48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait

[Iceburgh]

awesome...good on you
Happy to see young guys get into it. I am in 44 and many times I am the youngest street rodder at any show or cruise I go to

[Rods57]

That's really cool,something he will remember for sure.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Young guy that we had never met stopped by this spring just introducing himself to folks on neighboring farms. He must be an over achiever since he lives 20 miles away.

Week ago he stopped by and asked if I had a black one ton truck in the back and could he look at it. His Gran'pa had bought it new. It spent time on a neighboring farm, then was pulled into the woods 40 years ago.

Fifteen years ago neighbors gave it to me and I put it in the back of the shop.

So the young guy stopped by last night and asked if I would sell it to him. We are always glad to help a young person who has an interest in old vehicles and besides it had belonged to his Gran'pa. We said "Sure". "How much?" "You can have it for what we paid for it."

Thought he was going to cry. He stopped by with a buddy today and they drug it out of the shop.

Good to hear stories like this. Your a great person to help out a young person also to get started...Jim

[99 to Life]

yeah that story is mind blowing. I'd give a left nut to have the opportunity to buy a truck or car my grandparents owned. I'd prolly shed a tear myself!

[youngrodder]

Glad to help you out with the riser. It took me some time/research to figure it out. I was surprised that more people have not tried to remove them. I also found a source that was remaking the metal base of the riser but yours like mine looks repairable. Yes until I get my front floor done I also dont want to remove the body or mess with the rear wood.

That was great of you to give the truck that that young kid. Pay it forward...

I go by the name Youngrodder as I was young (Late 20's) at the time I started my 48 build. Now in my early 40's I too am usually one of the younger people at the shows.

Good luck on the rest of your repair work.

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Thanks guys, hopefully he will make something of it and learn while doing so.

99 to life and Youngrodder make a good point about the lack of young people at street rod related events. My wife and I felt out of place for years as we were always way younger than everyone else. Not so much now as I turned 53 today. And young folks today have other interests I guess. Older guys do a double take and give a thumbs up to our '56 while young people don't even notice.

So again, hopefully the young guy that found his Grandfathers truck will do something with it. We've been trying to pass this passion on to the next generation for a long time. Here in 1991 with our daughters.

[C4fivewindow]

It's a different world down here most all my friends and I love old hotrods and we are all in our early 20s... I'm 22

[48ChevBagged]

Awesome story and even more awesome what you did for him. Your suburban is looking great. Love seeing the progress pictures. Keep up the good work. Wish I would have ran the whole power tour we would have ran into each other. There is always next year though.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by Iceburgh

awesome...good on you
Happy to see young guys get into it. I am in 44 and many times I am the youngest street rodder at any show or cruise I go to

Apologies it was Iceburgh that mentioned often being the youngest at a rod event. We've noticed when we go to the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville we are among the younger set in our early 50's.

Originally Posted by C4fivewindow

It's a different world down here most all my friends and I love old hotrods and we are all in our early 20s... I'm 22

That is awesome! And been enjoying your work on your truck....you do really nice work. Makes me hesitate to post up my hack pictures.

Originally Posted by 48ChevBagged

Awesome story and even more awesome what you did for him. Your suburban is looking great. Love seeing the progress pictures. Keep up the good work. Wish I would have ran the whole power tour we would have ran into each other. There is always next year though.

Thanks 48 ChevBagged. We will stay hard at it. Still kinda kicking myself for not buying your 'Burb in PCB. PO and I were so close on making a deal. Hope we can hook up on Powertour next year as we are currently planning to run the entire trip. Enjoying your truck build(s) on FB!

So yesterday was my birthday and we spent it doing what we wanted to do which was work on the 'Burb. And aging as I am I really appreciate more light so we took care of that.

[Advanced Design]

About noon yesterday it dawned on me I would need cross support pieces for the flat floor going under the seats. Closest town to us (400 people) has a great welding and manufacturing business that produces livestock equipment. Called the owner who I've known for many years, described what I needed and asked if they could bend me up two pieces out of 16 gauge before the day was over.

No problem he said and an hour later they were done with a bill of only $20. Going to work with him on the back floor on the 'Burb. Really good folks to work with.

Wife sanded the flat steel going in the floor this morning and we were able to weld prime, fit and weld in the support pieces as well. Maybe overkill with two, though it will be solid.

[oldman3]

AD, I agree the two pieces is what I would have done. Just want to make sure the first time is my thought...Jim

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by oldman3

AD, I agree the two pieces is what I would have done. Just want to make sure the first time is my thought...Jim

Thanks Jim, have never installed an entire floor and didn't want to have to do it again.

The same fabrication and welding shop provided the 16 gauge and the edges needed trimming since the truck narrows to the front. Set up some clamps and heavy bar stock on the welding table to cut to the line with the cut off wheel. Probably not how Chip or Troy does it.

[Advanced Design]

Then we did the lay out on the floor to determine where holes were needed for the rosette welding. Spacing them three inches apart created the need for about 104 holes. The circa 1900 vintage industrial drill press came through and in a little over an hour it was done.

Pretty happy all the holes look to be in the right place. One item I overlooked though was the spacing between the cross channel surface the top of the original floor. Going to need to cover over the channels with 16 gauge making them a box, then the floor will fit very flat with little to no natural gap.

If I would have thought it through, I would have done like Youngrodder and had a 90 degree up flange at the back. Then would have removed all the remaining floor at the back. This approach will still work though.

Great day in the shop with my Wife! Happy Independence Day!

[oldman3]

^^^That's the same way I do it, but I use 1"X1" square tubing, helps to keep the wheel straight...Jim

[oldman3]

Man that's a hell of a drill press. Floor piece looks good...Jim

[99 to Life]

great progress and I luuuuv the drillpress. I luv vintage tools, we will never have anything as well build and awesome looking in future years.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by oldman3

^^^That's the same way I do it, but I use 1"X1" square tubing, helps to keep the wheel straight...Jim

Jim great suggestion, thanks. On my "gotta pick up" list is a cut off with a larger diameter wheel.

Originally Posted by oldman3

Man that's a hell of a drill press. Floor piece looks good...Jim

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

great progress and I luuuuv the drillpress. I luv vintage tools, we will never have anything as well build and awesome looking in future years.

That one is old enough it was powered by a power belt (believe that is the term) with power transmitted through the production area on a shaft, then to the drill press on a wide flat belt. I agree, the old tools were heavy built and just look cool.



Anyway, back to the Suburban. We are building this one to be able to take long trips with it. And while the original seats are in good condition and look cool, we don't believe they will be very comfortable.

So the wife and I have been discussing installing newer style seats. With the floor fabrication where it is now it would be a simple matter to build in appropriate / solid seat mounts for the newer seats.

I will be doing some thread searching for seats used in AD Suburbans and we are way open for seat suggestions. Thinking buckets in front and a bench behind.

Thanks guys, always appreciate suggestions.

[49bourbon]

advanced i have a 49 burb and used approx 2004 ( seats were out of vehicle at junk yard when i bought them ) chevrolet tahoe seats. I like them because they have electric 6 way adjustment and come with built in seatbelts. Great for long distance cruising. I moved them back enough that the rear portion of the riser sits on the steel crossmember of the back floorboard and built a front riser from some 1-1/2 wide tubing stacked 3 high. i am out of pocket for the holiday weekend but can send some pics of you need them. also there is a burb/panel forum over on stovebolt.com if you need any assistance w questions. great work on your burb

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by 49bourbon

advanced i have a 49 burb and used approx 2004 ( seats were out of vehicle at junk yard when i bought them ) chevrolet tahoe seats. I like them because they have electric 6 way adjustment and come with built in seatbelts. Great for long distance cruising. I moved them back enough that the rear portion of the riser sits on the steel crossmember of the back floorboard and built a front riser from some 1-1/2 wide tubing stacked 3 high. i am out of pocket for the holiday weekend but can send some pics of you need them. also there is a burb/panel forum over on stovebolt.com if you need any assistance w questions. great work on your burb

Thank you 49bourbon. Those seats are comfortable. And it's been awhile since I've been on Stovebolt.com...appreciate the reminder. When you get a chance feel free to post the pic's here or IM me for an email if you prefer.

[Advanced Design]

My humble progress for the week of vacation.

Thanks for the encouragement, information and ideas guys.

[oldman3]

Looks great and progress is progress...Jim

[Iceburgh]

49 bourbon if you could please post here, I would be interested in seeing them as well

[68 Four on the Floor]

I'm running leather seats with integrated seat belts out of an Avalanche in my 68. I think my 53 might have 2010 caravan seats in it. I work at a salvage yard so I get plenty of time to look for goodies.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Looks great and progress is progress...Jim

Thanks Jim, one item almost done, 3,465 left to go!

Originally Posted by 68 Four on the Floor

I'm running leather seats with integrated seat belts out of an Avalanche in my 68. I think my 53 might have 2010 caravan seats in it. I work at a salvage yard so I get plenty of time to look for goodies.

Thanks 68 Four on the Floor. Appreciate the bounce back. Imagine you can source some really good parts!

[Advanced Design]

Spent some time looking at seats for the 'Burb.

The 2007 - 2013 Silverado / Tahoe / Suburban front bucket seats look very good and would be an easy install with a flat floor as all four mounting points are in the same flat plane. And the Trailblazer seats with integrated belts could be a good option though more difficult to mount.

So, all the internet looking brought me full circle to considering the vehicle theme or "look". You know when a vehicle just looks "right". And since we are going for the "We just pulled this out of the weeds and put it on the road look" a newer seat doesn't match that theme. Like mixing art deco with contemporary.

To check my thinking, we set in the 'Burb a second row seat from a Buick (will fold and tip forward) and the original for comparison. While everyone has different ideas (and that is very good) we are back to using the originals.