old truck with all the parts you needed and get the parts cheap, or the whole truck for that matter. Being cheap rules.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Yeah I was thinking about going ahead and buying it, Dad doesn't want me to because it won't be driveable. I got pissed because he told my Dad that he wouldn't sell any parts off of it, and did it anyway. The dumbass that bought the parts needed 'em for a 2wd, well most of us already know the 4wd steering parts won't work on a 2wd!!!! (insert Carlos Mencia "der derder!!!!!!" sound here)

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Maybe the parts will wonder there way back to the Burb. If he finds out they don't work, he may come back and throw them inside it or something. You never know what might happen.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Robert ...I would take jakes advise the guy that bought the parts cant use them. If I were you I would try to track him down and maby do some research on the parts he needs,Maby find the stuff he needs and strike a deal. Like you all he is trying to do is fix an old truck but doesnt neccassarily know what he is doing. Like him buying parts that ''you'' know he cant use. Knowledge is everything.....BUY-THE-TRUCK...LOL..GOOD LUCK....

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Not everyone wants to be a parts dealer but arnt the parts on it well worth the purchase price.

I just picked up a 2wd 70 GMC that needs a lot of parts, To me it could be a gold mine of items. And I am sure that there are places you can find a steering gear. What other years might swap into it. perhaps the 80's burbs/blazers?

In other words, if the body is in good shape and the interior is decent, (For guys lke me missing the back seats) it might be worth the rest of the purchase.

Austin and Beeville are not that far away. if you get it and part it let me know if you decide not to get it take some pics and send them my way. I'll take a day off and come down.

Send me a PM if you dont pick it up. But it sounds like, from your earlier posts it was wellworth the askign price.

Good luck.

Thomas

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Hello I don't see any pixs yet, But I'm a patient man,I'm still waiting.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I'm gonna try to make a deal on it tomorrow morning, will take pics. Hang on y'all................

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Is there some higher force of power at work here?!?!?!? I got woke up at 6:30 this morning by a LOUD crash. No, wasn't a wreck, it was thunder. It rained like a SOB from then till 11 this morning, we got 5 inches of rain today. And of course now he won't be open till monday. Damnit I hope he doesn't start crushing yet................

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

:lol:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

The force at work is the "snooze ya lose" force.Go buy the dang thing before some other part that`ll do no one any good comes off of it!

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

This post is going to make me about as popular as a whore in church. I think the force at work is the angel that's trying to protect you and you got him working overtime. To make sure I'm on the right page. First off the truck is not running so that you can check any of the components of the drive train. It is now missing the steering box and column so you need a wrecker or at least a tow dolly to move it. In the almost month you have been trying to buy this you could not come up with $300 to buy it or at least half down to get the yard man to hold it for you. Your dad is not for it since it don't run. (this is the big one) Your mom is not for it anyway you go about it. You need at least one of them in your corner. If this truck was a construction vehicle as you think it has probable been rode hard and hung up wet more than a time or two. Used parts that are in good shape are going to be hard to find and costly. New is worse. If you have good luck and get it to run without spending a lot just feeding that 454 is going to be a ball buster. I have a 77 model with 61000 miles 2wd drive and about 6-7 mpg is as good as it will do. It is not my intention to shoot down your dream. Just take a long hard look at the big picture. Good luck.

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Robert, could you buy it and hide it at a friends house or something so your parents won't be b*tching at you 24/7? :lol:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!! The only thing missing is the column, the steering box and linkage wasn't messed with, Dad just thought the box was missing since the column was. I'll get another column for it later though. YEP, I bought it. For $200! Dad said to get it since the steering box is still there so I damn sure did. Gonna pick it up sometime this week!! :metal: :metal: Yeah it has rust problems but it's not too far gone to fix. You can see the radio and dash in one pic, the glovebox door is sitting on the center seat and I have the original owners manual too. Anyway here's the pics:

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

More

Re: Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

last pic. will take more when it gets home! :metal: :metal: the rockers on this are really solid, but the roof and upper door sealing areas are getting pretty rusty. the rust spots are the first things to be fixed, other than getting that 454 running! oh yeah this Burb has the manual throttle option, probably for running the PTO. i found the chrome bezel and plastic THROTTLE plate for the dash on the floor, glad it didn't fall out.