88 Suburban conversion

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J

jott

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
106
This project started with a short bed chevy I bought in 2007. I was 19 and wanted a lift 4x4. I got a great deal on a 77 k10 that already had a body lift, so I bought it and added a 4inch suspension lift and some 35s.

Fast forward to spring of 2014. I now am married with 2 little girls. The trucks frame was getting bad, and being a single cab truck it didnt fit my current lifestyle. So the search started for a new project.
 
I found this 1988 Silverado Suburban on craigslist a few towns over. The guy had in the add that he was looking for an atv so I offered him my 400ex and we made a deal.


The only problem was that the suburban was only 2wd and I was looking for something to drive year round.


So I started researching what it would take to swap everything from the trucks drive train to the stock suburban 2wd frame.
 
I started with tearing down the truck.

I wanted to use as much as possible from the truck. Including the sm265 4 speed
 
Once the front of the truck was stripped, all of the brackets to mount the front suspension needed removed so they could be mounted on the suburban frame.
 
Then it was time to get the suburban stripped down and start mounting the 4wd brackets and hangers.


Out with the old
 
The front spring hangers on a 4wd are riveted to the core support mount. So I removed that assembly as a hole from the truck and mounted it to the suburban frame with grade 8 bolts


The shackle mount on these trucks passes through the frame. So I made a cardboard pattern based off of the front body mount and transfered it to the Burb frame.
 
Once all of the brackets were mounted it was time to roll the axle under it.

It fits!!!
 
Found out the frame height is different in the motor mount area so I had to do some changing of how the towers mounted. On the truck the tower fit inside the frame channel. The suburban frame wasnt as tall so I ground a notch in the tower so the top edge could fit over the frame.
 
Must have done something right.

Motor and tranny dropped right in. Had to do alot of cutting on the tranny tunnel to clear the 4 speed though. I dont think a 88 suburban came with a standard transmission option.
So I bent up a new cover.
 
The Burb came with a gutless, throttle body 454 but I swapped to the carbed 350 from the truck. I wanted to keep the electric fuel pump from the stock fuel injection so i redid the fuel lines and put in a return style regulator.


That finished up all of the hard work up front so I stuck a battery in it and drove it out of the garage using the front axle to pull me(no rear driveshaft)
 
The next part of the build was easy. Swap out the 14 bolt for the 12 bolt and some lift blocks.


Then I needed a rear drive shaft. I let a local guy shorten my stock 2 piece shaft but within a few weeks it destroyed 2 carrier bearing mounts
 
So I took my tape measurer and went to see if I could find a one piece shaft at my favorite junk yard.

It came from a 77 long bed Ford


a couple conversion U joints and it was ready to bolt in for under $50
 

That pretty much brings this project up to date. It still needs some small things but it is a blast to drive. I love the old school look it has with the 15x10 slots.
 
Nice !!!

That thing is wicked!!! Good job. I'll bring mine over and we can hack it up and make a dropped and chopped rat 'Burb with duallies out back. [;) :D [ddd
 
This isnt the clearest picture, but here is my Burb with another one of my toys. Its an 86 camaro I bought when i was 16 for $500. It has been an ongoing project for over 10 years and currently houses a Blueprint brand 383 stroker short block with a top end I put together consisting of 2.02 double hump heads, air gap intake, .525 lift cam and a holley carb.
 

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