53 BURBAN barn find

[CHIZZLER]

will the cab mounts be the same for a burb. does anyone have jeffs drawings. i cant find them on here.

[Big Port Jimmy 6]

S 10 would be a poor choice for the suburban, you would have to raise the rear floor to clear the kickup in the S 10 chassis. Sorta defeats the purpose of having back seats. Jay

[NONHOG]

This might be the thread you were asking about. Its pretty easy to find stuff
if you dig around. I went to the user "jeffs51Chevy" clicked on statistics,
clicked on "find all posts by jeffs51Chevy" and there I found this thread

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=294539

Hope that helps.

[CHIZZLER]

thanks for the info.i finally found the diagram for the cab mounts.

[CHIZZLER]

from what i can tell the s10 platform will work great. if you check out AD website you will see the front brackets bring the cab up enough to clear the rear hump.tims 53 panel shows the s10 chassie with 10 mounts for the cab.cant decide to build or buy.

[Steve@OldSub.com]

I'm sure I'd choose build over buy but I understand its a personal choice. The AD Engineering kit places the truck at stock height so if lowering the truck is part of your plan you might want to consider that.

AD used to also sell a Suburban kit, is that the one you're looking at?

My own feeling is that the S-10 makes most sense on a truck a guy is lowering radically. For a truck at stock or similar height some of the other options seem more attractive and less work.

[CHIZZLER]

yes the burb will be lowered.not sure i follow about the ad kit being at stock height.from what i can tell you have to make the front mounts about 4" so you can clear the rear hump.i am willing to fab the mounts but need some advice on how high to make them.i see there is about ten mounts.the rear 4 are almost flat with the frame just wider.

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Originally Posted by CHIZZLER

not sure i follow about the ad kit being at stock height.

I haven't read the AD site lately, but my memory is that Robert (owner) prefers stock height trucks and designed the kit to place a cab at stock height when mounted on the S-10 frame. That doesn't keep you from lowering the S-10 frame but it is one more expense and consideration.

Robert is a good guy, I'm sure he'll answer questions if you email him though he is a busy guy so it might take a few days.

I've seen pictures of a raised floor in the rear of one S-10 mounted Suburban. That one is a 4x4 and unfortunately the site has been offline for a year or more so I can't point you at it. I was following the build carefully but it appears life has interfered with that guy's project.

Depending on how low you want to go, you may be better served by going with a 4-link and bags in the rear. Depending on how low you want to go you may have no choice but to give up some floor...

[CHIZZLER]

from what i can tell the AD kit is no longer available.i really dont want to cut my floor up. i have all 3 rows of seats and plan on using them for the my boy.lowering parts for a s10 are very available around here.maybe 4 link the back later.robert said he might have the front four brackets for a flatbed that would work.i would need to build 6.

[jeff0547]

Try here. It's 67 pages of S-10 frame swaps:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=274702

[CHIZZLER]

here are some pics from yesterday. got the grill together. cleaned the inside with soap and water.

[nickp51chevy]

I wanna see what's gonna happen.

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Wow that one is nice. I didn't realize just how clean it really is until I saw the picture of it washed. Great find!

[CHIZZLER]

I was pretty surprised how well it cleaned up. It is going to need some detailed cleaning but not bad.the hood was never put on after it got painted and the roof are rough to the touch.im working on getting a 6 volt battery to see if this thing will start. The carb is missing but i have a 250 complete motor.

[CHIZZLER]

I could really use some help on getting the windows back in.it has the deluxe trim for the outside. Can i just get a rope in style seal for the windows.thats what the barn doors have.one side of the windshield is broken.

[55dude]

that burb is way too nice for a s-10 frame swap dude! i have seen the end results of the swap and a handful of "never finished" ones and when those "KITS" were available my personal take on them was they were way overpriced and required excessive fabrication and fitting. just remember your not building the space shuttle and body mounts are really simple.

[CHIZZLER]

Not really sure what i want to do to the suspension. Im working on getting a battery to see if it will start. Im really looking forward to driving it. Maybe even by summer.

[nickp51chevy]

Why do you want to "upgrade" to IFS? All you really need to do is upgrade the brakes to disk, maybe new springs, and you'll be golden.

When I first started my build I had no idea what options I had to build my truck, but after reading everyones different ideas and skill sets to these builds I found that you really don't need to go IFS. Stock is still good; just put some disk brakes up front and drive it like you stole it.

[rjs53]

great looking burban. Why not just use the front clip off an s10 or maybe even a dakota? and for the rear change the spring hangers if you have to for a more modern rear end, then you keep your seats and you have IFS? just thought

[OrrieG]

I'm with nick on the suspension. Get it as low as you can using the stock setup, upgrade the brakes and drive it. You can do pretty good with lowering blocks in the rear and dropped spindles up front. I don't envision you autocrossing the Burb...

[NONHOG]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

dropped spindles up front.

? I've heard rumors but have seen nothing, is there such a thing for a straight axle ?

If I ever go IFS I'd consider a Vette front end kit.

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Originally Posted by NONHOG

? I've heard rumors but have seen nothing, is there such a thing for a straight axle ?

If I ever go IFS I'd consider a Vette front end kit.

To my knowledge there is no dropped spindle kit for the stock axle, but there are both dropped axle kits in the $350 to $400 range and mono-leaf springs that will bring the front way down.

If I were considering Corvette IFS I'd want to consider the IRS too. Then the practical side of me would realize that there are far more cheap Jags with IFS/IRS on craigslist than Corvettes and I think I'd go that way. Donor 'vettes under $1000 are rare. Jags under $1000 show up almost every time I look.

I say that as a 'vette owner who knows just how well that suspension really does work. However the 'vette stuff is designed for a 3300 pound car with a 96 inch wheel base that is less than three feet tall while the truck is 116 inches of wheel base and maybe only a little heavier but twice as tall. And some of that tall is heavy.

Going Jag instead of Corvette you're getting a slightly heavier suspension design because the XJS and similar cars are a bit heavier (4000+) than a 'vette and I don't think you're giving up any real handling advantage post swap. I'll admit I've not done either swap but I do have experience with both the possible donor cars, owning one and having a buddy who owns the other.

I do think the 'vette suspension is better designed than the Jag. I just don't believe you're going to realize any benefit from that improved designed once swapped under something like a panel or Suburban.

So all of that said, my Suburban is still stock suspended with freshened bushings and pins in the front, a disk kit and a Chevelle rear axle. After eight years I'm still quite happy driving it basically stock with better brakes, Cragars and radial tires.

I have lots of ideas but having a lengthy list of other projects this one isn't likely to be off the road for serious work for a long time.

The day it got the Cragars. This picture is a few years old but aside from moving around the truck hasn't changed at all since.

[NONHOG]

Jag, read some on the HAMB about that front end swap.
Seattle craigslist......... Jaguar XJS 1982 - $700 (Cle Elum)

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/1759791848.html

good thinking Steve

something to consider CHIZZLER.

[nickp51chevy]

I've seen the Corvette IFS kits for sale, and they are a lot cheaper than the MII kits. Plus you'll get a GM lug pattern.

['58Patch]

This is in a '53 with a 1975 Jag XJ6 IRS...



I like it and it seems like there wouldn't be too much modding to get it in.