Mark's 66 Burb Build

[toocrazy]

A few years ago I had the good fortune of picking up a 66 suburban I had my eye on for quite some time. The truck was a nice survivor with one attractive asset........a fuel injected small block twin turbo motor. I planned to remove the motor and put it in my 64 Malibu and sell the truck. The motor never came out and I ended up installing air ride, tubular control arms, and a drop trailing arm. This was followed by putting 22's on the front and 24's on the rear. The truck was apart more than it was together and I had probably put less than a few hundred miles on the truck. Since reviving a C10 project I had decided I would sell a few trucks.......I had my eye on another vehicle and I wanted to make the wife a little more accepting to this new purchase by getting rid of a few things. One truck was sold and I felt a few things were in order for the suburban. I wanted to remove the twin turbo, detail the engine compartment, install a nice small block motor and sell it. Long story longer about 10 days ago I got a wild hair in my butt and decided to paint it........inside and out. Next thing you know we are taking it apart. So, here we go getting started with a few pictures.

[Mad Rods]

Sweet Burb!...I've always loved the kmc slides, they look good on almost anything
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[gostranger]

awesome suburban nice solid rust free!!! you arent going to cut and move the rear wheel wells up and lay the back all the way down? cant wait to see the progress!!thanks for the pictures! there are a few bagged suburban on here nice to see another one!

[toocrazy]

Originally Posted by Mad Rods

Sweet Burb!...I've always loved the kmc slides, they look good on almost anything
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Well, I think that was a compliment I spent big bucks on the wheels for my c10 and I wasn't in the mood to do it again. I wanted black wheels that looked good that did not have a break the bank price. Luckily they offer 2 offsets so i could tuck the front wheels in more.

Originally Posted by gostranger

awesome suburban nice solid rust free!!! you arent going to cut and move the rear wheel wells up and lay the back all the way down? cant wait to see the progress!!thanks for the pictures! there are a few bagged suburban on here nice to see another one!

No I am not going to lay frame with the burb. I put the C-notch in with the body on as I never intended to go this far. I am very happy with the way the truck sits when the truck is lowered. The frame is in nice shape and I will probably paint it and leave it as is.

[69CST-V]

I'm in for this build. So what's the plan with the twin turbo package? Since you are now going to keep it or so it looks. Can't wait to see your direction with this one. Great start.
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[toocrazy]

Originally Posted by 69CST-V

I'm in for this build. So what's the plan with the twin turbo package? Since you are now going to keep it or so it looks. Can't wait to see your direction with this one. Great start.
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I am really not so sure I am going to put it back in the suburban. The guy who built it put all the best parts in the motor.....like $10K just in parts. Now I have it out I am either going to sell it or keep it for some other project. A motor like that really won't make the Burb worth any more money.......but then again a week ago i was selling it so who knows. I am worse than a woman when it comes to changing my mind.

[RockTonka]

Cool, any pics of that motor??

[toocrazy]

Originally Posted by RockTonka

Cool, any pics of that motor??

I will be posting some pictures. I dropped the motor off to the guy who built the motor. We thought the turbo's oil supply was getting into the exhaust because we had a little smoke coming out the tailpipes. He figured out the fuel injectors were dumping all kinds of fuel in the cylinders and they where black on top of pistons (I am not a motor builder if you can tell). My solution was to have him take the entire motor apart, dipped the blocked, honed the cylinders, new rings, gaskets, ect ect. I figured while it was out of the truck I would make it fresh. If I sold it I wanted to be able to have no excuses for anything. I am funny about whatever I do being right. I should have the motor picked up in a few days.
Mark

[toocrazy]

Question, I have my seats out and they are in pretty good shape. Speaking with the paint store they can mix me up some nice vinyl paint I could use to color the seats. I have looked for covers for the suburban........I can find the bench seat cover but the front seat has the fold back seat and can't find any covers for it. Anyone know of anyplace selling seat covers for suburbans?

A little progress to report this week. As solid as this truck is there is still the customary places. Replaced both rockers..........what a job those are. Just a little rust on the driver's rear wheel opening but it all was replaced with metal. Ended up getting the rockers at summit but I would recommend it. They charged an additional $9 a rocker to ship. I think classic parts.com is better.
I still have the paddle shifters on the steering column and the boost gauge laying on the floor board which is about the last reminders of the 4L80 transmission and the turbo motor.

[toocrazy]

[BuiltByBrooks]

Awesome Burb!

[Dinos63]

always top notch work kat..and love the stance and wheels

[toocrazy]

Originally Posted by Dinos63

always top notch work kat..and love the stance and wheels

thanks but you are the man Dino!

[toocrazy]

Even nice solid trucks need a little love. Both front fenders get a little new metal on the back. Both fenders now have panels welded in and bondo applied. The exterior body is getting close. A little metal replaced around the rear fenders, both rockers, and now these patch panels. Truck is going to be ready for primer this week

[gostranger]

lookin good!!!

[toocrazy]

Hey guys, here is that twin turbo small block I pulled out of the Burb. Man this motor was smokin in this truck. It is pretty doubtful I will put it back in. Right now my local speed shop has it on display with a for sale sign on it. Who knows, if it doesn't sell I may put it back in. Right now the front fenders and the doors have been blocked and they will be primed tomorrow. I will get some progress photos up soon.

[toocrazy]

Sand, Sand, Sand, Sand, Sand...............wow there is a lot of sanding. We are very pleased today after sanding around the front windshield and the doors.......nice shiny metal. Removing all of the old seam sealer around the doors and glass. As you will see we have the dash bezel showing a clear view of the wiring. It was a good opportunity to clean out a bunch of old wiring that went no where. I guess while I am this deep I will put a new style fuse panel in to replace the old. The wiring to and from the lights is good so I won't need a panel with wiring. If anyone has a suggestion on a good panel please feel free to recommend. Painless has two panels.......one 12 fuse and one 18.

We are hoping to get the interior primed by Wednesday.

The front and rear doors are completely blocked and primed and ready for paint.

[Dinos63]

mark that motor is sic, looks fast just sitting on the stand nice work on the sub

[toocrazy]

Originally Posted by Dinos63

mark that motor is sic, looks fast just sitting on the stand nice work on the sub

thanks Dino! that motor rocked the suburban!

[toocrazy]

It was a big day for the burb. After a few weeks of installing new rockers and replacing a little metal on the front fenders we are in primer. Today we primed the inside and the outside of the burb The doors were primed last week so we have reached an accomplishment. I bought a $300 tent from Sams club as our redneck paint booth. We will use it for the priming but we will be heading to a paint booth once we put the topcoat on. We are thinking satin black for the cap and sides down to below the windows and then silver on the bottom.

We will pull the burb back in the shop and on a lift and work on the undercarriage. I doubt we will be pulling the body off the frame. We are doing a frame off on our 69 c10 but not on the burb.

[Dinos63]

nice work body looks great

[toocrazy]

Originally Posted by Dinos63

nice work body looks great

thanks man, hope to get the interior painted this next week. still sanding on this dang thing 8 hours a day!!!

[toocrazy]

check out my Walmart $340 paint booth please note fan on far end.....its a nice 8 post tent with sides and it works great..... We got the seat frames, interior doors, and trim painted today. tomorrow we get the interior painted.........decided on Mercedes Benz Irudiam Silver. Interior will have a satin clear..........Exterior will get painted in a proper booth.

[gostranger]

looks great!!

[toocrazy]

interior is painted man, there is something about the metal work on the interior of these suburbans that is quite beautiful