Project 70 Yellow Turd

[WH0DAMAN]

So I finally have gotten around to getting something done on my 1970 Suburban. Front has been lowered 2.5" & disk brakes. Inline 6 cyl has been removed & 396 bored out to 402 has been prepped to drop in. This thing was badly abused by the previous owner so I feel pretty good about saving it from the scrap yard. I am doing a lot of "what was he thinking" when I look it over. This guy was the ultimate Macgyver. He even had an indoor light switch screwed to one of the upper roof rails to turn on the overhead light! The good thing is that most of it is still factory paint & rust looks to be quite manageable. Rear sill was caved in so we had to set it up & pull the rear end & RT quarter panel back to square. I'm a long ways from getting to the it's looking better stage but progress is being made. Plan is to go all black since my shop theme is Black & Orange. This will be a shop truck for my body shop. Not really a parts truck but more of a here is what we can do truck. I will keep posting photos throughout the process.

[WH0DAMAN]

I will post more photos when the administrator gets back to me. Security Token Missing keeps popping up when I try to add more photos.

[WH0DAMAN]

More photos

[WH0DAMAN]

I'm guessing you can only add so many pictures per day? It lets me add 5 photos & then gives me the "security token missing" message whenever I try to add more photos.

[WH0DAMAN]

In process photos

[WH0DAMAN]

The last photo gives you a look into the mindset of the prior owner. Yes, thats long division for 60 divided by 2. The back of the suburban was his scratch pad!

[WH0DAMAN]

More in process. Prior Owner loved the bondo. It is at least an inch thick in some spots & is right over the paint. Grinder? Who needs a grinder? Lower quarter panel patches are on order. Going to start on replacing the rockers & floor next week. I'm deleting the bumpers & making roll pans. I'll take plenty of photos of that process since I can't find anybody that makes a roll pan for burbans.

[WH0DAMAN]

More In process

[WH0DAMAN]

I cant find new strikers for the rear barn doors anywhere. The rear sill panel was wasted on this burb so one of the strikers was not useable. Any ideas/info?

Bob

[WH0DAMAN]

On to the RT Side Rockers

[WH0DAMAN]

R/R inner rocker is not too bad. I Rust Morted the metal to death so I have to wait until tomorrow to move on. Moving along quite quickly...now.

[WH0DAMAN]

Lots O Rust.

[68burb]

your last pic looks like mine, the PO used spray foam to "fix" it

[WH0DAMAN]

Originally Posted by 68burb

your last pic looks like mine, the PO used spray foam to "fix" it

Ha, Too funny. Our Prior Owners must have been related.

[WH0DAMAN]

I'm probably taking way too many photos but I always find it fun to watch the different methods people use to fix these trucks. No two are alike.

[WH0DAMAN]

Alright, so I am going with 1970-73 Camaro tail lights. This is the cheezy 5 minute mock-up I did with masking tape, black spray paint & 4" red vinyl. Gives you a good idea of what it would look like though.

[jmedero]

Sweet man.
Posted via Mobile Device

[WH0DAMAN]

More progress. Floor is coming out tomorrow morning.

[WH0DAMAN]

Inner quarter panel actually didnt look too bad.

[WH0DAMAN]

Wood floor is out & I am still replacing metal. At least the project is still moving in the foward direction! Figuring out which tail lights I am going to install has been a bit more difficult than I anticipated. I was going to go with 70-73 Camaro lights but they are beveled to match the Camaro rear body panel. I ended up finding some cool 80 diode LED 4" round tail lights with a chrome bezel that look like they will work for what I am doing. The lights will be inset flush with the outer panel. Rear roll pan will have 4" holes with chrome bezels for the exhaust to exit out of.

[68burb]

who did you go through for your rockers?

[WH0DAMAN]

www.classicparts.com

[3drburb]

You are doing some very nice work on this burb, good the see the barn doors worked out for you and I finally found your build.

[WH0DAMAN]

Originally Posted by 3drburb

You are doing some very nice work on this burb, good the see the barn doors worked out for you and I finally found your build.

The doors fit great! Thanks again. You will have to come down and see it when it's done. You don't have the striker plates for the rear barn doors, do you? The ones that mount in the rear sill panel?

[WH0DAMAN]

OK, so the RT side rusty metal is all replaced. Waiting to finish the finish work on the RT quarter panel until I figure out what I am doing with the rear wood floor. The floor adds the stability to the rear quarters so if I complete the finish work on the quarter & then add the floor, I will have a wavy quarter panel. Amazing how flimsy the quarter panels are without the floor. Rear of vehicle is on hold until my new round tail lights arrrive. Fuel door is out of an S10 pickup. That was a nice upgrade. Firewall is completely smoothed over & all the holes have been patched. We are now on to the LT side rockers & floor. The new rockers from classicparts.com were pretty bad on the LT side. I wasnt too pleased with the bottom of the rocker being in a bowed shape. Had to completely remake it. Thats pretty much it for now.