What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Project Polar Bear: '89 V2500 Suburban

thanks:D I just looked around last night and found that same brand and model at Orilleys:waytogo: I didnt know if they would look as good as yours cause of the pic. I guess they must since theyre identical:haha:
I also noticed for anyone else that wants a set, they're $5 cheaper at Orilleys. I wouldnt have thought that they'd be cheaper than amazon.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...k=Search_01051_1301094_810&pt=01051&ppt=C0340
 
KamikazeRedneck said:
So as my automatic just blew out what are you doing with your old sm465.....
Click to expand...

Ah, oh! Well, the SM465 out of the Burb will be up for grabs sometime next month. The hydraulic bellhousing is already spoken for but the trans and round adapter will need a home. I also have a SM465 for sale out of a ’78 K20 with the 10 spline output and figured 8 transfercase adapter on it. That one does have a bellhousing still on it too.

This one is ready to go to a good home now (not the tcase though, just the trans)….

7587744294_cbddb9521d_z.jpg
 
I'm subscribed. I was looking through your build on Portal forum last night. Looks good. Can't wait for more info.
 
Another amazingly clean build...

In case I missed it, what t case are you going to run behind the nv ?
 
Larry your living the dream i tell ya! And thankfully your a pic whore so the rest of us can live the dream vicariously via the interweb!!
 
Thanks guys!

COCHEV, I am just going to reuse the 32 spline NP241 that is already in the Burb. Slip yoke and all! :haha: I went through the 205 BS on the K10 NV4500 swap and have no desire to do that again. Using a 205 just adds too much cost and complexity a swap. A 241 will be just fine for this rig and probably would have been just fine in the K10 as well.
 
Larry what were the issues you had with the 205 that's making you stay with the 241? I was looking at a 205 swap behind my 700.
 
Not to speak for you Larry, but the problem is mating the 205 to the nv4500. It's a pain. Putting a 205 behind the 700 should ought to be pretty easy although with the rig your building I wouldn't bother. In my mind, if you are too abusive for a np241, your too abusive for a 700r4.
 
Ok I wasn't to sure if it was just the NV4500 or what. The 205 has just kind of been an idea but nothing never really locked in. Lately I have been leaning more towards sticking with the 241 just for simplicity and the fact that I really don't need a that beefy of a T-case.
 
pma4x4 said:
Larry what were the issues you had with the 205 that's making you stay with the 241? I was looking at a 205 swap behind my 700.
Click to expand...

No issues with using the 205 behind the NV4500 in the K10 other than the cost of admission. Finding a round pattern 32 spline 205 isn’t easy and when you do the seller thinks it is worth a million dollars. I ended up using a 27 spline 205 from a TH350 application behind my NV4500 along with the Advance Adapter$ pieces to make it work. Then there is the cost involved to come up with a durable shifter for the 205. For that I used an ORD twin stick intended for a doubler set up. Works great but took a lot of time to get it dialed in where it works like a swiss watch.

All this add ups quickly and the reality is this Burb isn’t a crazy rockcrawler or anything but more of a tail rider/overlander rig. The internet leads people to believe they can’t drive down a dirt road without a Dana 60 front end and a 205. Meh, BS! A 205 is overkill for what a lot of us really do, plus the 241 has a better low range especially when used behind a late model NV4500 with the 5:61 granny gear. The Polar Bear is more of a budget project where it is getting built with left over parts from the K10 and other projects. That said, I haven’t spending much money on it. I already had almost everything needed to build this burb thus far outside of the few pieces I had to order from ORD for the axle swap. In fact, the NV4500 I am using is the first trans I stuck in the K10 but it turned out to have a bad 5th gear where it sounds like it was crushing boulders in 5th gear. I was getting ready to leave for a week playing in the Utah/Arizona back country so I yanked it and threw in a NOS 2006 NV4500 to hit the road faster. Got lucky and got that NOS trans for $1000. That is a damn good price for a brand new trans, not a rebuild.

Oh, I didn’t know it until I went outside to get the paper this morning but the NV4500 mainshaft, 5th gear and internal goodies got here yesterday! Yayy! Now I just need to take the trans up to a GM Master tech buddy at a local GM dealer so he can install the goods. I personally have no business inside this transmission if I ever want it to work again. Better leave that up to the pros :haha:
 
This may be a far left question. In its current state what type of MPG do you get at highway speeds with the 35s and 4.10s?

Speed?
RPM?

Any plans, thoughts or crazy ideas for a different power plant?
 
Hehe, I am not sure what kind of MPG it is getting in its current state but it is not good. The speedo is way out of whack from going from 3:42 gears and 31” tires to 4:10’s and 35”s. With that I can’t get a good MPG estimate but I can tell you it sounds like the pistons are swapping holes when fly down the highway at 70 MPH spinning close to 3,000 RPM’s. After the NV4500 swap I’m going to look up my laptop GPS to it and see how far off the speedo is so I can order a ratio adapter to fix it.

Ah, yeah….the powerplant is already on the engine stand. I got an 8.1L for this rig too. Actually, I have two more 8.1L’s. A 2005 and 2006, between both of them I should be able to build one. I am not sure when the 8.1L will go in as we have a baby on the way. Oh, did I tell you guys we are pregnant with our first baby? Only 8 weeks in to it. I am 40 and the wife is 38. We have been together for 20 years since college and are just now having are first baby. I guess you could say we waited a long time. :haha:

This is the engine for the Polar Bear. I already used the 454HO in the bag next to it in a different project. The second 8.1L looks just like this one but is still in the box.

6603208605_6526c4b65e_z.jpg
 
Congrats man!

I love those 8.1's and you will defiantly need it for the big burb. You are absolutely right about people making things overkill but apparently people would like to spend a lot of money on things that aren't really needed. Keep the build up, love to see how it all turns out
 
Congrats man! Better get all that swapping done in the next few months before the wifey redirects funds for the baby...:D
 
Congratulations Larry! Never to late for kids!

8.1L dang! Wouldn't have made more sense to go to Diesel for the power? Unless you scored the 8.1 at a ridiculous price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom