why 3 doors?

[freak]

I don't have a suburban but thinking about getting one. The 3 doors bothers me though. Why did it come this way?

[Killer Bee]

same reason vans in the day only opened on the curb side, that's the proper side for passengers to embark/disembark..

embrace it! my kids love it, especially tailgating

[Travisarmenta]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

same reason vans in the day only opened on the curb side, that's the proper side for passengers to embark/disembark..

embrace it! my kids love it, especially tailgating

True story. I love em, if you like the body style but want a 4-door Burb, contact RTech Fab out in Idaho, they offer a 4th door fabrication....sacrilegious in my opinion, It will only run you 10 Grand or so.................

[freak]

Yeah I can think of better upgrades for $10k.

[Travisarmenta]

Originally Posted by freak

Yeah I can think of better upgrades for $10k.

Agreed.

[freak]

How feasible is 3rd row?

[Killer Bee]

easy! short on leg room though, mounted on upper bed level..



I'm thinking about a third row for the '71 K20 installed facing the rear and keeping the full width middle bench..

fab a quick little two step for the receiver that surrounds the license place and lands just under the gate when down so it can stay in there..

here's a quick doodle of my thoughts, two stepper for kids to hop up in back..



kids will gladly climb over but rather not have them stomping on both 2nd and 3rd row to get settled in their seat..

we also like to leave the rear hatch open so I'm going to figure out where to cross drill for a safety pin, not sold on the gas springs yet..


decisions - decisions...

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by freak

Yeah I can think of better upgrades for $10k.

yah, like buy another complete suburban and just park it the other direction

[HO455]

Jeep and International were gaining market share with their four doors. GM had to step up to keep from losing more so they did 3 doors (cheaper than 4) then spun it as a safety item. You may not know this but back in the day when you got in a car that was parallel parked on a busy street you got in through the passenger side and slid across. In fact many vehicles of the 40's & 50's only had door keys on the passenger side. I really don't see any big deal with three doors. The family gets in and out just fine. That being said my 82 year old mom rides in front and I don't have to deal with child seats. The biggest problem with access in the stock 3 doors is the arm rest on the 2 row seat. Do a search there are several threads on 4th door installation.

3rd row seats? They came with three if ordered.

I see Killerbee is much quicker than me. Plus he has that Awesome Highlander. Have you looked into gas cylinders from Grainger? You can get them in specific lift amounts and there are some that are adjustable in a one time sort of way.( bleeding gas). Sorry for highjacking.

[freak]

Yeah my 30 Ford A only has a key on the passenger side. I can see my kids fighting already about getting out to let the other out! Lol!

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

yah, like buy another complete suburban and just park it the other direction

[Travisarmenta]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

easy! short on leg room though, mounted on upper bed level..



I'm thinking about a third row for the '71 K20 installed facing the rear and keeping the full width middle bench..

fab a quick little two step for the receiver that surrounds the license place and lands just under the gate when down so it can stay in there..

here's a quick doodle of my thoughts, two stepper for kids to hop up in back..



kids will gladly climb over but rather not have them stomping on both 2nd and 3rd row to get settled in their seat..

we also like to leave the rear hatch open so I'm going to figure out where to cross drill for a safety pin, not sold on the gas springs yet..


decisions - decisions...

I like your idea, and toyed with it myself, but ended up taking a page out of Hart Rods playbook and put some 72 Sport buckets in the middle, pics by Sept. It's at a friends house getting a new windshield.

[Killer Bee]

^ indeed that quad bucket set up is clean and functional.. but that's an on-road cruiser, I'm going for off-road utility..

higher occasional seating capacity and places to crash if camping weather turns ugly.. and I'm on a budget <-- in case Mrs. Bee is watching

two complete rows of buckets is not cheap.. not cheap enough for my taste anyways

HO455, thanks for the tip, Grainger would be more economical, especially with company disco..

I've been looking at this for the rear hatch but I like the working vintage hardware..

https://www.brotherstrucks.com/67-72...tinfo/SLGK772/

just have to be careful around that hatch when it's open, it will definitely leave a mark if it falls on you..

so I was thinking about drilling a hole across both halves of the supports and inserting locking aircraft style pins..

probably end up just getting the gas springs eventually but might toy with the stock supports first..

[pwdcougar]

My favorite Suburban story involving 3 doors:

Back when I first had my 70 4WD Burb I was out drinking with 3 friends. We finally left the bar and everyone headed for a "door". This was in the 80's and the windows were all rolled down. Three doors slammed. One buddy starts in with "I can't find the door handle". We are all laughing like crazy and tell him to get in or we are leaving you here. Over and over he says he can't find the door handle. I put the truck in gear and start leaving and finally he climbs in through the window. Same thing happened when I dropped him off. Climbed out the window!

Paul

[Killer Bee]

^ good one!

couple months ago, took the family in the K20 above to a buddy's house for a party.. he busted out some high-end booze so I took the burb home and swapped with Mrs. Bee's wagon so she could drive her drunken sailor home.. hours later getting ready to leave, my daughter started crying because the suburban wasn't there, just a paltry rx350 pebble beach LoL.. cried all the way home and made me promise her a ride the next day

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

^

HO455, thanks for the tip, Grainger would be more economical, especially with company disco..

I've been looking at this for the rear hatch but I like the working vintage hardware.



just have to be careful around that hatch when it's open, it will definitely leave a mark if it falls on you..

so I was thinking about drilling a hole across both halves of the supports and inserting locking aircraft style pins..

probably end up just getting the gas springs eventually but might toy with the stock supports first..

I've done a couple of gas cylinder conversions on deck lids for A-bodies and one Challenger which came out nice. Loosing the factory spring weight and making the trunk more usable, but I'm with you on the stock hatch supports. Something about that mechanical action I like.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by pwdcougar

My favorite Suburban story involving 3 doors:

Back when I first had my 70 4WD Burb I was out drinking with 3 friends. We finally left the bar and everyone headed for a "door". This was in the 80's and the windows were all rolled down. Three doors slammed. One buddy starts in with "I can't find the door handle". We are all laughing like crazy and tell him to get in or we are leaving you here. Over and over he says he can't find the door handle. I put the truck in gear and start leaving and finally he climbs in through the window. Same thing happened when I dropped him off. Climbed out the window!

Paul

That is So Funny.

[Travisarmenta]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

^ indeed that quad bucket set up is clean and functional.. but that's an on-road cruiser, I'm going for off-road utility..

higher occasional seating capacity and places to crash if camping weather turns ugly.. and I'm on a budget <-- in case Mrs. Bee is watching

two complete rows of buckets is not cheap.. not cheap enough for my taste anyways

HO455, thanks for the tip, Grainger would be more economical, especially with company disco..

I've been looking at this for the rear hatch but I like the working vintage hardware..

https://www.brotherstrucks.com/67-72...tinfo/SLGK772/

just have to be careful around that hatch when it's open, it will definitely leave a mark if it falls on you..

so I was thinking about drilling a hole across both halves of the supports and inserting locking aircraft style pins..

probably end up just getting the gas springs eventually but might toy with the stock supports first..

OH, I know, there isn't enough money in my world to make my Burb look like his. Mine still rust after 180 plus man hours of rust repair/fabrication. I was fortunate enough to purchase a set of buckets off a member for 400 bucks, they need work but its a nice start. Wife is footing the bill for the upholstery so that is on her. I still have the factory bench up front and factory rear seat. But again I never had a full middle seat so I was able to just move my middle shorty to the rear after I got the correct brackets. My expense so far with the buckets/brackets/fabrication(bucket seat brackets) is less than $800, but once I get foam and decide on an upholstery, we will see if the wife is still on board with it.......

My K10 Burb is will also be a camping/camper hauler. So i understand what your saying as far as utility.

[chevyrick86]

I recall hearing GM went with 3 door because DOT didn't certify the 4 door in roll over test and it was cheaper for GM to just convert it to 3 door. That story seams plausible because it looks like GM put a 4th door in there and welded it shut. I believe GM sold 4 door Suburbans in South America.

[Bigzack]

Lots of different stories and legends, I recently heard that an East Coast School district initially custom ordered them from GM and the rest is history as they say

[HO455]

I believe both of those stories can be discounted. Photos in this thread linked below show a four door suburban was planned in 1964 and by 1965 the 4th door had been dropped in favor of the 3 door version.

The National Highway Safety Act was not passed into law until 1966 and it wasn't until 1968 that those laws took effect. Second link.

Stand alone roll over tests are really a thing they are tied into the collision avoidance test. Those tests didn't begin until the 21st century. The 3rd link describes the current testing done and gives a history of the program.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...splay.php?f=38

https://autouniversum.wordpress.com/...ety-standards/

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...ngs-feature-3/

And as far as a school district charting the course of a new vehicle, I firmly believe that GM wouldn't have taken orders or even recommendations from a mere school district. They were General Motors. Back then they barely obeyed the laws the government passed down to them. Of course GM would of made a special bus version for a school if the school district was willing to pony up the extra costs.

I truly believe the decision was based on money, and money alone.