T1GH+ Wh!P$ update!

[Sixty8panther]

Last night XP715, myself & two of our friends officially

kicked off the New England Chevrolet/GMC SUBURBAN

sub-chapter of the T!gHt Wh1p$ car club.

Here's a few photos from the meet, taken in Westford,

Massachusetts Jan. 4th, 2009.

Left to Right:

1990 Chevrolet Suburban, 2wd 1500 (XP715's daily driver)

1987 Chevrolet Suburban, 2wd 1500 (our friend Robert's winter beater)

1995 GMC Suburban, 4x4 1500 (Tall-Paul's daily driver)

1995 Chevrolet Suburban, 4x4 1500 (my newest winter whip)

All four are powered by Chevrolet 350s.

All but Robert's beater have barn doors.

You might recall that Tall Paul was the 4th TWCC member

to join DodgeFan, JessiChan & myself on the Oklahoma

roadtrip to see Miss Belvedere in summer of 2007.

Robert, an older gentleman who I met through Paul is the

owner of that GORGEOUS 1932 Studebaker I've posted

photos of on here before. It's a very rare All Weather

Rumble Seat Roadster.... 99% unmolested.

'32 Studebaker, gotta love those OVAL headlights.

Anyway I thought you guys might get a kick out of that.

this whole "Suburban club" as a sub-chapter of TWCC

was started by XP715 as a joke, but now that I have a

'Burban of my own (again) it works out splendidly... but

I have to say I wish I still had my red/black 1991 Chevy

Suburban 2500 4x4 with the huge ladder-racks & 240,000

miles of patina.

[Intrepidation]

Awesome

[MikeyMo84]

ugh such a sexy sight....i miss my 94...still see her around from time to time....had 240k all original when i got rid of it

he was affectionately named "Big Blue Johnson" by my friends lol

Edited January 5, 2009 by MikeyMo84

[Intrepidation]

Also, I know who to ask now when I have something big to move.

[ocnblu]

Mikey, I guess your "big blue johnson" problem has moved just a tad to the south, eh?

[XP715]

ugh such a sexy sight....i miss my 94...still see her around from time to time....had 240k all original when i got rid of it

he was affectionately named "Big Blue Johnson" by my friends lol

That's a nice Burb, dude; why'd you get rid of it? Very unusual to see one of that generation without the privacy glass in back, but I like the look, personally. Half-ton or 3/4? Two or four wheel drive?

[daves87rs]

Cool!

Now I want one!

[XP715]

Man, I'm glad I washed mine a couple hours before; it was dirtier than the other three combined before I did!

[Camino LS6]

I've been scoping 'Burbans lately, the best deals seem to be the 2500s!

Very tempting.

[Camino LS6]

I thought that this one was a great deal!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...A:IT&ih=012

[gm4life]

Al Gore would be proud.

Seriously nice whips guys, I love V8's and RWD anything.

[Camino LS6]

Here's a rare one!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-Chevro...1QQcmdZViewItem

[ocnblu]

Nice, with 4WS!

[Intrepidation]

I always thought Quadrasteer was an super innovation. Shame it didn't sell well. But who want's their big truck to turn better? That's just silly.

[MikeyMo84]

Mikey, I guess your "big blue johnson" problem has moved just a tad to the south, eh?

haha way to rub it in

That's a nice Burb, dude; why'd you get rid of it? Very unusual to see one of that generation without the privacy glass in back, but I like the look, personally. Half-ton or 3/4? Two or four wheel drive?

it was custom ordered by my grandfather back in 93 he had it from 94 to 99 my dad had it from 99 to 05 and i had it from 05 to late 06...i got the G5 in sept 06 and my mom used the suburban after her lease expired on her accord cuz she didnt feel like making payments....eventually believe it or not the insurance on the truck ended up being a lot more than a brand new car would so i sold her a G6 sedan from my dealership and we "donated" BBJ to a family friend in need of a car...i cried as we dropped it off but i smile every time i see the gentleman driving it around because i remember how happy he was when we gave it to him...

its a 94 1500 2wd with the silverado package 350 tpi (or tbi?) motor and a 700r4 4 speed trans....the most bullet proof powertrain ive ever seen....that thing took a beating from 3 generations of drivers ESPECIALLY me....i am quite possibly one of the most destructive drivers out there (i go through over 30,000 miles and a set of tires and brakes a year in the G5 for example)...also those bolts you see on the side are the result of a mistake in ordering on the dealerships part...they accidentally ordered it with the optional camper style mirrors that bolted onto the sides....i still have them laying around somewhere...never been used at all

my dads been

[A Horse With No Name]

Here's a rare one!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-Chevro...1QQcmdZViewItem

Color Combo matches my previous Safari Van. Nice looking rig!

Chris

[XP715]

The Suburban is dead to me now that there is no such thing as a barn door option, and no such thing as a GMC Suburban (who the hell wants a Yukon XL?!). What happened to the days of these things being big, rugged, utilitarian work vehicles? Four swiveling heated leather captain's chairs and a TV for everybody aren't things I think about when you're pulling up on a jobsite. Especially when to top it all off it's a useless goddamn hatchback like a f@#king Honda Civic.

[Intrepidation]

I never got why for so long the GMC version was named teh same thing as the Chevy. That's like The Plymouth Neon.

[Sixty8panther]

Soon as I read "rare 2003 Suburban" I KNEW it was quadrasteer.

I can't help but agree with XP about he modern 'Burb. Just like

the lack of hardtops at GM it's a DAMN shame you can NOT get

a barn-door SUV. hatch-backs may be for $h!pile Civics, true,

but the irony is you can get Barn Doors in a freekin' 2010 MINI

for krissake... of course the GTM900s ar still great trucks, but if

GM does really end up going UNIBODY with their full size SUVs

& I'm not even going to suggest transverse motors, than all

fu*%ing hope is lost.

I never got why for so long the GMC version was named teh same thing as the Chevy. That's like The Plymouth Neon.

Speaking of which.... I'd love to rock a 1959 PLYMOUTH SUBURBAN.

[Sixty8panther]

[MikeyMo84]

The Suburban is dead to me now that there is no such thing as a barn door option, and no such thing as a GMC Suburban (who the hell wants a Yukon XL?!). What happened to the days of these things being big, rugged, utilitarian work vehicles? Four swiveling heated leather captain's chairs and a TV for everybody aren't things I think about when you're pulling up on a jobsite. Especially when to top it all off it's a useless goddamn hatchback like a f@#king Honda Civic.

i HATED the barn door option it completely killed rearward visibility we always got the drop down tail gate option where the glass retracted into the tailgate which then changed over to the liftglass/drop down tail and then finally to the full lift gate....

each of them had their pros and cons....my fave personally was the split glass/gate cuz when i used it for work i could put the tailgate down for a work surface and in bad weather the equipment was protected by the glass over it

[Robert Hall]

A buddy of mine that had Burbans always preferred barn doors because when towing a trailer, the fold down tailgate wouldn't clear the trailer hitch and stuff, but the doors would or something like that. The visibility would be a pain, though. In an SUV I prefer a hatch w/ a flip up rear window... though I like the hatch w/ power rear window on the 4Runner.

The Dutch door w/ flip up upper hatch/window on the Astro/Safari would have been a neat option for the Burban, would have been the best of both approaches, I think.

Edited January 6, 2009 by moltar

[A Horse With No Name]

My Safari Van had the dutch doors. I would strongly prefer barn doors on a 'burban.

Chris

[Sixty8panther]

I've always called anyone & everyone complaining of rear

visibility in a barn-Door Suburban a loser/pu%$y.

Guess how much REAR widow visibility THIS guy has?

Yet he can back up PERFECTLY up to a loading dock.

The true sign of a skilled driver is never having to turn

around (or rotate your head) when backing up. That is

why trucks, including Suburbans, come with BIG rear

view (side) mirrors bolted to the doors or A-pillars.

As far as GM not offering barn doors because all of you

poor souls who can't use your side mirrors well, it's the

21st century, even crappy 600,000 mile 250-cu.in.

Chevy Inline-6 powered UPS trucks at work have a basic

backup camera!

Get with it GM.

Edited January 7, 2009 by Sixty8panther

[XP715]

I've never thought of a barn door Suburban as a vehicle with a rear visibility issue, but rather as a training vehicle for if I ever get one of these:

Just think; by the time I get my hands on one, I'll be completely used to the look in my rearview mirror from all the years of driving a barn door Burb.

[A Horse With No Name]

I still don't get a visiblity issue. Mirrors work just fine with a large truck like Sixty-eight said. I've driven bucket Trucks for like forever at work (I am an electrician) and driving a bucket truck isn't a problem, even with a trailer. For a driver of any skill at all, a 'burban with barn doors should indeed be cake.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I still don't get a visiblity issue. Mirrors work just fine with a large truck like Sixty-eight said. I've driven bucket Trucks for like forever at work (I am an electrician) and driving a bucket truck isn't a problem, even with a trailer. For a driver of any skill at all, a 'burban with barn doors should indeed be cake.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

I still don't get a visiblity issue. Mirrors work just fine with a large truck like Sixty-eight said. I've driven bucket Trucks for like forever at work (I am an electrician) and driving a bucket truck isn't a problem, even with a trailer. For a driver of any skill at all, a 'burban with barn doors should indeed be cake.

Chris

I suppose it is something you could get used to... I've driven Uhaul trucks with no rear visibility other than the mirrors, and those aren't that bad once you get used to it..

[A Horse With No Name]

Seriously, if I ever get into racing on track instead of Autocrossing I want a Barn Door 'burban as a tow vehicle. I would strongly prefer a diesel, though.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Seriously, if I ever get into racing on track instead of Autocrossing I want a Barn Door 'burban as a tow vehicle. I would strongly prefer a diesel, though.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

Seriously, if I ever get into racing on track instead of Autocrossing I want a Barn Door 'burban as a tow vehicle. I would strongly prefer a diesel, though.

Chris

Yeah, a diesel would be great. Besides Jeeps and Land Rover Defenders, Burbans are probably my favorite SUVs--they are sort of in a class by themselves.

One of the coolest ones I know of is owned by a buddy of mine in Colorado Springs--bright red '89 barn door 4x4 with a diesel, 35 inch Monster Mudder tires, snorkel, tube bumpers, winches front and rear, roof rack w/ jerry cans and spare tires...takes it off roading all over the Southwest.

[A Horse With No Name]

There is something to be said of a vehicle that you can beat on like a red-headed step child. burbans make great wheeling vehicles because they can carry so much gear, and because the aftermarket for them is about as big as the Mustang aftermarket.

Chris

[Sixty8panther]

Seriously, if I ever get into racing on track instead of Autocrossing I want a Barn Door 'burban as a tow vehicle. I would strongly prefer a diesel, though.

True dat.

You know what would be a killer recepie?

1950s Suburban Airport Limousine plus a

Duramax Diesel out of a totalled pickup.

[knightfan26917]

Last night XP715, myself & two of our friends officially

kicked off the New England Chevrolet/GMC SUBURBAN

sub-chapter of the T!gHt Wh1p$ car club.

*grins*

SWEET!!!!!

Cool pics, too .

Cort | 35swm | "Mr Monte Carlo"."Mr Road Trip" | pig valve.pacemaker ...Chitown #2 = 07/25/09

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Could everyone agree that they should not be left alone?" ... Filter ... 'Take A Picture'

[Sixty8panther]

Thank You.

So far the Burban has given me a very satisfying 900 miles of service.

I drive it like it's stolen, (love to hear that flowmaster exhaust at WOT)

& I use the remote starter to warm up the truck 2, sometimes 3 times

a day... & about 30% of those miles was in blizzard conditions, in 4WD

and once again, WOT-gallore.

So that in mind, and keeping in mind the truck prob. needs a tune-up,

and some serious dose of F.I. cleaner, I'm getting 8.3 MPG.

[Intrepidation]

Thank You.

So far the Burban has given me a very satisfying 900 miles of service.

I drive it like it's stolen, (love to hear that flowmaster exhaust at WOT)

& I use the remote starter to warm up the truck 2, sometimes 3 times

a day... & about 30% of those miles was in blizzard conditions, in 4WD

and once again, WOT-gallore.

So that in mind, and keeping in mind the truck prob. needs a tune-up,

and some serious dose of F.I. cleaner, I'm getting 8.3 MPG.

Try driving it like a sane person and you may just find your mpgs magically increase.

[daves87rs]

Try driving it like a sane person and you may just find your mpgs magically increase.

[Sixty8panther]

Try driving it like a sane person and you may just find your mpgs magically increase.

What the hell is the fun in that?

[Intrepidation]

What the hell is the fun in that?

Well then don't complain about piss poor fuel economy.

[Sixty8panther]

If I sell the 'Burban when/if I get bored it will prob be to get

another "intermediate" hot-rod from the 1960s. I'm thinking

a 1965-69 Corvair 2dr hardtop or a 1961 Mercury Comet or

maybe even a 1963 (Plymouth) Valiant.....

That way I can still get good fuel economy AND drive it like

I'm avoiding Cops & Paparazzi.

[Sixty8panther]

Dare I even ask for a Hardtop Caliente...?

or a 215 powered BOP?

------

Well then don't complain about piss poor fuel economy.

DF: So where in my post did you read a complaint?

And while that may be "piss poor" for a FWD V6 car

don't forget I can haul myself, 7 other passengers,

a car trailer with your Intrepid on it, and an 8-foot

sheet of plywood on my roof.... through a snow/mud

covered power-line-access road.

The 'Burb owes NO apologies. The only competitor it

ever had (Excursion) sucked a$$ in every way by

comparison esp. in MPG numbers.

If anything, I explained the truck is prob. capable

of 15mpg average, but when the baby is riding in it

and it's 3 degrees Fahrenheit you burn off a lot of

fuel just waiting for it to warm up.

And when the baby is not in the car I like to do some

4-wheel power-sliding in empty parking lots from time

to time,...

Yes, I know, I'm going to be 30y.o. in three months.

------

P.S. I paid ZERO $ for my Suburban, that leaves a good

chunk of cash as compared to an average PURCHASE

for fuel costs. I think the truck is worth $1500 easy,

that means almost a thousand gallons of fuel for FREE.

Edited January 18, 2009 by Sixty8panther

[XP715]

Nobody thinks this car is cool when there's a Diamond-T fire engine parked behind it!

(but the little yellow Buick would be pretty neat by itself)

[Sixty8panther]

I concur, Diamond-T Firetrucks, actually ANY Diamond-Ts, are the

coolest ting since sliced bread, but even in the presence of that

awesome beast a '61 Special is cool.

This was a picture I googled and my heart stopped as I right clicked

it, making sure it was locked into y hard drive forever!

[Intrepidation]

And while that may be "piss poor" for a FWD V6 car

don't forget I can haul myself, 7 other passengers,

a car trailer with your Intrepid on it, and an 8-foot

sheet of plywood on my roof.... through a snow/mud

covered power-line-access road.

Ok, that's great...when did I imply my car was better? You don't always have to try explain how your car is better every time you get a new one, it's gets old...and annoying.

(and that's the way it comes off, even if it wasn't your intent)

[Sixty8panther]

DF:

I was just kidding.... and in any case it was not supposed

to come off like I was raggin on your car, just explaining

why a 5500lbs. truck should not get compared to a small

or even full sized car.

After all I would not say: "What the hell do you mean you

can't tow four snowmobiles and carry eight passangers

in your Geo Prizm. That'd be silly.

But in your defense I DO come off as a jerk at times

so I can't balme you for jumping the gun a bit.

I still have yor T.W.C.C.-approved gift at my house, we

need to git together soon.

[Intrepidation]

DF:

I was just kidding.... and in any case it was not supposed

to come off like I was raggin on your car, just explaining

why a 5500lbs. truck should not get compared to a small

or even full sized car.

After all I would not say: "What the hell do you mean you

can't tow four snowmobiles and carry eight passangers

in your Geo Prizm. That'd be silly.

But in your defense I DO come off as a jerk at times

so I can't balme you for jumping the gun a bit.

I still have yor T.W.C.C.-approved gift at my house, we

need to git together soon.

It's ok, sometimes you can't help yourself. I forgive you.

Yeah we do have to meet up sometimes soon. I haven't even seen thing thing yet.

[Sixty8panther]

You got any obnoxious neighbors who have a Faster-N-Furiouser-er

Acura or Honda Rice-A-Roni special that deserve retributon for

driving around uninsured? We could put the 'Burban in 4WD-LOW &

have our own monster truck show!

[Sixty8panther]

WMJ:

I'd love a Lakewood more than either the Greenbriar or Rampside,

but the Ultra Van has always bogled my mind. How could a 110HP

(or thereabouts) flat-6 power that 25 foot Airstream trailer with a

windshield & steering wheel.

[Intrepidation]

You got any obnoxious neighbors who have a Faster-N-Furiouser-er

Acura or Honda Rice-A-Roni special that deserve retributon for

driving around uninsured? We could put the 'Burban in 4WD-LOW &

have our own monster truck show!

Oh I do, the retards across the street.

[Sixty8panther]

Hehe-he.... OK, or we could run an 800 lbs. chain from

my tow hooks to their subframe & drag them to the

city dump, or onre of the locks off the Merrimack river.