4x4, 4spd -- All American Tow How - K10 3 Door Rare Collector Truck Mkt Gem on 2040-cars

1970 Chevy Suburban “Carryall”

The Suburban began life way back in 1935.  It was frequently marketed as the "Carryall" Suburban clear through 1972.   Since they are still being made and I believe that makes it the longest running model in automotive history.

The 2^nd generation C/K trucks (1967-72 model years) are revered by the collector market, arguably above all other comers.  No doubt this is owing to a very modern design for it’s time that turned out to be timeless in its simplicity.  However, the 127 inch wheel base was all business and practicality giving credence to the phrase “form follows function”.  And, what form it is, particularly in this unique 3 door outline.

What a beast.  With a granny gear and 4wd low, you could probably pull middle earth out of the ground with this truck!  Even though this series is given credit for a very early indication of the sport utility craze that would follow, this is not your average soccer mom truck.  4 wheel drive models in this series were built with heavy duty leaf springs.  Rugged, practical and reliable, but don’t expect to be floating on air!

You are bidding on a vehicle that has undergone an extensive restoration.  The goal was to provide a very presentable, useable work/farm truck.  It seems to have spent its entire life on the farm and certainly looks at home in that backdrop.  My seven year old son offered that it could “be the tent”.  You know, dad, just use the body and park it in the country and go camping.  The cubic feet of interior space inspired a pretty clever idea!

Exterior - Links to more Pics

The paint job during restoration was very thorough.  Windshield was removed and interior trimmed down prior to the job.  The body work was not done to a show quality, but again seems to be very thorough.  The roughest area is the driver’s rear corner.  There are a few imperfections in the paint near the taillight and the lower body panel could be straighter.  Not noticeable unless you really examine it (see pics), but I certainly wanted to point it out.

Link to all pics -- http://slickpic.us/505931N4AN

Link to slide show -- http://slickpic.us/505931N4AN?play

A careful eye will notice the front grill is not original to the model/year.  It is period correct and brand new.  The previous owner felt the integrated turn signal lights and rugged lines of this grill were the high water mark of design for the series.  He may just be right about that.

Not all Suburbans came with the “Barn Doors” in the rear.  I have always felt they suit the vehicle best.  During these years, a niche market was to equip them as ambulances.  The clever dual latch system and gigantic hinges (see pics link) allowed these doors to splay open fully making it possible to slide in a gurney.  In more common terms, it provides a pretty awesome opening to bring the outdoors in.

Also note the factory trim work inspired striping.  This model had only the lower side molding.  The originals come with the truck but are in pretty rough shape and may not be a complete set.  The striping ads a modest customization to this vehicle and really flows with the overall look – out to in.

Wheels – period correct rally wheels are fresh from metal blasting and powder coating.  The center caps are brand new.  The tires have use left in them, but are nothing special.  This is a good opportunity for the new owner to match rubber to the driving conditions of their environment and intended use.

Undercarriage and Engine Bay

The undercarriage and engine bay were treated to be brought to a condition as good if not better than new.  All trucks of this vintage provide plenty of room to work in the engine bay, but I haven’t seen many (unless they were show trucks) that allowed for this level of grease and grime free work.  Get out your white gloves!

The frame was painted during restoration and the undercarriage treated with undercoating.  It may not win in the show class, but you can feel a bit more comfortable plowing down a gravel road!  An argument could be made that restored classic trucks should all have this level of treatment if, they are to be driven.

Interior Highlights

The interior was fitted with black vinyl mats from front to rear.  Standard model trucks of this era had mats instead of carpets.  It not only suits the work nature of the vehicle, but seems more fitting than carpet if you are entering with a bit of mud on your boots, don’t you think?

The door panels are factory correct steel panels without vinyl covering.  The unique 3 door nature of this series means the rear door panels (remember the driver’s side rear is a faux door) are not available in reproduction parts and nearly impossible to find in any condition.  These were reworked and repainted and show some wear, but are original and separate this truck from quite a few restored suburban’s of the era.

Seats and rear panels – the seats do not appear to be original to the truck, but are period correct and have a practicality to them that suits it perfectly.  Front seats sit on a frame with a center console mounted to it.  It couldn’t capture rugged simplicity any better.  The rear seat latches release with clever handles (sees rear cargo & seat pics).  They could use a bit of adjustment, btw, but what a cool rugged design.  The overall mechanical simplicity of this truck makes it feel ready for anything.

The rear panels were custom made to match the design elements of the overall interior.  Like the door panels, these are unique to the Suburban and much rarer as a result.  These are brand new and look great in the truck.

The headliner has been with the truck for as long as any ownership can recall, but is not factory original.  It fits well and was just recovered by an upholstery shop.  The dome light was wired to the factory plug when installed, but may not be wired all the way to the fuse panel. 

Mechanicals

As you can probably tell from the engine bay pictures, nearly everything that bolts onto this engine is new.  It has a new brake booster (thank goodness these trucks have power steering and brakes), battery, alternator, voltage regulator, the list goes on.  It pulls like a beast.  The only issues I’ve noticed is the accelerator can get stuck on occasion.  It easily recovers when you feather the pedal.  Could be owing to the brand new rubber pedal, or it could be somewhere in the linkage.

Brakes were gone through completely.  Brand new hoses in the front and new cables in the rear for the parking brake were installed. New shoes were installed all the way around and other internal mechanicals replaced in the process (like wheel cylinders in the front).  With a truck of this girth, it’s certainly nice to know it stops well.  In fact, the new brake booster allows you to stop in a hurry.

There are a few wiring anomalies on this truck.  Rack that up to some farmer ingenuity along the way.  Depending on your intended use, it may not even need to be addressed.  Since it only sees occasional use, I disconnect the negative terminal when stored.  I had an electronics system check done by my mechanic (while getting brakes done).   All systems checked out fine, but I thought I’d mention it.  Fortunately, the cult like following for these trucks means everything needed to keep them on the road is readily available and very reasonably priced. 

The collector truck market is as hot as any segment with 1967-72 series at the front of the pack.  3 door Suburban’s are quite rare compared to trucks.  The 4spd 4wd drive is rarer still.  The market is showing its appreciation.  I believe collector trucks with strong following like these and the F series get an additional boost because they are so easy to keep on the road (or off as the case may be!).

Shipping, Bidding & Q&A

Shipping is the responsibility of the buyer, but I will help in any way I can.  I will certainly make it as easy as possible to load. 

The reserve price will be kept in confidence out of respect for the bidding process.  Simply respect the bidding process and pledge the amount you feel comfortable investing is a classic truck restored to this level of presentation and usability (or click "Buy it Now" and own it!).

I’ve tried to capture the vehicle very thoroughly through photos and my description.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.  My cell is (816) 786-7534.  Thanks for looking and good luck in your quest for a classic truck!