Project: '72 Family Hauler

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

VN215s are gonna look good on this! I tried fitting them on mine, but no-go in the front hub I like where you’re going with this

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Looking good Jason, those wheels should look great on your Burb!

I hope you're right about the wheels! My new meaty tires showed up yesterday. I can't wait to get these mounted. Thanks for the recommendation Keith! I took a mental health day today from work and spent some time in the garage. Slowly but surely, I'm making some some progress. The lower control arm on the driver side is salvagable but the arm on the passenger side is pretty rusty. I can't even get the control arm shaft nut to break loose with a giant socket and breaker bar. I'm kind of at a cross roads of how to proceed. Is the additional cost justified in getting a set of tubular control arms (CPP, PB) or should I just track down a set of used lowers, or even a set of repop factory lowers? I'm open to any suggestions!

[Bennett68C10]

Those meaty tires look good, hope you like them! I’m at the same crossroads with my factory arms, I really want to run a set of replacements but don’t know if it’s worth the extra cost. I really like the Porterbuilt arms, but the wait time to get them is a bit ridiculous. I might talk to Travis at Pro Performance about a set of the Choppin Block arms as I know they can make a set that are 1” forward too so the wheels are centered.

[gringoloco]

For the price of repops, I’d go tubular. PB is super nice, if you can wait. Get the 1” forward for visual centering and added caster. They also work with coils or bags for options down the road.

[shearjs]

After much consideration, I ended up going with some CPP repop factory style lowers from Summit. These came powder coated and with new cross shafts installed for the low price of 279. As much as I really wanted to go with tubular PB arms, I just couldn't justify the cost for my family hauler. If this was a frame dragger or a pro touring build, I probably would have forked out the cash. The good news is, the money saved will go towards an LS this summer! I still have the upper arms to paint/rebuild and reassembly will start. I threw a wheel on a block of wood just to see how it looks. I can't wait to get this back on the ground.

[Advanced Design]

Looks good! Those visual checks really help with motivation too.

[shearjs]

Getting closer to being back on the ground!

[McGeesCustomMinis]

I was really thinking about getting those wheels or the coy c-33 wheels. I didn't see but what size wheels did you get and tire size? I wanted to do 20x8.5 and 20x10 with 275 or 285s on the rear. Burb is looking good!

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by McGeesCustomMinis

I was really thinking about getting those wheels or the coy c-33 wheels. I didn't see but what size wheels did you get and tire size? I wanted to do 20x8.5 and 20x10 with 275 or 285s on the rear. Burb is looking good!

Thanks for checking it out! These wheels are 20x8 and 20x10 with 245/45 and 295/40 tires. Should hopefully have it back on the ground within the next couple weeks.

[04ls1gto]

nice, need to see a pic from the rear. BTW I had to take cross shaft bolts off with a torch and big impact gun

[Bennett68C10]

Wheels look good Jason!

[gringoloco]

Beyond good. That olive/grey mix is perfect

[68SWB4x4]

New shoes look great!

Subscribing

[Dieselwrencher]

That is going to look awesome! It already does.

[shearjs]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the encouragement! I spent a little time in the garage today. I had to get it down on the ground to see how it looks. For the most part, everything is done for the front. When putting the new brake hose on the driver side, the hardline fitting was larger than the 3/8-24 that would fit my new hoses, so I'm kind of at a crossroads now. The passenger side was 3/8-24 and bolted right up. Do I put an adapter on the larger fitting to mate it to my hose?? Do I replace the hard line on the driver side from the T to the wheel? Or do I just go ahead and do a major brake upgrade, and replace the booster, master, and all the lines, as well as convert the rear to disk??? The latter is the long term plan, but I didn't really plan on doing it this early. I'd really like to drive this ol clunker this spring. Thanks for checking it out!

[gringoloco]

Wheels look great! Front fit is very nice, a little tight out back, though. Guess I’ll plan on adding a 1/4” spacer to my rears.

Edit: Are you running CPP modular spindles?

[68SWB4x4]

I’d run an adaptor and then do it all “right” when you are ready to upgrade to rear disks

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by 68SWB4x4

I’d run an adaptor and then do it all “right” when you are ready to upgrade to rear disks

Agree.

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Wheels look great! Front fit is very nice, a little tight out back, though. Guess I’ll plan on adding a 1/4” spacer to my rears.

Edit: Are you running CPP modular spindles?

I’m happy with the fit and look! The back is a little tight with 295s but that’s close to how my GMC was and didn’t cause any issues. I may space it out if I get some rubbing or when the rear brake upgrade comes. I do have modular spindles up front so maybe that helps a little depending on what you read.

Originally Posted by 68SWB4x4

I’d run an adaptor and then do it all “right” when you are ready to upgrade to rear disks

Great call. I tracked down the -3 to 7/16-24 fitting today on summit. It should just swap right over on my new wilwood hoses. Should be problem solved. Thanks for checking it out!

Hope to have the brakes and steering bled this week as well as the sway bar installed. Next up, alignment and a test drive!

[Bennett68C10]

Nice job Jason, the Burb is looking good.

[shearjs]

Rolled the wagon out of the garage for some vitamin D for the first time with the new shoes. I think the front is about right but the rear looks like a 4x4 from the back. I'm not real sure what drop the rear springs are supposed to have, as they were installed when I purchased this thing. I'm thinking maybe a 1" block would drop it down about right, but still retain a little bit of the rake. I also think I've found my copilot! The kids can't get enough of this big toy. I still need to get an alignment, and trace some broken wires that I've found under the hood and dash. Also need to figure out how I'm going to address this mess of a radio hole.

[Dieselwrencher]

It's looking great! I think you're right that lowering it 1 more inch will be the sweet spot. On the radio hole, you could roll that lower portion in back where it is supposed to be and get a stock radio delete plate to mount over it. You could even weld the slits on the lower and fog some green over it and then it would look close to untouched. You might be able to do it without welding it too and have it look way better than it does now. Other than that. you will probably be cutting and welding a different center in it.

[04ls1gto]

What rear springs do you have? CPP makes a 4.5" hd rear springs specific for the suburban

[Bennett68C10]

Truck is looking good Jason, your copilot looks right at home there in the drivers seat

[shearjs]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It's looking great! I think you're right that lowering it 1 more inch will be the sweet spot. On the radio hole, you could roll that lower portion in back where it is supposed to be and get a stock radio delete plate to mount over it. You could even weld the slits on the lower and fog some green over it and then it would look close to untouched. You might be able to do it without welding it too and have it look way better than it does now. Other than that. you will probably be cutting and welding a different center in it.

You may be on to something with the radio delete plate. I could just use a bluetooth speaker to get me through the summer, then weld in a new dash center section this winter and repaint the whole dash.

Originally Posted by 04ls1gto

What rear springs do you have? CPP makes a 4.5" hd rear springs specific for the suburban

I'm not exactly sure what springs are in the back. They were installed when I bought the Suburban. They have a number printed on them, but a quick search didn't yield any results. I talked to ECE and they recommended a 5" drop spring for 6" actual drop. I was thinking a block might be the way to go though to get the rear end down and keep some travel in the suspension.

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Truck is looking good Jason, your copilot looks right at home there in the drivers seat

Thanks buddy. They had the back seats loaded up with dolls and toys this weekend. I think they're almost as excited to go for a ride as I am!

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by shearjs

You may be on to something with the radio delete plate. I could just use a bluetooth speaker to get me through the summer, then weld in a new dash center section this winter and repaint the whole dash.

You could always mount a radio in the glove box too for now. I happen to have an uncut medium olive dash in a rusty 72 cab that would be perfect for your burb.