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Chop top or not...Open air Suburban

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82TexasBurban

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I have been tinkering with the idea of cutting the suburban top to be open air like a 72-75 Blazer. I love those rigs but I already have the burban. The Burban is in great shape with no rust. I know now it is not a hot commodity but in ten years maybe this will be considered a classic beyond what the DMV designates it. Any ideas or suggestions on to cut or not? I have only seen one done but I love the thought of have a giant open air rig! Maybe getting a rougher one to cut on first would be a better idea?
 
Rust free? I wouldn't cut it. The only way I would do it would to integrate a blazer hardtop to mount, or graft the back of a truck cab behind the second row so it would be like a CC SB.
 
What year is your Suburban? Search around here and you can find examples of Suburban's cut and grafted w/ a Blazer top. It looks to be a lot of work as you have to include the tailgate and window from the Blazer, but they are pretty damn cool looking.
 
Are you talking a full convertable? Are you putting in a full cage? You will need to add some strength in there. Taking off the whole roof will weaken the whole body I believe. The roof also adds a lot of protection for the passenger compartment. I'm sure you will get a lot of information here. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
the roof is what adds regidity to the body of a suburban.you would need to have some kind of internal cage to kepp the body from crumpling like a tin can.if you plan on this i would definitely get a beater to mess with first.if you screw it up,you are not recking a rust free tub doing it.then you can make it a trail rig and beat the hell out of it without worrying about the body as much.i like the cut and bobbed suburbans.they look pretty cool and add a lot of capability.
 
I think the burbs I've seen with the K5 tops grafted onto them are just plain cool !! But, being a rust free truck I could not see just hacking the top off completely , just my $.02 :D
 
I have had the blade in the sawzall a few times and stopped myself. I live in SD so weather is an issue for me. Measure twice and cut once( WTF, I cut it twice and it's still too short:p:)

A big sliding rag roof like an old Vdub would be cool too(and much easier)

Post pics whatever you decide.
 
Thanks for the replies....I see so many peopel going to town with the sawzall on here it had me thinking. If I did decide to do it I would definitely but a cage on it for safety and a soft top for some shade. It probably would be the same cost in the long run to get an old k5 and just enjoy the back half off.
 
Texas cadilliac, hahah I was thinking about doing the blazer top to my burban I just picked up, but I think shes gunna stay stock... if I want a convertible Ill sell it and get a k5
 
Chop it.Theres always room for 1 more parts truck in the salvage yards.LOL:hack:
 
I'd only do it if it was a dedicated wheeler or you have a big shop and all the tools to hook it up right... If not, you'll be opening up a big can of worms...

I didn't do it to a Burb, but I did to a half top Blazer... Then I got the saw-z-all/cut-off wheel bug and created a lot of work for myself...:D

The only way I'd do a cut and rebuild project again, is if I had all my other projects wrapped up to a point that they just needed to be maintained... Then I'd take my time, not just to do it right, but to enjoy it rather than push through it... With the Blazer, I had a great time building some of it... But, there were times when it was like a full time job and that starts to make it no fun...

Now that I've said that, don't listen to a word I've said... I just started cutting up my bus...:haha:
 
Having just recently chopped the top off of my burb to make it look like an old school avalache, i've realized just how impractical and unsusefull the SUT/avalanch type rigs are. The amazing amount of storage and people space a burb has will turn into a spot you will most likely just put a fuel cell and your spare tire...so to echo the others- If its clean and rust free (mine was not) i'd say keep in a burb.

Thats just my opinion. I determined mine to be not restoration worthy and decided to chop it up for fun and make it a toy-and allow me to practice welding on something not so nice. If I end up hating it, all the drive train components will find its way under another rig...
 
The truth I see it is this... If you want to wheel , dont buy a suburban and start modifyings it, If you want to go camping, and have a family or like the space it has and have a suburban.. then leave it as a suburban, mildily lift it.. and use it, it wont go up or down every trail because of the deparcher angles, just build a good skid plate system so it doesnt hammer the tank.. and Then you have a fairly capable suburban

Cutting it, bobbing it, etc is waste imho, just like the last poster said, your making it practically useless, go buy a k5 and strech the wheel base a bit if thats what you wanna do, hahah
 
Makes we want to cut the top of mine tomorrow

Hopefully the time will come soon


chopped-1.jpg
 
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