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Old 03-04-2016, 02:02 PM   #1
Will206
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89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

Just got registered but I have been reading this forum for the better part of 6 months for tips, photos and ideas. Now that the weather is getting better I can get my hands dirty and post.

I grew up doing R&R work on square bodies for my dad and his friends, as well as countless small blocks. However he passed in 2002 and I haven't really touched one since. This is a good chance for me to get my fat ass off the computer where I spend most of my time (poor career choice I guess), and get outside, a lot of garage memories of the hours I spent with him in a garage come flooding back and it's a nice feeling.

Starting with an '89 GMC Suburban SLE 1500 (I am honestly not sure what the SLE means)

I paid $1500 for the truck, it had a 350 TBI motor in it, which developed a knock a month into ownership.





I considered selling it, but it seemed silly when I had a perfectly good 383 sitting in an undrivable 74 Nova back in Seattle (I am in South Dakota right now). I called some buddies to pull it, put it on a pallet and ship it freight to me.



I've since pulled the 350 TBI and although I really wanted to stick with fuel injection, the TBI was never going to cut it on a 400+ HP build. I researched upgraded throttle bodies, switching to a regular fuel injection setup, and almost every time I found I wasn't going to get the performance for the small amount I wanted to spend. So I decided to stick with a carb. The 383 previously had a 650 Edlebrock that starved it for fuel, so I picked up this 750 Quick Fuel to go on the Victor Jr intake that was already on this thing. I've also picked up a wideband O2 kit from Innovative Motorsports to help me get the carb dialed in as well as the stock in tank TBI fuel pump and a pressure regulator.



The 383 already had MSD 6A ignition, so I'll be using that, picked up a new style coil, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, hold downs and some of them cloth boots that keep you plugwires from burning.

Needed a new flexplate, picked up a 200 Amp alternator, high flow water pump, etc. Going to use all stock accessory mounting to keep the serpentine belt. (A little concerned, my left head only has one bolt hole on the front of the head, people say they run em like that without issue though). I'll fab a support bracket if needed I figure.



Dumping the engine fan and going full electric. Hotrod recommended a very powerful electric fan assembly thats actually from a late model Ford Tbird. it fits my Griffen aluminum radiator perfectly, just got to build a mount for the radiator/fan. Also going external trans cooler.

The big cam in the 383 really limits my vacuum, and I didn't want a poorly stopping truck, so I've got a hydroboost unit with MS out of a 99 Silverado that is getting retrofitted in. None of the holes really line up and I know the geometry on the push rod from the brake pedal isn't going to work, so all that's going to have to be fabbed up as well.

Running the stock trans for now, hope to do 4L80E at some point, that extra highway gear would be really really nice for a gas guzzler like this.

Its got a 10 bolt front and rear, which will probably be fine for now, but I do intend to upgrade to a 14 with rear disks in the future as well.

The rig has some bad rust, mostly around the rockers on the drivers and all around the rear quarter on the passenger side.



This cab has the tailgate style door, so I may just look around for another in better shape with barn doors. Although I have no idea how I am going to swap an entire cab in my driveway...I'm not entirely sold on rear AC either.

Interior wise, I am not doing a ton-- Upgrading the cluster to a digital dash, fiberglassing the messed up parts of the dash pad and then re wrapping in black vinyl, adding sound deadening material to the firewall and floorpans. Throwing in a backup cam, remote start (yes, with a carb!), new Alpine HU with 6x9 rockfords in the back and 6.5s in the kick panels.

Doing 2.5" exhaust all the way back too, but I am learning to weld for this part, so we'll see how that goes. Older inexpensive headers that came off the Nova, they are getting refinished. (black or silver, not sure yet...)I am going to use the stock air cleaner I think (try anyways) which has kind of a cold air setup through the core support. I'd like to keep the air charge cool and not suck hot air from the engine bay. Oh, also I got a steering brace to go in as well, its one of the bolt in styles from Offroad Design.

I would like to give it a 3" lift, not much just enough to get a tire with a couple more inches under it without rubbing.

My goal is to have it hauling ass by the end of May, but its currently hard to make weekday time, so it's mostly just me doing what I can on weekends. I want to use it for camping and hauling a small boat.

This weekend I am pulling the front clip to wire wheel the inner fenders, clean and scrub the firewall, clean as much of the frame and suspension I can, and coat it all in POR 15 with a rustoleum top coat. Hopefully the following weekend I can get the the 383 ready and setting in.

Done rambling now! If I can quit screwing around here and get my work done, I can go outside and get to work, so hopefully there will be updates tomorrow.
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Old 03-04-2016, 02:08 PM   #2
68Timber
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Re: 89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

Welcome to 67-72! I like your plans for the truck + bonus points to you for starting with a bunch of pictures - we dig 'em. Looking forward to seeing your progress.
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Old 03-04-2016, 08:47 PM   #3
Front Range
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Re: 89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

Nice color scheme, interested in seeing how the 383 conversion works out. I like the tailgate option on the Burbs, seems like a lot of people prefer barn doors though.
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Old 03-16-2016, 01:06 AM   #4
Will206
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Re: 89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

Now, I already had the engine out when I started...



Then I pulled the front clip, and got to assessing the rust situation and starting to clean things up:





Hot wire wheel action:







At this stage its been prepped with the degreaser and metal prep from POR15 and I am starting to paint it with POR15:



Decided to paint the firewall to clean it up and give it some contrast with the black. Couldn't find anything local in a can that was close to OEM so I used Rustoleum metal, I kinda like it and ultimately I intend on doing the entire truck in a matte black except for the parts that are light blue which I will do in this color.



Fenders too, you can see the passenger side fender is pretty good except a little spot around where the battery tray goes:



Not shown, I decided to just replace the battery tray and the inner fenders, it was under $200 for both fenders and the tray.

Steering brace from Offroad Designs:



Installed:

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Old 03-31-2016, 03:49 PM   #5
Will206
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Re: 89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

Motor in!


More stuff done to it:
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Old 04-01-2016, 12:29 AM   #6
RiggRMortis
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Re: 89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

A fellow South Dakatan! I just picked up an 87 this morning.
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Old 08-16-2016, 12:09 AM   #7
Will206
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Re: 89 GMC 383 Suburban project (pics included)

Between being sick, travel and the heat/humidity in the shop I haven't got nearly as much done as I would have liked.

That said, it does run!

https://youtu.be/AKEP61owQ7M
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