Sorry for the late response, I finally got up to the property to see the 1948/55 Suburban. I measured the existing cable and retractor length.
Cable: 44" overall length and 43 1/2" measured from inside the two lead balls. There is also another clevis type clamp, add 3/4"
Retractor: fully opened it is 48"
The cable can easily be made and there may be other cables out there that match. The ball is restricted in how far it can extend because of the support that it passes through.
