So. I guess I should preface all this by: "..long time lurker, first time poster.."
anyway.. This is the forum that got me hell bent on a Toyota... Just loved them and the rigs that I saw built... Fast forward a few years and a move to Alaska and I just couldn't afford the payments to such a new rig so we had to part ways. Made me sad. I loved that truck; it got me everywhere and never gave me any lip. Alas that relationship is over and I have to start again.
I've always wanted a Tonka Truck with all the "fixings". I have also lusted the old neighbor's Suburban for the "my, god. Do you know how much STUFF I could haul in that?" I'm in construction and haul lots of tools and was always somewhat reluctant to throw my dirty boxes and muddy crap into a truck I was making stupid payments on as one is as gentle with their first born. I digress. That truck is gone.
as I say I now live in Alaska. I felt that urge again for the Tonka Truck of my youth and recently bought a 90 Suburban in hopes of building my childhood dream rig with space to pack and power to haul. So I finally bought a 90 Suburban... Cheap. Should have known. Not more than two weeks later it threw a rod. When looked and test drove it, every warning light went off in my head, but I figured it would just be an easy fix and the "old man" was letting me get off easy.... Meh. We all make mistakes. My bad experience I hope will educate someone else: Always go with your first instinct. Lesson learned. Again. LOL.
so. I began my search again. I sold the busted saggy 90 K1500 and kept creeping.. Happened to wake up early the other day and saw someone had for sale a 91 Suburban and it looked rich. Yeah. Maybe I suckered again. But there was a much more positive feeling when I called the guy and he broke it all down:
91 Sub w/ 383 Stroker, 4" lift, TBI free (..that worries me still as I've never been good or had much luck with carbs..) 456 gears on the stocks and brand new 35" sneakers on 16" wheels... (..throw in the 6" "exhaust", and the body panel for the famous rear wheel well rust spot... Plus extra gaskets, fluids, the engine shop contact people, and a very thorough "don't hate you because you're asking questions I could go in to hours about, but I'm getting married and need to part with toys to afford it......."
Maybe I FUBAR'd again. But. That thing is a monster. I drove it for almost 45 minutes with him shouting specs over that "exhaust." Maybe dude was just a good salesman and I bought a lemon, but I haven't even picked the truck up yet and he's putting together the build specs and info in case I would want to go back to TBI or another route. I know the HP and rear won't stand up together for long if driven hard, but I thought this would be a good starting point to, hopefully, my expedition rig I've had wet dreams about for years. @ the price, I didn't think I could let it slip by so I made a deposit and will pick it up Friday.
anyway. I come here, quite in humble admiration, over previous builds in hopes of picking some brains and getting some opinion without too much sass for buying a non spec engine I can't just pick up the manual for. I wrench on my previous trucks and am a journeyman electrician from back east, but a built engine doesn't came printed from Haynes or Chilton and we all know everyone on the Interwebz is an expert so I hope to find a little balance here.
My first question is that the exhaust smells rich. He (..lets just call him Bob from now on...) thinks it's the Holly carb not mixing right. It is a SB and he wanted to go to some 4bbl... But he has this 6" exhaust going from headers to a glass pack, to a, maybe 6" pipe exiting about a foot forward of the rear wheels. My question is, if there isn't enough back pressure, would that not keep the fuel vapor in the combustion chamber for the full burn instead of resulting in a fuel soggy exhaust? The pistons are "cupped" to help that, he says, but my experience, as an electrician, says everything flows to the path of least resistance. But I am just an electrician and work with things with noted specs... What do you guys think?
The next question I have is about human amenities ... The throttle is uber stiff being he rigged up a throttle return spring combo/mount as there was no spot to mount one on the block from the carb. I have no issue with this other than creature comfort and have fabbed my way out of many situations with none for the worse other than "..yes. It's not spec and covered under warranty, but engineers are only human and don't always get into the field to install their own work. That's why they pay me to think outside of the box to an extent to get the job done...........and THEN we will have a discussion with those pesky engineers with their slide rules after the power is back on for half a million..." Of course, there lies the other lynch pin as one doesn't want to create a hazard, but that's another discussion for another day.
Speaking of amenities... Is there a way to get AC into the truck with this engine or some electrical add-on? This model came without and if the old lady and dog are doing Denali with me, I'm going to have to somehow get those items in to the truck. With JUST the 383 engine, it seems like I could cram an H1 in there and do donuts.. ..but then there is the whole rest of the rig's footprint to consider. The heater in the back of the previous money pit that blew up seemed like a good idea and I wonder if I can get a junker unit for the rear or did it create heat like a heat pump and just run the AC "backwards"?
I guess this is my introduction to the Expedition portal, but as a recent transplant to Alaska I've lost all my "good 'ole boys' shops" and contacts and where I live, I'm having problems making contacts like that again; parts are plentiful buried in snow and in yards, but being there isn't easy access, everyone has a gun, and the cost of shipping, everyone holds on to their "junk" for that one day they *might* need that bolt. Wanna be my friend?
My goal isn't to tow a 9000# trailer,but something small like one of those old military trailers for a few parts and as a kitchen. I'm really feeling like a roof top popup when she's with me, but alone, I think an in-cab sleeping shelf would work fine. I'm pretty good with fab work, but the dang problem is my weakness with the important "go stuff." I don't want to do any hard wheeling, but want something that can get me in and out as AAA is just AA, but with too many drinks to pronounce it right when there is no cell service.
oh. Before anyone mentions it, I do realize the stock rear and front axle will probably blow up with this setup and they are second after getting the engine to run a bit leaner... He put a hydrogen injection system in and swears one can run 89 with it so that might be the first order of business as I've never heard that this was anything more than a scam,but he swears by it.
Anyway. Just wanted to thank everyone here in advance as this forum has kept me up many nights reading or dreaming and trying to figure to the little lady "..it's not crazy I just took out a million dollar life insurance policy on you, again; bought a single ticket to Burning Man; and all your Jello tastes like antifreeze... Now here, just stand in this galvanized tub of salt water and hold on to the leads from my megger."
Oh. I figure I should mention I would like to keep it a daily driver for the most part. She and I don't work too far from each other so carpooling isn't out of the question, but I enjoy the freedom of having my own wheels. I should also mention my wallet is not bottomless. I had hoped by buying something rebuilt like this that I was cutting a few corners I felt were important to begin with. [flame on and spank me if I screwed up]
anyway.. This is the forum that got me hell bent on a Toyota... Just loved them and the rigs that I saw built... Fast forward a few years and a move to Alaska and I just couldn't afford the payments to such a new rig so we had to part ways. Made me sad. I loved that truck; it got me everywhere and never gave me any lip. Alas that relationship is over and I have to start again.
I've always wanted a Tonka Truck with all the "fixings". I have also lusted the old neighbor's Suburban for the "my, god. Do you know how much STUFF I could haul in that?" I'm in construction and haul lots of tools and was always somewhat reluctant to throw my dirty boxes and muddy crap into a truck I was making stupid payments on as one is as gentle with their first born. I digress. That truck is gone.
as I say I now live in Alaska. I felt that urge again for the Tonka Truck of my youth and recently bought a 90 Suburban in hopes of building my childhood dream rig with space to pack and power to haul. So I finally bought a 90 Suburban... Cheap. Should have known. Not more than two weeks later it threw a rod. When looked and test drove it, every warning light went off in my head, but I figured it would just be an easy fix and the "old man" was letting me get off easy.... Meh. We all make mistakes. My bad experience I hope will educate someone else: Always go with your first instinct. Lesson learned. Again. LOL.
so. I began my search again. I sold the busted saggy 90 K1500 and kept creeping.. Happened to wake up early the other day and saw someone had for sale a 91 Suburban and it looked rich. Yeah. Maybe I suckered again. But there was a much more positive feeling when I called the guy and he broke it all down:
91 Sub w/ 383 Stroker, 4" lift, TBI free (..that worries me still as I've never been good or had much luck with carbs..) 456 gears on the stocks and brand new 35" sneakers on 16" wheels... (..throw in the 6" "exhaust", and the body panel for the famous rear wheel well rust spot... Plus extra gaskets, fluids, the engine shop contact people, and a very thorough "don't hate you because you're asking questions I could go in to hours about, but I'm getting married and need to part with toys to afford it......."
Maybe I FUBAR'd again. But. That thing is a monster. I drove it for almost 45 minutes with him shouting specs over that "exhaust." Maybe dude was just a good salesman and I bought a lemon, but I haven't even picked the truck up yet and he's putting together the build specs and info in case I would want to go back to TBI or another route. I know the HP and rear won't stand up together for long if driven hard, but I thought this would be a good starting point to, hopefully, my expedition rig I've had wet dreams about for years. @ the price, I didn't think I could let it slip by so I made a deposit and will pick it up Friday.
anyway. I come here, quite in humble admiration, over previous builds in hopes of picking some brains and getting some opinion without too much sass for buying a non spec engine I can't just pick up the manual for. I wrench on my previous trucks and am a journeyman electrician from back east, but a built engine doesn't came printed from Haynes or Chilton and we all know everyone on the Interwebz is an expert so I hope to find a little balance here.
My first question is that the exhaust smells rich. He (..lets just call him Bob from now on...) thinks it's the Holly carb not mixing right. It is a SB and he wanted to go to some 4bbl... But he has this 6" exhaust going from headers to a glass pack, to a, maybe 6" pipe exiting about a foot forward of the rear wheels. My question is, if there isn't enough back pressure, would that not keep the fuel vapor in the combustion chamber for the full burn instead of resulting in a fuel soggy exhaust? The pistons are "cupped" to help that, he says, but my experience, as an electrician, says everything flows to the path of least resistance. But I am just an electrician and work with things with noted specs... What do you guys think?
The next question I have is about human amenities ... The throttle is uber stiff being he rigged up a throttle return spring combo/mount as there was no spot to mount one on the block from the carb. I have no issue with this other than creature comfort and have fabbed my way out of many situations with none for the worse other than "..yes. It's not spec and covered under warranty, but engineers are only human and don't always get into the field to install their own work. That's why they pay me to think outside of the box to an extent to get the job done...........and THEN we will have a discussion with those pesky engineers with their slide rules after the power is back on for half a million..." Of course, there lies the other lynch pin as one doesn't want to create a hazard, but that's another discussion for another day.
Speaking of amenities... Is there a way to get AC into the truck with this engine or some electrical add-on? This model came without and if the old lady and dog are doing Denali with me, I'm going to have to somehow get those items in to the truck. With JUST the 383 engine, it seems like I could cram an H1 in there and do donuts.. ..but then there is the whole rest of the rig's footprint to consider. The heater in the back of the previous money pit that blew up seemed like a good idea and I wonder if I can get a junker unit for the rear or did it create heat like a heat pump and just run the AC "backwards"?
I guess this is my introduction to the Expedition portal, but as a recent transplant to Alaska I've lost all my "good 'ole boys' shops" and contacts and where I live, I'm having problems making contacts like that again; parts are plentiful buried in snow and in yards, but being there isn't easy access, everyone has a gun, and the cost of shipping, everyone holds on to their "junk" for that one day they *might* need that bolt. Wanna be my friend?
My goal isn't to tow a 9000# trailer,but something small like one of those old military trailers for a few parts and as a kitchen. I'm really feeling like a roof top popup when she's with me, but alone, I think an in-cab sleeping shelf would work fine. I'm pretty good with fab work, but the dang problem is my weakness with the important "go stuff." I don't want to do any hard wheeling, but want something that can get me in and out as AAA is just AA, but with too many drinks to pronounce it right when there is no cell service.
oh. Before anyone mentions it, I do realize the stock rear and front axle will probably blow up with this setup and they are second after getting the engine to run a bit leaner... He put a hydrogen injection system in and swears one can run 89 with it so that might be the first order of business as I've never heard that this was anything more than a scam,but he swears by it.
Anyway. Just wanted to thank everyone here in advance as this forum has kept me up many nights reading or dreaming and trying to figure to the little lady "..it's not crazy I just took out a million dollar life insurance policy on you, again; bought a single ticket to Burning Man; and all your Jello tastes like antifreeze... Now here, just stand in this galvanized tub of salt water and hold on to the leads from my megger."
Oh. I figure I should mention I would like to keep it a daily driver for the most part. She and I don't work too far from each other so carpooling isn't out of the question, but I enjoy the freedom of having my own wheels. I should also mention my wallet is not bottomless. I had hoped by buying something rebuilt like this that I was cutting a few corners I felt were important to begin with. [flame on and spank me if I screwed up]
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