Next, I'll give it a wash and put it back in my shop. I have a few things to move out of the way first. No passenger fender because next will be fabricating brackets for the AC compressor and installing that system.
Mark, your posting work faster than I can read and keep up with it. You are busier than a cat on a hot tin roof!. Way to go. Glad to see someone is getting something done! You do good work.
The AC install continues. I'm going at a nice slow pace. The heater system was re-plumbed. Got rid of the Corvette oil filter pre-warmer. Also took my time to figure out how to get the trans cooler back in. Still have wiring and the inside stuff to do. No more hidden radio because it won't fit in the glove box. SO I got an in-dash unit. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Pictures. Enjoy.
Just been cruising, enjoying my AC on these triple digit days. Still need to do exhaust. Looks like the speedo drive gear popped off the trans output shaft. Gotta fix that again. Did something dumb and found me a Model A Roadster to play with.
Okay. The issue. When I started seriously building this thing in 2012, I threw on some quickie turbo mufflers so the neighbors wouldn't complain and the police wouldn't come down on me for "noise" issues. It was still on the loud side but use-able. Something I need to add to my to-do list, is pull the heads and reseal the valve stems. Evidence is all the soot that was gathering on the under side. But the thing that really bothered me was that the passenger side exhaust was dumping on the fuel tank, warming my gas. So, time to get serious about rerouting my exhaust. I used 2 1/2" pipe because that is what I originally used to gather at the headers. Plus that was stock '86 Corvette (my motor.) I brought to passenger side over to the drivers side, to help keep the heat away from the fuel tank, and went in to a 2 in, out 1 muffler. Similar to what is on my 1998 C3500. Unlike my C3500, which is 2 3/4" out, the out pipe here is 3". Two 45* and one 90* got me up and over the axle. I went straight out the back for now. The chrome tip hasn't shipped to me yet. When it does, I will also get a 90* and turn that pipe to go out the drivers side. Maybe the passenger side. I'll have to stare at it a while to decide. Either way, I can't burn anyone's knees or shins with it coming out the back like that.
Results? I wasn't even sure the thing was running when I started it. Night and day difference. Unfortunately, now I can hear how bad the radio reception is and all kinds of new squeaks and noises I need to fix. It's going to take some getting used to, all this quiet!
Okay. I changed the exhaust tip to come out the passenger side. Didn't make sense to have hot exhaust blasting at you as you open the barn doors. Also, a couple of pics of my high output Spal fan and fitment in the engine compartment. Yeah things are tight. That fan pulls all kinds of air. Triple digit days and the AC cranked, the temp stayed right where I want it. I think I've finally licked any over heating issues. We'll see how it does going up an down a few grades in 2 weeks and next month!
Well, my thinking went from thinking to action. Started bending the base pieces for the second and third row seat. My third row seat is non-existent. My middle seat is possibly from a later Suburban? The base never even came close to the key holes. Plus, most of the steel is in a rust arrested condition.
So, third row first. The plan here is to come close to looking like an original seat. The goal is also to make a seat that can be reversed. When we push the dragster, my partner hangs out in the back. I should actually say, he rolls around back there. Tools and all. After the dragster fires, it rolls down the track under power and parks in a designated spot. Rules are that one crew member is allowed to stay with the dragster and driver in case anything goes nutty and to generally assist the driver. That is my partner. I drive the Burb, following the dragster down the track, stop long enough for my partner to get out, then go to my designated parking area off the track. Usually, I have a phone booth challenge going on in the Suburban and have about 200 people that ride along in the thing. Video of the process minus me slowing down for my partner to jump out. That year he decided to wait until until we parked the Burb, then he would jump over the wall.
Anyway, none of us are getting any younger. At the beginning of the year, we had an incident while playing with the actual go fast race car. A fuel altered or AA/FA. A 6 second car. We were on the track to do a maiden shake down run. We started the thing and it lurched backwards. I was on the left side of the vehicle to operate the starter, next to the front wheel. My partner, who is the owner of the car, was standing on the left side of the car to gas the injector. He was behind the front wheel. Our shakedown driver is an awesome, natural driver. And is greatly experienced. He had the forethought to have it in reverse because that was the direction where nobody was and would do the least amount of damage if something happened. Like I said, the thing lurched when the ignition caught, and the car ran over my partner. Chaos ensued. The car is stopped, on my partner's leg. The engine is running and he reaches up and kills the fuel. He's funny as he said, "Well, no one else was going to do it!" The driver couldn't because he was wrestling the brake handle and gear box. The car is stopped, and stuck in gear, on my partners leg. We finally get it off of him, compound fracture, here comes the ambulance, etc., etc. My job is the get the car, pit, camp, everything packed up and put away. Or, at least direct everyone who doesn't know what to do. Just one of those things. Like I said, we aren't getting any younger.
Long story short, my partner is healed and has a nice titanium rod down his bone. He's in his mid 60's. I'm in my mid 50's. Also, keep in mind, these guys associated with the dragster raced back in the 60's-70's. They have a little time on them too. I like giving them a comfortable place to sit. So, time for my partner to have a seat he can sit in and not have to roll around the back cabin. And that's why the seat needs to be reversible. So I'll probably make the bottom section narrower than stock, if I can. The beginnings.
Someone had asked. So I made this post on Facebook. I have re-posted it here.
The issue. It is almost impossible to find rear panel trim for a Suburban. Not to mention, the aftermarket panel replacements are gray colored cardboard. I had the cardboard, which you have to cut yourself, and it almost immediately started to warp and get wavy. That changed my mind about the headliner, so I went with some 1/8” ABS. Figuring I oughta match the headliner, I changed all side panels to ABS. I even made panels for the rear barn doors to protect them from future dents from loads. Give it a couple of summers, and various heat cycles, the ABS started to get a little wavy. Not as bad as cardboard, but enough to bug me. So I started hunting for some metal trim. I found some perfect stainless stuff across the pond, but I didn’t even want to figure out how or how much it would cost me to get it here in the US! It was already going to cost me a few hundred just for the material. Then I found this stuff. Right here in the good ol’ US of A.
Aluminum. They have shiny and satin.
It comes in 12 foot sections, so it costs a bunch to ship. However, they will cut it down for $7 and then shipping becomes more reasonable. So I tried one piece. I had them cut it so it was 2 inches longer than what I needed. I believe, for the rear panel which is the longest, you need somewhere just over 7 feet. That is if you want no joints. Otherwise, if you like welding stuff, have it cut in half. I got the smaller section and used it for practice. I was worried the stuff was too brittle to bend. It’s not. So it took the 7 footer and made myself some trim. I like the way it looks! Time to get more to finish the rest of the panels. I think it even looks better than the stainless trim I got from Classic Parts for the door panels.
You’ll see the in pics where I trimmed off the back side to make it easier to bend and bend evenly. Bending any channel makes it want to flare, so after bending, a soft hammer will flatten it out again. I basically bent it around my panel, removed it to complete the bends, finessed the bends, drilled or cleared the screw holes, and installed it. Tightening the screws made it conform to the body sides.
What will you do with the ABS-for-cardboard replacement?
I am just about ready to glue the color-matching upholstery material to the ABS, and insert this into the original channels (my metal channels/etc are good)?
I'm about done with the rear seat. I still need to make tabs to mount my plywood base for the bottom. And I need to make some braces across the 110* angle. Basically, from seat bottom to seat back.
Okay. Took a break from the seats to do a show and other stuff. Figured it was about time to do the a-arms. As I probably said earlier, with the new exhaust, I can hear all the noises. Especially the tires rubbing the fenders. I didn't realize that they were rubbing that bad. I had enough pennies in the hot rod fund, so I picked up the Fatman Fabrications narrowed Camaro A-arms. I clipped this thing long ago with a 1975 Camaro clip, knowing I'd have to something about the width one day. What a PIA! Took me a few days. The rain didn't help as I was doing this in my driveway. Got 'er done. No more rubbing! My employee will check the alignment on Monday, then the following weekend, it is my annual trek to Bakersfield for the races. Enjoy the pics! I'm beat!
Oh, when I was done with the install, I took it for a test drive. I ended up behind a guy in a '53 three window. We ended up side by side. He hit the gas and I couldn't resist. At the next red, I asked and he told me he had a Dodge 360 in it. Not bad. Forgot all about me test driving! I guess I passed the test!
Nice ride! The upper A-arms hit the upper perch a bit on full travel, but that can be taken care of either lowering the vehicle or removing that little piece of perch. I like how the stance is now level, so I don't think I will mess with the ride height for now. Time to finish the rear seat and start on the middle. The engine is burning more and more oil, so it might be time to upgrade the powerplant to a roller cam version. Get me a little more longevity. Plus, it will give me a chance to detail the engine compartment. I make the to-do list smaller, and it seems to grow at the same time!
Work has been slow. I'm rebuilding or re-creating my middle seat and waiting for some rear corners from Jim Carter to cure the rot at the back of the Burb.
Mark, haven't checked in on you for a while but boy, you have been busy. You make me look so bad....I think I'll just go to my shop and hide there for a while!! By the way, Great job.
Rear seat detail. I closed off the open tubing. Today I'll reupholster the the back and bottom, fit everything together, then the seat frame should be ready for powdercoat. Then back to the construction of the middle seat.
Updated the web site. Added 3 pages of pics. Will work on eliminating all the page links on each page. Just way too many. Will give a "Home", "Previous" and "Next" except for the home page which will have all the links. Maybe I'll come up with an index that will give a brief description of what's happening on each page. Maybe, we'll see.
As for work, I'm getting rid of a cold which slowed me down a little. I'm finishing up the middle seat upholstery. Then I'll start on the rear corners and rear splash apron.
