My suburban's Twisted Little Sister

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

Originally Posted by 65sub

We also met up with forum member Johnny_Lamebridge and his lovely wife.

Dale it was our pleasure meeting you and your daughter. She's obviously a sweetie, hanging out with her dad... at a car show, no less. I was very impressed with the work you've done on your 409 Suburban. So well-engineered. Now I'm looking forward to seeing you finish the "Twisted Little Sister".

It was good talking to you!

[IWanna49]

That's a really cool airplane dash!

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Johnny_Lamebridge

Dale it was our pleasure meeting you and your daughter. She's obviously a sweetie, hanging out with her dad... at a car show, no less. I was very impressed with the work you've done on your 409 Suburban. So well-engineered. Now I'm looking forward to seeing you finish the "Twisted Little Sister".

It was good talking to you!

We enjoyed meeting you and your wife. Hopefully next time we will have more time.

Originally Posted by IWanna49

That's a really cool airplane dash!

Thanks Wanna49


We got a little busy last week but we're back to work now. We decided to start on the upper door frame. Since this is a complicated design we will have to make it in multiple pieces and weld them together. We made the first piece from 20 gauge sheetmetal 1 1/2" wide bent to 90* to make 3/4 X3/4 angle. Then we used the shrinker to make it follow the shape of the roof. It should take 8 different pieces to make each side.

[65sub]

Here's the first three pieces test fit on the truck.

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

Dale... what the heck are you making now, a Targa roof? Nice work making tose channel pieces. I don't know what you're doing, but I'm sure looking forward to see the result!

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Johnny_Lamebridge

Dale... what the heck are you making now, a Targa roof? Nice work making tose channel pieces. I don't know what you're doing, but I'm sure looking forward to see the result!

Thanks John. Making the channel pieces is a bit time consuming but once we make enough support structure from side to side as well as front to back in the center we are going to make big gullwing doors (like a DeLorean).

I took the Airspeed indicator apart to fix the return spring and oil the gears. The gauge reads a top speed of 300 mph so I will try making a funnel shaped air intake to make 300 equal to 100 to make the gauge useful at slower speeds.

[lower50's]

Wow!!! yup that's all that comes to mind and I thought I was doing something custom. The work that you have done in so little time is amazing. I don't live that far from you, I would love to see all our trucks some time. Keep it up.

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by 65sub

Thanks John. Making the channel pieces is a bit time consuming but once we make enough support structure from side to side as well as front to back in the center we are going to make big gullwing doors (like a DeLorean).

I took the Airspeed indicator apart to fix the return spring and oil the gears. The gauge reads a top speed of 300 mph so I will try making a funnel shaped air intake to make 300 equal to 100 to make the gauge useful at slower speeds.

with a V12 you just may hit 300mph

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

Hey Dale... FYI, car show this weekend in Waterloo. I don't know anything else about it, just what I read on the facebook page.

Northern Showdown, Rim Park, 2001 University Avenue, Waterloo, Canada. Sat Aug 29 2015

Info here: https://www.facebook.com/Northernshowdown

Video from last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meNLH3rGHfE

[65sub]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Wow!!! yup that's all that comes to mind and I thought I was doing something custom. The work that you have done in so little time is amazing. I don't live that far from you, I would love to see all our trucks some time. Keep it up.

Hey neighbour. Thanks for the compliments. I read your build and you have a bunch of custom on your truck too. If you are ever in the area we should get together.

Originally Posted by pimpston65

with a V12 you just may hit 300mph

Going 300 might be scary but saying it goes 300 might be ok.

Originally Posted by Johnny_Lamebridge

Hey Dale... FYI, car show this weekend in Waterloo. I don't know anything else about it, just what I read on the facebook page.

Northern Showdown, Rim Park, 2001 University Avenue, Waterloo, Canada. Sat Aug 29 2015

Info here: https://www.facebook.com/Northernshowdown

Video from last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meNLH3rGHfE

Hi John. I can't make it to Waterloo. The local speed shop ,Westside Performance, is having a car show on Saturday. They're good guys and I like to support them.


After a day or two with the shrinker and stretcher making pieces we clamped them together for a test run. Once the test was done we started tacking and spot welding.

[65sub]

We made some more progress spot welding the upper door frame pieces together. Both sides are together they just need the weather strip edge welded on.

[Advanced Design]

Nice work 65. Can't figue out the piece going on in these pictures so looking forward to see what is next. This is way better than watching tv!

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Nice work 65. Can't figue out the piece going on in these pictures so looking forward to see what is next. This is way better than watching tv!

Thanks A.D.

I thought this picture might help explain what we're doing. Piece #4 is the one we just welded on

[Advanced Design]

Ok got it. On my Ipad it looked like pieces 2 and 3 were gone. Thanks for explaining!

[Trixxterr]

This build is moving right along. Interested in seeing the gullwing doors. Will be interesting to say the least.

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Trixxterr

This build is moving right along. Interested in seeing the gullwing doors. Will be interesting to say the least.

Thanks Trixxterr. We will be a little while yet before we get to fabricating doors but stay tuned we'll get there.


We made a patch to continue the B pillar up to the new upper door opening

[deejaaa1]

fab skills and attention to detail are outstanding. great work!

[65sub]

Originally Posted by deejaaa1

fab skills and attention to detail are outstanding. great work!

Thanks Deejay.


We made the patch for the top of the B pillar and did some welding on the front of the roof.

[65sub]

Today was hot and humid but we did manage to get part of the roof support tacked in place

[Grizz1963]

So many words spring to mind, most of them overused clichè's but I continue to watch this build and the work you are putting in, in absolute awe.

You guys, along with many of the other builders on here, really are such skilled artists and artisans, plying a trade that is dying out slowly but surely.

I am just thankful you continue to share and teach those of us on here who want to learn just a fraction of what makes your builds so compelling to watch.

It is such a pity that when the paint, chrome, polish n glass is all done, that the majority of people looking will have no idea of what work, problem solving, effort has gone into these builds.

I salute you.

[lower50's]

Heat+ Humidity = Beer and Beach. If that fails beer and garage is my next best.
Keep up the good work, I'll see it in person some day and we will go for a cruze

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

So many words spring to mind, most of them overused clichè's but I continue to watch this build and the work you are putting in, in absolute awe.

You guys, along with many of the other builders on here, really are such skilled artists and artisans, plying a trade that is dying out slowly but surely.

I am just thankful you continue to share and teach those of us on here who want to learn just a fraction of what makes your builds so compelling to watch.

It is such a pity that when the paint, chrome, polish n glass is all done, that the majority of people looking will have no idea of what work, problem solving, effort has gone into these builds.

I salute you.

Thanks Grizz. I am humbled by your kind words. I don't think this truck measures up to some of the show quality and professional builds on this forum. We are just two guys with too much time and a pile of leftover rusty parts having a bit of fun in the shop.

Originally Posted by lower50's

Heat+ Humidity = Beer and Beach. If that fails beer and garage is my next best.
Keep up the good work, I'll see it in person some day and we will go for a cruze

Thanks Lower50's I look forward to cruising with your dually diesel when its done

We got the other side of the roof support finished. Along with a bunch of finish welding. Weld grind repeat. It does seem to go on for weeks. We also spent 3 1/2 hours today drawing a visually strait line on the compound curved area of the front of the roof.

[65sub]

Today we decided to shift to the front of the roof. So we started by removing the piece above the windshield. Then we cut the replacement panel in half and added a strip to widen it

[Advanced Design]

Always enjoy your updates! You guys sure get a lot done. Lotta hours!

[65sub]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Always enjoy your updates! You guys sure get a lot done. Lotta hours!

Thanks A.D. It's a lotta hours and a lotta fun.


We drilled some holes for plug welding in the piece above the windshield. We also cut the front of the roof off along with the inner brace. I think the brace is a suburban only piece. We have a bunch of clean up to do on these pieces before we can start welding them together again.