Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

mattman11174 · 03-24-2008, 07:44 PM

Can any one give me some sites or info on converting to a duramax

Angelo · 03-26-2008, 05:17 AM

Hey mattman11174 you want to put a diesel motor in your suburban just like me, but i think its easier and cheapper to go with a 6.5 Turbo diesel. I want to put the diesel motor in my 72 suburban so i can get better gas milage. If anyone has a build thread can you post it, and the amount of money spent for the motor swap.Thank You

Frizzle Fry · 03-27-2008, 02:15 AM

saw diesel at over 4$/gal today...

sweet70beast · 03-27-2008, 06:18 AM

I have thot alot about puting a duramax in my sub too, but, it makes me wonder if the money spent on the conversion and the higher fuel prices(80cents a gallon )are actually worth the savings. In other words how long would it take to recoup the cost of the conversion and the higher fuel to actually start seeing money savings.

salvageit · 03-27-2008, 07:30 AM

If the gas mileage would not be worth it the power would be. Have any of you drove a duramax with an edge chip? WOW! I really want to do this to my 72 as well. I would not go with the 6.5 just for the fact that the duramax is capable of so much more and the 6.5 does not have all the after market options like the duramax does. If you were able to find a complete motor, tranny, harness and ECU, I dont think the swap would be that bad. I have done a lot of searching and have found nothing so far on this swap.

race-rodz · 03-27-2008, 09:56 AM

5.9 cummins, should be plenty of power for a burban, and in stock trim... 20+ MPG. goin rate in my area is around $1300 for the engine, another grand will get you a OD dodge trans, or the adaptor to run a chevy trans.

and the idea with building an oil burner, isnt to pay $4/gal for pump diesel, but to have the option of running "green" fuel... which even if you buy brand new stuff...works out to about $2/gal of coarse the green fuel is for off-road use only if you fallow the rules.

turbohacker · 03-28-2008, 07:46 AM

Ive been very interested in putting either a duramax (to keep true to the chevy name) or a 12v cummins in my 67 lwb. I am very interested in where you can find a 5.9 cummins for only $1300. This would greatly benifiet me as I run biodeisel. (about 80 cents a gallon for me to produce it myself) I bilive that at that price for a motor it would pay for itself rather quickly.

Thanks -Nick

DINS 1 · 03-29-2008, 07:29 AM

I am in the middle of putting a burb on top of a 2004 durmax 4x4 chassis. you need a crew cab short box or a ext cab long box chassis to have enough frame for the tail of the burb. then move the rear axle forward to get the wheel base. next build all of the body mounts to fit the wider frame. I am just getting to the fitting of the body on the frame. nothing about this project is easy, but the durmax will be fun when finished

**Chevy454** · 03-29-2008, 05:57 PM

DINS: got any pictures?

Bowtie7ty · 04-16-2008, 02:42 AM

I think a cummins swap would be the best wasy to go,a five speed would go good with it sinse a surbabans are pretty chunky and cummins automatics are known for goin out. My buddys have built 5.9s that still get about 18-22 miles a gallon . You can pick them up for decent prices too , i found a couple out of 1st genertions with manual pumps with 160000 miles and less for around $1800.

03-24-2008, 07:44 PM	#1
mattman11174 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Crowley,Tx Posts: 1	Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax Can any one give me some sites or info on converting to a duramax

03-26-2008, 05:17 AM	#2
Angelo Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Alvin, Texas Posts: 31	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax Hey mattman11174 you want to put a diesel motor in your suburban just like me, but i think its easier and cheapper to go with a 6.5 Turbo diesel. I want to put the diesel motor in my 72 suburban so i can get better gas milage. If anyone has a build thread can you post it, and the amount of money spent for the motor swap.Thank You

03-27-2008, 02:15 AM	#3
Frizzle Fry Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hillsboro Oregon Posts: 6,449	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax saw diesel at over 4$/gal today...

03-27-2008, 06:18 AM	#4
sweet70beast Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Shelley Idaho Posts: 876	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax I have thot alot about puting a duramax in my sub too, but, it makes me wonder if the money spent on the conversion and the higher fuel prices(80cents a gallon )are actually worth the savings. In other words how long would it take to recoup the cost of the conversion and the higher fuel to actually start seeing money savings. __________________ 1970 Nova 327/T5 (my 1st car) 1971 K-20 350/350/205 (winter DD) 1953 GMC Suburban 1968 Chevy Bel Air 1976 Chev C-10 1972 Skylark (suncoupe) 1 of 3943 made

03-27-2008, 07:30 AM	#5
salvageit Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ogden, Utah Posts: 38	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax If the gas mileage would not be worth it the power would be. Have any of you drove a duramax with an edge chip? WOW! I really want to do this to my 72 as well. I would not go with the 6.5 just for the fact that the duramax is capable of so much more and the 6.5 does not have all the after market options like the duramax does. If you were able to find a complete motor, tranny, harness and ECU, I dont think the swap would be that bad. I have done a lot of searching and have found nothing so far on this swap.

03-27-2008, 09:56 AM	#6
race-rodz Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: medford oregon Posts: 19	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax 5.9 cummins, should be plenty of power for a burban, and in stock trim... 20+ MPG. goin rate in my area is around $1300 for the engine, another grand will get you a OD dodge trans, or the adaptor to run a chevy trans. and the idea with building an oil burner, isnt to pay $4/gal for pump diesel, but to have the option of running "green" fuel... which even if you buy brand new stuff...works out to about $2/gal of coarse the green fuel is for off-road use only if you fallow the rules.

03-28-2008, 07:46 AM	#7
turbohacker PISS POOR Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: visalia, ca Posts: 98	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax Ive been very interested in putting either a duramax (to keep true to the chevy name) or a 12v cummins in my 67 lwb. I am very interested in where you can find a 5.9 cummins for only $1300. This would greatly benifiet me as I run biodeisel. (about 80 cents a gallon for me to produce it myself) I bilive that at that price for a motor it would pay for itself rather quickly. Thanks -Nick __________________ Slammed 67 long bed with vette suspention build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=291149

03-29-2008, 07:29 AM	#8
DINS 1 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Webster City, Iowa USA Posts: 572	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax I am in the middle of putting a burb on top of a 2004 durmax 4x4 chassis. you need a crew cab short box or a ext cab long box chassis to have enough frame for the tail of the burb. then move the rear axle forward to get the wheel base. next build all of the body mounts to fit the wider frame. I am just getting to the fitting of the body on the frame. nothing about this project is easy, but the durmax will be fun when finished __________________ Wade "DURAMAX BURB" Burb on 2004 chevy 2500HD 4x4 Duramax chassis Long term project 2004 2500HD 4x4 crew cab GMC Duramax 4" lift 35's 79 RS Camaro

03-29-2008, 05:57 PM	#9
Chevy454 Registered User Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Alton, MO Posts: 145	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax DINS: got any pictures? __________________ '72 Super Custom Suburban - 402/400, original bucket seats, 3rd seat, rear air, tilt A few Yenko cars Interested in COPOs, Yenkos or other dealer built muscle cars then go here:www.yenko.net

04-16-2008, 02:42 AM	#10
Bowtie7ty Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Orient Ohio Posts: 33	Re: Converting 72 Suburban to a Duramax I think a cummins swap would be the best wasy to go,a five speed would go good with it sinse a surbabans are pretty chunky and cummins automatics are known for goin out. My buddys have built 5.9s that still get about 18-22 miles a gallon . You can pick them up for decent prices too , i found a couple out of 1st genertions with manual pumps with 160000 miles and less for around $1800.



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.