Getting a 1970 K/20 Burb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Here's the story. A couple months ago I found this old 1970 yellow and white Chevy K20 Suburban at the junkyard. It was all original except the 350 had been replaced by a 454! I bought the seat(black vinyl), dash pad(also black), and fan shroud out of it, and I came back for some other stuff a week later and it was gone. Somebody bought it and it sat about 20 miles out of town on some guys land. What happened was, this guy let his friend that bought it keep his trucks on his property and he left 'em there way too long. So what happened? The property owner got tired of 'em being there and called the same junkyard the burb came from to pick it up. We went to the junkyard today and Dad saw it sitting way in the back, and I told him we gotta buy it before it gets crushed/stripped. Get this, the guy at the yard is selling it to me for $300, with a clear title!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It still has the BB/tranny/x-fer case and both axles. The rear is the Eaton HO52, the front should be a D44. I don't know if it is original, I didn't look for brake drums. It had the red lockouts on it so it might not be. It has four 16.5 slot rims that are painted steel? with 8.75-16.5 tires. It has a real big bumper on the front that I think had a winch before. The rear bumper is pretty big too. It has rust problems at the top corners of the front and rear roof but it's real solid on top and not dented or real rusty, most of the truck has original paint. It has the tailgate and lift hatch, all glass windows are good. Has original gauges, radio, black non-tilt auto column and wheel, black door panels and all rear trim panels, and the glovebox lid with the 4x4 sticker, and it also has the original 4x4 shift knob, I think it has the NP205 t-case. It's weird though, it has front heat and rear A/C. The compressor is gone and so is the heater box, the dumbass that bought it had all kinds of crap thrown inside and messed the center seat up, and I guess he's the one that took the heater box. No biggie, I have a spare. The engine looks like it'll run with some new plugs and basic stuff, not sure about the tranny or t-case. I'll have to check all the grease levels and gears, etc before I try to drive it around. I should have this by next Friday!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!

[big blue 72]

Cool, will go good with your other '70!!!!!

[RANDY COX]

cool cain't wait to see pixs,my 70 K/10 also has the red lockouts.

[Frizzle Fry]

What a deal!!!

[4x4Poet]

Sounds like a runner. The tranny and xfer case probably leak, but only need an oil change. Unlikely that they'll prove problematic to get the truck back on the road. The interior parts and body are another matter.

I sure hope that 454 runs. That would be sweet. Drain the block and flush the block from the thermostat neck through the block drains before running it, though. Just spray garden hose thru while blocking the water pump intake. New thermostat, too. Probably needs a new water pump.

Maybe have the radiator cleaned by a rad shop. Only $36 here if no repair needed. They use an acid tank with ultrasound waves to loosen any crud in the tubes. Much better than just flushing.

Make sure the tank has good fuel. Rust and congealed gas will clog a carb fast. Best to drain it and have it also cleaned by a rad shop. Perhaps, sealed, too. Then get to the brake hydraulics. Who knows what you'll find there, too. Safety first.

Looking foward to pics.

[special-K]

Great advise from 4x4poet.You`ll also need a black dashpad,seat,and fan shroud.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm gonna put the seat and dashpad back in it when we get it home. I kept the old seat from my truck and fixed it and put a new green saddle blanket seat cover on it, just never got it put back in the truck. The first things I'm going to do are try and fix the rust areas around the roof, but I wanna try to get it running before I do that! The engine looked complete, had an air cleaner on top of the Quadrajet so at least the carb should be clean enough to fire the engine up. The gas cap was on the filler neck too so hopefully the important stuff is in good shape. I'll change the oil, flush the cooling system, change the fluid in the tranny, t-case, and both diff's., and get the gas tank cleaned. Man it's gonna take some work. The brakes are gonna be fun, I don't know if the return spring for the pedal was broke or if it was disconnected but the pedal was to the floor. I will take a lot of pictures of it when we get it home. I'll probably end up pulling it with my truck since it's only a couple miles to my great Uncle's house, I'll bet were gonna draw a lot of attention. A green truck pulling a yellow Suburban.

[RANDY COX]

pixs,pixs,we need pixs man the suspence is killing me.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I won't have 'em till Saturday, try not to think about it too much.

[4x4Poet]

Originally Posted by Robert1970C20rstbukt

I won't have 'em till Saturday, try not to think about it too much...

[special-K]

Can you at least draw a picture

[bagged91]

lol!Draw a pic!

Good find... How rusty is it???

[JAKES 68GMC]

If they are cool looking slot wheels, they should be aluminum. Sounds like a sweet deal. Is it already street legal, or is it going to need alotta work?

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

My handwritin ain't too good, so a drawin picture is out of the question. I'll take the camera and see if he's open tomorrow.

bagged91, it's not in good shape in the roof areas, but it's fixable and is in way better condition than the cab on my truck. Overall the body is in good condition with the exception of the roof.

Jake, I know they were slot wheels, but they were rusty and had been painted white. Sounds weird but that's what me and Dad saw. They are 16.5" wheels that are 8.25" wide and they have 8.75-16.5 tires that are at about 30% tread and holding air. There was another one in the spare tire holder in the back that had a big blowout in the tire, so there's a complete set of 5 wheels. I'm keeping those wheels on there since they look cool and I don't have any spare 8 lug wheels or tires. I'll paint 'em silver when I can get around to it. This Burb is gonna be a whole new project. Full brake system needs to be gone through, fluids changed, cooling system flushed, probably 2 hours worth of cleaning the interior out, etc. I sure as hell hope that big block runs good!!!! There was all kinds of crap thrown inside, me and Dad were cleaning it all out at the junkyard there, so most of the big stuff is out except for the stuff that's staying like the gauges, radio, glovebox lid, and all the hardware that was taken loose. This guy had a big diesel tank from the back of a pickup in there with another gas tank shoved against the center seat(seat is OK!), junk engine gaskets, etc. I found a big logging chain in the back and some hard hats, this used to belong to a construction company according to the records that were in the glovebox. There was a spare belt for the engine that had "Old Yeller" written on the paper sleeve too. Pics will be here soon, stay alert guys!

[JAKES 68GMC]

Tell ya what, since I'm a nice generous kind of guy, I'll buy the 'Burb off from you for $301, therefore you will be making profit. Not only that, I'll let YOU ship it up here to Maine, in to my driveway, at no cost to me. Sound good?

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Hell no! I should have it here tomorrow, but we're having a big paintball war at a ranch for one of my friend's graduation party. So it's gonna take awhile longer, as usual.

[JAKES 68GMC]

Have fun, and get the pics ASAP.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I knew some crap like this was gonna happen............Yesterday morning I went and checked it out again, yes it has the original front axle and the 205 T-case. I would've bought it last week but Mom wouldn't let Dad buy it for me. Well the guy at the yard said someone wants the steering column and steering box. I was pissed, and I didn't have enough $$$ and still don't. Damnit I hope nothing's missing off of it..............Will post back ASAP when I find anything out.............

[JAKES 68GMC]

Damn that sucks. Hope its in one piece when you get it.

[4x4Poet]

Uh oh. Mom ain't keen on the obsession.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Well the guy never came to get the parts!!!! YES!!!! Dad went out there this morning to talk to him, and the guy at the yard is gonna make sure nobody messes with it. Dad's gonna drop off half of the money for me tomorrow while I'm at school. It'll be home soon!!!!!!!!!!

[JAKES 68GMC]

Well thats good. Congrats.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Thanks dude. I can't wait to hear that BB rumble, it already has a dual exhaust with long glasspacks that's still in good condition. I might have trouble with the pass. side hub, I couldn't get it to go into the free position with just my hands. The engine will crank over, when I looked at it Saturday morning I turned it with a breaker bar. The tranny and transfer case go into all gears/ranges too. It has a TH350, hopefully it'll work OK. There was clean red fluid on the dipstick, and the engine was full of oil too but it needs to be changed bad.

[RANDY COX]

Whew that was close,now go get that sucker so we can see it.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I'll take pics if the yard is open late, he usually closes at lunch time and I get out of school at 3:37. Our last day of school is thursday so it'll be friday at the latest!!!!! Class of '06 rules!!!!!!