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1976 C2500 GMC Suburban 454HO 4wd Convert

CriticalAction

CriticalAction

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Went with my dad to pick up his new driver this weekend. 1976 C2500 GMC Suburban Trailering Special with every light from the local truck stop installed...

The kicker? It has a 454 HO GM performance crate engine installed. 1500 miles on it maybe.

Factory 4.10s in a 14FF, 40 gallon gas tank, front bench seat, electric tailgate (still works), and 3rd row.

Coming up is our local rural town community days and my dad has a wild idea to put my great Grandpas 1941 pickup on the trailer and pull it to the car show with the burb.

But after that it will be getting a few changes...

The plan:
- remove all the dumb lights, train horns, compressor, aftermarket Aux gas tank, and excess wiring, etc.
- 4wd conversion with the spare 76 K20 parts truck running gear we have
- New 4l80e with NP241 out of my K5
- 2" lift springs front, my old 2.5" ORD shackle flip out back
- ORD engine crossmember
- New headers, exhaust, and some different mufflers. (This thing is choked up by 2" or less exhaust the whole way)
- Dakota digital gauges
- Recharge AC
- True Trac probably out back in the 14FF

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The old guy in the pictures is the original owner Paul Ace. Owns and operated a trucking company which is why I'm guessing he likes his lights and horns.

The last pic shows the Aux gas tank fill. This is most likely getting removed. 40 gallons should be plenty for what my dad will do with the rig.

Also peep the rack of springs in this thing. From my count the guy has added 3-4 additional leaves out back on an already 8200lb GVW burb.

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The old guy in the pictures is the original owner Paul Ace. Owns and operated a trucking company which is why I'm guessing he likes his lights and horns.

The last pic shows the Aux gas tank fill. This is most likely getting removed. 40 gallons should be plenty for what my dad will do with the rig.

Also peep the rack of springs in this thing. From my count the guy has added 3-4 additional leaves out back on an already 8200lb GVW burb.
 
In talking with the guys at ORD the biggest hurdle I think we will have with the 4wd conversion is the rear main eye hanger.

2wd hangers mount the spring several inches higher than a 4wd hanger. So we are thinking the K20 rear main eye hanger might be similar enough to use as a new mount?

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Otherwise the front main eye hanger we will either use the ones off the 76 k20 or if we have to we can just buy the 2wd to 4wd main eye hanger from ORD.
 
Cool burb! Look forward to your project.

You can swap to 4wd front hangers, grind out the rivets and bolt on a set of 4wd hangers and that should help with that piece of it. There are companies that make aftermarket hangers as well.
 
doubletrouble said:
Is that a grab handle on the hood? It has a lot of extras but kinda cool for that era.
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Kinda I suppose. Not really sure what the intended use was. Some of the stuff I think my dad will keep but we will see when we start digging into it.
 
I’d skip the rivets and just get taller rear springs to compensate for the ass heaviness of the suburbans.
 
obijuank5 said:
I’d skip the rivets and just get taller rear springs to compensate for the ass heaviness of the suburbans.
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This was a thought i had as well. Already doing my old 2.5" rear shackle flip. Probably will assemble it, see how it sits and then adjust from there.
 
Recommendations for a standalone 4l80e transmission controller? My dad wants to stay carburetated so will likely use the Acculink TPS system.

Holley is over $1k.

US Shift, Compushift, etc seem to be $800 to over $1k.
 
They also have the TCI or FAST EZ-TCU, but even that is up to $800 or more these days. Edelbrock has their version as well since they own FAST and TCI.
 
folkenheath said:
They also have the TCI or FAST EZ-TCU, but even that is up to $800 or more these days. Edelbrock has their version as well since they own FAST and TCI.
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Interesting enough that one is out of stock everywhere... I had remembered that one as a good one and was my first thought. Haven't found anywhere that has one.

What do you recommend for hooking up a TPS to a Rochester for the controller? Looks like there is plenty of options from cable operated tps, to links, to universal kits, etc.
 
When I converted my truck to 4wd I left the stock rear forward hanger and did a 4 inch shackle flip. I think I'm sitting around 3 inches of lift with 35's
 
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