Mike's 60 Suburban build

[mikesacs]

Cleaned and painted the engine and brackets. The engine is light gray similar to the factory gray and the brackets are satin black. The grease removal was awful. It made me think about buying a remanufactured engine just to avoid the work!

I'm replacing all the gaskets and seals. Then will add the engine accessories and the turbo.

The intake not seen in the photo is from a J code engine (no smog). I picked that up from ebay and painted it gray with the engine.

[RockTonka]

Looking good, great progress!

[mikesacs]

The engine is hanging in place. Don't have it bolted in yet. As soon as that is done I'll move on to fuel tanks, fuel lines, fuel filter, brakes, exhaust, and radiator. I didn't paint the AC compressor since it's toast. When I install the AC, I'll hopefully replace it with the same compressor.

Ordered gauges from New Vintage USA. It's thier 1967 series. They are one of the few places that would make gauges. I'll get a 4 3/8 speedo, 3 3/8 tack (0-4000rpm), 3 3/8 quad gauge, 2 1/16 turbo boost, and a 2 1/16 EGT. They will all fit in the dash cluster area.

[1963c-10]

Truck is looking great. Love the engine color.

[mikesacs]

The engine mounts and cross member are now installed.

Started working on the Hydroboost unit and the fuel filter bracket. I'm going to trim down the hydroboost bracket and extend it to cover the clutch hole in the firewall. I also need to lengthen the push rod and I'll make it adjustable at the same time.

The fuel filter will mount above where the heater hoses pass through the firewall (I have the economy inside heater). The current bracket extends the fuel filter over 2 inches from the firewall. I'm going to take about an inch out of that bracket so it won't protrude as much.

[mikesacs]

The fuel filter bracket has been shortened and mounted. Painted and installed the heater knock out. Fuel is next on the list. At a minimum I'll need to add a return fuel line. Might need to change out the sender if it is not capable of a return line. Also need to measure the new drive shaft lengths. I'm taking my 4 old drive shafts in to have 2 correct length ones made.

[c.brown]

nice suburban and great progress

[mikesacs]

Installed the floor 4wd shifter. Stole it out of the donor truck. The transmission hump had already been patched over the original floor shifter and then two more holes cut (hacked) out for the last drive train. I patched the holes. and then used the wooden jigs to find the placement that worked well and then transferred measurements to be cut out. I do have the boot and gear indicator, but that will wait until the floor is covered with sound mat and rubber mat. Used rust encapsulator on everything that needed it.

[mikesacs]

Installed the exhaust. Started at the turbo with a 3" pipe to a muffler and then out the passenger's side behind the rear tire. This is the Banks exhaust that came with the turbo kit. Going to work on overdrive lockup kit and radiator next.

[mikesacs]

Worked on the radiator support. The donor radiator is wider. I wanted to keep the wider radiator along with the oil cooler, trans cooler, and add a dual electric cooling fan. It will also give me a lager area for a A/C condenser so I can have my rear A/C. Everything is now welded in place. I'll clean up the welds and paint it all black once I finish modifying the inner fenders for the wider radiator, 2 batteries, turbo, and the air filter. You can notice between the first two pictures the before and after. Also had to replace part of the radiator support around the body mount that was rusted pretty thin. It doesn't look like I can mount the 2 batteries symmetrical. It will have one on each side, but one will be further back.

[mikesacs]

Finished a few more things. The left inner fender has been modified to give the engine more space. The new inner fender is now on the outside of the steering column. I will work on the right one soon. Mounted the fuel pedal from the donor truck. I used that one since it was already cable driven. Routed and connected the factory oil cooler lines. Found one of the hard lines to have a wear spot nearly all the way through. I'm thinking about replacing them with a good quality braided stainless hose with Aeroquip fittings. I think that would still be cheaper than buying the factory 2 hard lines and 2 flex hoses.

Decided to mount the batteries on the frame. I just did not like trying to cram 2 batteries into the engine compartment. The box will mount to the frame under the passenger's floor board. I should be able to mount it above the bottom of the frame so it won't be easy to see. This will also put it within a few feet of the starter. The box is side opening which will allow easy access to the hold down and side battery posts. I ordered two remote battery terminals to mount under the hood for jumping. I still have some more work to do on the box, but you can see by the photos what it will be.

[McMurphy]

Thanks for posting the pics of your gas pedal !!
Funny thing is I spent about half an hour this weekend contemplating the positioning for that same exact set up!

I came close to deciding on its final mounting point based on its reltation to the other two pedals. Distance from each other and from the firewall.

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Thanks for posting the pics of your gas pedal !!
Funny thing is I spent about half an hour this weekend contemplating the positioning for that same exact set up!

I came close to deciding on its final mounting point based on its reltation to the other two pedals. Distance from each other and from the firewall.

Notice I'm very close to directly left of the old pedal hole. Also measure your donor truck if possible to determine how high to cut the cable hole to get it right. Mine is slightly high because I didn't think of that until after.
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[mikesacs]

Worked on the passenger inner fender. Made space for the turbo, air filter, coolant overflow tank, and the 3" exhaust. I also installed the upper and lower radiator hoses using a universal stainless kit. Mounted latches on the battery box. I'm using small rubber jeep hood type rubber latches so I can access the batteries without tools. Soon I'll disassemble the front end and paint it black. I still need to make a bracket to hold the air cleaner and cut a hole for the fresh air intake. The fresh air will come in behind and above the headlights.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by mikesacs

Started working on the Hydroboost unit and the fuel filter bracket. I'm going to trim down the hydroboost bracket and extend it to cover the clutch hole in the firewall. I also need to lengthen the push rod and I'll make it adjustable at the same time.

I wasnt going to go with a hydroboost, but one kinda fell into my lap this weekend.
Is there any chance you took photos of your plunger/push rod mod?
Mine is about 3" too short, as I suppose yours was too...
Or know of someone else build where they did it?

Thanks!

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I wasnt going to go with a hydroboost, but one kinda fell into my lap this weekend.
Is there any chance you took photos of your plunger/push rod mod?
Mine is about 3" too short, as I suppose yours was too...
Or know of someone else build where they did it?

Thanks!

Mine wasn't stock before I converted to the hydroboost. It was a 1980ish vacuum unit. Take a measurement from the bracket to the center of the push rod hole on your original and replicate that measurement. Mine was also short so I cut both and welded the original adjustable end to the hydroboost rod. I did make sure the adjustable end was in the mid point of the threads so I could fine tune as necessary. Sorry about the poor pictures. I don't think my phone takes very good close up shots.

[mikesacs]

Just picked up my shortened drive shaft. $126 for cutting, new yoke, rear u-joint, and balancing.

[McMurphy]

thanks man, I was hoping to avoid the welding part of it.....

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

thanks man, I was hoping to avoid the welding part of it.....

If you have a die, you could thread the rod and add a section in the middle.
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[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by mikesacs

If you have a die, you could thread the rod and add a section in the middle.
Posted via Mobile Device

Hah, that was almost exactly what I was thinking ..... thanks for the replies; it sure helps!!

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Hah, that was almost exactly what I was thinking ..... thanks for the replies; it sure helps!!

Just noticed your location. I was at Eielson for 3 years and also lived in North Pole. Awsome tour!

[McMurphy]

People think you are joking when you tell them you live here.
Then they think they are cute when they ask if Santa lives here.

It is kind of nice to take their smirks and turn it into a serious conversation.
Then they are truely interested....

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

People think you are joking when you tell them you live here.
Then they think they are cute when they ask if Santa lives here.

It is kind of nice to take their smirks and turn it into a serious conversation.
Then they are truely interested....

I understand. The 25' santa was standing near his house when I lived there. I heard he collapsed (still not a joke). We would snowmobile directly to the McDonalds in town for lunch. I always thought that was crazy.

One of the guys I worked with had a 60-66 redish suburban that he bought and never got running up there. It's probably still floating around that area.

[mikesacs]

Installed the fresh air duct through the radiator support and added the overflow tank in the pocket I built behind the air filter. Next I'll disassemble the front again and paint the inner fenders and radiator support. While the inner fenders are off, I'll prime the fuel to the injectors and prime the oil to the turbo.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by mikesacs

I understand. The 25' santa was standing near his house when I lived there. I heard he collapsed (still not a joke). We would snowmobile directly to the McDonalds in town for lunch. I always thought that was crazy.

One of the guys I worked with had a 60-66 redish suburban that he bought and never got running up there. It's probably still floating around that area.

The Santa is up... 40 foot tall now though.
Funny how people dont believe you when you tell them all the street lights are candy canes in this town.
Maybe this weekend I will shoot a pic for you, for nostalgia sake (and so other visitors to your thread can get in on the joke)