Racing in the Detroit Gambler 500 last month was the most fun I've had on and offroad so I decided to build my own Gambler rig and at the same time get back into wheeling and camping with a street legal vehicle. I'm forever done with post-1970 Chrysler/Jeep/AMC/Renault bullshit so I wanted a GM product. I debated going with a S10 blazer, K5 blazer, or a Suburban and... Suburban won. I saw this one in Washington, PA. Guy lost the keys and couldn't let me hear it run so I took a little gamble and paid $800 for it. I got it home this past weekend and swapped the ignition cylinder. Sounds like a good motor but just needs a tune up so I have a pile of parts coming from Rock Auto.
1990 Suburban 1500, TBI 350 (208k miles), auto trans, NP241C, half ton axles. Mostly unmolested/unaltered. I'm told the body was brought up from down south a few years ago. The rusted out rear wheel wells and one rusted rocker make that pretty meaningless but the chassis is pretty clean.
Plans are:
-Get everything running and adjusted properly. Engine, trans, fluids, brakes, power windows, stereo, heater, tailgate latches, wiring, etc. all need some love.
-Swap in half ton axles with 4.56 gears and rear locker that I have a line on.
-I want to run 35's or 36's with as little lift as possible and hack the fenders. Maybe a shackle flip in the rear and add a leaf in the front if needed. Def want to avoid the land of big dumb trucks that don't flex.
-Fabricate front and rear hitch receiver points for a winch. Front may only get a hitch receiver inside the factory bumper. Not sure I want to go full cow catcher. I'm planning on making a rear bumper and tire carrier that holds two spares. I have a design in mind that will swing open like barn doors with a tire on each side.
-Needs a roof basket I think. I'd really like to find a school bus at a junk yard and pull the emergency roof hatches and put them on this rig. Anyone know where I can find some?
-Swap front bench seat for bucket seats. Pull carpet, headliner, and third row bench.