1951 Chev Suburban Preservation

[m1010plowboy]

This truck has been outside for most of it's life and tonight it's in my shop for
preservation and retirement.

It belongs to the family of my brothers girlfriend and I asked if we could save it from it's home in a field.

Their history with it goes back over 4 decades when it was used as a daily
driver. It's role prior to that is still a mystery.

If someone can shed some light on the data plates or have some experience with the truck I'd appreciate hearing about it.

We're going to get pics of it's use by the family when it was new, to them.

Really curious about it's previous status as a 'Steel Soldier'. Found a few pics in civilian mode.
1936 to 2010 Chevrolet Suburban
[SIZE=-1]1951 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN FACTS
Body style..............................................................Two-door with tailgate or "barn doors"
Wheelbase..............................................................116 inches
Engine...................................................................216.5-cubic-inch (3.8L) I-6
Horsepower............................................................92 at 3,400 rpm
Torque...................................................................176 lb.-ft. at 1,000-2,000 rpm
Transmission...........................................................Three-speed manual
Curb weight (approx.)..............................................3,640 pounds[/SIZE]

 

[SouthernSteel]

I love that Suburban.Im a fan i have owned several newer 73-91 suburbans but i love seeing an older one rescued way to go and good luck with it. :] Wow that suburban was manufactured on the 26th of sept 1951.One day after my birthday i was Born on Sep 25th 27 years after thats so awesome.Now i know why im partial to chevys :]

 

[m1010plowboy]

""""""""""Wow that suburban was manufactured on the 26th of sept 1951.One day after my birthday i was Born on Sep 25th 27 years after thats so awesome."""""""""

The numbers are interesting Southern, 'Happy Birthday', Party time comin'. I hear all great people were born in September.

Here's a good one......The chassis number on the data plate is 19963.......My birthday is tomorrow, so my chassis number is September 19 in the year 1964, yup....19964, it's meant to be.

We hit the engine with simple green and washed 30 years of dirt off. Found the DEME and Rebuild Engine tags. Pulled the valve cover off and see a lot of similarity between the 51' block and the 302 in the 56' M135.

Found a great impact hammer for removing screws without screwing them up. As you hammer on the end of the handle it sets the driver so there's a smaller chance of damaging the slots. It starts to slowly rotate as you smack on it and Dad's lesson of screwing it back in, then backing it off....in a little, out a little and so on until the first rusty screws came out of the door panel in good shape.

Should be done soon.

 

[m1010plowboy]

1951 Suburban

Digital cameras are great for hidden places.

A picture inside the passenger door shows a little age but it's not in bad shape.

3 or 4 layers of paint are poking through with black, brown, semi gloss OD and whatever OD is on top. The green under the hood is in such great shape, it looks original.

After beating on a 6x6 for 2 years, this looks easy.

 

[Beerslayer]

Wow, great find!

Start with a jump?

 

[onegmjack]

Like to see the old rare Chevys.Remember seeing them when I was a kid,not many left.Can't wait to see you bring it back to life.

 

[Stan Leschert]

I saw what you did with the M135, this one is a wee bit rarer.

You and crew will do your usual outstanding job. If you get stuck, Rollie the Goalie ... and Super Dave will get you back on track.

You have enough skill, and more than enough local resources to do this one!

I am waiting for more pics on this thread!

Do a post on http://www.mapleleafup.net/ because I think that we have 1 or 2 members who could still remember the initial issue of these. If not, we have a bunch of CDN Vets who would love to see it!

I am thinking that this was LDSH or Frot Garry Horse.
Either way, it was a base contract vehicle, which deserves a restore.

 

[m1010plowboy]

1951 Suburban

The truck was driven to it's parking spot sometime in the last 3 decades and would probably start with a jump. Prior to firing or even trying to turn it over everything will be removed, purged, cleaned, blown out, lubed, juiced, replaced, measured and weighed. The least we'll do is new fuel system, oil and air prior to turning the key.

We even started with 'extreme graphite' in the door handles, locks, hinges and anything that moved, before we moved it.

The speedo reads 05794 so it's a guess if she went over 10000.

Pulled a little loose bondo off the inside drivers panel to expose the air conditioning.

The single Left rear light is powered only when the door is closed with the 'open to the public' contact points above the bottom hinge. The right one might need some wiring alterations but originally the KIS principle was used by running the wires through the back door and leaving slack for opening. Keep It Simple.

Owner has chosen green as the new color, .....it's a good day.

 

[m1010plowboy]

1951 Suburban

A few exterior shots

 

[trucknut]

Your photos bring back memories, as I had a 1953 sub that came out of CFB Shilo. My impression was they were used as a general utility vehicle. In the eirghties the parts were easy to come by. The torgue tube is a bit strange and you should upgrade to a 55 or newer 236 with the pressure oiling system.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

September 19th, 2012.

Most of them earned the nickname "Gutbuster" quite fully, and you wonder how those trucks evolved into the soccer mom ride of choice of today. Even into the early 1970's you almost never saw suburbans as anything but tradesmen's or contractors trucks, almost no one else other then the Army and the Air Force ever had any use for them.
Good luck on the restoration, it is abit rarer then an M35 or M135!

Sept.23rd, 2012.

Me, I'd probably bust the chops as you say, on most of those crew cabbed pickups I do see in suburbia, because very few of them do enough work to damage the inside of the bed. By definition, a truck is a working vehicle, not a car with a bed. In europe they have trouble conceiving of pick up trucks, as they are thought of as incomplete cars....

Part of the problem with fuel price is that there are too many big blocked trucks that aren't really needed but run on the road for show....
Mine all work to earn their keep.

 

[Tanner]

Nice find!

It's easy to understand how 'burbs evolved into family vehicles these past 15-20 years. People had a want/need for a 'large family station wagon' that the Detroit car manufacturers ceased building ~ 1996 (Buick Roadmaster/Chevy Impala wagon/etc). The Suburban fit their requirements for a family car/truck/tow vehicle, something a Prius/Leaf/VOLT/etc can't do.

Interesting to me that no one busts Sally Soccer Mom's chops if she drives a Chevy/Ford/Dodge pickup (std cab/Extended Cab/Crew cab), but she catches flack for drive the same basic vehicle with a 'station wagon' body on it...

Back to the OP - will this be a full restoration back to original 1951 status?

'Tanner'

 

[m1010plowboy]

1951 da burb

Tanner, there's a few family members that are involved and a 'plan' will be coming from them sometime soon...I hope.

For now it's a tear down and evaluate. I believe we will agree on all original restoration including the "pre-oiler" engine which is supposed to have lots of life in it.

Talk of frame off, chassis up-grade, 350 was passed around but I just got a feeling that if nothin's broke, we won't fix it. Strip, blast, prime, paint, drive.


OR.......we could make a bed with it.

 

[SouthernSteel]

Hahaha,or a couch lol.Nice pictures and i have to say im very impressed im so glad the old iron is gonna get a second life.But as a classic hotrod lover.If the suburban is to be drivin the drive train defintely needs to be upgraded.Good thing is newer brothers and sisters are very plentiful you could rob the drive train out of one and have an awesome looking 1951 chevy suburban with a little pep.:] Good luck and plowboy thanks for the early birthday wishes my friend.

 

[gpcpilot]

Very cool to own a piece of history like that.