jags_ride

I'm picking up a 1991 Suburban on Monday. There's good and bad to this. I'm selling my 2000 Dodge Durango (which I LOVE) to get this truck. I have a large older camper that I can't pull with my Durango, and also this Suburban has a conversion van top on it. So it's like half truck, half van. It has four captain's chairs and the bench. The interior is so-so. It has the TV and VCR, but neither work. The original owner died, and the son sold the truck as part of the estate. The guy I'm getting it from is a mechanic. He took off all the peeling paint and coated the thing in bedliner. At first, this seemed like an awsome idea. However, it's peeling already some on the hood. It has a huge brushguard on the front which makes it look monster mean. It needs nerf bars put on, it needs a new radio (it doesn't have one in it right now). It does have new killer tires, new brakes, and has had a new transmission in the last couple years. It runs great from what I've seen and heard.
When I drove it, it seemed to be 'floating' some. I worried about that. When you brake, it goes to the right, but if you just let go of the wheel it drifts to the left. He's putting on new pitman arms and something else as he thinks this will solve the problem. It's in the contract that the float has to be fixed as well as the pull or I'm not buying it. OK... here's the HUGE issue. RUST!! Although it has a tow package, the entire underside of the truck is rusted pretty badly. I need to know if this is going to be a problem with towing my camper. If it's going to make it so I can't tow, I don't want to buy it. Part of the tail pipe (after the muffler) is missing...and I think it's due to rust. I don't mind working with that part (putting on dual exhaust sounds like a cool thing to do!) but I'm slightly worried now about the underside being too rusty to tow safely. My camper is about 5000 lbs. It's a 1500, which I was told was enough to tow my camper. I read that this truck can tow 10,000 lbs.

OK. One other question. I was told that Chevy made this truck a conversion. Is this true? I was told they only did like 1000 of these like this. I have to say I was stuck between a full size van (for the inside space) and a 4x4 larger truck for the towing. This is the best of both worlds. However, I'm selling my 2000 Durango for $4000 (and I just had $300 of work done to it... it's perfect), and I'm paying $4000 for this Suburban that needs things still done to it... the exhaust, the radio, some interior things, etc. Does this seem right? I looked on Kelly Blue Book, and my truck seems to be right about $4000, and the Suburban seems to be just a hair over $4000, but of course I couldn't find the option to put the conversion part in there for the Suburban. Even though it isn't working right now, I gave it some more money for having that on there. I do plan to get it fixed, but I'll have to find out how much it will cost me. It's not #1 on the priority list.

So what do you think about my questions and the switch over all?? Am I going to lose my shirt do you think? Is the guy with the Suburban feeding me a crock about the conversion? I did a search, but couldn't find anything about it. Thanks so much!!

73shark

Welcome to the forum. Personally I'd turn and run as fast as I could.

Float could be shocks and possibly weak springs. Pulling could be brakes. The bedliner on the body will be nothing but a problem since it's already peeling. Probably poor prep. As far as rust underneath goes, if it just the frame, I wouldn't worry about it. But if it's the floor pan then that's a problem. Check Edmund's for the tow capacity. Never heard or saw this conversion.

Good luck.

jags_ride

Could shocks or springs not be replaced? Is this an overly expensive thing to replace? The flooring parts seem solid. I'm mainly worried about the towing being effected. I have a contract that the 'floating' and the 'pulling' will be fixed before purchase. If it isn't, then I don't buy it. He said he'd put new brakes on it since he'd bought it. The brakes functioned well, but the pull with the braking made it obvious something wasn't correct. If he fails to fix these things, I'm gone. Otherwise, I plan to buy it unless it won't be safe to tow. The only reason for this truck is to tow and make the drive to my camper. I'm no longer working, so I don't have to drive too much. (Unless we're taking the camper somewhere this summer which may or may not happen.) I cannot find this conversion anywhere. I'm very stumped. I have pics of it...of the outside at least.
Is it impossible to remove the bedliner and return the truck to a stock paint job? This may become a 'hobby' truck to learn with and work with...although the paint job I'd have done by a professional. I'm just wondering if even a professional could undo it. This guy isn't a professional with body work, and I'm disappointed that the original paint was disturbed so much...but not enough to back out of it. In this area, I haven't been able to find a Suburban that I could even begin to touch money wise. I don't want a newer one, either...I'd much rather have an older one that isn't fiberglass. The shocks (he said) were 'newer' but although the label on them was still easy to read, they appeared rusted. The transmission is new in the last two years, and the engine seemed strong and was easy to start. I'll see if I can get a pic or two to load here. It has four captain's chairs with a back bench. It has a roof mounted TV and VCR that are 'built in' like in the older vans. It has a raised roof. By all appearances, it's a van from the front seats back, but it's not. It has the wood trim on the dash and the wood center console like in an older van. It's a strange vehicle! It does have the headphone jacks all around for the TV/VCR also. I was told the conversion was done after the truck was built in Flint. At some point, I'd like to have it totally restored to it's original condition....but I can live with it as it is until then. I like older things as long as they're in decent condition. The camper I got is an 85 Holiday Rambler... old, yes. In good condition, YES! Can't get enough of wood grain and older look of things. I love my Durango, but honestly I love the thought of the older Suburban a little more. I'm hoping to be able to learn some things to do to it on my own.

73shark

Yes, the shocks and springs could be replaced. Just money. From the pictures, it looks like it might have also been lifted a little.

So you're saying it's just the frame that's rusty? Tap it in several locations w/ a hammer and if it sounds substantial, then it's probably OK. Or take it to a body shop and have them check it.

Not sure what you meant about the new ones being fiberglass. BTW the conversion top on this one is most likely fiberglass. This sounds and looks like an aftermarket conversion just like the vans were. I doubt GM had anything to do w/ it.

Yes I guess the bedliner could be stripped but would be a lot of work. And then the prep and repaint wouldn't be cheap.

jags_ride

I will do that, thanks. My Durango and I were involved in a very low speed crash that should've been a 'fender bender'. It crumpled the entire front corner panel. I wasn't impressed. Too light, not made like they used to be. (Vehicle wise in general) I'd rather putter around fixing something that's worth being fixed. I had some idea that if bedliner was sprayed on, it was there to stay. Did some looking up on it, and it *can* be removed, even if it's difficult...so that's good to know. I may not even be around long enough to get to messing with that part of it, but information is always good to have. I live in an old house, have an old camper..may as well have an old truck too, huh? I'm just not one for lots of frills and bells and whistles. I've put plenty of money into my Durango (I just did another few hundred into it so it's all ready for sale with absolutely nothing wrong with it), so I may as well put some money into this one that I'll have for the rest of my life. If I get the TV working in it, that will be about as much 'new' as I could take, lol. I think my birds may enjoy watching a movie on the way to where we're going, though!

I'm sure I'll have more questions when I actually get my hands on it. Hopefully this young man has fixed what I asked him to so I don't have to start over looking again. Yes, it does look a bit lifted, although I don't imagine the original owner did it. Who knows, though? I'm thinking of putting nerf bars on it since the original step bar was removed. The frame looked solid, just rust covered. Then again, I have rust on the bottom of my Durango. I guess you can't stop snow and salt.

I got a good link for a book to get on another thread that may help me out finding my way around it. It also comes with the owner's manual and a cassette tape! I'm interested to find what they felt was so important to put it on tape. I found some links, too, for some online parts stores. We also have a 'pull and pay' in the area that I'm going to visit and see if I can come up with a couple of things I'd like to have from another one to replace in this one. I have a cousin who restores old cars come to think of it... I may have to see what he'd charge me for the body work. I've got plenty to read here right now to keep me busy! Thanks for the info!

ousig2408

My dad used to have a '93 Z71 with the same 350 engine that Burb has. If that is the original engine I bet it is VERY tired and if you hook up 5000lbs you will hate any small hill you see on the road.
He went through 4 transmissions, granted it had nearly 200,000 miles. He never towed over 4500 lbs - our camper but that engine just could not cut it power wise.

something to keep in mind if you want to tow often. Maybe you can hook up your trailer and tow it around before you buy? I think you could spend your $4000 better