Project "Mid Life Crisis Low Rider Burb"

[gemiii]

I forgot some progress. Its April now and I rented the blaster again to blast all my patch panels and the frame. I also got under the burb and did the underneath.

[gemiii]

I also got the frame painted with help from my wife and son.I used glossy rustoleum. We brushed it on. We also turned the burb on its side and seamsealed everything in sight. Then it got a coat of paint. I love my beam.

[gemiii]

Notice we didnt paint the springs?

[gemiii]

I found on EBAY a target 350 for a 90 Suburban with 20k miles and I get it for $500. Its worth a shot. I really want a 6.0 but its not in the budget now. I can use this 350 in one of my other trucks later if need be.
So I hire a body guy to finish up the body and get it nice and straight. He seamseals the rain gutter, new bottoms on the 2 front doors and skins, panel bonds everything, fixes all the dents in the door jams and door interiors. He fixes all the interior up, welds holes etc. Blocks it out twice and its ready for paint. Fenders hatch tailgate doors everything. Unfortunetly the price gets to $5k which was out of my range and I had to stop him. Our miscommunication was I thought materials where included and they werent. $1200 was material. It would have been $7k total done. My nice daily driver just became more of a show vehicle. So it comes home again. I want to get the frame done before the body goes on and I need more time anyways.
Now boating season is over but I got to get 25 cord of wood put away before it gets too cold. I have an outside wood boiler and I heat the house garage hot water hot tub so I burn a lot. Its mostly junk wood pine etc.

[gemiii]

So now its November and the wood is done so here we go on to the frame. I buy the cnotch from CPP and get that installed. Drilling out the rivots really is time consuming. I gave up the lease on my bottles so I dont have a torch. I tried the air chisel but that didnt work? I just grind them down then knock them out. I also get the rear end conversion kit and get the 89 rear end installed. New trailing arm bushings and 2in lowering blocks are installed. Thanks to reading VA72C10's build thread I saved lots of time on the centering of the rear to the wheel well. I flipped the trailing arm mounts also and the carrier bearing mount. It looks like the 1/2 inch plates behind the trailing arm mount works for me too. I sent the body to another shop to get it jammed and the firewall and the interior painted. All the insides of the doors, fenders tailgate,hatch are painted now. I went with 2008 Vista Blue Pearl................ford shhh!!!!! I looked at every blue on the planet and it was either the ford or Toyotas Nautical Blue and I couldnt put that on a Chevy.

[gemiii]

I also am using the fuel tank from the 89 because its 40 gallon and it has the fuel pump in it. I have to cut off the old filler tube and weld on a new one so that it aligns with the tunnel on the body. A little nerve wracking welding on a gas tank. I filled it with water when I was welding on it. Its painted and installed on the frame. I think I will have to notch a body rib to make it work. I got the adjustable panard bar on and its time to mount the airbags. I spent a lot of time getting the holes to line up and drilling the hole for the air fitting. I am using 3/8 stainless tubing for the air lines. I got the 3/8 fuel line to the front of the chassis and the 5/16 return line in. I replaced the rear brake line and thats done. I can blow air into the bags now and make the thing hop...KEWL. When I let it down on the bump stops my gas tank is 2 1/2 inches off the floor. The front is untouched so thats high still. We are now up to date. I got shorty ceramic headers yesterday. I am going with 3 in Stainless exhaust all the way. SS Flomaster 40s are on the way to. I should have the body back on Saturday so after the exhaust is done the body can go on.

[gemiii]

A few more pictures

[northern 85]

Wow nice work! Love the shop and beam!

[LEEVON]

You are ambitious! And make it look easy to piece together an entire burb body.

[OARNGESI]

wow thats some really nice work

[idonutn0]

very cool build, keep it up!

[1956cameo]

Wow! You make me feel bad for not wanting to tear into my suburban because of metal work needed for tail ligt damage.

[Rokcrln]

Dang I don't even think I would have wanted to tackle that one. Very nice job and I love the 1x3's (nailed to the ceiling) keeping the beam from falling over

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[gemiii]

Originally Posted by northern 85

Wow nice work! Love the shop and beam!

Thanks

Originally Posted by LEEVON

You are ambitious! And make it look easy to piece together an entire burb body.

It looks fast cause I posted a lot in one night, it feels like I have been working on it forever.

Originally Posted by OARNGESI

wow thats some really nice work

Thanks. I hope its straight.

Originally Posted by idonutn0

very cool build, keep it up!

I plan on driving it late spring.

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

Wow! You make me feel bad for not wanting to tear into my suburban because of metal work needed for tail ligt damage.

All it takes is some cutting wheels LOL.

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

Dang I don't even think I would have wanted to tackle that one. Very nice job and I love the 1x3's (nailed to the ceiling) keeping the beam from falling over

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Thanks. I wont be buying any more rust buckets after I finish the 4 I have. Yes those boards are there to lock the beam in place. I should have painted them white but who has the time. Ill be looking for some of your door seals soon I hope.

George

[gemiii]

Got a little done tonight. I got some headers from Summit on Ebay and I hoped they would fit. I had to notch the motor perches a little to get them in. I wish they dumped out a little higher. I started to paint the insides of the fenders. The next picture is of my gas lines and the ss air line for the air bag. Tight fit in there. The last picture is my braided gas lines to the tank and the new brake lines. I am waiting on UPS for my mufflers and the pipe bender I bought.

[kev2809]

wow...i cant believe you cut the whole thing up and got it back together that good! i dont think i could ever tackle something like this, looks great. whats the plans for the front suspension?

[gemiii]

Originally Posted by kev2809

wow...i cant believe you cut the whole thing up and got it back together that good! i dont think i could ever tackle something like this, looks great. whats the plans for the front suspension?

KEV Thanks I think its back together right? I have been reading your build and you are doing a great job. I feel your pain on bolting up the rear bags, what a pain. I did it with the body off, I wouldnt want to do it with it on. On the front I plan on buying ECE's 8 to 5 lug conversion drop spindles and putting the other 2600 bags I have in. I bought that special that Thorbecke Bros ran on bags. I like that the holes are in the plates already. I will replace all the front end partd too. I too am curious about the cups on the LCA's. To tell you the truth I dont even know what you guys are talking about? Help appreciated I hope that gets me low enough. I dont want to mess with the inner fenders, I have enough to do. I expect to send it for paint in early January. I havent decided wether to go one solid color or 2 tone. I dont want to buy all that trim that looks great on the 2 tone.

[Average Joe]

Jeezum crow brother nice work! Makes my projects look small by comparison.

[mike16]

Just a few questions. Since your busy with your midlife crisis mind if I take that camaro off your hands....


I disagree with the statement about telling the seller you intend to use there car for parts. While I have never done that I have asked the seller if they would just sell me a few parts off the car. Ruthless and emotionally traumatizing to the seller it has worked more often than not. And when it didnot work I always ask if they know where "other" parts cars are. They often tell me. Thier directions usually start with....."as soon as you leave my propery, you go....."

As for the mid life crisis thing, whats up with that. I been doing this since I was 15 but as soon at I hit 47 its a midlife crisis. What changed to turn it into a midlife crisis. I buy a 72 chevy with a 307 3 spd and thats indicative of a crisis? My crisis? maybe the automotive industries crisis but hardly mine and lesser still a crisis.

I got 5 vehicles and the girlfriend has 50 pairs of shoes. whos crisis is it? Mine all run, she cant run in hers. She did not sound too supportive when she referred to my cars as my midlife crisis and when she suggested I sell one ,(she sugested I sell my 65 GTO convertable/4spd because it would sell fast and we would get alot of money out of it) guess who found them selves in the middle of there own mid life crisis.

Really, except tongue in cheek, I never heard a real car guy ever refer to this as a midlife crisis. Its always some muppet who doesnt have a clue.

[kev2809]

Originally Posted by mike16

Just a few questions. Since your busy with your midlife crisis mind if I take that camaro off your hands....


I disagree with the statement about telling the seller you intend to use there car for parts. While I have never done that I have asked the seller if they would just sell me a few parts off the car. Ruthless and emotionally traumatizing to the seller it has worked more often than not. And when it didnot work I always ask if they know where "other" parts cars are. They often tell me. Thier directions usually start with....."as soon as you leave my propery, you go....."

As for the mid life crisis thing, whats up with that. I been doing this since I was 15 but as soon at I hit 47 its a midlife crisis. What changed to turn it into a midlife crisis. I buy a 72 chevy with a 307 3 spd and thats indicative of a crisis? My crisis? maybe the automotive industries crisis but hardly mine and lesser still a crisis.

I got 5 vehicles and the girlfriend has 50 pairs of shoes. whos crisis is it? Mine all run, she cant run in hers. She did not sound too supportive when she referred to my cars as my midlife crisis and when she suggested I sell one ,(she sugested I sell my 65 GTO convertable/4spd because it would sell fast and we would get alot of money out of it) guess who found them selves in the middle of there own mid life crisis.

Really, except tongue in cheek, I never heard a real car guy ever refer to this as a midlife crisis. Its always some muppet who doesnt have a clue.

really? I think your taking the title a little too liberal...

[PHAT TONY]

Agreed! I think more than me are or did stand in front of the 'puter and gave a standing ovation!! O M G!! This may be the most effort I've seen in saving a vintage Chevy truck; my hat's off to you sir.

[gemiii]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Jeezum crow brother nice work! Makes my projects look small by comparison.

Thanks

Originally Posted by mike16

Just a few questions. Since your busy with your midlife crisis mind if I take that camaro off your hands....


I disagree with the statement about telling the seller you intend to use there car for parts. While I have never done that I have asked the seller if they would just sell me a few parts off the car. Ruthless and emotionally traumatizing to the seller it has worked more often than not. And when it didnot work I always ask if they know where "other" parts cars are. They often tell me. Thier directions usually start with....."as soon as you leave my propery, you go....."

As for the mid life crisis thing, whats up with that. I been doing this since I was 15 but as soon at I hit 47 its a midlife crisis. What changed to turn it into a midlife crisis. I buy a 72 chevy with a 307 3 spd and thats indicative of a crisis? My crisis? maybe the automotive industries crisis but hardly mine and lesser still a crisis.

I got 5 vehicles and the girlfriend has 50 pairs of shoes. whos crisis is it? Mine all run, she cant run in hers. She did not sound too supportive when she referred to my cars as my midlife crisis and when she suggested I sell one ,(she sugested I sell my 65 GTO convertable/4spd because it would sell fast and we would get alot of money out of it) guess who found them selves in the middle of there own mid life crisis.

Really, except tongue in cheek, I never heard a real car guy ever refer to this as a midlife crisis. Its always some muppet who doesnt have a clue.

Not too sure where you are headed with this but it sounds funny. Its not my midlife crisis, its everybody elses. I couldnt get permission/ justify spending $8k on a burb so I will build one for $15k. I am 45 and I havent changed a bit but everyone around me did?

Originally Posted by PHAT TONY

Agreed! I think more than me are or did stand in front of the 'puter and gave a standing ovation!! O M G!! This may be the most effort I've seen in saving a vintage Chevy truck; my hat's off to you sir.

Funny Thanks. I hope its a Suburban I wanted!

The body got jammed and the interior and firewall got paint and clear today. Hope it looks awesome!
George

[Number98]

Great work man!

I just found this one but sign me up.....

[gemiii]

Got some more progress done. I bought a pipe bender for the exhaust but it didnt work out too well. It crushed the 3 inch stainlees before it bent. I ended up cutting 22 1/2 degree cuts and tig welding them together to make 45's. I got the exhaust done to the mufflers. I was able to run the drivers side under the shifting linkage so I think so I wont have to modify the linkage.

[gemiii]

I went and picked up the body from the paint shop before we got the blizzard on Saturday. Everything looks great. I got it home and packed away in the garage before the snow. We ended upgetting 17 inches on snow.