intro and advice

[Rscantx]

Hi everyone,

I've been a member here for several years, but mostly just reading and never posted. I have a 1990 GMC Suburban V2500 that was a badass truck up until early Monday morning. My neighbors car caught on fire at about 3am and it spread and destroyed 3 other vehicles parked next to it, including my Suburban. Needless to say I'm pretty upset over it, but what I'm writing here for is advice.
Back in 2019 I pulled the original 350 out and put in a crate motor replacement. It was a direct replacement meaning it was a 350ci and set up exactly like the original with TBI. I think it had upgraded to roller cam and timing, and i replaced the body harness with a wiring kit from painless wiring. She was a beast and up until October of last year had never once broken down or stranded me anywhere since I bought it in 1997. Well I was driving from Houston to Knoxville for my niece's wedding and the engine went out in the middle of Mississippi. I figured out after I got it towed back to Houston that the snout of the crankshaft broke in half so the front pulley came off.
It has been parked since then and I had planned to get the original engine rebuilt and put it back in. That brings us to now. I'm not sure what I should do with it at this point. I mean the fire melted pretty much the whole interior down to bare metal, My center console melted all the way down. but everything inside it was ok, other than being wet from the firefighters. I know a Blazer might be worth salvaging and restoring, but what about a burb? Also I'm sure the transmission (which had just been rebuilt the week before I took the trip in October) is untouched as well as transfer case, wheels, tires, etc. Is it worth parting it out, or selling it for scrap, or what? I also have tons of spare parts that I've collected over the years that I'm not going to need anymore. As much as I'd love to hang on to it all and restore it myself, I just don't have the time or energy to do that now or anytime in the immediate future. I hate to just put it all in a dumpster and walk away. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? I'm open to anything at this point.

Thanks in advance,
Randy

 

[Strick]

Man, what an intro. I hate it for you. There are plenty of Sub folks here that I'm certain would be interested in what you're offering.

 

[Tonimus]

Welcome, Randy. Sorry about your burb. Hard to say for sure without pics, but if it were my 3/4 ton 4wd, I'd try to save it.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Hi everyone,

I've been a member here for several years, but mostly just reading and never posted. I have a 1990 GMC Suburban V2500 that was a badass truck up until early Monday morning. My neighbors car caught on fire at about 3am and it spread and destroyed 3 other vehicles parked next to it, including my Suburban. Needless to say I'm pretty upset over it, but what I'm writing here for is advice.
Back in 2019 I pulled the original 350 out and put in a crate motor replacement. It was a direct replacement meaning it was a 350ci and set up exactly like the original with TBI. I think it had upgraded to roller cam and timing, and i replaced the body harness with a wiring kit from painless wiring. She was a beast and up until October of last year had never once broken down or stranded me anywhere since I bought it in 1997. Well I was driving from Houston to Knoxville for my niece's wedding and the engine went out in the middle of Mississippi. I figured out after I got it towed back to Houston that the snout of the crankshaft broke in half so the front pulley came off.
It has been parked since then and I had planned to get the original engine rebuilt and put it back in. That brings us to now. I'm not sure what I should do with it at this point. I mean the fire melted pretty much the whole interior down to bare metal, My center console melted all the way down. but everything inside it was ok, other than being wet from the firefighters. I know a Blazer might be worth salvaging and restoring, but what about a burb? Also I'm sure the transmission (which had just been rebuilt the week before I took the trip in October) is untouched as well as transfer case, wheels, tires, etc. Is it worth parting it out, or selling it for scrap, or what? I also have tons of spare parts that I've collected over the years that I'm not going to need anymore. As much as I'd love to hang on to it all and restore it myself, I just don't have the time or energy to do that now or anytime in the immediate future. I hate to just put it all in a dumpster and walk away. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions? I'm open to anything at this point.

Thanks in advance,
Randy

I had a neighbors shed burn up last summer and got into a couple of mine a little bit. Sucks. Mine survived though.

I would say sell the drivetrain, the frame is probably compromised. As well as sheet metal is compromised. Whatever good parts you could sell, otherwise it's gonna have to go to scrap unfortunately.

 

[Ricko1966]

There's another guy on here,right now needing that frame. And probably more hopefully he'll read this and get ahold of you.If I understand this correctly,you have a burb that needs an eng8ne,a body and interior. Well it's going to cost a lot to get it back together. Unless you do it all yourself,and you don't want to. So I think you need to find someone that needs it for parts,unless you want to take the time to disassemble it and sell it a piece at a time. I'm going to try to find the guy that needs a frame for you.

 

[Rscantx]

Here are a few pics that I took....

 

[Tonimus]

Damn. Jam the original motor back in it and that's a drivetrain and chassis. That'll need so much work that it'd be better to drop a new body on it. Sell it all together so the firewall can stay with the frame.

 

[Rscantx]

That's kind of what my thoughts were, but much more than I can take on. I thought surely since it is all original that it would be worth something to someone, someday. I am realistic though, that is a lot of work for anyone to take on.

 

[Edelbrock]

Seems like you should take my profile pic.

 

[Spider]

I’d say it’s a loss. Unfortunately. I bought a 90 that just needed a trans pump. I’m probably 13k deep. Cheaper to find another and keep yours for “parts???

I’m looking for a rear passenger full quarter.

Real bummer. Sorry for your loss.

 

[ali_c20]

Welcome from Austria. Damn that sucks. As the tires are intact I think everything under the car is ok. Get a second and build a new one out of the 2 and sell the parts you don't need. Or part this one out and get a new Squarebody.

 

[HotRodPC]

Bummer !!! So you're saying it needs another engine? Heads should still be good. Find a reman'ed short block and tranfer the heads if it's still low mileage and then it'll be a runner again right? Being it's 4x4, I'd keep it. Being it's 3/4 ton I'd keep it. Being that's it's a computer controlled TBI, I'd keep it. I know I know, so many people are against computers and TBI. NO, TBI is no powerhouse, but noone can deny that's it's not relaible. Gutless Relaible Wonder !!! That computer helps improve mpg a little, and it for sure makes for easier cold starts. If you want simplicity, go to a carbed non computer engine, but depending on your state, you may not have that option due to emmisions testing.

But I wouldn't trash it, it's a 4x4 2500 3/4 ton. I know so many prefer half tons. I don't !!! And being honest, most of the 4x4 do prefer 3/4 and 1 ton axles and driveshafts. I've love to find me a 3/4 4x4 Burb and the later model MiniQuad headlight front grill would be my preference too. Don't tell me it's a bucket seat tailgate truck or it might come up missing and your problem solved. Jus Kiddin Jus Kiddin. I won't steal it and put an engine in it.

 

[Ricko1966]

Bummer !!! So you're saying it needs another engine? Heads should still be good. Find a reman'ed short block and tranfer the heads if it's still low mileage and then it'll be a runner again right? Being it's 4x4, I'd keep it. Being it's 3/4 ton I'd keep it. Being that's it's a computer controlled TBI, I'd keep it. I know I know, so many people are against computers and TBI. NO, TBI is no powerhouse, but noone can deny that's it's not relaible. Gutless Relaible Wonder !!! That computer helps improve mpg a little, and it for sure makes for easier cold starts. If you want simplicity, go to a carbed non computer engine, but depending on your state, you may not have that option due to emmisions testing.

But I wouldn't trash it, it's a 4x4 2500 3/4 ton. I know so many prefer half tons. I don't !!! And being honest, most of the 4x4 do prefer 3/4 and 1 ton axles and driveshafts. I've love to find me a 3/4 4x4 Burb and the later model MiniQuad headlight front grill would be my preference too. Don't tell me it's a bucket seat tailgate truck or it might come up missing and your problem solved. Jus Kiddin Jus Kiddin. I won't steal it and put an engine in it.

Did you look at his trucks picture? Nothing left of the body or interior.

 

[Grit dog]

Did you look at his trucks picture? Nothing left of the body or interior.

Agree, not sure where some of the depression era “save everything” mentality comes from, especially in this situation. Reading the OPs post and pics I see: 1. Truck totally trashed with a bad engine, beached where it sits since last fall. 2. Apartment complex. Dude don’t have a shop and a “back 40” for parts cars and rebuild/new project for old parts etc. 3. Burbs are dime a dozen even K20s and way cheaper than square pickups. That looks like a $3500 truck best case up here…before the fire.

If I was the OP, first things to think a bout is not how to try to salvage a non rare vehicle that is in need of major work and now totaled 5x over, but more so think about limiting his financial liability when the property manager makes that truck disappear after it’s been already sitting there for months not running likely against the apt rules. Second is how to recoup from the person who’s responsible for the fire. Assuming you’ve already confirmed no PD ins from the fire starter cars owner and not a person you’d recoup by taking to small claims court? If that’s out the window and there’s no chance of financial recovery from them (or your own ins, comp is cheap, I carry comp on all vehicles even if they’re parked) then cute your losses. If you have a recepit for a the new trans, you might get a $500-1000 from the right person looking for a K20 drivetrain minus the engine and the willingness and ability to scrap a 22’ long hunk of immobile steel. The one saving grace there is it will be easy to remove the drivetrain. Flip it on its lid and yard the parts out!
You ain’t going to be able to part it out yourself in an apartment parking lot.

I’m sorry this happened. Especially since it’s not your own fault or doing and not super likely to recoup from the responsible party.

Get it gone, pool your funds and go buy another running driving Burb.
While some folks have the ultimate combination of skills, spare time, space, facilities, $ and desire to put a lot of time into a negative ROI situation, most people don’t. Understandably. This is one of those cases.
You’ll be much happier