Hey Guys! I've been on the NAPCO forum for a few months and now that I'm working on the engine, thought I'd join this one too.
It's a '59 carryall-suburban 1/2 ton 4x4. My buddy helped me tow it down from grammy's house in colorado last november: [img]https://i.imgur.com/Uu11hZi.jpg?1[/img]
It used to belong to the match stick factory in her town, they used it as a logging crew transport. She bought it from them circa 1970 and had it ever since. It put up with all 7 of my aunts & uncles learning to drive, snowplow duty, and countless hunting, trapping, & picknick excursions up & down the SanJuans. Along the way it survived many mishaps and 'repairs' all leaving marks of some sort. Ie. it's beat to heck
TLDR I patched it up temporarily and drove it on a few cross country adventures around New Mexico (where I'm currently living),and also a trip back up to Colorado to drive with grammy in her local parade! Now I'm tearing into it in earnest with the goal of full 'mechanical restoration'. Hoping to make it into a reliable adventure mobile! [img]https://i.imgur.com/cFwYT2h.jpg?1[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/DxhZGee.jpg?1[/img]
I'll post some questions in the engine section to sample some opinions here... awesome forum looking forward to learning more about these old stovebolts.
There might be a vehicle serial number on the driver side door frame between the hinges. There might be 4x4 ID plate somewhere (do you know if it is a NAPCO conversion)?
Thanks for the reply guys! It is indeed a NAPCO conversion, likely performed by a chevy dealer since the tranfer case mounts are riveted to the frame rather than bolted as with non-dealer retro-fits. There is no napco tag on the vehicle, but I'm under the impression that wasn't a thing in the 50s. The axle does have NAPCO embossed in it's casting though. VIN indicates that it was produced in Janesville WI. Block casting number is 3764476, date code is L 86, it also has marks saying "CON3" and "GM8" and "8 476". I don't know what those last three are but I'm assuming someone swapped this block in from a 1956 car.
Originally Posted by 49 3100
Welcome to the Bolt, I live in Taos with 2 3100 1/2 tons--where are you??
Hey there 49 3100, I am living in Los Alamos... I checked out your old posts and saw a picture of your pickups! Very nice! Which shops have you done engine work with around here? I'm thinking about taking my block to Statkus in Albuquerque, but still need to talk with them to see if they have a good source for pistons & a cam. I stopped at a car show two weeks ago in taos where I saw a '56 international 3/4 ton shortbed 4x4 with a 'silver diamond' straight six, practically identical to our 235s except mirror image... that was a really unique one. Have you seen that guy?
welcome to the site! I have a soft spot for those, that was my wife's "Mom van"! She needed something to haul kids around and did not want a mini-van so, we got a 59 Suburban! We drove it around for about 20 years and then sent it down the road....
