Project “Polar Bear”: 1989 V2500 Suburban

[Larry]

Looks great Larry. You should name it Simon. Every time i hear the word Power Wagon, i think of the old Simon and Simon TV show!!

Yes! The 2017/18 decals are totally Simon and Simon. Best looking PW decal package since the 70's

For some reason, these pics wouldn't link up in the last post. Not too sure I like this new forum format they moved to around here.

The Suburban approves of the new kid.

A manual transfercase and 6 cup holders, doesn't get much better than that! It is amazing how many storage cubbies RAM was able to squeeze in this thing. Its going to be easy to lose things in here

 

[Nosferatu49534]

Manual tranfercase???? What's that? Lol.
I do like them better. something about the reassuring action of the stick that its actually in 4x4.

 

[AlexCold]

Awesome purchase! I was looking at these really hard before deciding the ZR2 was what I wanted. Ram has really stepped up their game imo.

 

[chilliwak]

I hope you enjoy your new purchase Larry. It will be interesting to hear what you think after a few thousand klicks down the road. Interesting what you state about the new motor having way more power than its previous version. I did not think that the Power Wagon lacked power in the old version. I drove a new Hemi version 4x4 a couple years ago and it was like driving a race car. Congratulations on the adition to your fleet and keep us updated on your experiences. We miss your input here on the forum. Cheers, Chilli...

 

[MTCK]

Cool! Would be fun to run some trails back to back with that and one of your squares to compare old and new. Going to do any mods? I’ve been intrigued with that 6.4 since it came out.

 

[Larry]

I hope you enjoy your new purchase Larry. It will be interesting to hear what you think after a few thousand klicks down the road. Interesting what you state about the new motor having way more power than its previous version. I did not think that the Power Wagon lacked power in the old version. I drove a new Hemi version 4x4 a couple years ago and it was like driving a race car. Congratulations on the adition to your fleet and keep us updated on your experiences. We miss your input here on the forum. Cheers, Chilli...

Thanks Chili! I miss hanging out in the forums here as well. Life has just gotten crazy busy once our little one showed up almost 5 years ago.

Cool! Would be fun to run some trails back to back with that and one of your squares to compare old and new. Going to do any mods? I’ve been intrigued with that 6.4 since it came out.

For sure! I’m anxious to put it through the paces as well. Probably won’t have much time to give it a good test drive until later in the summer. Got long laundry list of things to do to the K10 in preparation for are annual desert trip coming up the first week of June. Don’t have any mods line up for it anytime too soon other than a topper and eventually sliders.

One of my buddies took his new 2016 Power Wagon on our Desert Trip last year and it did amazing for such a large truck on the Devil’s Racetrack in the San Rafael Swell. He has added some sliders since then though…..for good reason

 

[chilliwak]

Your truck looks awesome in the desert Larry. You look like you clear those rocks without a problem. I can understand why your friend with the Dodge has sliders now. Have you ever found the need for sliders on your truck Larry?

 

[Larry]

Your truck looks awesome in the desert Larry. You look like you clear those rocks without a problem. I can understand why your friend with the Dodge has sliders now. Have you ever found the need for sliders on your truck Larry?

Oh yes! There have been a few times the blue truck could have used sliders. The driver’s rocker has some rash on it from a few hits over the years but the Rhino Liner hides it well. The old trucks with side saddle fuel tanks are not easy to fit sliders though. Maybe one day it will get some. Too many other irons in the fire ahead of sliders though. LOL

 

[chilliwak]

I would love to see pics of carnage Larry! If thats ok? Cheers, Chilli...

 

[Larry]

I would love to see pics of carnage Larry! If thats ok? Cheers, Chilli...

Hehe, well here is the during of one of the dingers… This was about 2006 while doing some validation near my house of the freshly installed lockers it got at the time, Detroit rear and TrueTrac front (The TrueTrac’d D44 now lives in the Suburban and the K10 has ARB’s front and rear). If you look closely the driver’s rocker doesn’t line up to the front fender in many pictures of it but the flares help hide it well. The other side has got some rash too but I try to stay on top of it and keep pushing the bent and dented pinch weld out with a porta power. One day I’ll get some sliders....for all 3 rigs. Actually 4 rigs, I’m building a 1985 K5 as well but it is still in an embryo state and won’t get much attention for a while. Don't worry, I'll post pictures when it is time

And yes, the lockers allowed it to crawl through that off double off camber ditch with ease

This was a few years before the suspension became a lot more flexy

 

[Oilbrnr]

One of my buddies took his new 2016 Power Wagon on our Desert Trip last year and it did amazing for such a large truck on the Devil’s Racetrack in the San Rafael Swell. He has added some sliders since then though…..for good reason

Forgot I came that close. Was a pucker moment, but no carnage, and problem solved now with some White Knuckle sliders.

 

[Oilbrnr]

Found Larry's Senior YB pic. No wonder he wanted a PW.

 

[Larry]

Found Larry's Senior YB pic. No wonder he wanted a PW.

View attachment 446467

Yeah, me and my best pal from High School

 

[zoomad75]

Nice work Don! I'm pretty sure he's got a fleece-lined denim jacket hidden somewhere at his house he's been saving for this truck.

 

[Oilbrnr]

No doubt it has a distressed white rectangular mark on one of the pockets from the cig pack. Wonder how long it will be until he and Bill fab up a new front bumper. Err what happened to the Exxon wrecker?