Suburban Assault Vehicle

Looking good, LC!!!

I started to patch the cowl and realized it needed too much so I have ordered another one. In the meantime, I had the floor back in and lined up pretty well. It took many hours of fiddling but it was all lining up pretty good. Then I realized that to install some front pieces, the whole floor had to be removed. Dammit!!! Now the pieces are installed and I welded in new kick panels and now the floor is back in and I'm trying to get everything lined up again.

This is epic!

EXCELLENT work!!

I usually post before and after pics but this time I'm going to share the current pictures of areas that have me discouraged. I WILL fix them but damn, it's going to take work. These are behind the drivers side black panel

You've got this. One piece at a time.

Big week for getting rusty metal replaced. I also removed the damaged plywood floor in the back

I removed the middle floor and sent it out for media blasting, should be easier to patch now

Now would be the time to mini-tub the rear for larger tires.  Not that skinny tires are the "bomb" in the snow, but some wider rubber would look great on this when it done.

In reply to jr02518 :

On these trucks, they look better when you push the tire width out, not in. If it was 2wd and I was slamming it, tubs would be awesome but in 4wd, stock wheel wells are plenty big

It took 6 hours of work just to fix that darn hole. There were multiple layers of sheet metal that had to be recreated from raw sheet metal. This is the corner behind the rear seat on the drivers side. You can see it after sandblasting in the previous post.

Holy carp that impressive swiss cheese repair.  

84FSP said:

Holy carp that impressive swiss cheese repair.  

Thanks. I did not sign up for this level of repair and it's far worse than anticipated but when you're past the point of no return, your only choice is to keep swimming or drown

You are doing excellent work.  Keep it up!

Continued the process of cutting away bad metal and replacing with good. It's not getting easier but I am feeling less overwhelmed because my confidence in my abilities is getting better. Spent today just getting these 3 sections of panels to fit close to correctly.

What I learned at a young age is body work is simply "bend to fit, paint to match".

After watching nohome , you and others tackle the various sheet metal challenges, I think it's a bit more involved that the above statement...

Keep it up.  You are learning tons in the process.

There is a crossmember under the rear barn doors that is all rusted away. I couldn't find a rust free one so I am building a new one out of 2x5 tube, some 14 gauge sheet metal and bits of the old one. Here is the crossmember and the tube before work has begun

Suburbans did not come with the fancy wood slat beds that you could get in the pickup trucks. Suburbans had plywood floors but I don't want to put one back in so I ordered a high end oak slat floor and polished stainless steel straps and fasteners. The kit arrived today and I'll have to make it fit a vehicle it was not designed for.

That's going to look really good.

Source: Am Suburban lover

oh man, that is going to be AWESOME. 

It took 4 hours but I cut the crappy old upper cowl out and here is the new one test fitted but not yet welded. I also picked up a spot welder to make that process easier.

Dude, you are doing phenomenal work!

Recon1342 said:

Dude, you are doing phenomenal work!

Thanks, I'm taking my time and using every skill I have to do this

LooseC....this is truly an acknowledgement,of all those that have gone before you and decided to tackle/conquer  the 'rusted past'. Thank you for your effort......cuz what else would you be doin' .....shoveling the sidewalk???

Ok, the new cowl,firewall and both front rocker panels are welded in. I'm really cooking now!!