83 Suburban vs 87 Suburban bodies

[Langhorne]

Hello! I grew up around these square bodies but I was a kid and I'm a newbie to the forums...

I finally jumped in with both feet this year to work on getting a daily driver out of an 83 C10 Suburban 2WD diesel. (And also I'm also putting some love into an 83 4x4 Jimmy. Nothing special about those years to me, they are just what happened to cross my path).

Anyway, since I got it I always felt like the 83 2WD Suburban sat a little lower and was a little more round and "dumpy" looking than the Suburbans I remember my family having in the 80's, but I figured that was just being 2WD making it look that way. It almost has more of a big station wagon vibe than a truck vibe.

I just bought another 89 Suburban for parts, which happens be 4WD, and seeing them side by side I just can't help but feel like there's just something different other than the 4x4 sitting up higher. The 89 seems more truck-like and rigid and "square-er" if that makes any sense...

To me, the 89 is what a Suburban "should" look like... and my 83 is just different somehow...

Are these bodies identical and there's just a trim difference or something that's creating an optical illusion? Or are there some slight differences (other than 4WD) that makes the older 83 look less like a truck and more like a fat station wagon?

The 83 is in a lot nicer shape than the 89. What do I need to do to make it look more like the 89?

(I'll try to take pictures later. But if anyone more experienced already knows what I'm talking about...)

(And the title should have said 83 vs 89, sorry)

 

[Langhorne]

Here's a picture of "Clifford" ... obviously he's seen some years and could use some love, but he just seems a little sadder and dumpier and less square somehow to my eyes. Is it just a matter of paint job and some trim or is there something else going on with the early 80's suburbans? Or am I just crazy?

 

[Blue85]

The bodies are the same, but the stance is different. Also, the grill and lights changed in 89. It's also possible one has tailgate and the other barn doors and you prefer one over the other. The only difference I know of in the sheet metal is the trans tunnel inside - due to the 2x4 vs 4x4 thing.

I don't know if the track width is the same, but that makes a big difference in appearance. Possibly the 89 has aftermarket wheels on it.

 

[Burbdood 74]

I've found that solid body colors seem to hide the body lines of a square body truck while a 2-tone paint job kind of accentuates the "squareness" of these trucks.

 

[Langhorne]

Yeah... and I just put some 31" tires on him. With the 29"s he had on him when I bought him (which I'm told is the standard?) he looked REALLY sad. I'm 6' tall and I think I was taller than the truck was with 29"s on. Unfortunately I notice an immediate difference in MPG, and his main purpose is distance hauling, so I'm probably going to put the 29"s back on.

I'll try a different paint scheme as soon as he earns his keep. I definitely think all these old trucks look best with two tone. I found an old '83 suburban brochure... I think I might try to match the cover ("Carmine Red" and "Almond"):

 

[Burbdood 74]

I'll snap a pic or 2 of my 88 in the morning. It's red/white and it looks really good IMO. I'm replacing the rear 5" lift blocks for brand new lift springs. This oughta be fun...lol

 

[Langhorne]

Sweet! Thanks! Is your 88 4WD?

My Jimmy is white on top and bottom with the red in the middle. It's also an 83 (just worked out that way) and is going to need a paint job too. I'm trying to decide if I should use the same two colors on both of my 83's! I'll have a matched set. Hah!

 

[Burbdood 74]

Yeah, Gru is just the opposite of your Jimmy, it's red on top and bottom and white in the middle. I've been wanting to repaint it but I've been toying with idea of tan instead of white. My wife says the white has grown on her but I think tan would look good.

And yes indeed my Sub is 4 wheel drive. Living in Montana you can get by without it in the winter, but it sure isn't fun by any means.