The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > 47 - Current classic GM Trucks > The 1967 - 1972 Chevy/GMC Suburbans & Panels Message Board

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-13-2020, 09:23 PM   #1
Mike C
Registered User
 
Mike C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Posts: 7,788
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

If you want 4 wheel drive without a lift and tires over 33" in height, I would also keep the trailing arm rear and do some conversion in the front. Even if it just meant the factory 4x4 setup parts from a donor. Would be a super cool beach cruiser.

Would take some creative drive-shaft fab, a donor front axle and steering box from a 4 wheel drive unless you do cross-over where you can keep the 2x4 box. Trans and t-case. TH400 and 208 from a square body should be pretty cheap. Would be a cool conversion without a ton of new parts.
__________________
44 Willys MB
52 M38A1
64 Corvette Coupe
68 Camaro 'vert LT1 & TH700
69 Z/28 355 12.6's @110
69 Chevy Short Step 4 1/2"/7" drop
72 Jimmy 4WD 4spd 4" & 35's
02 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Duramax
Mike C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2020, 12:07 AM   #2
mcmlxix
Collector of Projects
 
mcmlxix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 3,106
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

Since the Suburban is such a long wheelbase, find a divorced NP205 or buy an Atlas transfer case. You could essentially have a 4x4 without changing the drivetrain...
__________________
Rich
1972 K5 Blazer CST Click HERE

D60 BIG BRAKE UPGRADE Click HERE
mcmlxix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2020, 06:01 PM   #3
FLYNAVY30
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 618
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

Quote:
Originally Posted by mcmlxix View Post
Since the Suburban is such a long wheelbase, find a divorced NP205 or buy an Atlas transfer case. You could essentially have a 4x4 without changing the drivetrain...
That would actually make a lot of sense since I already have a built 6.0L LS along with a Gear Star STG II 4L65E.
__________________
1972 C20 Suburban
1964 Corvette Coupe
1997 Lexus LX450
FLYNAVY30 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2020, 07:02 PM   #4
HO455
Registered User
 
HO455's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 12,410
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

205s are light and basically bulletproof used to be real cheap but the crawler crowd has decided they are valuable so prices have gone up some. Lots of Ford units out there but they are clocked wrong for our trucks. The Dodge units are set up for the front pumpkin to be on the same side but you may have to use a Dodge crossmember. I don't know this for a fact but something to be aware of. Or build your own crossmember like I did in my 52.
__________________
Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help.
RIP Bob Parks.
1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo
If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place
The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377
HO455 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2020, 07:22 AM   #5
mcmlxix
Collector of Projects
 
mcmlxix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 3,106
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

Quote:
Originally Posted by FLYNAVY30 View Post
That would actually make a lot of sense since I already have a built 6.0L LS along with a Gear Star STG II 4L65E.
Also, some states are particular about the partial VIN stamp on the frame matching the body and title.

For the rear, I went with a later model 2004 GMC 2500 with disc brakes and a drum in hat emergency brake. Nice to have 4 wheel disc brakes...
__________________
Rich
1972 K5 Blazer CST Click HERE

D60 BIG BRAKE UPGRADE Click HERE
mcmlxix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2020, 03:52 PM   #6
HO455
Registered User
 
HO455's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 12,410
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

For the quad curious. I stumbled across these photos of a Dodge 205 set up and thought of this thread. Just food for thought. This particular 205 is set up for a PTO winch hence the 2 driveshafts going forward. The driver's side shaft is for the winch.
Attached Images
  
__________________
Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help.
RIP Bob Parks.
1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo
If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place
The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377
HO455 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2020, 05:54 PM   #7
FLYNAVY30
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 618
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike C View Post
If you want 4 wheel drive without a lift and tires over 33" in height, I would also keep the trailing arm rear and do some conversion in the front. Even if it just meant the factory 4x4 setup parts from a donor. Would be a super cool beach cruiser.

Would take some creative drive-shaft fab, a donor front axle and steering box from a 4 wheel drive unless you do cross-over where you can keep the 2x4 box. Trans and t-case. TH400 and 208 from a square body should be pretty cheap. Would be a cool conversion without a ton of new parts.

Yes, not interested in a monster ride height or tires....essentially looking at stock ride height K20 with 33" tires.

What would the advantages/disadvantages of leaving the rear trailing arm set up while converting the front to leaf springs be as far as ride quality and handling....both on and off road?
__________________
1972 C20 Suburban
1964 Corvette Coupe
1997 Lexus LX450
FLYNAVY30 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2020, 07:48 PM   #8
A1971Blazer
Senior Member
 
A1971Blazer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 2,408
Re: 2wd to 4wd.....just curious

Quote:
Originally Posted by FLYNAVY30 View Post
Yes, not interested in a monster ride height or tires....essentially looking at stock ride height K20 with 33" tires.

What would the advantages/disadvantages of leaving the rear trailing arm set up while converting the front to leaf springs be as far as ride quality and handling....both on and off road?
I have all the parts to convert my '67 2WD (69 frame) to 4WD..it does have the trailing arm and coils in the rear...I'm curious about the ORD front coil-over conversion going on to the 2WD chassis...I'm pretty sure the frames are really close to the same from the front cab mount forward...except of course for the leaf spring mounts
I have a '71Blazer frame to compare
I think a coil front and rear would be a dandy combination.....I'm no longer into hard core off roading...but this would be cool 4WD driver...?
__________________
1967 C10 Step side
1968 C10 Step side
1970 Chevrolet K/5 Blazer
.............
A1971Blazer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2025 67-72chevytrucks.com