'Da Beast' 87 Suburban build

[Hunter79764]

Currently still in the planning and parts gathering stage, but hope to be turning wrenches this winter. The truck is a base model '87 K20 Suburban that was originally purchased by the Texas A&M Archeology Department. Supposedly it was loaded up with students and a U-Haul trailer each semester and driven from Texas to Idaho or somewhere to dig for dinosaur bones for a few weeks, then brought back. It did that from new until 2000-something when it went up for auction, and 2nd owner bought it with about 95k miles. He used it as a hunting truck, painted the exterior with black bedliner, added the grill guard and roof rack and racks for 10 guns... I bought it from him 4 years ago with 115k miles, and used it as a hunting truck and a Toad (dragging it behind our motorhome on vacations). One of those trips had the front hubs lock themselves in, which spun up the driveshaft and wobbled the poor 208 case to death (or at least the adapter from the case to the TH400) right around the Arizona meteor crater. It has been parked the last year or so, but I recently got the plan approved to build it up for some hunting and camping trips with my boys (currently 12, 10, and 8). I want to be able to drive it out to Arkansas, New Mexico, Utah, or wherever, do some sane trails, and drive it back consistently and reliably, hence the modern engine, EFI, and simple but overkill drivetrain (hopefully). It won't be a daily driver, but I'd like to be able to take it when I feel like I haven't spent enough money on gas for the month...

Items purchased so far, roughly starting from the top:
Refreshed 8.1 with truck accessories, factory harness and computer, and a few other bits (was going to be a 6.0 to 8.1 NBS swap that the guy bailed on)
Kodiak accessory drive
Early NV4500 (93 or 94?)
NP203 range box with 32 spline input and 31 spline output
NP205 Ford for parts, mainly the 31 spline input
(Need to find a Chevy NP205 round pattern unit)
14 BFF 4.56 with Detroit Locker
Dana 60 front with 4.56 and limited slip (axles were a pair from an M1028)
PSC steering box and crossover for Dana 60
Tractor Supply special 2x8 hydraulic cylinder that I don't think I want to mess with
Dually hubs for the D60 that should allow for hummer wheels
(Will need to nail down spacers for the rear, or shift to recentered wheels?)

Future plans may include a longbed trailer for more camping gear and spare parts, including extra fuel that I assume I'm going to need...


Anyway, not many updates for now, but I'm hoping to wrap up some house projects relatively soon to clear out my workshop so I'm not doing this swap under a tree. At that point, I'm sure I'll have more updates and questions.

I'll also try to get some pics uploaded, but I'm going to claim "New Guy" for now.

 

[fourwheelerjeff]

if you need dually hubs to run hummer wheels I am assuming you are talking about H1 wheels; just be forewarned not too many manufacturers make 16.5 tires anymore, Interco still does but don't know if you want to run their offerings long distances.

 

[Hunter79764]

Correct, I'm talking about H1 military wheels. I'm aware of the lack of tires, so my alternate option is to get a set of black rhino 17s and run 37" on those, those have a similar look that I like. But it would have to be a good deal on a used set, I'm very cost-conscious (my friends just say "Cheap").
The dually front hubs were free, I'll need a new set of rotors and calipers either way, and I'd probably hang on to whatever hubs I dont use to give myself options in the future. I don't think there is effectively much price difference, so it just boils down to which wheel set i want to go with. But, wheels and axles will probably close to the end of the project, and that gives me time to be swayed one way or another

 

[dra1967pool]

Currently still in the planning and parts gathering stage, but hope to be turning wrenches this winter. The truck is a base model '87 K20 Suburban that was originally purchased by the Texas A&M Archeology Department. Supposedly it was loaded up with students and a U-Haul trailer each semester and driven from Texas to Idaho or somewhere to dig for dinosaur bones for a few weeks, then brought back. It did that from new until 2000-something when it went up for auction, and 2nd owner bought it with about 95k miles. He used it as a hunting truck, painted the exterior with black bedliner, added the grill guard and roof rack and racks for 10 guns... I bought it from him 4 years ago with 115k miles, and used it as a hunting truck and a Toad (dragging it behind our motorhome on vacations). One of those trips had the front hubs lock themselves in, which spun up the driveshaft and wobbled the poor 208 case to death (or at least the adapter from the case to the TH400) right around the Arizona meteor crater. It has been parked the last year or so, but I recently got the plan approved to build it up for some hunting and camping trips with my boys (currently 12, 10, and 8). I want to be able to drive it out to Arkansas, New Mexico, Utah, or wherever, do some sane trails, and drive it back consistently and reliably, hence the modern engine, EFI, and simple but overkill drivetrain (hopefully). It won't be a daily driver, but I'd like to be able to take it when I feel like I haven't spent enough money on gas for the month...

Items purchased so far, roughly starting from the top:
Refreshed 8.1 with truck accessories, factory harness and computer, and a few other bits (was going to be a 6.0 to 8.1 NBS swap that the guy bailed on)
Kodiak accessory drive
Early NV4500 (93 or 94?)
NP203 range box with 32 spline input and 31 spline output
NP205 Ford for parts, mainly the 31 spline input
(Need to find a Chevy NP205 round pattern unit)
14 BFF 4.56 with Detroit Locker
Dana 60 front with 4.56 and limited slip (axles were a pair from an M1028)
PSC steering box and crossover for Dana 60
Tractor Supply special 2x8 hydraulic cylinder that I don't think I want to mess with
Dually hubs for the D60 that should allow for hummer wheels
(Will need to nail down spacers for the rear, or shift to recentered wheels?)

Future plans may include a longbed trailer for more camping gear and spare parts, including extra fuel that I assume I'm going to need...


Anyway, not many updates for now, but I'm hoping to wrap up some house projects relatively soon to clear out my workshop so I'm not doing this swap under a tree. At that point, I'm sure I'll have more updates and questions.

I'll also try to get some pics uploaded, but I'm going to claim "New Guy" for now.

I like so far!! Send some pictures to the froup!