71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

This is the POS on the day I purchased it. Thought I would clean it up a bit, throw in a new motor, and drive it for work at my cabinet shop. A week later it was a frame on my shop floor. Project took about a year to complete. Will post photos daily of the build.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Almost ready to take the body off the chassis. Life for this truck started out with a drop down tail gate. I have found 5 bakers doors. Should be able to make 2 good ones. Lots of rust at the front rocker / floor area. Found a trashed ambulance and salvaged the firewall / floor assembly. This will be much easier than patches. Will replace the wood floor with some new marine grade plywood after the mini tub (2.5" ) is complete. The Toyo tires should fit now with no problem. Also found a front 71 chevy clip. Flawless condition.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Looks really solid.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Mini tub is complete as is the new marine grade plywood rear deck. Firewall and floorboards have been swapped from the ambulance doner. The front suspension is complete with drop front spindles and new coils. Next will be the dry fit of the new engine and transmission. The body comes off and goes on like a yoyo. I feel like I may reach indy 500 pit times with it soon.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Looking forward to more!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Nice work! Those mini tubs are perfect.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

The engine and transmission fit nice. I do like the 3/4 length headers. Had to move the transmission crossmember for the 700R4. 20/20 hind sight, I wished I had used the reliable turbo 350 or 400 and added a Gear Vendor electronic overdrive. I like the gear reduction of the 700R4 but hate the shift patterns. I will never get used to it. With the swap of the firewall and floor from the ambulance came a couple of benefits. The ambulance was a factory A/C truck so the new dash has the vents as my original was not an A/C. The second benefit is the larger transmission tunnel with the bolt in cover. Sure made life easy. At this point I also decided to go with the aftermarket fuel injection.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Engine is complete. It is a 406 CI small block with SCAT crankshaft and rods, Speed Pro pistons, Comp cam, World Products heads with Harland Sharp roller rocker arms. Nothing crazy just a strong high torque engine so I can pull my selection of vintage trailers. The fuel injection is Accell and was kind of a pain in the ass to tune. Once I had it perfect though I indeed like it. I had to tig weld an AN male fitting to the fuel tank for a return line and at first the wiring was a bit overwhelming but with some studying it all came together. The fuel milage is very good and with the 3:73 gears and overdrive it cruises down the road 75 running very low RPM. I cool it with a dual Spal fan setup controlled with a CenTech fan control system. I can adjust at what temprature I want the fans to come on. I also used an aluminum Howe Racing radiator.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Nice burb!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

So the body comes off for the LAST time. All components are sandblasted and painted. New seals, bearings and other parts. Everything is new. Swaped the 3:08 gears for a set of 3:73's. Chassis is basically stock with the exception of dropped spindles and coils up front and I removed the coils in the rear and replaced them with air bags. Fabricated a mount for the compressor and air tank. Ran the fuel lines, brake lines, and PS lines. Finished the ignition wires and love the Bill's HotRod brackets. Finally a complete roller. Time to mount the body and start cutting things up.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Hello from the wet side of the state. I would have been happy with your rust.
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Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Man, that's nice!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Great Job so far, love GMC burbs. You kept things simple and that suspension setup is going to provide real-world driving performance, well done.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Lookin good, welcome to the board!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Subscribed.... Looking good!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Body goes back on for the last time. I may have to loosen a few mounting positions to add shims for the right reveals. You can see the 3rd door from a doner suburban. I also salvaged the bakers doors from the same truck. The doner truck was at a wrecking yard out of town and in not terrible shape. 4x4 at that. I went back a week later thinking I would drag it home for a future project. They said I was a day late as it had been hauled to the crusher.

Thought I would throw in a photo of my other truck. This is my 71,000 lb full remote RC truck. Forward, backward, steer, and operate from outside the truck. Sometimes I feel guilty calling it work.

Any way, back to the suburban. Lots of body work left to be done. Some previous nuckle head did a piss poor job with the patch panels. ( those photos are for another time )

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Welcome to the board. Very nice work..:metal:

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Great burb project!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Thank guys, now that the holiday season will soon be at a close I will find more time to post additional photos.
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Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Here are a few shots of the crap work someone else previously left me with. From the looks of the back sides it was sometime in the not to distant past. We will cut most of the bad areas out ( my buddy Jim does amazing work ) then welded in new sections. This should last a while.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Here are a few photos of the new panels. The suburban is finished of all welding and sitting on stands ready for additional body work and primer. I still wounder to this day how the roof was damaged above the rear door.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Nice work!!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Making great progress here. Almost ready for base coat.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Couple more

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Looking good so far!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

The time has come to base & clear the interior, back sides of doors, hood, and fenders. Decided on Volkswagon / BMW silver. PPG will be the product of choice.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

looking good

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Base coat and clear coat complete. Sanded and buffed. Next up fitting of the doors, fenders, and hood.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Hanging the doors

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Looks great!!!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Looks really slick!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Wow, nice Burb!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Paint looks really good

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Wow man what can I say,,,, That's going to be one sweet suburban!!!! Can't wait to see it up close and personal. It's nice to have a fellow builder here in the valley,,, for some reason there's not too many guy's on here from the area, although there are a ton of these old trucks running around here! Thanks for the motivation, keep up the good work!!!:chevy::gmc2:

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Nice!

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Spent months with wiring project, exhaust system, AC system, and dash panel.

As you all know a big boost to any project is when you get to start the engine for the first time. Fired right up. Found I HATE the exhaust. 3/4 length headers with 2.5" pipe and Borla mufflers. Tail pipes exit in front of the rear tires. Switched to Hooker mufflers ( worse yet ) then on to 50 series Flowmasters. Much better. Now I can hear myself think. Ran the tail pipes to the rear. Now I have a funny popping sound under heavy throttle. Found I can get rid of this the further back I move the mufflers. I only had room to move them about 14". Did not seem like it would do much but what a difference. Getting ready to fab another system for my 80 K10. Trying the Magnaflow 6" round x 24". Dual
2.25" into a Y pipe then 3" into the muffler and on to the rear. Anxious to hear this set up. I will post photos on my other build site.

Finished the Vintage Air. Lost 80% of my glove box. Fabbed a metal insert to house the ECM for the fuel injection as well as my CenTek fan control. Great place for my rear airbag controls also.

Dash panel is for the most part complete. Had an extra B&M shifter laying around. Used it. It is now laying around more. Hated it as much as the Borla and Hooker mufflers. Now have a Lokar floor shift to operate the 700R4.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Looking great!
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Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Nice clean setup in the area formerly known as the glove box.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

Ready for glass and interior. Engine compartment is for the most part complete.

Re: 71 GMC/Chevy Build
 

WOW!! That looks sweet nice work