Mini Metals Classic Metal Works Gmc Greyhound Bus Review
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1948 GMC Suburban Carryall - One Of A Kind?
Ron Wright's Pristine '48 GMC Suburban Carryall
How do you attract attention at a street rod show? Uncomplicated, have a unique or unusual ride. If your entry is truly unique, you lot may even notice yourself chosen as a Top-Ten pick by the editors of CLASSIC TRUCKS. This was the position Ron Wright institute himself in when he wheeled his '48 GMC Suburban into the Goodyguys' Del Mar show on Apr 7, 2002. Winning awards is not new to this first-time architect, having clustered fourteen trophies in the last two years with the GMC. Nevertheless, this was the beginning time he was asked to motility his beautifully restored Jimmy within with all the big boys.
The classic truck bug bit Wright when he first saw a friend's '49 Chevy Panel Commitment. When his wife complained that she could not meet out of the back of the truck, he knew he needed to build a Suburban because information technology has windows all the way around. The trouble is, there are very few early Suburbans left out there. Chevrolet began making them in 1935. There are only two of those around today, 1 is in a museum, and the other is privately owned.
Wright constitute his original-condition Suburban in a ramshackle garage out in the sticks. The guy had 2 of them, one Chevy and one GMC. Since, he'd seen Chevys before, but never a GMC, he bought information technology. When registering his restored treasure at the DMV, they told him that he had what may perhaps be the simply '48 GMC Suburban in California. Chevrolet used the aforementioned truck platform from '48-52. The Suburban just differs from the Panel Delivery in the fact that it had windows. The differences betwixt the Chevrolet and the GMC are the hood, front fenders, and grille. From the forepart doors back, both makes are all the aforementioned. But the frontend is changed.
A horrible looking green originally covered the outside of Wright'southward ride. The military used Suburbans to transport personnel on the bases after the war. A 228-cube six-cylinder engine and a four-speed transmission were standard.
When Wright began his frame-off restoration, the body was in bad shape and had a big pigsty in the roof. He learned leading, a traditional technique, to repair the big hole correctly. The floorboard was almost gone. It had to be completely cut out and a new 1/eight-inch sheet was welded into place. It took him ii-and-a-one-half years to put information technology together. He did all the work himself except for the interior and the paint.
This was the first car Wright always built. Luckily, he had his friend'due south '49 Chevy as a model. The things he did not like on it he changed. He learned from his buddy's mistakes. People who have seen the truck and the pictures of it before the restoration say he must take been crazy to go through all the work he did to restore his hot rod.
Wright was meticulous when information technology came to restoring the exterior. He wanted it to await like information technology just came off the showroom floor-a resto expect with the heart of a lion. To attain this Ron chose a 375hp, fuel-injected LT1 350 pirated from a '94 Vette. With that kind of power, he knew the stock intermission would not do, so he went with the '89 Corvette IRS and '94 Corvette IFS. The new intermission really hugs the route. With all the Corvette parts, information technology would accept been easier for Wright to build a stock Corvette, but information technology would non have been equally fun or take turned as many heads.
The custom interior uses beige tweed material and camel colored leather on cutting-down buckets out of a '94 Tahoe. The second row bench seat is from a '96 Suburban. Beige tweed rug covers the interior including a storage area in the back that conceals all the waxes, cleaners, and polishers required to continue the vehicle in testify condition. The rear doors, headliner, and the underside of the hood are also covered in the same material.
When things are too hot inside the Suburban, Wright can turn on the front and/or rear air condition just like a regular Suburban. The two units and single compressor are from Vintage Air. The re-chromed dashboard is stock and really makes the Dakota Digital gauges catch your middle.
Having an old truck is good. Being unique is meliorate! When you are the only game in boondocks or perchance the but '48 GMC Suburban in the state, life is skilful.
Ron and Nelly Wright
Rowland Heights, California1948 GMC Suburban
CHASSIS | |
Frame / Manufacturer | Stock |
Modifications | custom crossmembers and intermission brackets |
Rearend / Ratio | '89 Corvette / three.73:1 |
Rear suspension | '89 Corvette fiber leaf spring |
Rear brakes | stock Corvette 12" disc power aid |
Front suspension | '94 Corvette contained A-arm |
Front end brakes | '94 Corvette disc, 12" |
Master cylinder | '94 Corvette |
Steering | '94 Corvette rack-and-pinion Chevy Astro Van |
Steering cavalcade | '94 Chevy Astro Van |
Front bike make, size | Boyd Coddington, 15x7 |
Rear wheel make, size | Boyd Coddington, 15x8 |
Front end tire make, size | Roadmaster, P215/60R15 |
Rear tire brand, size | Dunlop, P235/75R15 |
Gas tank | custom-made aluminum, 30 gal. |
Other chassis items | underside chassis and torso all powdercoated |
ENGINE | |
Year and make | '94 LT1 Corvette, mostly stock |
Displacement | 350 ci |
Camshaft | stock |
Cooling fan | electric Vintage Air |
Heads | stock |
Valve covers | stock |
Manifold / Consecration | '94 Corvette, fuel injection |
Ignition / Wires | stock / Delco |
Headers | Sanderson ceramic coated |
Frazzle / Mufflers | Flowmaster |
Manual | |
Yr and make | '94 4L60E electronic |
Converter | stock |
Trans mods | none |
Shifter | stock '92 Astro Van |
Trunk | |
Body fashion / Material | '48 Suburban / steel |
Trunk manufacturer | GMC |
Trunk mods | stock restoration |
Hood | underside is upholstered to match the interior |
Grille | re-chromed stock |
Bed | none |
Bodywork | restored |
Painter | Valley Wheel |
Paint type / Color | Acrylic Enamel two phase / '80 Corvette cream |
Pinstripping | Ron's Colour Works, Montclair, CA |
Headlights / Taillights | stock GMC/ tail is '48 Chevy |
Outside mirrors | stock GMC |
INTERIOR | |
Dashboard | stock, re-chromed |
Gauges | Dakota Digital electric |
Stereo / Speakers | Kenwood 10 CD changer, cassette deck, six speakers |
Air conditioning | Vintage Air, one compressor with two units forepart and back |
Wiring | Ron Francis kit |
Steering wheel | Lecarra |
Seats | '94 Tahoe cut downwards buckets, 2nd row demote '96 Suburban |
Upholsterer | Gabe'due south Interiors, Bloomington, CA |
Material / Color | Beige tweed over camel leather |
Carpet | Beige tweed |
Source: https://www.motortrend.com/features/0209ct-1948-gmc-suburban-carryall/
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