What was I thinking!! Can't go much deeper. This sheet metal is almost all like new. Original rockers, floors, corners, etc. No turning back now.

Stay tuned.

When you are finished with that one you can start on mine! :) Nice work.

what media blaster did you use, and did you like it/ did it work?

Thinking of doing the same thing to my burb.

I am getting help on this one. They were using soda blaster on this stage, not sure what brand but no doubt they love it or wouldn't be using it. Very nice results.

Nice and solid truck! What is involved with the soda blasting? Does it go all over the place like sand blasting and was it done in the garage? Is the equipment expensive or are there units that you can buy reasonably?

A couple more latest quick peeks. I plan to organize pics in the end and recap process better. Too crazy right now. Someone please buy my 2 trucks posted for sale to help me finish this beauty. This process might be considered crazy to some. Detailing bolt by bolt on a musle car is one thing but this truck is BIG. No more mud runs for this truck. Toying with the name "Out of the Blue". I have always named trucks after womens names from old songs but nothing has stuck yet. Board Member CG PMed me recently with questions about me selling some of my favorites "out of the blue". Well here is part of the reason why!!

You need to let people know to have a napkin handy when they open this post. I need something to wipe up the drool:lol: .

Bob, Awesome Burb!!.. gotta love that Blue.. my favorite color on these trucks.. How far did you move the engine forward?
Hope mine turns out half as nice.. Just curious what's the Hemi in pic #2 going in ??

Livrat;

I am using a T400 and left the T-case in place. That puts it about 1.5-2" forward which is perfect. (can't remember length difference from T-350).

Good eye on Hemi. Friend is saving it for a Rat-rod I believe.

Nice looking ride ther Bob. What interior are you going with? And Mark Im pretty sure he's giving that hemi to me. :)

Wow! That truck is gorgeous.... Keep us posted, we love the pictures.

Livrat;

I am using a T400 and left the T-case in place. That puts it about 1.5-2" forward which is perfect. (can't remember length difference from T-350).

Good eye on Hemi. Friend is saving it for a Rat-rod I believe.


Bob.. did you get a T400/205 combo or use an aftermarket output shaft and adapter with the T350 version 205??

If your friend decides not to use that Hemi.. let me know.. It would be cool in my 36 Desoto "Rat rod" project..

Absolutley unbelivable!!!! Its good to see that i am not the only crazy person that likes restoring these busses. I know exactly what you mean about cleaning and painting every nut,bolt,clip,bracket and part. I did it every day after work for weeks! I noticed a pile of hub caps in one pic...what are you going to do with your extras?

Livrat;

I bought a complete good used T400, figure 8 adapter and NP205 setup and had them completely rebuilt. Mounts and driveshafts stayed the same, T400 forced motor to move forward which is great for firewall clearance and SB motor towers used. Also stock 402 pan was used.

Zeusflash; I showed post to friend at work today and he laughed about you guys spotting the hemi in pics. I told him someone would spot my pile-o-caps and ask to buy spares. I thing I can round up a pretty good set and a so-so set. I assume you would want as good as you can get. I think the NOS ones are going on this beauty with blue bowties. Blue truck, blue caps and spicer blue knobs.!! ;)

My years of planning, buying parts and dreaming are coming together (with the help of lots of money). Will be well worth it.

Your truck also looks killer. My son has saved a pickup that was that color stock. We have been debating whether to keep it that color or do something different. Your burb does that color mucho justice.

Thanks for all the comments, it all helps keep me going.

Thanks,Cheyenne10,you're right,this board is great for moral support for these massive projects! Keep me posted on the hubcaps(you're right...I need a decent set).

That is NICE!!!!!! I plan on repainting my Suburban the original yellow and white. The 454 is staying along with the original TH350/NP205. The only thing is i'm using 16.5x9.75 steel wheels, instead of 16x6's with 7.5-16LT deep lug tires like I planned.

That is was bad looking burb......

Bob, That burb is looking awsome. It is really conming together good.
Bill

Hey Bob Im still curious what you are going to run for interior...if stock what color and pattern?

Mark

I bought new off white/parchment cheyenne scroll covers (3 seats!!). They look good in the box, hope to look better on the seats!! Will have stock parchment door panels and restored rear side panels, stock headliner and black carpet.

Bob, Your Burb is looking good!!!

What a BEAUTY!!!!!! Great Job!!

Good pic of the rear air hoses(I wondered how thay were run)

Jeff
Pensacola, FL
1972 Burb

Very nice truck!:D

very nice looking burb u have wish mine was that far along.

Small steps. Need to keep the tease going!! Whats new?:metal:

Bob,
looks sweet, guess you won't be using that one for deer/elk hunting trips. you're doing one he!! of a nice job, keep the pics coming.
:metal:

Jerry;

Your right about that. Maybe in a couple of years it might tow another rig to Wyoming to town/base camp for high country deer hunt.

Here is one of the last elk hunt voyages to test new rear diff. and before donating the new crate SB to my dads truck. (helped me decide on BB route!!)

My son turns 11 in 2 weeks and we need to get a driver soon to use for family hauling and outdoor trips. Its about time I got him out of the house to learn how to handle the outdoors.

Lookin good Bob!

I am really enjoying the chance to take this truck to what I hope to consider better than original shape/design.

After several years on these boards following others and their trucks, ideas, hopes and dreams I am taking my turn. Many thanks go out to the board vendors, members, and my family for making this happen.

One of the parts of the project leading up to the build is the many years of gathering parts and ideas from others on the various boards and my hours spent at swap meets, back yards and garages gathering up what it is taking. As I mentioned above I hope to do a more detailed recap of the whole thing after it hits the road.

Thanks everyone for the kind words and advise.

BOB that is A great looking Burb!!!!!!! and all your trucks seem sweet. gotta ask how many you have? I see the two forsale and the burb of course but what about the one in your avator? or that green one in your forsale pics? Again NICE JOB!!!!!

I love the paint scheme. Very very nice work!!!

84 400; Good eyes!!

2 for sale with some interest. I hope to sell those soon. Green one in pics is parts donor goin to one of the guys helping me with truck and one in avatar going to other guy helping. This will leave my son with his, me with burb and a couple other non chevy projects. I need to get a driver soon for family hauling. I will probably add others to the fleet some day but need to cut some ties for now.

Bob,
As a point of reference, can you tell us what size rims and tires those are and what brand? Thanks, Wil

Tires in both sets of pics are LT235/85/16's. They are E ply and best replacement size to stock in my opinion. Wheels are a 6.5" stock wheel I believe. Tire brand on new ones are a high grade Michelin LTX AT. Spendy but worth it in my opinion. Note that on the rear in new paint photos the new leaf springs are not in. We did a similar treatment to my dads 72 K20 pickup and used new leafs, and same tires. New springs "picked" up the truck and tires look great. Not as likely rock chips with these. Other options are 265/75/16 and 285/75/16s. None would be taller but a little wider/fuller. Who knows I might get a 2nd set and run Alcoas and 285's some of the time.

Another nice looking tires are the Bridgestone Revo, very high rated tire. Those will be going on my later model driver when I get one.

Did you have the springs for your truck made special? (seems like I asked you this once a while back and Ive forgotten)

No I bought springs made to stock specs from Benz Springs in Portland. Trouble was on burb it originally had 3" wide springs in front and these were 2" Had to do some mods to make them work perfect. Haven't got all weight onto it to check ride hieght, etc. Migth have to dig back in after that. Gone way too far to accept anything less than perfect. On pickup they worked fine.

TTT No new pics.

Seats rebuilt
Final pieces coming together and biggy....
AC charged last night!!:metal:

Hope to get exhaust done next week. :clap:

BB (baseball or Bigblock?)
Hotdogs
Applepie
and Chevrolet.:flag:

Is that a light down yonder tunnel?

Sounds like we are neck and neck here at the finish line!!!(as if they are ever really finished:lol: ) Still hoping to have the wifes on the road next week.

I don't think I have seen a nicer restoration on the board yet. Very nice.

Its getting better. Anyone want to venture what this addition will add to value?:rolleyes: ;) These turned out awesome.:bling2:

I need to work out final details on collector insurance!!

wow coming along niceley

Well "out of the Blue" is on the road. Still some small stuff to work on while spring goes by and summer approaches but I have been grinning ear to ear for 24 hrs now.

Anyone want to help me spec the glovebox vin sheet?:bling: Seriously though I will be working with board member to do this soon.

To me this is more that a truck of the month or year. Right now it feels like a truck of a lifetime!!

I am going to add some pics to help everyone spot some of the "options". Everyone on here has such good eyes I won't mention them all but its like one of those old puzzles with find the ? If you can spot an option it does not have go ahead and send me yours and I will add it.:hm:

Gorgeous Truck, Bob! Do you plan to show it?

OMG, I'm so jealous! That rig is beautiful! Fantastic attention to detail. Enjoy your hard work!

Pete

Question... are you running white interior door panels, or black, or...? Any pics of that?

Looks awesome!

Congratulations,Bob! Your truck looks incredible,great work! My wife has been driving hers now for three weeks and she is still wearing that silly grin that you now have. Feels good to have it done doesn't it? Now for the really fun part....collecting compliments,smiles and waves(thats what the wife says anyway...she won't let me drive it). Those sure are nice hubcaps!(sorry:rolleyes: )

WOW,Jeez gotta wipe my mouth from DROOL,Man oh man if only mine looked that good,But right mow mine is a daily driver.

Congrats Bob, job very well done. You really need to post a bunch more pictures.

Nobody wants to play? I'll throw out a few... dash with speed warning, tach, and vacuum guage, not to mention the A/C control.

I have one non-option on this truck to but will save it.

Very nice truck Bob!

shoulder belts turned out awesome, who did the resto on them? the whole truck looks great, congrats:metal:

Looks great Bob. If I park the Blazer at your house, will it end up looking like the rest of your trucks?

What a perfect looking Suburban!!!!

Oldcreek Interior is parchment (white). We refinished almost all interior parts. Color matched new seat covers very well.

Zuesflash - PM sent!!

Breeh; did I forget something besides buckets?

Jerry - I did the belts and shoulder harnesses. They took the better part of a weekend. (plus 10 yrs of collecting, actually shoulder belts came out of a .burb dad bought in 1989, long since gone, They were in the way and I shelved them!! Several yrs later before I realized what I had.)

Bouncy - no problem drop that blazer back off... oh yeah leave a couple of blank checks and open ended account balance. Really your blazer is killer like it is. A few maintenance upgrades to keep it enjoyable.

This thing is too nice to drive alot and will be at a couple of shows this year and some sunny cruises. Pictures in this case don't do it justice. I need to take some lessons from seeten and others for nice shots. Stay tuned!

A few more pics for tonight.

A few more pics.

Do you spot the
- Courtesy lights
- Headlight warning buzzer
- tow hooks
- Correct 72 BB brackets
- custom aircleaner
- 3rd seat
- bumper guards
- Matching blue hubcaps and spicer hub center knobs
- More to come!!

Uh oh...I think I see fingerprints on the frame

A few more pics.

Do you spot the
- Courtesy lights
- Headlight warning buzzer
- tow hooks
- Correct 72 BB brackets
- custom aircleaner
- 3rd seat
- bumper guards
- Matching blue hubcaps and spicer hub center knobs
- More to come!!

**********************************************************

Very nice in deed. I've restored alot of vehicels and know the WORK & KNOWLEDGE that it takes to pull this off. Enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Well done.

esll. :thumbs:

wow!

So Bob hows the burb holding up? You get some cruising time in this summer?

Great looking suburban! Are your hub caps chromed or are they polished stainless steel? how did you get them to shine so good?:bling2:

Man I dont know how i missed this one but its sweet.

Simply beautiful!! That is one sweet rig! :c2:

Hi Bob,
Boy am I glad your thread popped up again! I have a question for you. With our first baby on the way my wife has informed me that said baby will be needing A/C next summer. We are going to do front and rear air. I think we now have everything we need to do the install(not going to happen till next spring). Anyway,the question is; where does the fan relay for the rear air mount under the dash? I hope you got as much enjoyment out of your Suburban as we did last summer(isn't it amazing how many people say they knew someone who had a Suburban"just like that one" back in the day?)

Bob doesnt seem to be popping in on this thread. You should PM him about the air con. I do see where he is on the board pretty often.

Looks like some incredible work has been done on this Burb. Definitely would like to see more pics of this beauty!