53 Surburban "Family Truckster"

[RockinKees]

Looks like a racecar already!

Pretty low indeed!

[ChuckDriver]

Very nice!

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by whiteheadcycle

Looking good!

Thank you

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

That looks very good Marc! It is a good feeling to have a roller.
Those PB parts are beautiful and makes me want to build something with them. Ah, so many cool ideas, so little time and money.

Good luck with the exhaust fitting. Hopefully Camaro manifolds will work.

Right....Onward and upward from here. I need to get busy and try to catch up to you. Your waaaaaay ahead of me. I'm glad I was patient and spent a little extra coin on the PB stuff.

Originally Posted by reaper71

Look's Badass Marc...Those Camaro meats look huge!! I like it.

Mark...

Yes not my first choice but I needed to call and audible once my other rollers would not fit. I'm not sure that I could run this wide of tire if I wanted to..

Originally Posted by oldman3

Marc, very nice and looks super...Jim

Thanks Jim...

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Looks like a racecar already!

Pretty low indeed!

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Very nice!

Thanks guys....

Marc

[youngrodder]

I managed to get out in the garage for a bit on Sunday. Most of the time was spent rewilding my rear watts link mounting tabs. I only tack welded it on so it was not that big of a deal.

I borrowed a LS mock up block from my friend Friday so I threw that in to check oil pan clearance. It looks like my F-body oil pan will clear the drop member nicely. I was also please to see the driver side F-body manifold fit. The seating needs to be sorted out yet but It will be close. The passenger side is requiring more messaging in order to fit.

[Advanced Design]

Marc, very nice the F car pan and exhaust manifolds will work. Looks good.

[xpickup]

Youngrodder, frame looks great. That PB stuff is awesome looking stuff. Those poly blocks sure make things easier, no struggling like an iron block.

Shannon

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by xpickup

Youngrodder, frame looks great. That PB stuff is awesome looking stuff. Those poly blocks sure make things easier, no struggling like an iron block.

Shannon

Thanks, you got that right... Waiting on a tranny mount from Porterbuilt at the present.

I think I will move my focus toward the gas tank, since AD (Doug) has already done the heavy lifting on that.

I have always been good at copying off others school work.

Marc

[Advanced Design]

And I was copying off of Dave with Hollister Road Company. Even then, it is taking me too long!

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

And I was copying off of Dave with Hollister Road Company. Even then, it is taking me too long!

My friend from the hotrod shop has a first gen tank that I can take home to play with to see if it will also work for my application. The watts link and trailing arms takes up space behind the rear end.

Marc

[lower50's]

The plastic blocks are such a cool thing. Nice to have friends with cool things.

[BigFrz]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

I started my next project yesterday.

Backstory...The build that I finshed is this 48 Chevy truck. The reason that I show a picture and mention it is because the plan for this 53 is everything that my 48 isn't. I saw this suburban less then 10 miles from my house over 10yrs ago. It wasn't until my 48 was nearing completion that I thought owning a Subrban would be cool. A few years ago the suburban disappered from the house I saw it at. I had a hunch it was held up in a barn. I knocked on the door this June and by July it was mine. With two young boys (also some of the reason for this project) and their busy sports schedules I didn't get a chance to really see what I bought until yesterday. So far I'm very pleased. My last project was 11 yrs and x amount of dollars. I want this project finished in a couple years with less money.

Plans
chassis - Porterbuild
Drivetrain - Undecided (possible 6 liter fuel injected motor)
Air management - Accuair
Paint - Not a show paint job. Maybe all metal. Some what undecided but to be decided later.
Interior - Nice. sporting all (3) rows of factory seats.
Wheels - 20" Delmo (ish) rims.

In the end I want an untra low comfortable cruiser that I can haul my faimly, bikes and all sorts of our other family crap around in. I also want to use this project as an opportunity to teach my 7 & 9 yr old boys how to turn a wrench. Something that they were not able to do on the 48.

On to the Pics.....

Beautiful truck. Can u send some pics on the build. Would love to see it in progress. I am currently working on a 53 GMC

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by BigFrz

Beautiful truck. Can u send some pics on the build. Would love to see it in progress. I am currently working on a 53 GMC

Thanks BigFrz. The build was an 11 yr build so I have a ton of pics. I didn't document a build so it would take too long to organize the pics. Sorry I'm just focused on my Suburban currently.

Good luck on your 53 GMC.

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

My friend from the hotrod shop has a first gen tank that I can take home to play with to see if it will also work for my application. The watts link and trailing arms takes up space behind the rear end.

Marc

If the Camaro tank is too long, a 55 Chevy tank might fit. Another option is a 53 Chevy. I think I remember they were both shorter front to rear than the Camaro...I measured for a number of tanks from dimensions on Tanksinc.com web site. And both have a fill that may clear between the frame and Burb body.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

If the Camaro tank is too long, a 55 Chevy tank might fit. Another option is a 53 Chevy. I think I remember they were both shorter front to rear than the Camaro...I measured for a number of tanks from dimensions on Tanksinc.com web site. And both have a fill that may clear between the frame and Burb body.

All good stuff Doug. To be honest I have been screwing around getting the 48 ready for driving season. I have not worked on the Suburban much.

Marc

[youngrodder]

Well let me start off by saying that due to cyber bullying I decided that I needed to get out in the garage and accomplish something. I don't want to name the source of the bullying as I would not want any ill will toward the offending party. It just wouldn't be fair to Advance Design (Doug)....

I installed my frame mounted brake pedal/booster set up. I think this is right. All of the holes lined up here. I was lucky as I filled a lot of the holes before I remembered that I needed to install my pedal set up. There were no instructions so I tried to use common sense. You know how that can go....Let me know if this does not look right to anyone.

I also treated the lower third of the body and rear wheel wells with POR15. I plan to seam seal then coat the same areas with raptor liner which is kind of like a spray on bed liner.

I also removed the rear brace and will start planning my gas tank solution.

On to the pics

[youngrodder]

One more pic

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Guilty as charged I guess...sorry man...good progress Marc. Way more than I did this week end....busy with yard work, equipment maintenance and determining the exhaust tips I ordered won't work.

The brake assembly looks to be in the right place to me and same as my 48 truck was. I had an issue with the transmission mount wanting to be in the same place as the master cylinder that hopefully you won't run into.

Good luck as you and I continue to vie for third place in the Iceburgh, Youngrodder, Advanced Design Burb build off...

[xpickup]

Looks great. I know what you mean about getting the truck ready for the season, mine still needs some attention. I will rephrase that, a lot. But at least it is drive able. All good thing take time. That burb should drive great.

Shannon

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Guilty as charged I guess...sorry man...good progress Marc. Way more than I did this week end....busy with yard work, equipment maintenance and determining the exhaust tips I ordered won't work.

The brake assembly looks to be in the right place to me and same as my 48 truck was. I had an issue with the transmission mount wanting to be in the same place as the master cylinder that hopefully you won't run into.

Good luck as you and I continue to vie for third place in the Iceburgh, Youngrodder, Advanced Design Burb build off...

Good to hear that the brakes look right.

Yes, I hear you about yard work. I did that the weekend before. I still need to open the pool in a few weeks which will waste a weekend. Oh and I'm soooo confident that I will have 3rd place locked up that I've ordered myself a trophy.

Originally Posted by xpickup

Looks great. I know what you mean about getting the truck ready for the season, mine still needs some attention. I will rephrase that, a lot. But at least it is drive able. All good thing take time. That burb should drive great.

Shannon

Last year I missed the first couple of shows because I had the 48 torn down replacing a leaking freeze plug. This year the truck just needs a good cleaning. Looking forward to driving it. I think the Burb will handle, drive and steer better than the truck.

Marc

[Coach529]

looks great. Man I love the looks of the rear end......

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by Coach529

looks great. Man I love the looks of the rear end......

Thanks, the side of the notch might have to be quite large....

Marc

[nvrdone]

marc - what m/c & booster are you using ? thanks

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by nvrdone

marc - what m/c & booster are you using ? thanks

I picked it up off of EBay.
Here is a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221674734248...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Marc

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

I picked it up off of EBay.
Here is a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221674734248...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Marc

Looks good, price is right on that one.