The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Seat riser question

I came across this 52 GMC suburban on another truck site that i'm always on and I noticed this seat riser goes all the way across the cab.

It did not have the factory seats when he bought it so he could not confirm what seats it had.
What was the purpose of this full seat riser?

[URL=http://s79.photobucket.com/user/Youngrodder/media/seatriser_zps3d287581.jpg.html][/url]

Marc

That is a panel truck, not a Suburban.

No I has factory windows. It is a suburban. I think it might have been a military vehicle. I can post a pic of the suburban

Marc

Here is a pic of the suburban [URL=http://s79.photobucket.com/user/Youngrodder/media/52suburban_zpsfec8b1cf.jpg.html][/url]

Bigger tool box compartment for panel truck.
My guess for Suburban shorter tool box riser is for easier access to rear seats.
In panel truck you enter rear floor board in 2 steps
Suburban gives you 3 steps to enter rear of vehicle.
Step 1 Ground to running board
Step 2 Running board to floor board
Step 3 Floor board to rear floor board

Carpenter lingo: Tread & Riser in stairway building.

Panel trucks came with the full seat riser to accommodate the drivers bucket seat and the optional passengers bucket seat. Panels are often called Suburbans , but they do not have side rear windows unless it was a Conversion School Bus. . The Suburban seat riser is not full cab length………..g

That green suburban was originally an Ambulance, notice the vent on the roof. They did come with bucket seats

That is kind of what I was thinking because it was ex-military. Thanks for clearing it up.

Marc

Your 2nd wide angle photo is interesting.
The only thing that makes sense to me as to why the seat riser
goes all the way across in a Suburban is what GMONIZ said it was built as a bus.
Unless someone else put it in afterwards.

I was intrested in it as well. I didn't notice it at first but when I did I asked the owner for the upclose pic of the riser because I had never seen anything like it before.

It does not look like anyone added it but I dont have any proof of that.

Marc

Marc,

Can you post a photo of the inside of the rear windows, and the inside of the side-walls under the windows.

Your "Suburban" has windows that look more Suburban-like than the windows I have seen on Panels that were converted for military, forestry, or ambulance use.

Thanks,

Tim-

This is not my suburban. Just someone from another truck forum. I will grab some more pics but it is a suburban not a panel. The only thing that looked different was the seat riser.

Marc

I did learn that the Suburban began its life as an Ambulance for the US Army. That might explain it.

I didnt find any of the inside, but as you can see in this pic it has the normal suburban rear side windows and window pulls.

[URL=http://s79.photobucket.com/user/Youngrodder/media/52gmcSuburban_zps9f1249a9.jpg.html][/url]

Marc

Notice the holes in the rear cargo side panel area that looks to be the remains of the original cabinet and seat mounts that were attached there when it was an ambulance. This was not a highly modified conversion, but a practical conversion (cheap) for military purpose.

I'd guess that it's quite possible it was built that way at a GM factory under a military contract rather than converted by an outside contractor.

What ever was mounted where the arrows are pointing, PHOTO
may of needed the extended seat riser for mounting purposes and height.

The mounting pattern, does not look like a factory auxiliary seat pattern.
PHOTO Check for the 2 square witness marks on the riser to the left of the riser cover door.
They are from the rubber stops on the back/bottom of the seat frame.

Then again someone could have mounted a after market seat there after the military sold it.
It just looks like something other than a seat frame was mounted there.

I have been looking for a suburban project and have looked at two that were ambulances and they both had the panel truck seat riser in them versus the short one like a suburban

Good to know. I think that settles that.

Thanks
Marc

I have a 50 suburban that had the same riser and it was an Ambulance. So That explains the side windows as mine has the side windows also. that is another option.