an intro sorta, and some questions..

[40oz.]

hey all, my names whit, i live in north alabama, i own a hot rod - street rod shop and i own a 70 panel that me and my pops worked out of for 20 years together, i had a 70 lemans that i traded for a telephone pole and 3 transformers, i put the 400 and 350 trans in to the panel so i could get to work quicker. about 4 years ago i started on her, i rebuilt the rad. support, lower front fenders added inner and outter rockers, a drivers floor pan and toe boards and 70 pick up doors. i also stuck a 72 5 lug disc set up under the front. then i put it beside the shop for about 3 years now ive sold my bmw 2002 and im back on the unforgiven for the long haul this time.

ive been a member here for a few years, but being as i havent done anything to my panel, ive just been lurking, and gathering ideas. now around here early subs and especially panels, are a rare breed, so it kind of sticks out, that and the fact that its real f@#$^@ ugly.

so today i started on the lower front quarters, made one side from 18G. flat stock, no problem. the rear quarters will be another story, i can make them but i had rather just replace them.and i was wondering, will the rear quarter of a long wheel based fleet side work as a patch for the panel?


and also, has any one done anything different with the barn doors?

i dont get a chance to work on any late model stuff . and i say late because all the stuff i do is EARLY stuff.

anyone know? thanks.

[bagged91]

You can use SWB pickup bedsides for the wheelarch. The LWB sides are shaped differently at the leading edge of the wheelarch. After that, you need the suburban/panel lower repair patch and if your taillights are thrashed, then you will need the taillight repair panel... See attached illustration below....


L8R - Joe

WE WANT PICS!!!

[40oz.]

whos got these panels? in front of the wheels no problem, just a simple roll and a break, got that done. only thing im gonna have to buy is behind the wheels. one of the tail lights housing is shot, but thats cool to, im building a roll pan with six 62 impala lights in it. thanks, and remember,, shes been sitting in the weeds for 3 years, so be easy on her, i look forward to takin her on a surf trip down mexico way in a couple years when the kids are older. so i got to hustle. whit

[bagged91]

Sh!t, looks to be in nice shape to me! You weren't kidding with the p/u doors. Did you fill in the gap or do you plan on putting burb/panel doors back on? Any of the board vendors will sell that patch. They are a little pricey @ around $80 per side but I hear that they fit good and save a ton of work.

Try Ricks Pickup Parts, Mothertruckers, Classic Heartbeat, Athey's or????? I believe Ed @ Mothertruckers is the closest to you... He is in Florida.

[olblue60@aol.com]

Hi From Maryland.
I hope to find a solid panel body someday to replace the body on one of my burbs. Saw a nice one go through the site a little over a year ago,and hesitated on the sale. since then, nothing close.There are nice repair panels for suburban and panels avail. from the vendors which will take care of most anything behind the rear tires. Good luck on your project!

John

[c-1072]

You want a pretty trick idea for the barn doors , split them in half and make the two top halfs one hatch and keep the lower parts able to swing out kinda like the newer lincolns navagators i think not sure but if you got my drift i think it would be a sweet mod and not to tricky just some welding and hingpocket work .

[40oz.]

yeah, that would work, with 2 more hinges and some trick latch work. i was thinking of welding them together and putting a pontiac transport rear door hinge at the top and putting in some power windows. thanks. keep em coming.

[CG]

cool project. i kind of like the rounded door corners, i would fill in the gap. as far as splitting the barns. i thought of doing this sorta to my burb but keeping my upper gate since it doesnt have the split in the middle of the window like barns and getting some barn doors and cutting off the top half and using them to open like mini doors like on some of the astro vans. problem was barn doors are expensive and the guy that welds for me said its actually a pretty big project...read that large cash outlay.

[smokekiki]

I thought about the barn door deal a couple years ago.Even had the doors.But I like sitting on the gate at the shows.

[40oz.]

sitting on the gate is good, but this is gonna be my cool, custom, daily, kids in, surf chasin, panel thing, i think i would rather have the shade.

[40oz.]

do you think the top hinge would work? i got nothing to loose, my doors are crap, the original hinges are almost broken out of the socketts.

[smokekiki]

What I was wanting to do was,keep the upper lift gate,and make the bottom out of barn doors.You would need to fab an upper hinge for the swing out part of the lower gate.I have my rear window limo tint.We sit on the tailgate with the lift gate up for shade.

[R 78 PROJECT]

put a '67 clip up front I like the idea of welding them together from the inside and latches on top,so you have your shade looks stock but when showing off it's trick