Mike's 60 Suburban build

[mikesacs]

Here are a few more pics of the hatch lifters. All parts are bolt on using the original mounting holes. The struts even help hold the hatch shut since they need a slight compression for the first 2 inches of opening.

[piratexpress1369a]

they look great ,nice job

[mikesacs]

I started working on a pair of sliding window latches. All the bending and welding is done. Next will be to drill the hole for the bolt/pin, test fit, and then do some polishing.

[mikesacs]

I've been working on the window latches. I tried a test fit and one side worked well and the other side didn't. The catch for the latch is too far back. Either the front window/catch needs to move forward or the the sliding window needs to slide more to the rear. The work goes on!

[Nobby]

Great job man! P.s. you wouldn't wanna sell the pattern for them brackets huh? Lol

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by Nobby

Great job man! P.s. you wouldn't wanna sell the pattern for them brackets huh? Lol

I think I still can make them better. I'll do some improvements and try another set. I don't really have a pattern, I'm just winging it as I go.

[Dinos63]

nnnice work!

[Dinos63]

nnice work!

[Dinos63]

ahh x2

[mikesacs]

Originally Posted by Dinos63

nnice work!

Thanks, I probably will try to sell some once I feel that it's a good product. It will help recover the material cost, probably not the time cost. But, I doubt that much of what we do on old vehicles would pay the labor cost!

[mikesacs]

Finished version two of the window latches. They are better than the first, but I think I still might have two improvements to do for the the next set.

[mikesacs]

Spent a few days changing the v belt system to serpentine.

[mikesacs]

I have the 3rd version of my window latches. It took alot of work to get these where I want them. I have not polished them up. Just stopped at sanding them for now. Next on the agenda is a new fuse block and wiring harness from Painless. I'm tired of having only 2 fuses in the truck!

[bigd126]

subd

[mikesacs]

I've been working on the wiring. Replacing it with an 18 circuit Painless wiring harness. Here are a few pics at the start. The one below the dash shows the new and old fuse box. It was quite a mess for awhile!

[mikesacs]

A few pics of the final wiring. I would suggest that if you ever do something like this, make sure to allow slack in the gauge cluster to remove it and set it on the dash without disconnecting wires. This is a great feature to remove 5 screws and see behind the dash.

[Modges'66]

Nice work!
On my gage cluster I added a couple of plugs from Radio Shack, so that I can un-plug it completely and remove it from the vehicle entirely.
I have had it out more times than I can count in order to work on other things. Besides, I wouldn't want to risk scratching the paint on my dash by setting it up there.

[mikesacs]

While doing the wiring, I pulled out my seats and added dual seat heaters by Rostra. They work great. I had been debating how to get the truck warmer in the winter. I have the hottest thermostats I can get it it barely does the job. I thought about a 12 volt electric heater, but they seem to all be very weak. I also thought about a rear heater core and fan, but finally went with the electric seats. My wife's car has them and I really like them. They heat up nearly instantly and the surrounding vehicle temperature can be a lot lower once you are warm and it's still very comfortable.

[piratexpress1369a]

heated seats are great

[mikesacs]

Did a few more projects on the burb this weekend. I added Newport engineering wiper motor that has delay and 2 speeds. It was finally time to do that! A single speed is pathetic and I had a wiper transmission break. Installed a new set of linkage at the same time.

I also finished an idea I had a long time ago. I love the cable operated vents that the truck had, but didn't like that I couldn't reach the passenger's vent knob to open or close it. I had occasional remote operation by telling the wife to do it! I installed the vintage air under dash vents and that removed the knob mount location. I bought a new throttle cable, the type with the dash knob and long cable that match the truck. Installed it in an extra dash hole to the left of the key and connected the cable to the passenger vent. Works slick!

[mikesacs]

I had some bad luck a few weeks ago. A box truck rear ended a pickup that was tossed into oncoming traffic. I was the oncoming traffic. The burb was sideswiped with damage to the bumper, hood, locking hub, door, rear panel, rear tire, rear rim, and the running boards. Luckily the guy had insurance and I just settled with the insurance company for $3700. I think that should pay for a complete paint job if I do all the labor. The bulk of the parts have been ordered. As soon as those come in and I finish a woodworking project that is taking up my shop, the fun begins!. I'll need to keep the truck together for most of the time in case I need to drive it and am thinking about taking a week off work near the end when the painting starts.

I've had some body work experience in high school and a little since then. I plan on replacing the door skin, that will be a first for me.

This is probably the push I needed to get this done.

Another lucky point was that he didn't get my rear bumper, those are hard to find!

[mikesacs]

I'm deep into the metal work on the burb now. Nearly everything is stripped and I've replaced 33 sections of metal. 2 more sections to replace that I know of now. I hope to start building a collapsible paint booth this weekend.

[mikesacs]

Nearly finished with the metal work. I have one fresh air intake to replace that I didn't know was rusted out until I removed the paint. 95% finished stripping the inside. Color matched the silver for the interior and the charcoal for the dash at the paint shop. Picked the white for the top and I already have the olive color for the bottom. Started painting a rust converter on the pitted metal. That's the black you see in the photo. I also made the stud walls for the paint booth. Waiting on the plastic to come in to finish that.

[mikesacs]

Paint booth built. Done with metal replacement. The burb is in different stages of filler, acid etch, and primer.

[mikesacs]

I sprayed the high build primer this weekend. I now have sanding to start. I plan to block sand the primer with 120, then do more high build coats and finer sanding until I get to 400 grit. It took 2 loads in the paint booth to get all the parts covered.