86 Suburban, warwgn's build.

xpndbl3

Adventurer
Curious to what model/year seats you were thinking of running. Been thinking of swapping my 2nd row seats to captain chairs if I ever find a set that I think I'll like.
 

warwgn

Explorer
Was looking at 2000 - 2006, somewhere in there maybe newer as long as they are leather, power, and have integrated seat belts and arm rests. Gonna take some creative fab work for the middle row to mount up right, but will be like the new tahoes with a walk through to the rear seat instead of folding the seats down.
 

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
Very impressive :Wow1:build Warwgn! I am really glad that you decided to post so many pics, so that we could follow your build. Nice work.:)
 

TheGuyJones

Observer
Welcome and sweet burban. Looks like you made good use of it out in Choke Cherry. I grew up in Farmington. Learned to drive stick shift (well, drive period) out in Choke Cherry. Did a lot of mountain biking out there too before moving. Haven't been back to Farmington since 2006 for a friend's wedding. Lots of great outdoor stuff to do there and all really close-by. Good luck in Mississippi and on the build.
 

bftank

Explorer
nice burb! same color as bfdiesel's on here. we call it the baconator, due to it being the same color as bacon! you lucked out with the barn doors though.

IMG_2984.JPG
 

warwgn

Explorer
Thanks for all the kind words. I bought this because I wanted the 3/4 ton axels out of to put in my Blazer, but when I got it home and cleaned it up and really took a good look at it I decided it was in much better shape than the Blazer and would carry the Family much eaiser so it just went from there.

I got lucky on it really at only $1000 to buy it then picked up the 454 with all the trimmings for $900. Then I just went crazy and totally blew the budget out the window:Wow1: but when it is all said and done I will be very happy. Dont expect a lot of fast changes, I have a lot going on with just moving and a new baby and first home and all kinds of stuff, but the main reason is I have learned to do things once! My situation allows me to not rely on the Burb as my daily transportation so I can take my time on projects and do things that make sence.

Right now I am on hold for the interior until I get a welder so I can fab all the seat brackets for the new seat that I will buy after a welder. I have started sound and heat proofing as you saw with the silver stuff (quick roof, multilayerd tar and alimunium foil) and have all the firewall done and can work the roof and inside all the doors, but the floor has to wait until seats are done.

I guess the next step is pulling the quadrajet off and ship it out to Jet performance to get re-calibrated for the new engine and altitude, I would do it myself but I wnat it to work right:) Quadjrajets are very picky!! That will get it running right, then just need driveshafts lengthend and new brake lines so I can drive to get the alignment set and tires ballanced. Need to get the rest of my Gauges and put all that back together then I can start driving it to work if gas prices still allow it.

here is a short video of me loading on the trailer:

[video]http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q192/warwgn/?action=view&current=VIDEO0003.mp4[/video]

was a lot of fun, had to try and feather the throttle to keep it running but not too much or it would lurch hard! My blazer had the front wheels binding on the tie rod ends (junk yard wheels just to get it off the ground) anyway my buddy had a Dodge Ram 2500 Diesl that could not budge the blazer from it's hole in the yard. I figured I would try the Burb and it was still cold with the choke on so idling high, locked the hubs and put it in 4low. Almost ran through the gate while riding the brakes with the blazer chained to the back! The burb did not even know the blazer was back there, might as well have been a bicycle chained to it. That is why I was so easy on the throttle in the video, just enough to keep it running, I did not need throttle to climb up, it went up with no problem.
 

Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
Nice! Looks like you have tons of man hours into building it. I love the big block too! That is the only engine to have in a fullsize truck. Someday you’ll have to do yourself a favor and ditch the carburetor for EFI. A TBI swap is super simple and relatively inexpensive. That would be the best mod for fuel economy and overall drivability you could do to an older rig. I don’t miss carburetors on anything that I’ve converted to EFI.
 

warwgn

Explorer
I want to just not in the budget for now, if I do it I will only go MPFI or TPI. I dont mind the carb for now, it was getting 14mpg on the highway with the 454 so I hope to be close to that or better since it will have way more torque now.
 

Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
I want to just not in the budget for now, if I do it I will only go MPFI or TPI. I dont mind the carb for now, it was getting 14mpg on the highway with the 454 so I hope to be close to that or better since it will have way more torque now.

I hear that. It takes a long time of careful budgeting to get them where you want them to be. Mine is 17 years in the making. Things didn’t happen overnight for it either.

I agree, going the route of MPFI with a 1996-2000 L29 7.4L intake that is the way to go. A TBI swap is a challenge for some people but being you know what MPFI even is, it sounds like are up to the task of such a swaperoo. You can even skip OBD II and run the L29 intake on an OBD1 ECM and batch fire the injectors like a TPI small block with a custom ECM calibration instead of firing the injectors sequentially with the more complex OBDII ECM. The possibilities are endless with injecting a GM engine.
 

warwgn

Explorer
I hear ya on taking time, I have been working on my das bezel for about a year and half and still not done with it. As for the induction I have been looking at the edelbrock MPFI setup, it is pricey but sure seems like it will work very good.
 

warwgn

Explorer
more projects added to the list

just bought a Lincoln 180HD welder off ebay and it is on the way, just need to wire up power and install an outlet in the garage and get a gas bottle and I am ready to play.

Ok so now that the welder is on the way I started thinking (very dangerous, and usually expensive) that I should build a trailer too. Well I have always wanted to make a pickup bed trailer and have a topper for it as well so it's enclosed if I need it to be. Then thinking about finding a donor truck I started thinking why not just get a CUCV pick up, it will be disel and prolly not running. Then I can swap out the FF 14bolt and D60 in to the suburban as well as the hydroboost brakes, put my semi float 14 in the truck and cut off the cab then make my trailer.

I have 1 extra 6" lift spring now so just need one more and I can lift the trailer to match the Suburban. Would also be left with a TH400 trans and prolly a 208 or maybe a 205 T-case and a few other goodies I can rob and pillage.

The way I see it this is a win win situation, buy a whole truck for 500 to a 1K and get better axels, hydroboost, spare trans and T-case, and a trailer out of the deal. Might even be able to sell the disel stuff and get some of my cost back!! Now to just come up with some extra cash and find a good donor CUCV!! Oh and hook up the welder.
 

warwgn

Explorer
Little fun today, but got busted by the wife.
[video]http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid136.photobucket.com/albums/q192/warwgn/VIDEO0022.mp4[/video]
 

BBslider001

Diesel Head
Wow, really, really nice work! I do have one question? Why, after all of that work, would you use a FRAM oil filter? You do know that is definitely the worst oil filter on the market, right? But again, really nice and clean work on the gauges and engine build. Protect your investment!!!
 

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