On Saturday I brought home a 1983 Suburban K20, which I got for a song and a dance. It’s not perfect, but I think it can end up being the perfect vehicle for my family and I.
I’ve been searching for an older Suburban for a while, and I had a few things on my wish list.
1) Manual locks and windows (I can’t stand power window failures)
2) Barn doors
3) 350 engine
4) Manual Transmission
5) Front and rear bench seats
This new vehicle checks all of those boxes, which I honestly never expected to do at a reasonable cost. With that said, there are a few issues with the vehicle that need to be addressed. But first, a little background.
My family and I live in North Carolina. We have four kids that are eight and under, so we really needed a bigger vehicle. We love to go hiking/camping/backpacking, so having a vehicle that matches our hobbies will be a great addition.
I personally do not have much of a mechanical background. I’ve done my own oil changes in my truck, have replaced my brakes, replaced a radiator in my old jeep, but that’s about it. As part of my research into vehicles, I learned that the Chevy 350 was one of the simplest (and cheapest) engines to work on, and this works perfectly into my experience level. Couple that with the fact that, outside of the power steering, there are no “power” components to this truck, and it’s a perfect match. My plan is to dive into the engine, using this as a way to learn about how it works, and more importantly, how to fix it. This is where the internet, and possibly a helping hand or two will come in.
The Suburban started its life as a State Park vehicle in Idaho. The previous owners friend bought it from them, and he sold it to the previous owner when he moved out here to North Carolina. At some point during its life, the truck got a rather crude paint job, which will eventually be fixed.
The inside of the truck hasn’t seen a vacuum, much less a carpet cleaner, in a very long time. The front bench has a seat cover that I’m afraid to see what’s underneath, and the rear bench is folded down on the driver’s side, I assume to keep the back of the driver’s seat upright. The dash is cracked, but I expect that from a 30 year old truck.
The rest of the interior is full of spare parts, including a small brush guard. It does not have a third row, and this was on the wife’s wish list. Perhaps I’ll add a jump seat in the back, although I do love the extra space it gives us.
There is one spot of rust that has gone through the floorboards. Body work was one of my biggest fears in a truck. I have little mechanical experience, but I have ZERO body work experience. However I am a realist, and I know that I would have to deal with some rust unless I really wanted to break open the piggy bank. Aside from this spot, there is only minor surface rust.
Another thing that I’m not really sure about is the transmission. I didn’t realize it right away, but this truck has a granny gear. I have no experience with a vehicle with a low gear like this, so it will take some time getting used to it. What I thought was a 4 speed manual is essentially a 3 speed manual. I’m unsure how this will do for us when we eventually move out west. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
The engine starts up fine and seems to run pretty well. I drove this from Fort Mill South Carolina to Huntersville North Carolina with no issue. There is no tach and the speedometer doesn’t work. Being a three speed and not sure how it is geared, I was unsure of how hard I was pushing the engine on the highway.
It does come with dual batteries already setup, which is nice as I eventually wanted to go that route anyway. Plus this engine bay has TONS of space.
That’s not to say it is without problems.
The previous owner did tell me of an oil leak, so I’ll need to find it and fix it. That is my first real dive into the engine. Here’s the stain on the driveway after about 24 hours.
As for my plan of attack, I think I have come up with a realistic, smart, and responsible order to do things. The best part of building an expedition vehicle is adding on all of the “fun stuff” like suspension, sleeping arrangements, cook space, etc. As much as I’d like to dive right into that stuff, I need to get the truck running for daily use first. Fixing the oil leak is the first concern.
Second, the engine backfires when the RPM’s return to idle. It’s quite loud and scared the dog and child that accompanied me on bringing the truck home, not to mention any surrounding vehicles. The previous owner said that this was due to it needing a new exhaust. I don’t know enough to say whether this is true or not, so I’ll need to do some research on that.
The odometer does not work, so I have no idea how many miles are on the actual engine. With that said, I am trying to figure out the best course of action. My options are A) replace all of the gaskets/filters/fluids/spark plugs, B) Engine rebuild kit, C) replace engine.
I could probably do A by myself, but it obviously is not the most thorough. B and C could only be done with assistance, but I would learn the most about the engine and how to repair it, and theoretically would be the best option for giving me a reliable engine. I’m just not sure if it’s necessary or not. Thoughts?
I’ve been searching for an older Suburban for a while, and I had a few things on my wish list.
1) Manual locks and windows (I can’t stand power window failures)
2) Barn doors
3) 350 engine
4) Manual Transmission
5) Front and rear bench seats
This new vehicle checks all of those boxes, which I honestly never expected to do at a reasonable cost. With that said, there are a few issues with the vehicle that need to be addressed. But first, a little background.
My family and I live in North Carolina. We have four kids that are eight and under, so we really needed a bigger vehicle. We love to go hiking/camping/backpacking, so having a vehicle that matches our hobbies will be a great addition.
I personally do not have much of a mechanical background. I’ve done my own oil changes in my truck, have replaced my brakes, replaced a radiator in my old jeep, but that’s about it. As part of my research into vehicles, I learned that the Chevy 350 was one of the simplest (and cheapest) engines to work on, and this works perfectly into my experience level. Couple that with the fact that, outside of the power steering, there are no “power” components to this truck, and it’s a perfect match. My plan is to dive into the engine, using this as a way to learn about how it works, and more importantly, how to fix it. This is where the internet, and possibly a helping hand or two will come in.
The Suburban started its life as a State Park vehicle in Idaho. The previous owners friend bought it from them, and he sold it to the previous owner when he moved out here to North Carolina. At some point during its life, the truck got a rather crude paint job, which will eventually be fixed.
The inside of the truck hasn’t seen a vacuum, much less a carpet cleaner, in a very long time. The front bench has a seat cover that I’m afraid to see what’s underneath, and the rear bench is folded down on the driver’s side, I assume to keep the back of the driver’s seat upright. The dash is cracked, but I expect that from a 30 year old truck.
The rest of the interior is full of spare parts, including a small brush guard. It does not have a third row, and this was on the wife’s wish list. Perhaps I’ll add a jump seat in the back, although I do love the extra space it gives us.
There is one spot of rust that has gone through the floorboards. Body work was one of my biggest fears in a truck. I have little mechanical experience, but I have ZERO body work experience. However I am a realist, and I know that I would have to deal with some rust unless I really wanted to break open the piggy bank. Aside from this spot, there is only minor surface rust.
Another thing that I’m not really sure about is the transmission. I didn’t realize it right away, but this truck has a granny gear. I have no experience with a vehicle with a low gear like this, so it will take some time getting used to it. What I thought was a 4 speed manual is essentially a 3 speed manual. I’m unsure how this will do for us when we eventually move out west. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
The engine starts up fine and seems to run pretty well. I drove this from Fort Mill South Carolina to Huntersville North Carolina with no issue. There is no tach and the speedometer doesn’t work. Being a three speed and not sure how it is geared, I was unsure of how hard I was pushing the engine on the highway.
It does come with dual batteries already setup, which is nice as I eventually wanted to go that route anyway. Plus this engine bay has TONS of space.
That’s not to say it is without problems.
The previous owner did tell me of an oil leak, so I’ll need to find it and fix it. That is my first real dive into the engine. Here’s the stain on the driveway after about 24 hours.
As for my plan of attack, I think I have come up with a realistic, smart, and responsible order to do things. The best part of building an expedition vehicle is adding on all of the “fun stuff” like suspension, sleeping arrangements, cook space, etc. As much as I’d like to dive right into that stuff, I need to get the truck running for daily use first. Fixing the oil leak is the first concern.
Second, the engine backfires when the RPM’s return to idle. It’s quite loud and scared the dog and child that accompanied me on bringing the truck home, not to mention any surrounding vehicles. The previous owner said that this was due to it needing a new exhaust. I don’t know enough to say whether this is true or not, so I’ll need to do some research on that.
The odometer does not work, so I have no idea how many miles are on the actual engine. With that said, I am trying to figure out the best course of action. My options are A) replace all of the gaskets/filters/fluids/spark plugs, B) Engine rebuild kit, C) replace engine.
I could probably do A by myself, but it obviously is not the most thorough. B and C could only be done with assistance, but I would learn the most about the engine and how to repair it, and theoretically would be the best option for giving me a reliable engine. I’m just not sure if it’s necessary or not. Thoughts?
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