'60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)

[Dinos63]

Originally Posted by Corts60

Yuppers. I picked it up last sunday, I couldn't help it. It has the three things I have been waiting for, for a couple years now: GMC, 1960, and the tailgate in the back.

VERY COOL!!! YOU SAVE ME SOME MONEY AND SPACE GREAT BUY BROTHA

[Corts60]

Thanks guys! I'll be taking some pictures tomorrow as I redo the front brakes. Now if I can just locate the damn inner hub seals locally....

[jimmydean]

Dude, save the truck. You can have both, look at Dino.

[Corts60]

Well, I got the front wheel cylinders on today and changed the oil. Check out this bada*s old delco filter:

This truck is definitely unmolested. I am just waiting on the new front brake hoses and hub seals to move this 'ol girl around. I take that back...I still have to clean out the gas tank. Ugh! That is what I am least looking forward to.
Heres a pic of the engine. Anything that is shiny is all I had to change to make her run:

[Surfdaddy]

Have you looked into where you can get gaskets for the 305 yet? I just went through an ordeal with the local NAPA guy and finally got fed up and ordered everything on line. Felpro is out of stock and don;t knoe when they are going to get them. Valve cover, oil pan and journal cover gaskets are what I'm looking for since I can't stand oil leaks. Ordered water pump, fuel pump, plug wires, thermostat and tried to order gaskets. about 325 to my door. Kind of pricey but that's what you get for not having the most popular engine on earth.

[Corts60]

Hey Surfdaddy,

try www.Kanter.com. They used to sell entire rebuild kits for about $1500 I think, but I know they have recently stopped listing them. They might still have some stuff left though. Anything for these engines are expensive. Just the price you pay for standing out in a crowd.

[Corts60]

Well, I've decided not to part my truck for the suburban. I am keeping the hood and tires from it though and the suburban hood will be sold with it. I have a thread in the 'trucks for sale' section. If you guys are interested at all please contact me, I really need to sell it now...just did my taxes.

[Corts60]

Not a whole bunch new today. An updated pic with all 4 wide whites installed and I found the this tag under the original rear seat! Also, the license plate you see in the pic is the original plate to the truck. The reason I know this is because not only did the original owners' son tell me they were, but the Pacific Wonderland plates were only offered from 60-64 and only the 1960 plates had special holes to install metal year tabs. Mine has those holes. I am super excited that I got those plates and get to use them. I restored that plate over the weekend (very amateur) and I am quite happy with how it turned out. It was all beat up and bent before. What do you guys think?

[protrash64]

Plate looks good to me, Cort!

[CHIZZLER]

you know you can register it as as a classic car and its $81.00 for life.plus title transfer.i did it a month ago on my 53.

[Corts60]

yea but then there are restrictions about driving it. I plan on driving this one a lot.

And thanks protrash!

[Corts60]

Well, I got the new brake lines on, new hub seals installed and the bearings re-packed today. No pics, sorry...just waiting for a friend to come over so we can bleed the clutch and brakes. All I have left to do now is clean the gas tank out and fix a couple electrical bugs behind the dash and she should be road ready.

I'm getting excited!

[Corts60]

I drove it today! A friend came over and helped me bleed the clutch and brakes. It took FOREVER to get the clutch to break free from the flywheel. I had to adjust the rod between the slave cylinder and clutch fork almost all the way out before I could build enough pressure to free the clutch. But it is all good now!

I drove it up and down the block a few times (still don't have brake lights or gas tank) but she crept right along nicely. I am not liking how low the gears are in the sm-420, so that might have to go in the near future.

Next up: fine tune the brakes, fix tail lights, get fuel tank cleaned, figure out other little electrical bugs and maybe some new shocks. Oh, and the exhaust needs some major attention.

Stay tuned....

[Surfdaddy]

Great to see some progress!! Do you need to replace the gas tank or just clean it out? I found that O'Reilly is better than NAPA for getting parts for this. NAPA really didn't want to sell me the parts. O'Reilly had them the next day. I had a 63 in '79-'82 with a V6. so I know how tough things can be. Got the water pump, fuel pump, gasket set and plug wires. The emblems on yours look like they are in great shape. I hope to bring mine home on Friday.

[Corts60]

Thought you guys might like this. This was last week, the first day I got it running...after over 8 years of sitting. I love GM.

YouTube - 1960 GMC 305A

[Surfdaddy]

Verry cool. no smoke and very smooth!!! Mine did the same thing though I didn't put a carb on it. After about 10 min of running the gasket on the plate that covers the lifters / valley started leaking. I shut it off and the next day ran it again with no oil leaks but the water and fuel pumps started leaking. Spraying drops of old gas on a old generator with old brushes. Thought I should fix that before everything burned down. Looks like your making progress. Any takers on your truck yet?

[Corts60]

Yeah actually, one of the board members is flying here wednesday from Florida to look at my truck. I'd say he is pretty serious, flying all that way.

I know what you mean about the pumps. My fuel pump started leaking too. And my water pump isn't too far behind. The bearing has a lot of play.

[gostranger]

the sub is looking awesome and seems to run nice!!!!

[Bugeyev8]

Man that thing runs smooth..how many miles on the old girl ?

[Corts60]

It has 116,xxx. My '60 truck has 88,xxx and I am going to miss how quiet and smooth that truck is when I sell it this week

[Bugeyev8]

Originally Posted by Corts60

It has 116,xxx. My '60 truck has 88,xxx and I am going to miss how quiet and smooth that truck is when I sell it this week

yeah I know that feeling but...the burb is really a great old truck and will only get nicer the more you do to it

[Corts60]

On my way to get some Jeep springs to lower the rear end. Alright! Hopefully I'll have some pics up today.

[markeb01]

This build is so cool. It's great seeing something left for dead so long brought back to life. Too bad he bent up the front bumper, but hey you can't have everything. Gotta be tough letting the truck go, but hopefully it will provide funds for the burb.

[Corts60]

Thanks Mark, I just sold the truck this morning and I wish that the funds were going to the Burb but Uncle Sam has other plans for the money.....

BUT...I just finished lowering the back end! I picked the springs up a little earlier and after about 40 minutes of wrestling with rusty bolts, the springs bolted right up. Only, I think the suburban might be too heavy for them as the axle is resting on the bump stops now. Crap.

Do you guys have any ideas as to what to do next? Anybody ran into this problem with the Jeep springs?

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by Corts60

the axle is resting on the bump stops now. Crap.

Do you guys have any ideas as to what to do next?

Uhhh??? Time for bags???