Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Hi guys- I'm new to the group and really appreciate the huge amount of info you guys have shared with everyone. When I originally thought about building a square crewcab 1/2 ton 20 years ago, I didn't know so many people would actually do it. So now it's time for me to actually build one myself. I recently bought a '91 Suburban Silverado with full power equipment, 350 and 700 trans. I plan to buy a short bed box and frame up to the back wall of a regular pickup and graft that into the Suburban. Has anyone cut a Burban behind the back seat and put a pickup back wall on it? The Burban roof has a kick above the rear seats unlike a regular crewcab, so I know there will be some metal work to be done. I hope to use the Burban rear axle and springs to keep as much in the same parts family for ease of maintenance in the future. Any info on this appreciated. Also, anyone with a nice short box for 73-87 with frame, please let me know. I'm near Baton Rouge and will drive up to 50-75 miles to pick up. Will buy a whole parts truck if needed. Thanks! Buddy G

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Wow, I was JUST thinking the same thing today! I was thinking of how nice it would be to have more room behind the back seat (like a mega cab) and thought it might be just as easy to start with a suburban and just cut it off at the desired length and close it up with sheet metal from the back of a pickup cab.. I don't know how long you could go and still maintain tasteful symmetry and a semi stock look. Here's a quick photochop I just did with a pic I found on this site..

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Thanks for the photoshop Mr. Pops. I wish I knew how to do that. Looks like your creation would be just about double the length of a regular crew cab back end. I think about 1 1/2 times would be pretty pleasing to the eye as well as picking up a little space behind the seat. Another thing I'd like to do is keep the Suburban tilt up rear seat. It would be nice to have some space to toss something big (and maybe dirty) without messing up the back floor area. It looks like the Suburban seat latches might need a little extra room to work. Thanks again! Buddy

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I would like to make a Avalanche out of one but the way the roof is made it would be hard to do. The easiest way I can think to do it and it look right is take a roof from a crew cab truck and graft it to the suburban. The local junk yard has a rusted out 2wd crew that I need to rob the roof off of before they crush it for future needs. I sure regret scrapping a rust free 91 burb now:(

This one is cool but I wouldn't have shortend it that much, maybe left 8-12" more in the rear.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthr...246110&page=36

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

It would be a lot cheaper and easier to just buy the crew.
Plus, you wouldn't run the risk of becoming discouraged and disgruntled in the middle of it and ending up with a pile of scrap.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I agree, there would be a ton of fabrication and metal work.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I concur here.....this is a bad idea!!! just find the 3500 dually and chamnge out the bed and rear end. Or course keep that 6.2 or 7.4. :metal:

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

An easy way is to find a crewcab and swap it onto the suburban frame.Then do bed of choice.Do a search on Pirate4x4.Lots of crewcab builds over there.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Or just do this.... but do a better job than the 4th pic did.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

My truck was actually done this way, but its OE not like a mega cab. It was actually clipped at the A & B pillers and along the floor behind the rear seat. I dont know why some one would go through that much trouble when there are clean quad cabs out there (I assume mine was done to clean up some rust in the floors and rockers). But its done well and the only way you can tell is the flat floor under the back seat.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Crewcab on a Suburban frame...

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

dam wish i never got rid of my 78 burb frame
wish i'd found this site like 10-15 years ago lol
i sure miss the four doors on my jimmy

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

If 2 and 3 are same truck, Why would they cut the Bed rather than just adjusting the Hitch of trailer and mount in the bed?
Does anyone have any more pictures of this set up. with Suburban body on a big truck frame? Building etc?

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Here's my Crew on a '75 Sub frame.
[IMG]http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...B/Image003.jpg[/IMG]

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

what truck would have this frame?...I like the idea...we have 5 kids and would like a 5th wheel.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Does this vehicle look like it will hold 7 people and with a 5th wheel (maybe a mother in law) that would make 8 people. Might be a little tight for seating room.
If you just keep a suburban they will fit.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I'm talking about the pictures above with the bed behind the suburban

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Now your talking... I have a c-7000 with a 454 and an allison tranny. It started life as a box truck. The wheelbase is 20' (not the frame just the wheelbase)
That is what I am working on. I am going to graft on a suburban body. Leaving my Dash from original truck. Cutting it at the windshield posts. and cutting the floor under the front seat. This will make least amount of body work. Then line up a bed on the back. Need a cool back bumper though. Something BIG. Like from a front bumper from a Freighliner.
I got all inspired to do it after seeing these pictures. Originally I was just going to make a 4 door. But Suburban body is the way I decided to go.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

http://image.customclassictrucks.com...y_crew_cab.jpg

You could do it like this.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Any other pics of that one?

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Its the only pic i've seen of it.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Heres another one I found.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4744535_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...3_637044_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._7713147_n.jpg

Heres a the link>>Link!!

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

On this Suburban-4 door Pickup Conversion. I think this would be ok if you use it as a car and dont haul anything with it. You are removing the upper support that is provided by the roof area.
I believe if you used it to haul anything and went on any hills or holes this would put stress on the sheet metal and tear it.
Back in the 60's Ford made a similar pickup and it did not work because of exactly this problem. If you found one you needed to look for stress tears at the back of cab.
There has got to be a reason why Pickup trucks have Boxes. But then again Although I love the custom stuff that is thought out. I enjoy a truck is a truck that you can haul stuff with or tow stuff and have real suspension springs.
Just my thoughts.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

with some roof there it might work for a while
i cut the roof off a car drove it for 10 years
growing giant pumpkins i used mushroom compost n
carried it fulla dirt like a truck lol
at the end there was a lot of flex it the car
when you had to lift the back to close rear doors
lol i bought a real truck and i stopped driving it

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

These Suburban conversions look visually odd. The rear axle needs to be moved back.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

Whats the difference with the Avalanches? All they are is a burb with the roof cut off and more support put back. I mean if you could graft a back of a pickup on the burb you should be able to weld on more support.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

havn't looked to close but is there is a seperation from the cab to the bed?
does the rear A frame actually support it ?that plastic area behind the cab

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I am actully looking forward to creating an Avalanche out of my 87 Burban. I do however agree with Edahall, these conversions do look odd, but I believe its due the the tail end being to short or too long. I plan to have my rear end match the size of a short bed starting at the wheel housing.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I'm confused on the whole thing in general. An Avalanche is a optional changing vehicle that goes from truck to SUV and back. Are you going to attempt this using a blazer top? Or is it a straight cut and weld up with the former rear interior now exposed like others in the pictures? It might be easier to use the frame of a suburban, remove everything from fenders back and mount a 4 door cab with a shortbed onto it. With good measuring it would probably fit perfectly.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

If you already have a suburban and the ability, then it's probably cheaper to cut and weld. But, IMO, the reason for doing this would be to have a crew cab with more room behind the rear seat. I've thought about doing this, but I would want it to be like the actual Avalanche, and be able to open up the mid area, or close it up and have a crew. But, that results in a much more complicated job.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

This is something I have been toying with for about three years now. I have a Suburban running good and I have a C10 gutted out. I plan to combined the two.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I have a K20 PU. Would it be possible to change from a regular cab to a crew cab? Of course I would need to change out the reg cab mounts to the crew cab.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

heres what i did, I wanted a diesel avalanch.... so I improvised and its still an ongoing project but i love it. I had an 83 diesel burban i beat the hell outa till i cracked a head then i cut the rear of a cab off my grandpas old truck before it went to the junkyard and welded it in. found some bedsides and chopped the bed rails off them i for the rails and matched the tailgate. I wish i could redo things now since my fab skills have increased significantly but its a big learning experiance and what better to learn on than your $750 burban that dont owe u anything lol. Its got a 6.5 turbo diesel and nv4500 tranny out of a 93 chevy. Im planning on running the 14 bolt rear from that truck and a ford dana 60 front to match the transfer case. She aint pretty but when i get done hopefully it will be! Glad I finally found a great site with so much information!!!!

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...8/170-Copy.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...uburban017.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...uburban003.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...08/Burban7.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...08/Burban9.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...8/Burban13.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...8/Burban14.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...a308/341-1.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...aha308/357.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...a308/345-1.jpg

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

What did you do to the center of the roof? I thought you just added a back to the cab and I see the Center section cut out too.
Thanks

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

What do you do about the overhang at the back. Looks odd to me. But I like the concept.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

If it were mine. The Overhang is there and would stay there. Most people with a vehicle like this only haul a cooler etc or some furnature. No real weight anyway. Think about it. If you put too much weight i the back you chance breaking the body. There is a reason pickup truck have a separate box on them.This project looks great to me.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

The center of the roof has a bubble on it from the factory so I cut it down to match the rest of the roof. I would have done a lot differently now but its my first big body project Ive ever tried. But what better to try it on than on a $500 suburban I have had $5,000,000 of fun in then the 6.2 cracked a head so chop time it was lol. I dont see how the body will crack from taking the back off, maybe but the bed is attached to the frame all the way to the bumper so I guess if the frame would move that much you could have issues... I stringed the corners of the cab after I got the rear part of a cab welded in and the cab itself doesnt have much movement if any I would worry about when I flexed the suspention in a ditch.

I just bough a decked out newer avalanch and I am hoping to get this thing finnally road worthy for winter to save my 08 from the wisconsin salt. So hopefully Ill get a thread started sometime if I get back on this project

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

IHguy, I think you did a great job on the Burb. I like how you pancaked the roof, and the bed rails.

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

IHguy, looks good. How did you handle the tailgate?

Re: Suburban to Crew Cab Conversion- Possible?
 

I used a piece leftover from the side of the bedside i got the rails from. And cut the tailgate down and matched it up to the rest of the truck and burned it in.

I will try to make a build thread when I get time to work on it agian. Waiting for a ford fron axle since its got 1993 drivetrain and I need a driverside diff axle. And paint... But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel if I can just get time to finish it.

Thanks for the compliments!