"Bourbon" 1975 Suburban Scottsdale

[ShortHaul]

Here she is! My newest addition to the family.

As she currently sits

Untitled by awesome_adawson, on Flickr

Untitled by awesome_adawson, on Flickr


Bourbon is a 1975 Chevrolet Suburban Scottsdale, C20.
454/TH400. A/C with rear AC unit intact. Paint is #61 Grecian Bronze
Brown Plaid Vinyl interior, 3rd row seat option.
64,500 miles on the clock upon purchase.

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All Stock minus the wheels and a brand new looking Quadrajet. Also a set of firestone ride-rite air bags has been added to the rear to help with towing.

[ShortHaul]

So as with all my trucks, this one came by way of an adventure. I’ll tell the story here.
I first spotted this beautiful Burb on Instagram, way back in December of 2019. I followed the links back to its owner beermoney_trucks, where I noticed someone had inquired about whether it was for sale. Reading the owner’s response of “Not listed but could be had for the right price” I knew I had to give it a shot. I sent the owner a message… After about 3 months of radio silence we finally got around to talking business… After some back and forth, begging for pics and info, we finally agreed on a price. After the ‘Rona kindly screwed my plans up for a few months I knew it was now or never… So on June 22nd I boarded a one way flight to Seattle.
Here’s the post that started it all…
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I flew up and met beermoney_trucks in a Walmart parking lot… and laid eyes on this big beauty for the first time.
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She was everything I’d hoped for and more… a little rough around the edges in a few spots, but overall a solid truck. I popped into a local Oriellys for a few spare fluids, filled her up (all 31 gallons!) and hit the road.
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I headed east out of Seattle on I90 with Hood River, OR in my sights.
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I stopped in Ellensburg, Wa for a bite, a beer and a top off… Highly recommend The Pearl bar and grill, excellent burger!
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From there I put the hammer down and rolled into Hood River around 1 AM. I opted for the Tucker Park campground. Located about 10 min outside of town and right on the Hood River it was the perfect place to lay my head after a LOOOOONG day! I swear, crawling into my sleeping bag with the sound of the Hood River rushing by, and the stars shining bright through those big old back windows of the Burb, that moment alone was worth the price of admission 
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Untitled by awesome_adawson, on Flickr
My luxury suite…
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I awoke the next morning and headed off to town for a cup of coffee. Along the way I happened upon a pretty awesome Aircraft and automotive museum just outside of town. If you’re near the Hood River area be sure to check it out. Over 150 vintage aircraft and nearly 200 vintage vehicles, not to mention tons of other cool old stuff..
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I could’ve taken pics of everything in the place… but just take my word for it… its Awesome!
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What a cool spot. So glad I spotted it and had time to pop in for a visit.
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Also spotted a few candidates in town for the future vintage camper project…
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After an awesome Mountain Bike ride through the Post Canyon trails, and a killer lunch at Kickstand café in Hood River, I was on my way south toward Bend.
One thing I realized during my journey is that Squarebodies are literally growing on trees up in that area… I started seeing them everywhere! I may have to start a thread for all the Squares I spotted… and I eventually had to quit stopping to take pictures, I wasn’t getting anywhere fast!

This beauty was for sale!
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How about that hood ornament!
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This guy had a STASH of k20’s
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I was on my way, bug guts and all!
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Plenty of Squares spotted en route to Bend…
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I spent a night in Bend, had a great dinner at the 10Barrel Brewery there.
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The next day I woke up and after a great breakfast from Sparrow Bakery, I hit the bike trails again, just West of Bend for some fun riding!
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Burb makes a great bike shuttle rig!
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Fueled up on killer tacos from El Sancho Taqueria in Bend,
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Even scored a worthy sticker!
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And after a quick stop for some go juice at Dutch Bro’s I was headed south to Ashland…
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The trip down to Ashland took me through some of my favorite roads in Oregon. Hwy 230 to 62 from Diamond Lake down to Medford is awesome. You pass right through some breathtaking mountain views and then end up along the tree lined Rogue River, deep in the Umpqua National Forest. Crater Lake is a quick detour which I chose not to take this time around, but is well worth it if you’re in the area… Every pull off the road features a snow capped peak or a rushing waterfall… Not to mention the Squarebodies were still very abundant in this region…
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by awesome_adawson, on Flickr
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And this is only about a third of the Squares I spotted along the way! I finally rolled into Ashland in time for dinner. I stayed the night and once again did some epic mountain biking on Mt Ashland (if you’re reading along here, yes there was a theme to this trip)
After a great day of riding I headed south towards home. The longest stretch of road ahead of me I knew I had to make up some time. It was 96* in Ashland as I hit the road… I pushed on over the grade and down into California with no issues, cruising past Mt Shasta and down through Dunsmuir. At that point I pulled off for one last swim in the river to cool off before the long hot drive on I5.
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After cooling off for a bit in the river I made the push down past Lake Shasta and into Redding. Up until now the Burb had been driving perfectly, no issues whatsoever. Temps staying cool, pulling long grades with no complaint… she’d been a trooper. When we hit Redding and the outside temp was 107* at about 7PM I knew I was asking for trouble. Sure enough I started hearing a strange wobble from the engine bay and I looked down at the temp gauge just in time to see it shooting through the red… I quickly aimed for a wide spot on the shoulder just as she overheated… steam and coolant everywhere
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I popped the hood and checked the fan. Belts were all good, radiator not leaking, then grabbed the fan and it was wobbling like crazy, free spinning on the water pump snout. No question, the water pump was shot.
This is about the time my trip made a huge turn in the Roadkill direction!
I sent out a message to a few of my good buds, and was able to track down a 454 Water Pump at an Oreillys near home. My good friend Ben hopped in the car and grabbed the water pump, meanwhile I phoned AAA to have them tow me 100 miles closer to home. (I have 100 miles free with AAA) after a two hour wait on the side of I5 I was scooped up on a flatbed and headed south to a Walmart in Willows, CA. Oddly enough, the tow driver said that because of Corona Virus, I wasn’t allowed to ride in the cab of the flat bed, but I could stay in the Burb for the 100 mile ride! I of course accepted, and was treated to a first ever experience of riding in my truck on top of flatbed! what a trip that was!
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The Tow dropped me off and I got to work loosening the alternator, AC and PS pump belts. Just about the time I pulled the old water pump off, my unbelievably awesome friend Ben showed up with the fresh one and a few jugs of coolant. We swapped it in while fighting off tweekers and suffering in the 95* degree heat. By 1:30 AM we were back on the road headed for home.
Ben hard at work
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1:30 AM. 92* Walmart parking lot off I5… water pump swapped… 454 running cool again…2 happy dudes!
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I finally rolled into the driveway at almost 5AM… Tired, sore, sweaty, greasy, but so happy to be home!
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The next day we did what Suburban’s do best… I took the fam out for Ice Cream. The wife loves it, the kids LOVE it, and what can I say… I love it.
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[ShortHaul]

Modifications, upgrades and maintenance...

6/24/2020 -New water pump.
7/10/2020- Bilstein shock absorbers
7/24/2020- Window trim added
8/10/2020- Wheel Vintiques 16x8's, General Grabber A/TX 265/75/16
8/15/2020- Roof Rack installed
9/20/2020- Original Camper mirrors installed (finally!)
12/27/2020- New Spark plugs, wires/boots
2/22/2021- Weather stripping on front doors/windows
5/21/2021 -Oil Change, 6qt of 10W40 and a can of Re-Store
3/01/2022- New Fuel Pump
4/06/2022- New spark plugs, fuel filter.
4/06/2022- Carb rebuilt
Future plans:
Weatherstripping purchased, need to install refresh interior/headliner, LED dash lights, interior lights, fix rust, fix A/C... LS SWAP

[LT7A]

I gotta hack your Craigslist account or whatever, and get it to stop searching Washington. I hate to see these beautiful trucks going elsewhere, but I'll wait my turn - I purposefully don't search right now because I'm afraid of what I might find, for instance, this rig. And I'm glad they're going to somebody who appreciates them. I can hardly believe how few miles are on your Suburban. I look forward to seeing what you have in mind for it.

[RyanAK]

Welcome to the club! Kids love trucks, but they LOVE Suburbans. We had them growing up and I had a string of newer Tahoes and Suburbans in my 20s and 30s. When the 78 came to PA I knew I found my perfect rig and the kids adore it. The entire family and the full catastrophe of stuff fits with room to spare. Bourbon looks so clean. Always good to start with a sold truck. Can’t wait to see what you have in mind. Enjoy, brother!!

R

[RyanAK]

Step one: driver side mirror.

[ShortHaul]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I gotta hack your Craigslist account or whatever, and get it to stop searching Washington. I hate to see these beautiful trucks going elsewhere, but I'll wait my turn - I purposefully don't search right now because I'm afraid of what I might find, for instance, this rig. And I'm glad they're going to somebody who appreciates them. I can hardly believe how few miles are on your Suburban. I look forward to seeing what you have in mind for it.

Haha! Yup I'm slowly but surely depleting the stash of Squares in the PNW although this one was an Instagram poach, no CL here.

Originally Posted by RyanAK

Welcome to the club! Kids love trucks, but they LOVE Suburbans. We had them growing up and I had a string of newer Tahoes and Suburbans in my 20s and 30s. When the 78 came to PA I knew I found my perfect rig and the kids adore it. The entire family and the full catastrophe of stuff fits with room to spare. Bourbon looks so clean. Always good to start with a sold truck. Can’t wait to see what you have in mind. Enjoy, brother!!

R

Hey Ryan! Glad you made it in here, yeah the kids are nuts for this thing... We put the car seats in the wayyyyy back and they have a blast back there! I've been following your build for some time, and its definitely an inspiration for my Burb!

Originally Posted by RyanAK

Step one: driver side mirror.

Oh you bet brother... I can't even tell you how many times I looked down to check the mirror on that 1,000 mile trip home lol. I've got a set of big ol tow mirrors on order...

[RyanAK]

Beautiful family, man! Great adventure. I too got a ride on a flatbed in my Burb recently. Fun, but a high ‘pucker factor’. (I am not a brave fireman...)

Couple tips, since you and I will obviously use our rigs pretty similarly....

A regular ol’ futon mattress fits perfectly in the back. A 5-year-old sleeps soundly on the big second row bench.

Check rear seatbelts that they latch and secure the car seats.

A hitch receiver cargo carrier adds capacity but is a PITA with a tailgate. Wish my rig had a roof rack...

I keep one of those little kiddie potties in the back for my little girl and boy to use on our “a-ventures”. Drop the tailgate, let them do their thing, dump and fertilize the roadside flowers, back on the road. When my little girl has to go she has to go RIGHT NOW and neither kiddo has mastered pooping in the woods.

Carry tools and spares. It’s one thing for you or I to get stranded on an adventure. Something else entirely when loving wife and precious kids are along.

Plan your stops. BIG truck with 1975 brake technology.

A LOT of people will stop to talk about a Suburban. More than a pickup. They bring back childhood memories or nostalgia about owning one long ago when their family was young. I’ve heard some heartwarming stories.

Just a few ‘old Suburban-specific’ things that pickup guys might not think about. I’m sure you probably have thought of most of this. Have fun. I’m excited for ya and can’t wait to see where you go with Bourbon. Being able to have the family along makes these trucks so special. Sweet Pea is Daddy’s truck, but Bourbon is THEIR truck.

[SCOTI]

Great story documenting the purchase & trip home. Another sweet ride as well.

[layinrocker65]

You always have great stories for vehicle purchases.

[ShortHaul]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Great story documenting the purchase & trip home. Another sweet ride as well.

Originally Posted by layinrocker65

You always have great stories for vehicle purchases.

Thanks guys! It's become a bit of a passion. The hunt for the trucks and the adventure getting them home is half the fun!

[ShortHaul]

SO... where to begin!

I really REALLY need mirrors. I've been battling back and forth between the giant tow mirrors, and the more reasonable sized ones like sweet pea has... This Burb originally came with the giant ones, and the holes in the door are still visible. I figure it'd be best to stick with those rather than drill new holes. I know these things are probably a dime a dozen out there but I haven't been able to track a set down yet.

I tried out a new set from Petersen Lighting, their "810" model, which lists as a universal fitm but it turns out the lower arms are a few inches shorter than the originals.

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Also a bummer it appears the upper door panel has been drilled for at least 3 different sets of mirrors
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So I'm looking for a set of the big honkin mirrors... if ya got a lead on a pair let me know!

I need these
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The lower arms measure about 18.5"
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[ShortHaul]

Also did some picking at the local junkyard... scored window trim/rain gutter pieces off a crew cab, plus a decent emblem and a cool GMC tailgate trim piece I don't need but will sell.

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Hit me up if you need this...
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[ShortHaul]

Got the window trim cleaned up and installed... I guess you don't really own your truck until you've drilled holes in it or welded on it!

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I like it. Just a small upgrade, but it's the little things that add up.

Also received my OEM Roof rack from Jeff (AZPartslocator) and got the proper Nutserts to install it. Gonna go lay it all out today and do a couple practice nutserts on a piece of scrap to get it down right...

Other things of note... Wheels from Wheel Vintiques arrived, and I promptly dropped them off at Les Schwab for powdercoating. It'll be a week or two before i get them back... but here's a sneak peek! (This one was a spare for Sweet Pea, but it won't be long now!

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[rodstored-72]

nice... I am looking at probably having to do a few nutserts on my project. I am interested in how you feel the tool worked? I have seen on YT about using a a bolt and nuts instead the tool... thoughts??

thanks!!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by rodstored-72

nice... I am looking at probably having to do a few nutserts on my project. I am interested in how you feel the tool worked? I have seen on YT about using a a bolt and nuts instead the tool... thoughts??

thanks!!

I used the bolt & nut method after more than one instance where there isn't room for the tool pictured & the smaller rivet-gun style of tool wore my hand out after the 2nd or 3rd insert. Then, while @ my local 'premium' hardware outlet Elliott's, I found a set-up that's like the nut/bolt method but is easier to use. They were about $10 for each size needed.

[ShortHaul]

Got the roof rack unpacked, buffed it out and getting ready to install. Looks great for living out in the sun for 40 years! Wood grain is a little faded, but the rest is cherry!

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[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I used the bolt & nut method after more than one instance where there isn't room for the tool pictured & the smaller rivet-gun style of tool wore my hand out after the 2nd or 3rd insert. Then, while @ my local 'premium' hardware outlet Elliott's, I found a set-up that's like the nut/bolt method but is easier to use. They were about $10 for each size needed.

Just to follow up on this.... I was asked in a PM about what I used/found @ my local 'premium' hardware joint. Here is an image of the set-up. I purchase one for each size I commonly use (1/4", 5/16, & 3/8). The nut-sert goes into the panel (keep the hole small enough so the inserts serrated edges grip the metal). The die slips over the bolt. Thread the bolt into the inset. As the bolt tightens, the die helps keep the insert from moving while it collapses the insert 'barrel'. They were less than $10 for each size. I put a dab of anti-seize on the bolt threads to prolong the thread life.

[Factory Guy]

Nice score with the 'burb.

Looking Good.

I am thinking about an LS Swap as well for mine. You might want to consider doing a Vintage air kit for your A/C, as you get a complete kit (all new stuff for right at $1500). That includes new condenser, Evap, compressor, lines, switches and a small HVAC box which will completely fit under your dash and you can eliminate that huge black box on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

My A/C just went out as well. So that is the route I am planning to go (Vintage Air). Plus the VA unit is modern so it will probably even cool better than these old units.

[ShortHaul]

Originally Posted by Factory Guy

Nice score with the 'burb.

Looking Good.

I am thinking about an LS Swap as well for mine. You might want to consider doing a Vintage air kit for your A/C, as you get a complete kit (all new stuff for right at $1500). That includes new condenser, Evap, compressor, lines, switches and a small HVAC box which will completely fit under your dash and you can eliminate that huge black box on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

My A/C just went out as well. So that is the route I am planning to go (Vintage Air). Plus the VA unit is modern so it will probably even cool better than these old units.

I feel like your truck is too original for a LS!! And I hear ya on Vintage Air. A buddy of mine has it in his Chevelle and K5 and swears by it.

[rodstored-72]

shorthaul,
Those look really nice cleaned up... I wonder if you have thought about painting the "woodgrain" portions the same color as the main truck body?? Maybe an option as opposed to refinishing/ replacing the woodgrain?
...anyways looks nice!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by rodstored-72

shorthaul,
Those look really nice cleaned up... I wonder if you have thought about painting the "woodgrain" portions the same color as the main truck body?? Maybe an option as opposed to refinishing/ replacing the woodgrain?
...anyways looks nice!

Or just black like the body trim.

[jonmc56]

Very cool burb. Curious about the your Wheel Vintiques order, did you get a custom backspacing? Wondering what their lead time is these days for building a wheel to order. Thanks.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by jonmc56

Very cool burb. Curious about the your Wheel Vintiques order, did you get a custom backspacing? Wondering what their lead time is these days for building a wheel to order. Thanks.

Not sure now w/the Pandemic but It added 2wks when I had some done in '17 & '19.

[ShortHaul]

Originally Posted by jonmc56

Very cool burb. Curious about the your Wheel Vintiques order, did you get a custom backspacing? Wondering what their lead time is these days for building a wheel to order. Thanks.

No I just ordered their standard backspace. Took a few weeks to get them. Can’t speak to the custom offset, but give em a ring, I’ve always had good customer service with them.