Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Verry cool. no smoke and very smooth!!! Mine did the same thing though I didn't put a carb on it. After about 10 min of running the gasket on the plate that covers the lifters / valley started leaking. I shut it off and the next day ran it again with no oil leaks but the water and fuel pumps started leaking. Spraying drops of old gas on a old generator with old brushes. Thought I should fix that before everything burned down. Looks like your making progress. Any takers on your truck yet?

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Yeah actually, one of the board members is flying here wednesday from Florida to look at my truck. I'd say he is pretty serious, flying all that way.:metal:

I know what you mean about the pumps. My fuel pump started leaking too. And my water pump isn't too far behind. The bearing has a lot of play.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

the sub is looking awesome and seems to run nice!!!!

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Man that thing runs smooth..how many miles on the old girl ?

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

It has 116,xxx. My '60 truck has 88,xxx and I am going to miss how quiet and smooth that truck is when I sell it this week:whine:

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

yeah I know that feeling but...the burb is really a great old truck and will only get nicer the more you do to it

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

On my way to get some Jeep springs to lower the rear end. Alright! Hopefully I'll have some pics up today.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

This build is so cool. It's great seeing something left for dead so long brought back to life. Too bad he bent up the front bumper, but hey you can't have everything. Gotta be tough letting the truck go, but hopefully it will provide funds for the burb.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Thanks Mark, I just sold the truck this morning and I wish that the funds were going to the Burb but Uncle Sam has other plans for the money.....:smoke:

BUT...I just finished lowering the back end! I picked the springs up a little earlier and after about 40 minutes of wrestling with rusty bolts, the springs bolted right up. Only, I think the suburban might be too heavy for them as the axle is resting on the bump stops now. Crap.

Do you guys have any ideas as to what to do next? Anybody ran into this problem with the Jeep springs?
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16333.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16337.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16335.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16336.jpg

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Uhhh??? Time for bags???:lol:

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

:lol: I wish I had the money. Maybe I might have to this summer...:metal:

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Air bags is what I though of also. How are you going to lower the front without the thing being on the stops. Also How'ed your V6 emblems stay so nice in all that rain?

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

And now with the front end lowered:
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16338.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16339.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16340.jpg

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Well the front is torsion bars so I just backed those off about 10 turns each.

The emblems? Well...I guess I might have cheated with a little Blue Magic polish;). But the truck was in eastern Oregon for 40 years and the weather over there is much, much nicer to vehicles than here.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

I pick up the hub caps on Friday and then I'll see about plating the emblems. I had to buy ione from ebay as a spare since they may not be able to repair one of mine that I think may be too rusted. So, if you lower the front by 10 turns do you need heavier shocks to stop the front end from bouncing on a rough street or the freeway chop? The reason I'm asking is that I have'nt had this kind of front end before, and I would like to know what people do with them. My brother had a 62 chevy but we lifted it so it was very stiff.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

I'm probably about two inches off the bump stop right now in the front. My truck sat at about the same heighth, maybe a little higher and I never had any road chop or bottoming out issues. I hope to not have any with the suburban. We'll see I guess. My biggest worry right now is how to get the rear off the bump stops.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Great to see it running. Mine sat for 16 years, and 12 of those were without the spark plugs in. My brother started working on it one Saturday and pulled the plugs. Left the project and never put them back in.

Fast forward 12 years and I put some trans fluid and Marvel Mystery Oil in each cylinder. Let it sit a week, put it in gear and rocked it back and forth during the week, put in a battery and spun it over shooting out the oil and tranny fluid, a little gas in the carb and it fired up ! ( Ok it smoked like hell burning up the oil/tranny fluid)

Those V6's are awesome ! :metal:

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Cort, found the seat material but it's 89 bucks a yard. I think about 2 yards to do the seats. I'm trying to still track down the guy I used to work for who may still have a bolt in his company. I'll let you know if I find it cheaper

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Sweet looking burb..

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

That's great man...but sure is pricey. I think I promised my '78 new seats before I go spending that money on the burb:lol:. But I am still interested.

That's crazy that there is a roll of it laying around though. Great research!

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

the jeep springs barley work on a fleet, pretty much any load compresses them to the stops, a sub is probably too much weight with all that steel and glass...
maybe try some coils out of a chevelle , or a 77-91 caprice, they might be softer than a truck spring

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Love the burb. Can't wait to see how this one grows.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Will do! Got a question though: If you look on page two I think I have a pic of the old spring and new spring together. On the old spring there are two spacer/bracket things. Would something like that work on the jeep springs to keep them off the bumpstops? I am just trying to justify the $40 bucks I spent on them.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

I don't think so, looks like the jeep springs are too weak, might as well give it a try though.

had you thought about lowering blocks, those and shaved bump stops might get it down where you want it.

check out this thread, I think it is where I read about the chevelle springs....:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...t=static+drops

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Hey guys, Im building a 64 C-10 fleetside shortbed truck. My truck is going to have a stock frame with no mods done. I do want to drop it down to sit level front to back so you dont have that big gap from top of the tire to fender. What the deal with the jeep coil springs for the rear?? Im not going to haul anything in my truck , going to have nice wood bed in it. I know I will have to buy some maybe 3 inch shorter srpings for the front but im not wanting to spend alot of money on this suspension. What are my choices from a junk yard??

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

The Chevelle springs make sense to me. I used C10 springs to jack up (way up....hey it was the 70s) the rear of my chevelle, so using the Chevelle springs to lower makes sense. I do know they are an almost perfect replacement between the two.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Cool 'burb Cort (and you won't even have to change your screen name)! I remember seeing spring spacers for Jeeps to give them a small lift, maybe 2". That might be a route to look into. I don't remember how much they cost though.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Thanks for the info guys! I am actually going to contact the guy I bought the springs from. He said if they didn't work out, he had some other options to try from. I think one set might have been lift springs, which might put me right where I want to be. We'll see.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

I bought air bags from airbagit, lots of folks diss them put I have had no trouble, I bought 4 8" bags for $160.00 40.00 per bag, the mounting brackets were $129.00 per set front and rear I used them for the rear only now, but one could fab your own brackets, I could draw them up and fax the brackets pattern to you in this way you would not spend too much , get a good ride and have control of the rear height. Kieth

918-446-2245 Tulsa, OK

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

I just got thru reading your build. Looks deadly man!! We will have to get a meet together soon.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Thanks! Yeah we definitely need a Portland area meet up. Maybe in the next couple weeks when I actually get my suburban on the road. And if we can find a day of sunshine.;)

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

OK, I decided to drop off my gas tank at American Metal Cleaners here in town. I bought a 55-59 sending unit from a local classic supply shop and I matched it up with the OG unit. The bolt pattern and depth is the same but the float is 180 degrees from the OG; I think it is going to work just fine since there is nothing to interefere with the float/pick-up tube. I'll post some pics tomorrow hopefully.

I should get the tank back next week and then as soon as I get some replacement tail light sockets, I should be on the road. (Fingers crossed)

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

OK, here are the pics. Notice the float and pick up tube are 180 out. The hose connection has to face the same way as the old sender because of the bolt pattern. There are actually two holes that are farther apart than the rest, so it can only be bolted up one way.
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16346.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16344.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16345.jpg

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Looks like someone did that in a mirror.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Hey it looks great ....You have a great build....I will be back to watch how you make out

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

awesome burb dude, im diggin the look!

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Thanks guys! I'm so ready to have this girl on the road. I'm trying to think of all the little things I need to fix while my gas tank is in the shop.

Turn signal switch: check
wire new tail lamps: check
fuel pump:??maybe
????? I think that is all that is missing to get her on the road. I do know that she needs shocks badly, but that won't stop me from driving her.;)

Also, besides a crappy ride, is there any harm in driving with the rear axle riding on the bump stops?

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

With the big tires it will probably ride OK, but I wouldn't stick my tongue out too much!!:lol:

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

So I was wondering if I were to get Jeep lift springs, if that would allow me to be lower but not sit on the bump stops anymore? Any ideas guys?

Or maybe I could just install air shocks in the rear. Would that work as well? I really hate the idea of having a crappy ride.

Re: '60 GMC Suburban (Project D-Daddy)
 

Well, I rigged up a one gallon gas can today and drove around a bunch. My gas tank should be done at the metal cleaners by wednesday but I just learned today that I am going to have to put a liner in it. Which is a bummer because the local shops are charging about $150 for a liner and test. That means I'll have about $300 into this tank. FML. No going back now though, since I already have $150 into it. Let this be a lesson to those others who want to restore their suburban tank.

Anyways, to make myself feel better I drove up to work and showed off my suburban then I drove back home and took some pics of both my girls. Enjoy.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16355.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16354.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...6/SDC16356.jpg