65 Suburban Project

[Street Sweeper]

Picked up our 65 Suburban this weekend. It's not much to look at right now but we're pumped about finally getting started on it.

The truck has a 6 cyl hooked to a manual transmission. Plans are to get the 6 running so we can work on brakes, suspension, electrical, and all the other things that need fixing. While we're doing that we'll also be prepping a nasty 454 that we have set aside. Once the big block is ready we'll replace the manual trans. with a 700R4.

It is a Custom with the appropriate trim. The body is going to be a challenge - especially the quarters - but there's plenty of other stuff to do before we get there. Surprisingly there has been little to no water leaking inside. The interior is in great shape. Unfortunately we only have one seat - we'll be trying to figure out what to do there later on in the build.

Time and money are always an issue - though we may be slow we'll keep you guys posted as this thing progresses.

We're glad we have this site to learn from and lean on.

Here's some pics to get this thread going.

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum

My '66 Suburban was that same color originally. Kind of ironic that you're putting a 454 is yours also. I'm looking forward to this build.

[Street Sweeper]

Yeah,well, my original idea was to keep the 6 cylinder in it and make it a mild-mannered car show cruiser. Like most projects, though, it started getting more ambitious before we even got going good.

This is a project between my dad, my son, and me. My boy saw a built 454 sitting in my dad's basement. You know how grandparents are. He caved and, well, I was outnumbered. I don't really mind though - like they say - there's no replacement for displacement - right?

After we start the big block install I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions. Stay tuned.

[jason65]

Nice burb dude. Good luck with the build.

[Preacherman5555]

Big block it has to be.

[ruffrida2005]

Welcome to the site. Looks like you got a good Sub to start on.

[Street Sweeper]

Finally got some good weather in Georgia this weekend - got to work on the suburban. After fixing some creative wiring, adding a new coil, new points and condenser, new plugs, a new fuel pump, and putting out one small carburetor fire . . . it cranked right up.



All you guys in N. Ga. can thank me when warm weather rolls around and we don't have any bugs. Two years of sitting idle left plenty of crap to be blown out of the old motor. The bugs are all dead - but we probably did some pretty serious ozone damage too.

We were able to drive it off the trailer - pretty exciting considering we didn't have brakes. Got that fixed too. So it's actually moving and stopping under it's own power. Although the stopping is iffy at best. that's going to have to change.

We got inside the truck and cleared out old parts, rugs, and tools from the PO. we only have the front seat - and a little bench/toolbox made by the PO. I'm on the lookout for some different kind of seating arrangement - anything you guys have tried I'd like to hear about. I assume the passeenger side front seat needs to be able to flip forward (late model blazer/tahoe). Not sure what we're going to do in the back.



From the looks of things underneath we may be doing some suspension upgrades soon as well. It's just money - right?



More as we have it . . .

[Dinos63]

welcome kat and thats a killer start!

[Joemomma1]

Originally Posted by Street Sweeper

It's just money - right?

yeah, nothing important. Dont know how I missed this one, subscribed. That thing is pretty, love the colors.

[DPowers]

That is cool- where did you find it?

[Street Sweeper]

Originally Posted by DPowers

That is cool- where did you find it?

I actually found the truck on Craigs List by accident. The guy had it list as a Carryall - which is totally appropriate - but sometimes flies under the radar of people looking for C10s or suburbans. It was in central Georgia - so it wasn't listed in a major market area either. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good I guess.

[Street Sweeper]

A quick update - I'd been looking for some front seats to get me by while I figure out what I want the final product to look like. The front seat (only seat) is structurally sound - but totally uncomfortable. I was looking for some seats out of a two door tahoe or blazer so they would fold forward for entry into the back.

As luck would have it I was in North Carolina on a business trip and found some on CL. Still not sure if these will be there for good - but they'll work a lot better than what's in there right now. The guy threw in a console to go with them.



Does anyone know where I could find replacement trim pieces and hardware for these? They came out of an '87 blazer.

[Street Sweeper]

Originally Posted by Joemomma1

yeah, nothing important. Dont know how I missed this one, subscribed. That thing is pretty, love the colors.

Joemomma - I had seen your truck a while back on the sight. I'm jealous. My 'burb needs quite bit more body work than yours. The humidity here in GA has been kinda tough on the sheetmetal.

I'll be watching your progress - hopefully I can learn some stuff.

[Joemomma1]

Originally Posted by Street Sweeper

Joemomma - I had seen your truck a while back on the sight. I'm jealous. My 'burb needs quite bit more body work than yours. The humidity here in GA has been kinda tough on the sheetmetal.

I'll be watching your progress - hopefully I can learn some stuff.

Well thank you very much. The burb doesn't need much, the p.o did most of the important stuff. I feel for you guys out there. I see some of the rust piles people have bought and for how much and never want to leave California. I actually just picked up another burb, there's a pic of it in my burb thread (last post).

[Street Sweeper]

I guess I'm not much of a pen-pal. I haven't posted in a while. Not sure if it's because I'm embarrassed at how slow it's going or how much you guys on here intimidate the crap out of me with your builds.

Anyway - here's where we stand . . .

- Got the drop spindles and drop springs installed as well as disc brakes on the front.

- Also started dismantling the front end getting ready for the engine swap.

- In the process of getting all that done my son and I got after the undercoating with heat gun and scraper. GM did a pretty good job of slathering that stuff all over everything.

- Started dismantling the interior - just had to see how bad the rust was going to be in the floor. Found out Fred Flintstone ain't got nothing on me. . .

- Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll have the six out and be prepping the chassis for the BBC.

[Street Sweeper]

Here's a pic of the floor on the passenger side . . . and a pic of Lucy the Wonder-dog (who isn't really too sure about all of this).

[Joemomma1]

Good to see an update. I know what you mean by being intimidated by everyone elses progress.
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[gostranger]

progress is looking good!!!!!

[Dinos63]

Originally Posted by Street Sweeper

Here's a pic of the floor on the passenger side . . . and a pic of Lucy the Wonder-dog (who isn't really too sure about all of this).

WELCOME KAT!!

[Street Sweeper]

Progress is still slow - basically getting about a day and half per week to work on this thing since I travel during the week. We finally got the 6 cylinder out last weekend. Trying to decide whether to hang on to it for future use or sell it to get some project $ - we'll see.

Also got the BBC over to the house. The previous owner of the engine had painted it black. We wanted to feel like we were making some kind of progress so we stripped the paint off the engine and put it back to Chevrolet orange.

We also were able to get back to cleaning / prepping the firewall since we got the old motor out of the way.

[Street Sweeper]

Finally got back to the 'burb this weekend. Installed tubular motor mounts / perches and test-fit the big block. It's sitting up a little high in the rear 'cause it's just propped up right now and (like I figured) I'm going to need to change over to a short water pump. The jury is still out on massaging the firewall. It's not making contact right now but as it torques over it might need a little more room. Overall I'm pleased so far - didn't turn out to be nearly as I difficult as I first thought (at least not yet).

[gostranger]

Nice progress!
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[Street Sweeper]

Haven't updated in a while. I may not be a car "builder" - but I can tear stuff up with the best of 'em. Got the dash panel torn down, pulled the chassis, and started breaking it down for modifications and paint.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Street Sweeper

I guess I'm not much of a pen-pal. I haven't posted in a while. Not sure if it's because I'm embarrassed at how slow it's going or how much you guys on here intimidate the crap out of me with your builds.

You are off to a great start!
No need to be intimidated... if you get that way just pop over to my build and you will know yours is doing just fine....

At a car show I saw an Explorer they had redone the back half of into a limo style. There was a wrap around diamond tuck "couch" seat in the back with a small wet bar complete with refrigerator.
Not that I would go that far, but....
That wrap around seat back there was too cool.

I like your thread so far, please keep us posted with the pics and all!!

[ChevyFreak60]

Nice Burban man, just score me a 65 burban myself!!