Blueberry Supreme - '86 K20 Suburban

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
Cool looking kit you bought for your bumper build Alex! When I did my rear bumper for my Yukon they wanted $200 for the hinge alone and had a 8 week delivery back order wait. Just curious what you payed for your kit and if you can post a link to where you bought it? Like everyone else here we love your old `Burb´and a re curious to see what you do with that beast! Please keep those pics coming! Cheers, Chilli..:)
 

AlexCold

Observer
I like it! Do you have a spot for your license plate/light?

You know, I completely forgot about it but I probably will put it to one side of the other of the receiver tube between the shackle point. I'll use a small LED bolt light like I did with my Jeep.
https://www.amazon.com/Rupse-White-Motorcycle-License-Plate/dp/B008RIEQXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518903611&sr=8-1&keywords=led+light+bolts

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AlexCold

Observer
Cool looking kit you bought for your bumper build Alex! When I did my rear bumper for my Yukon they wanted $200 for the hinge alone and had a 8 week delivery back order wait. Just curious what you payed for your kit and if you can post a link to where you bought it? Like everyone else here we love your old `Burb´and a re curious to see what you do with that beast! Please keep those pics coming! Cheers, Chilli..:)

Thanks Chilli! The kit I bought is the most affordable I've found from RuffStuff Specialties. It's only US$149.50 and they often have a 15% off coupon code (this weekend it's Valentine18). The link is below.https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/R2126.html

Not only do they offer affordable, high quality parts but they also support the off-road industry a ton.
 

marshal

Burrito Enthusiast
can't wait to watch this come together! old suburbans are some of my favorites.

are the roof clearance lights stock? im not super familiar with the old chevys but that doesn't seem like a factory option from what i have seen
 

AlexCold

Observer
are the roof clearance lights stock? im not super familiar with the old chevys but that doesn't seem like a factory option from what i have seen

I think they might have been a dealer install because they’re seamlessly installed. But I questioned if myself. Still not a 100% sure if it’s factory or not but I like them.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

AlexCold

Observer
took it out for its first real off road test and further away from home. It handled great, especially considering the suspension is stock and the front shocks are still the originals. Lowered the Falkens to 20psi and it smoothed the ride out a ton.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
Right on Alex! Thanks for the link. You ROCK! I appreciate what you have got going there. Your truck looks great! Cheers, Chilli...:)
 

AlexCold

Observer
Took another trip this past weekend to Picacho State Recreation Area outside of Winterhaven, CA.

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The road into the area is a nicely graded gravel road that any truck with a boat trailer could make it in.
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Took the river outlook "trail" out. They recommend 4wd but I didn't really need it.
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But it did give a good place for a photo.
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Took a little hike to the stamping mills for the mines.
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Large boiler or steam tank
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Not much left.
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After the hike, I took the road out west. Again supposedly a 4wd road. I think a 2wd could do it but the wash in the canyon was loose and deep and near the end there's a minor little climb with some ruts that would twist up a 2wd. I think a skilled driver could do it but not something you could take an inexperienced person by themselves.

Found a outhouse on the side of the road. Apparently that govt employee didn't have a 4wd.
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Stopped at the Lonesome Grave, a monument made for a miner's dog who passed away when the owner was taken in for his own illness (and eventual death). Somehow they forgot about the dog and eventually came back to find the dog had passed. Very sad story, so I payed my respects to man's best friend and then on I went.
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Really is a beautiful place for that honor.
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The way out.
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Really was a fun time, and at the end I could mob down a nice gravel road to get pavement. I had to get to my son's soccer game and they won!
 

AlexCold

Observer
Started working on the bumper as well.

Step 1: Buy material

Step 2: Remove stock bumper.

Step 3: Rethink life's decisions.

Step 4: Make templates. No one is that good.
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Step 5: Turn templates into steel. Use magic wand if available.
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Step 6: Make a duplicate, you need two dummy.

Step 7: Make slots into bumper for welding mount tabs all the way through. Also a good time to add in the recovery points as well. Use a plasma torch, nobody has time to do it with a cut off wheel. Tip, drill holes at the ends to layout your out lines. If you do it right, you'll have enough gap to get everything to fit correctly.
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Step 8: Make sure you thank your friend repeatedly for letting you use his plasma torch.

To be continued.
 
Great trip and progress pics!

Last week I saw a 1986 K20 4x4 with a rebuilt engine and transmission and checked all the right boxes. If buy it in a heartbeat if I had a place to keep it.
 

AlexCold

Observer
Thanks!

A 1991 K20 is my holy grail, fuel injection and a 4l80e. I'll buy a clean one on the spot if I find one.
 

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
Thanks for posting those cool trip pics Alex. That looks like a cool trip. Good looking progress on the bumper. Me like. Cheers, Chilli...:)
 
Thanks!

A 1991 K20 is my holy grail, fuel injection and a 4l80e. I'll buy a clean one on the spot if I find one.

I'd choose a 1979 if I could and swap a 6.0/6l90. That's what's in my van and it would be hard to go back to anything else since it has plenty of power and good mileage. It moves my 7400lb van no problem and a Suburban of that era is at least 2000 lbs lighter.
 

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