The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs suburbans

did any pre-73 suburbans come in a longer wheelbase, like 135 in.?

tony'n wea

I'm quite sure the '47 to '55 Suburbans were only available in 116 inch wheel base.

I can't speak with confidence about other models. There was a Longhorn pickup some years '67 to '72 (not sure if it was all or just some of those years) that had a longer wheelbase, but I don't know if there was a Suburban with that wheelbase during the same time.

I'm aware that several guys have 1-ton panels that were converted to serve as school buses by adding windows and which they now call Suburbans. I don't think those are what you are asking about, but they are out there.

The '67-'72 'burbs are long, both the 1/2 and 3/4 ton share the same long wheelbase. When I take my '72 gmc burb on the highway, I like to get alongside a newer 'burb, line up the nose with it, and then look to the back. It's always longer. The third door is another unusual feature. It tracks very well on the highway with IFS and the front stabilizer option and Saginaw power steering. The 31" tires perch the truck high enough for good visibility. I think the wheelbase is 137". It's long enough!

yes sir splash, i get a kick out of pulling up to a traffic light and with these 7.50x 17" wheels and tires(32-33")i'm looking down on all vehickles even the newer trucks.

tony'n weatherford

I compiled a listing of Suburban Wheelbases a few years ago - the early years so I could figure out what I would be able to use as far as years were concerned when working on a 1936 suburban.

35..36 suburbans are 112.5" - Owners manuals
37..38 suburbans are 112" - Owners manuals
39..40 suburbans are 113.5" - Owners manuals
41..46 suburbans are 113" - Chevy Truck ID#'s 46..72
47..55.1 suburbans are 116" - ditto
55.2..66 sububans are 115" - ditto
67..72 suburbans are 127" - ditto
73..91 suburbans are 129.5" - Owners manuals
92..?? suburbans are 131.5" - Service manuals

Splash - if you have verification of your 137" measurement . . . you either have a very special truck OR my sources are bad.

Correction: 127" wheelbase on the '67-'72's! Thanks Ken for the correction. Another perception of the wheelbase is when you are trying to turn it around or park it!

I believe the '73-class body style was carried forward on the Suburbans until the 1991 model year (i.e. last year of use), even though the pickups changed in '88.

---> Bill (who has a '91 GMC 2500 Suburban which is the old body style)

Loco - good catch, I got hung up on the 86 model. I had a GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 that year that I sold this summer - I looked in the manual and had a brain fart thinking that I could just skip to the next body style that year which I know wasn't true.

At least as recent as the Advance Design years, Cantrell made a special body type that was shown in Chevrolet truck catalogs. They made a very handsome "Custom Station Wagon Body" that could be called a woody Carryall Suburban on a 3600 and a 3800 chassis (125" and 137" wheel bases). The body lengths used on these chasses varied.

Here is a picture of a 1952: http://www.pbase.com/xl1ken/image/3772121

Cantrell also made woodie station wagons for Chevrolet (and other makers) on an automobile chassis.

Here is a brief history of Cantrell: http://www.dodgepowerwagon.com/woody/cantrell2.html

Tim

Any idea on 55-59 panels and suburbans?

longer wheelbase? there's a 3800 panel in 55-59 that's 135", burbs are all the 114" short 3100 .... don't think there were any Cantrell TF models, and they went out of business is 57

Bill

Yes,, that chart is wrong regarding 55.2-59, they are 114". Same as the short pick ups.