1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Well, I feel like I should start a build thread for my Suburban. Even though I consider my restoration done for the most part, but like everyone else our projects are never really done.
Being that I often get questions on where is my "Build thread", and frequently asked questions being PM'd to me I figure I need to do something to further assist my fellow Suburban fanatics.

The thread is going to start out kind of shallow on content, but that is only so that I can create place holders for future updates on past projects during my restoration. I will try to post the most common questions, and my answers/experiences to those answers.

When it comes to vendors, and where I got everything.. I can tell you I started with a relatively complete Suburban, and what ever I needed was usually scrounged by word of mouth. Later, after I discovered this forum and became more savvy with online research. I basically do business with the same vendors all of you do business with.

Unfortunately I do not have many pictures of the early stages of my restoration, since when I started my project it was pre digital cameras so I was using Kodak 110 "insta-matic" and borrowed 35mm SLR cameras.

I really didn't even think about documenting my restoration for something like this, since I didn't even know about resources like this forum to share and learn from. Heck, I didn't even have a computer until 1996? Even then most everyone was on dial up AOL, and Google didn't even come around until 1998 for someone like me to do searches on for forums & parts resources. I was busy scrounging parts from salvage yards, Trader papers at 7-11, and phone calls to Brothers Trucks and Golden State when they were at their 1st locations.

Anyways.. You get the idea.

So as many of you already know, my Suburban was handed down to me by my Dad. I grew up in this truck, going on everything from camping trips in the Sierra Nevada to being picked up from school by my Mom. When I was driving age, I drove the Suburban to high school everyday and did small trips with it and friends. It still belonged to my Dad, so I had to treat it as such. Eventually I got my own cars & trucks, and my Dad used the truck off and on but eventually was parked and later in so much disrepair that it was no longer seen as an option for usefulness to my Dad.
I later became concerned that the Suburban was going to rot a slow death, and asked if I could barrow it to go on a road trip and camping trip. I got the green light, and began cleaning it up and repairing everything I could. I ended up putting a new exhaust system, suspension, and tires on it before going on my trip. When the trip was over, and I brought it back to Dad it was then he handed me the title and said that I could take better care of it than he could at the time.
So, it was at this time I continued to drive it on trips. I never realized that it was "cool", only that it meant a lot to me as a tough solid truck that was handed down to me. I didn't really realize what I had, until I was told by the guys at Golden State Trucks when they were in SoCal to enter it at their truck show at Magic Mountain. It was there I became hooked on the idea of doing a full restoration, seeing all of the other trucks and hearing everyone give me words of encouragement to restore my Suburban.

Once I did the rough math, and thought about what kind of commitment this restoration was going to be for me. I went about moving forward, and found a shop that would work on my old truck for body & paint.

I pulled the trigger around 1996 and started the disassembly, bagging, tagging, boxing, documenting, and sending the transmission and engine out to a professional builder. At this time in my life I am making less than 20k a year, and living in an apartment with my GF plus renting a storage unit for all of the boxes of truck parts.

Fast forward a bit, and the GF is gone and I am making even less money. I asked the shop to hold all work on the body until I figure out what to do, thankfully this was a busy shop and liked the idea of my truck being there for work when work slowed down. By this time is 2002ish and I have a new job making much better money, and the body work is all done but still not enough resources to be able to put everything together yet. So I moved to a larger storage unit big enough for the Suburban, it's parts, my tools, and all of the new parts I was buying and hoarding.

2005 The Suburban is starting to come together, little by little working in a storage unit and being told to close up at 5:00pm every time so the yard can close.
2007 I move to my own house with it's own garage, and I discovered this forum where my enthusiasm to finish my truck skyrocketed. This is where the project comes together, but I spend lots of time sorting through years of boxes, bags, and coffee cans of parts that I later learn were next to impossible to replace at this time.
2009 is when the Suburban started to get insured and registered.
2013 is when I started to show the Suburban, and the Brothers truck show was it's first official show.

Now a days I am still working on "little projects" one at a time, all the while trying to keep the Suburban road worthy at a moments notice.

That's the basic story for those of you new to my Suburban. I will update the above as I remember details, but I wanted to start this with a brief history so everyone can understand what my history is with my Suburban.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

So, the next projects on the horizon for the Suburban is to swap the 4.57 gears for 4.10 gears and replace the wheels & tires with a better set.
The planned wheel & tire combo will be visually the same, just moving away from 16.5 wheels and a narrower tire.

I still have the original lock ring wheels that came with the Suburban, and I've had them sand blasted and rattle canned black. I don't think I will ever use them again, but I just can't get my self to throw anything away so they remain in storage.
The current wheels are 1969 vintage 16.5x10, they originally came on my neighbors 1969 Chevy long bed K20. He sold them to my Dad back in the 1970's, after he upgraded to Western slot mags and super swampers.
I have had them sand blasted, and powder coated satin black to resemble the clack lock ring wheels from a distance. But when I had the tires re installed, the shop could not balance them since all 4 are bent out of shape so much they are next to impossible to balance.
The plan now is to purchase all new 16" x 8" steel OE wheels, and then install a narrower BFG all terrain tire on them. Being manual steering, the wide tires do not do me and the steering gear any favors.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

As many know already, my restoration path has been to stay OE for 1968.
There are only a few things that are not as they would be in 1968, and those are the tires, wheels, suspension, and exhaust. Everything else is as it was, and I enjoy keeping it that way.
Though I do think about updating to disc brakes, and power steering from time to time. So much so, that I have all of the parts to do the conversions. I just can't get myself to deviate yet :lol:

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Here are couple pictures of where it stands today.
The side shot with the orange railing in back ground, was my first real truck show at Brothers 2013 I think.
The 2013 show, I did not have the interior done.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Here is the quick and dirty on the drive train:
(I will clean this up as time permits).

The entire drive train is original to the Suburban.

Engine: Large journal 327, Q-jet
Transmission: SM-465
Transfer Case: Rockwell T-221
Front axle: Dana 44 closed knuckle, drum brakes
Rear axle: Eaton H052
Steering: manual
Exhaust system: Rams horn manifolds, twin pipes with H cross over, Flow Master 70 series mufflers.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Since I was never of the mindset to "restore" the Suburban like I have grown to expect what a restoration actually is, I regret that the SPID was sanded off so I do not have any records of it. It was pretty faded, and took a lot to figure out what was on it. I do remember it having the "Custom" package, heavy duty radiator, and suspension, along with the 4.57 gear ratio.

Other than those things, the option list was pretty short.

Here are few pictures taken when body work was the subject of the day.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

This is planned for the near future, a swap of the Eaton 3rd member to 4.10 ratio and the front as well.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

That is a cool story and I'm glad you were able to keep the Suburban in the family. Your patients and the other set backs turned out to be in your favor as your restoration turned out great! I wouldn't change much myself.

Ray

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

I absolutely love this suburban!!! Several pics of this rig has been my screen saver off n on. lol

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The head liner project was a major PITA for me, being one guy with no help to hold up these floppy sheets try to get them to fit... ugh, I'm just glad it's over :lol:

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The side trim was all restored from the original pieces, all except for the front clip and the smallest piece in front of the 3rd door (that one sprouted legs, never to be seen again).

No one was reproducing the 67-68 side bright work, only the pick ups so I bought all new for the front clip.
It seems like Mar-K was making this trim for the 67-68 Suburban, but after recently looking at their online catalog. It appears they no longer stock it anymore, but I'd give them a call to see if they can still help if you are looking or 67-68 Suburban side trim.

The shop that did my bright work restoration was a tiny little shop in Burbank CA, and it was just two guys with trim pieces piled every where and two anvils in the middle of the shop. They basically hammered out every single ding & dent, then polished the metal to be smooth for the anodize process which was another shop. Pretty sure they are long gone now, but places like Mar-K are selling Suburban bright work now. Mar-K is where I got the little trim piece in front of the 3rd door.

You can see the repair that was done to one piece of trim by the little shop, it is basically a weld to fill in a hole/tear that was in the trim piece. They told me that the repairs like this would not take an anodize finish too well, but I don't care because it reminds me of where this damage came from and the skilled craftsman that repaired it.

The picture of the fastener... My current nemesis. I don't care who is reproducing this clips to fit 67-68 trim pieces, I have purchased them all and I can tell you that they are garbage and don't waist your money. I go to swap meets with this stupid clip in my pocket, just to find NOS versions of it... Clips like this, are common in the Suburban. Clips that are no longer made, or the new ones do not work. I have to say, since this is a current quest of mine, I do not even think about mickey mousing clips to "work". They either snap fit like the OE version, or they are a waste of my time and money (kinda sensitive about this dang part right now). :)

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The suspension is the original, all four corners of spring packs were re arched. The front spring packs have an additional leaf added to give it an approximate 2" lift.

The original front spring packs were of the negative arch type, which made the truck ride pretty stiff in the rough roads. Once the positive arch was put in with an additional leaf, the truck raised up a bit and gave it more travel on the rough roads. The shocks are just generic off road rated shocks, since I had planned to paint them black I didn't want to spend a lot of money on them being high end models. Really, there isn't much to dampen so a plain HD style shock absorber is fine.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

I don't have any pictures of the rear wood floor project. Though I must say it was an ugly learning experience for me, since I did not know how the sheet was installed and everything was rusty or gummed up with road grime. It was a job for a saws all, and all but a few of the carriage bolts had to be busted off with a chisel or as I found to work well. Use a pair of good vise grips, get a good bite on the nut, and then work the bolt back and forth until it snapped.
All of the carriage bolts are of low grade steel, so they were easy to chisel or break.

I wish I had an easy way to explain how best to install the wood floor, other than you will figure it out soon enough if you plan to do this.

If I had to pass on a nugget of info on the floor. It would be to remove the spare tire tub, and to fit the piece ahead of the wheel well on the passenger side as a separate small piece. That's how the original was done, which was tongue & groove fitted. You will either do it that way, or figure something else out depending on your level of patience and time.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Front floor section.

I went with DynaMat, only because it was available to me.
Then I added jute padding on top.
The carpet I purchased was from www.stockinteriors.com and ordered fitted loop pile with the MAS backing.

I can't say enough good things about the carpet kit from stockinteriors, the product is top quality and has kept it's color over the years as compared to another kit I purchased early on. That cheaper kit, the color bleached out very easy in the sunny areas. The MAS backing is a must have in noisy Suburbans like a 1968 K20 with a Rockwell Tcase, so the more insulation and sound deadening the better.

In case you are asking, "what is the MAS backing"? it's basically a thick rubber backing to the carpet. Which by the way makes the whole carpet kit very heavy.

If I was to complain about anything on the carpet, would be that the back half section that meets the step to the third seat cargo area is not hemmed. So it looks a bit un done, but I am not complaining.

(You may be noticing the black benches, these were what where used for years in the Suburban. I will talk about that when I get to the seats).

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The bench seats.

The originals were replaced in the mid 1970's with a set of three brand new benches from a 1970 Suburban. They were purchased by my Dad out of the local news paper, the seats were take outs from a Suburban being converted to an ambulance. They even had the factory plastic covers on them when my Dad got them, and they stayed on the seats for years. Over time, these seats wore out. They were used in the new seat cover project below.
The back benches I tried to copy 67-68 with the side bolt accessible for the seat belt, the front bench you will notice that the side bolt is covered like the 70-72 covers. I decided to do that, since it looked better. (There are things that I take a different approach on than staying 100% OE, but they are usually very minor like this decision on the seat cover).

This project was the last big ticket project I had on this whole project.
Quick and dirty here...
OE materials per seat: 500.00 x 3 (Purchased from SMS www.smsautofabrics.com).
Labor to stitch up materials to match OE pattern per seat: 500.00 x 3 (Local shop).
New memory foam, replacement springs for front seat: 400.00 (Local shop sourced the foam, since he got it cheaper than I could. The replacement springs came out of other parts benches I had).

It was a hard pill to swallow, but I needed to get them done right.
(This by the way, was the reason I needed to sell the 1970 K10 I had).
I do not agree with any of the vendors who say they make a correct 67-68 cover, so I did my research and had them made the way they did them in 67-68. Now, just like most of my expensive projects on the Suburban, there will be a vendor who will start reproducing these for a lot less money I'm sure. I've gotten use to it, since Suburban's are slow to get on the vendor repop lists.

The seat project isn't even done, since I need to buy all new seat belts for all 3 rows.
I plan to go with a shoulder harness set for the front, and laps for the back 2 rows.
The belts I have picked out, are color matched aqua green metallic with chrome buckles.
The old belts, they are just getting old. So being a safety item, I want to get all new.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Paint.

The body paint is the OE correct GM 503 light green, and the roof is white.
The interior was a light green metallic, but there was a miscommunication with the shop and they painted the interior with the exterior paint.
It would have required a lot of time and money to fix that error, and I was already on borrowed time with the body shop so I bit my lip on that. I was at the point of "lets just get this done, so I can take my truck home"... I'm sure we can all relate to that feeling.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The fuel tank.

Back when I can't remember, but at some point my Dad had installed a second 25 gallon tank. So in the back there were two 25 gallon tanks, and were filled with a custom made Y fill pipe. The tanks were changed with a manual valve on the drivers side floor right where the seat adjuster lever was, and the fuel gauge was actuated with a toggle switch to check what level each tank had.

To simplify my restoration, I decided to rip all of that out and go with the OE single 25 tank.

I think about having a custom larger capacity tank made, but that is a future project when everything else is done with the original plan on the truck (oh, and life in general permits).

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The rear axle.

The rear axle is the original Eaton H052, and is still running the gears it came with new which are 4.57.
I plan to try a new gear ratio soon, but I am worried it will change the personality of my Suburban.
So we will see how that goes, luckily the Eaton gear swap is something I can do.
I managed to score a 4.10 ratio Eaton H052 3rd member recently, so this is what is going in once I find a replacement pinion seal for it.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

The front axle.

The original big hub, closed knuckle, drum braked Dana 44.
Not much going on with the front axle right now, but plans to go through it are in the making once I change gears in the rear. Once I get the rear done, I plan to have the front gears changed by a pro.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Door mechs & clips.

I ended up replacing all of the door mechs.
The 3rd door mech is the same as the front passenger door.
The tail gate mech is not reproduced last I looked, and everything about the rear doors or gates guts are not reproduced. So, expect to scrounge for these parts.

The clips in the rear gate, and the doors are not reproduced either. These, I tried many new clips and modified a lot of new clips to try to make work. In the end it took finding originals at a swap meet to get my door & gate mechs to work right.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Well, I touched on the most common questions I get so far and I plan to refine the info later. I just wanted to get something started.

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Very nice build. That was a lot of work and your a good man for staying with it all the time. What was the interior color suppose to be? I thought the exterior and interior colors were the same?

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

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Thanks for the thread Chris. A lot of good info that will help some folks with their projects......

LockDoc

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

In for this!

Re: 1968 Suburban K20 Past & Present build
 

Thanks guys, I'm playing catch up here so pardon the quick & dirty posts. I'm just trying to cover as much ground as possible early into the thread on most common questions I get.

Some of these questions I get are pretty obscure, so stay tuned for those posts to answer questions.