Post your "burbs" for my brother Paul
- Thread starter matt s
- Start date
Desert Dan
Explorer
dbreid - Nice Rig
Let see some pictures of the inside.
does the bed fit behind the back seat?
Let see some pictures of the inside.
does the bed fit behind the back seat?
dbreid
Adventurer
Dang. I dunno about a fan club, but I appreciate the comments. Firstly, some specs.
1989 V2500
Serpentine Belt 350/TH400/NP241
35" XTerrains on 4.10 gears
3-4" lift (depends where you really measure)
Warn 12,000 Winch up front
Front and Rear bumpers built custom by Kert at www.diy4x.com. If you have never worked with him, you should. He is the best welder I have even heard of.
Now, my girlfriend Grace and I do a lot of "expeditions". I put that in quotes because sometimes this means going to Yosemite for a long weekend, and sometimes that means living in the truck for 2 weeks at a time doing roadtrips across the country. We needed to build a rig that dealt with several important "facts."
1.) She is a phenomenal photographer, and often likes to get up early to see the sun rise.
2.) We are both lazy. If we have to plan for a camping trip any sooner than about an hour before we go, we often don't.
3.) Setting up and taking things down sucks. Rolling sleeping bags sucks. infalting air mattresses sucks.
4.) For maximum flexibility, we needed whatever we had to fit into a normal parking spot, be capable offroad, and to allow one of use to sleep (REALLY sleep, not sleep in the passenger seat) while the other drove. Oh, and it needed to be completely enclosed from weather, thieves, bears, etc.
So we took the Suburban and I took all the easts out and built a sleeping platform in the back for a double bed. We bought a mattress at IKEA (they are flexible and comfy) and it actually fits with the middle row of seats "up". But we never really travelled with others, so I took out the middle row as well and built another modular platform with a spot for the Fridge (Norcold/Engel) etc.
The hot water shower is a heat exchanger deal I mounted in the engine bay. 12v pump and a shower enclosure, and you are good to go.
Lemme see about some pictures.
1989 V2500
Serpentine Belt 350/TH400/NP241
35" XTerrains on 4.10 gears
3-4" lift (depends where you really measure)
Warn 12,000 Winch up front
Front and Rear bumpers built custom by Kert at www.diy4x.com. If you have never worked with him, you should. He is the best welder I have even heard of.
Now, my girlfriend Grace and I do a lot of "expeditions". I put that in quotes because sometimes this means going to Yosemite for a long weekend, and sometimes that means living in the truck for 2 weeks at a time doing roadtrips across the country. We needed to build a rig that dealt with several important "facts."
1.) She is a phenomenal photographer, and often likes to get up early to see the sun rise.
2.) We are both lazy. If we have to plan for a camping trip any sooner than about an hour before we go, we often don't.
3.) Setting up and taking things down sucks. Rolling sleeping bags sucks. infalting air mattresses sucks.
4.) For maximum flexibility, we needed whatever we had to fit into a normal parking spot, be capable offroad, and to allow one of use to sleep (REALLY sleep, not sleep in the passenger seat) while the other drove. Oh, and it needed to be completely enclosed from weather, thieves, bears, etc.
So we took the Suburban and I took all the easts out and built a sleeping platform in the back for a double bed. We bought a mattress at IKEA (they are flexible and comfy) and it actually fits with the middle row of seats "up". But we never really travelled with others, so I took out the middle row as well and built another modular platform with a spot for the Fridge (Norcold/Engel) etc.
The hot water shower is a heat exchanger deal I mounted in the engine bay. 12v pump and a shower enclosure, and you are good to go.
Lemme see about some pictures.
dbreid
Adventurer
Here's a link to my thread on the initial build of the platform (the rear one):
http://www.reid.org/~dreid/89suburban/platform/platform.htm
Here's a link to the side box I made.
http://www.reid.org/~dreid/89suburban/box/box.htm
The cargo box was originally kind of a prototype (hence the weird construction), but it fit well, so I just went with it...
I don't think I have any current pictures with the middle platform in full battle dress. I'll have to look for them.
http://www.reid.org/~dreid/89suburban/platform/platform.htm
Here's a link to the side box I made.
http://www.reid.org/~dreid/89suburban/box/box.htm
The cargo box was originally kind of a prototype (hence the weird construction), but it fit well, so I just went with it...
I don't think I have any current pictures with the middle platform in full battle dress. I'll have to look for them.
cowboy63645
Adventurer
very nice work, looks like a great burban!! When you put in your electrical, did you add a second battery to run it off of, or do you have it all hooked to a inverter of some sort?
dbreid
Adventurer
I have dual batteries with a switch (in cab) and an isolator. I also have inverters, but most stuff runs on 12volts. I don't even use a microwave at home... no need for one in the truck.
I like this truck a lot better than either an RV or a pop-up tent on the back, and certainly more than a trailer.
Except for the possible width issue (which isn't that big a deal, because I have done the Rubicon and the Dusy Ershim and a bunch of other "SWB" trails in my fullsize K30 with the same width as the burban), this truck will go any place you want it to. It doesn't get great mileage (I need a gear vendors), but it will tow the gates off of hell, and I can sleep equally well in a truck stop parking lot, the middle of nowhere, a campground, or a WalMart parking lot.
And there is ZERO setup and breakdown time. Here's how morning work.
1.) Alarm goes off. (5 seconds to turn it off)
2.) I sit up. It is "too early"
3.) I pull the reflector from the rear window, and crawl into the front seat, still in my underwear. (about 30 seconds has passed, because I am usually slow).
4.) I take down the front reflector, and fire up the truck. (another 10 seconds)
5.) I drive away and head to where I want to take pictures.
So when I said ZERO, I guess I really mean "If I can't break camp in less time than I can hold my breath, it takes too long"
This also helps with bears (nothing ever left out), bugs (no bugs, sealed up), and cold (no need to get out of the truck if it is cold... just start sleeping!)
I thought about something with a rooftop tent, but I said "Why? Tents, and how lame they are to set up is one of the main reasons I don't camp as much as I want already. And you want to bolt one to the ROOF? Riiight."
Just my .02, of course. Oh, and this truck basically is just used for roadtrips and weekend stuff. I don't commute in it, and it is always, 100% of the time, ready to go. The preparation to leave for a trip involves:
1.) Put in a bag of clothes (we keep some in the truck too, but it is nice to bring stuff you like)
2.) Drive away and stop at the grocery store for perishables on the way.
That's pretty much it.
-Dan
I like this truck a lot better than either an RV or a pop-up tent on the back, and certainly more than a trailer.
Except for the possible width issue (which isn't that big a deal, because I have done the Rubicon and the Dusy Ershim and a bunch of other "SWB" trails in my fullsize K30 with the same width as the burban), this truck will go any place you want it to. It doesn't get great mileage (I need a gear vendors), but it will tow the gates off of hell, and I can sleep equally well in a truck stop parking lot, the middle of nowhere, a campground, or a WalMart parking lot.
And there is ZERO setup and breakdown time. Here's how morning work.
1.) Alarm goes off. (5 seconds to turn it off)
2.) I sit up. It is "too early"
3.) I pull the reflector from the rear window, and crawl into the front seat, still in my underwear. (about 30 seconds has passed, because I am usually slow).
4.) I take down the front reflector, and fire up the truck. (another 10 seconds)
5.) I drive away and head to where I want to take pictures.
So when I said ZERO, I guess I really mean "If I can't break camp in less time than I can hold my breath, it takes too long"
This also helps with bears (nothing ever left out), bugs (no bugs, sealed up), and cold (no need to get out of the truck if it is cold... just start sleeping!)
I thought about something with a rooftop tent, but I said "Why? Tents, and how lame they are to set up is one of the main reasons I don't camp as much as I want already. And you want to bolt one to the ROOF? Riiight."
Just my .02, of course. Oh, and this truck basically is just used for roadtrips and weekend stuff. I don't commute in it, and it is always, 100% of the time, ready to go. The preparation to leave for a trip involves:
1.) Put in a bag of clothes (we keep some in the truck too, but it is nice to bring stuff you like)
2.) Drive away and stop at the grocery store for perishables on the way.
That's pretty much it.
-Dan
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cowboy63645
Adventurer
very nice...looks like I need to talk the wife into getting a suburban lol:victory:
roostercruiser
Adventurer
i got more idea for my truck. i can make a portable slide in and out:jump:
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
At just short of 6 feet tall I can sleep in the back of my '91 Sub without needing to fold the middle seats down, though I will be at a slight angle. I usually fold the right side single seat down for easier access, but if my head is at the rear I don't need it for length. If my head is at the front then the tilt of the seat back makes it awkward without at least folding the seat back partly forwards or putting my head in the zone of the single seat.
dbreid
Adventurer
Yeah, I can take mine out in pieces if needed. So I can, with about 30 minutes of work, go back to a normal 9 passenger truck.
FourByLand
Expedition Leader
From the internet.
Sport-Trac 01
Adventurer
From the internet.
The SUPERBURB!!
Sorry, I had to...
Sweet Suburbans on this thread, I might try to find some of the pics of the '77 my dad put together to wheel.