Projects '65 Suburban Carryall

Yep, have done the swap to a 73 and newer crossmember even recently on my sons 63 mainly because his truck came with it and dropped spindles were cheaper. Since you already have disk brakes and spindles, probably easiest to just rebuild what you have.

 

So I go on vacation with the wife for a week, and I start getting texts from my father in law. While I'm mildly disappointed I missed out on work (and some lessons on spraying primer/paint), I'm eternally grateful that he has put so much time into this project for me.


While I was gone out having fun, the guy got a lot done: lots of sanding, epoxy primed everything we've been working on, sprayed the dash fawn with a satin clear on top, then a coat of filler primer over top of the exterior, reinstalled doors and fenders...

And then he had the nerve to tell me I didn't have to wash and fill up his '72 that I've been storing at my house when he picked it up when I returned.

 

Looks fantastic! Really has come a long way!

 

Your father in law can house-sit my place anytime.

 

That mean *******! What kind of person does that to someone?

 

Wow, looks amazing! He's a keeper!! lol

 

Is he willing to adopt???

 

Learned how to install a windshield yesterday... didn't crack anything!



Barn door windows, and then fixed-gl***ed rear windows...



I had rattle canned the tail light housings too. Hopefully just temporary while I track down a place for vacuum metalizing.

Got the front ****oned up too...

 

New weather strip, and gl*** is always a major step for me when I'm building. Nicely done!

 

She's back on the road for the season...


Found a used reproduction front bumper for $40 that was in great shape, down in Carlisle. Threw that on, finished up the gl***, mirrors mounted, interior (mostly) in.

Will rebuild the front suspension in the next few weeks. Just keeping it stock for now, but thinking a static drop in the future (spindles in the front, and springs and/or blocks in the back).

 

The repairs turned out good!

 

I love this picture, I was a Mega-Watt Farmer for years! Thanks for keeping the lights on!

 

I don't actually work at the power plant. It's actually a private power plant for the industrial park I work at; it provides power and steam to all the buildings on the private ~1,200 acre park. Nothing (that I'm aware of) goes off the industrial park. The surrounding municipalities all get their power from the traditional grid.

I also started pricing out the front suspension rebuild. I (for some reason) thought my disc spindles were stock height, but turns out they are 2.5" modular drop spindles from CPP. So I bought the wrong ball joints and tie rod ends (guess how I found out). Once the correct parts arrive. Hopefully this front end rebuild (new control arm shafts, new ball joints, new tie rod ends, new shocks, new pitman arm, new idler arm) will put an end to the see-sawing steering wheel. If that's the case, then it's alignment time and new tires.

 

Man, I have been thinking of getting rid of my DD appliance and building something like this for my DD and hauler duties...

Dig the work man. Great job.

 

Front suspension rebuild this weekend. Also decided to modify the lower control arm shafts to get a bit more caster angle out of it. This is done by drilling new holes in the shafts that a locating ****on/rivet sits in. This pushes the entire lower control arm forward, thus giving more caster. Most C10 guys that go this route decide to drill the new hole(s) about 3/4" of an inch further back. I settled for 5/8" just because I'm keeping my manual steering and don't want to the steering to be too hard in parking lots because increasing caster means harder steering at low speeds, but it improves highway tracking.

New hole top, original hole bottom.

Loads of new goodies though...

 

Got the front rebuilt a couple weeks ago. Still needs an alignment... I'll get to that eventually. In the meantime I've just been enjoying the hell out of it.

 

Cool pic. I had to read that graffiti a few times, like "what is Super Fresno"? Took me a second.