Thread: '51 suburban school bus to show burb

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The suburban didn't come with a sun visor but the owners (mostly the wife) wanted one bad.. me i wasn't so sure but we fought one and finial got it to fit... every heard the word "easy bolt on" don't use it in my shop because it isn't the case with most stuff...

Getting the A/C in was next and needed to run the lines from out front to the inside of the motor dept. ended up cutting a tunnel in the inter fender to pass the hose's thru.

I like most people like nice tight door gaps, but these doors almost did me in... the pass door wasn't too bad but the back doors were a night mare as you'll see.

Getting the door gaps right took weeks, but most of that time was spent on the back doors.. not sure why they fit so bad, we even bought new doors but they fit worse. They fit flush on the outside but in the middle they were off, the bottom was in and the top was out on the pass door and the drivers door was in in the middle...

To get the top to fit i made a cut on the inside and leaned the top in a little and welded it back up..

Getting the middle of the drivers door pulled out..

getting the door gaps right on the back doors..

WOW, what a pile of work that was!! Amazing the amount of work to get the details right. I love the visor also, it seems to fit the vehicle era and was worth the added effort.

Thanks again for sharing all the pics, it's much appreciated!

Thank's for the great pictorial on the door fitment. I love the finish color,
really sets it apart from the norm!

Rich

Originally Posted by 34_40

WOW, what a pile of work that was!! Amazing the amount of work to get the details right. I love the visor also, it seems to fit the vehicle era and was worth the added effort.

Thanks again for sharing all the pics, it's much appreciated!

Glad you like it, and yes it was a ton of work but you forget all that when you first drive it.. And the sun visor did look right on the car after it was all done and fits the car theme

Originally Posted by RichB

Thank's for the great pictorial on the door fitment. I love the finish color,
really sets it apart from the norm!

Rich

Rich it took the owners over 6 months to pick out a color, must have changed their minds a dozen times but in the end it looks good.. it's a '36 ford color believe it or not..

Mate, you nailed it with the sun visor and I just struggle to visualize the bus without it. I chuckled to myself reading and looking at all those pictures of the door alignment. When I was a apprentice panelbeater I was taught all those fine adjustment skills by an elderly craftsman who I thought was been a bit anal on the finishing but when all done and dusted with a good paint job, you appreciate the extra time it takes. You tell the owners that they did absolutely brilliantly with the choice of colour too please.

Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Mate, you nailed it with the sun visor and I just struggle to visualize the bus without it. I chuckled to myself reading and looking at all those pictures of the door alignment. When I was a apprentice panelbeater I was taught all those fine adjustment skills by an elderly craftsman who I thought was been a bit anal on the finishing but when all done and dusted with a good paint job, you appreciate the extra time it takes. You tell the owners that they did absolutely brilliantly with the choice of colour too please.

Anal it is Mark for sure, I'm glad you got taught by a old timer with skills... someday you'll pass all that along and it will never get lost.. Glad you also liked the visor and now i could see it without it.. I'll be sure and let them know what you said about the color..

The part that really scared me the most were the two rear lower corners of the body. Both sides looked the same all rusted out and at the time i couldn't find anyone who made an after market sheet metal part to repair them.. surfing on stove bolts.com one night and there was a man back east who was making them for his suburban, and as luck would have it i was able to get a hold of him and he sold me a pair... whew!!

Trying to repair some rust holes that went both inside and outside ... where the sliding windows drain somewhere in it's life got plugged up and this what happened... not sure why i rolled a bead on it to match as no one but you guys will every see it as it got covered up with foam and leather... but i did get to buy a new tool, a bead roller...