Questions about turning a Burb into a 4 door pickup

[geocrasher]

The goal would be something like one of these:

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The reason? I need a pickup bed for carrying fuel and supplies. Don't want to carry them inside, and don't want to carry them externally or on the roof. The questions I have are related to the body work involved. Cutting, alignment, and what not I think I can figure out, but the part I don't know is the finish work: Welding a cab back in and converting from barn doors to a pickup tailgate, and capping the bed rails. Would an inexpensive flux welder be enough to do the job, or would I need to go full MIG? And what other skills would be needed? I've done a few welding projects in the past, but all with stick. I don't think this would be a good project for a stick welder, even 3/32" rod at 30A would probably just blow holes in it

I figure on getting an old car hood, using a cutoff disk to cut long lines in it, and then learn to weld it back together without warping it, as practice, before cutting up my Burb. Are there any other skills I'd need or other considerations? Thanks for any and all advice.

As an aside, my buddy thinks I'm nuts to consider this and that I'll never finish it if I do cut it up. My own biggest concern is how to cap the bed sides. Thanks for any input!

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Pickup tailgate won't fit a Burb. The angles, shape and mounting are different! You'll have to use a Burb tailgate and take the window and regulator and motor out, and cap the gap. These parts are most of the weight of the gate, so you may want some reinforcement or bracing inside the gate when you are done stripping it. Burb gates have an access panel on the "inside" (what would be inside the truck) that's removable. That's how you get to the internal parts.
My family's had 5 square body Burbs, 4 with gate and power window. Dad and I rebuilt all 4 of them, on the truck.

 

[geocrasher]

Ah that would explain why one guy actually grafted on about a foot of pickup bed, with tailgate. It looked good. As much cutting as I'll be doing, that might not be a horrible route to take.

 

[89Suburban]

This was discussed before on here. Basically a Squarebody Avalanche. Can't find that thread to save my life right now. We nicked name the mod Subrbalanche. Actually the brown one you posed is the guy who did it on this site. Can't remember who it was.

 

[89Suburban]

The goal would be something like one of these:

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

The reason? I need a pickup bed for carrying fuel and supplies. Don't want to carry them inside, and don't want to carry them externally or on the roof. The questions I have are related to the body work involved. Cutting, alignment, and what not I think I can figure out, but the part I don't know is the finish work: Welding a cab back in and converting from barn doors to a pickup tailgate, and capping the bed rails. Would an inexpensive flux welder be enough to do the job, or would I need to go full MIG? And what other skills would be needed? I've done a few welding projects in the past, but all with stick. I don't think this would be a good project for a stick welder, even 3/32" rod at 30A would probably just blow holes in it

I figure on getting an old car hood, using a cutoff disk to cut long lines in it, and then learn to weld it back together without warping it, as practice, before cutting up my Burb. Are there any other skills I'd need or other considerations? Thanks for any and all advice.

As an aside, my buddy thinks I'm nuts to consider this and that I'll never finish it if I do cut it up. My own biggest concern is how to cap the bed sides. Thanks for any input!

Where di you find the pic of the brown one?

 

[geocrasher]

Pretty sure it was here, actually. Let me see if I can find the thread.

Suburban to Avalanche Conversion

This is the best one ive seen to date. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=571876

www.gmsquarebody.com

I'm mostly concerned about having the equipment and skills, and figuring out how to cap the bed rails.

 

[89Suburban]

Pretty sure it was here, actually. Let me see if I can find the thread.

Suburban to Avalanche Conversion

This is the best one ive seen to date. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=571876

www.gmsquarebody.com

I'm mostly concerned about having the equipment and skills, and figuring out how to cap the bed rails.

Yup that's the one. I swore that brown one was a member here but I could be wrong.

 

[bucket]

Why not just carry fuel and supplies in the Burb? Diesel fuel I assume? A standard ag type 110gal tank and pump will slide right in the back, even with rear AC. Although, not having the rear AC does add a lot of clearance.

 

[hoagster]

Find an old long bed and use what you need! keep Them all period correct and be creative. 84 burb and 84 long bed etc.etc. I'm sure the frames are different but I don't think the different bends in the frame can't be overcome with shims or trimming. Not being a good welder or a very good fabricator personally I would learn up somewhere on those skills!! Go for it!

 

[geocrasher]

Thanks for all the input everyone! The deal breaker here may be the inability to use a truck tailgate without having to graft on a whole truck bed, and... I genuinely don't want to have to do that. Plus, when looking closer, I saw that the ribs in the roof start behind the drivers seat, but on a 4dr cab, there aren't any ribs- which makes total sense. So there's a weird gap there, and I don't like it... probably going to suck it up and either put a roof rack on this thing or get a small off-roading trailer, or... something. Thanks again!

 

[etc86]

I’d keep the barn doors, that way you’re not trying to load over a tailgate. I’m eventually going to make my tailgate a side swing for that reason. And if you’re already cutting and shutting then just add it to the list.

 

[Lowered87]

I’d keep the barn doors, that way you’re not trying to load over a tailgate. I’m eventually going to make my tailgate a side swing for that reason. And if you’re already cutting and shutting then just add it to the list.

Cut the top of the Barn doors off and cap the top of them. Depends if you are backing up to a loading dock. Tailgate was fabricated so the latch broke and you could not open again without 2 screwdrivers. I have had broken tail gate on 70's, 80's and 90's. Chevy tailgate right of passage.

 

[Strick]

This is not a Square but it's definitely cut. This vehicle was given to me and the PO said that I must do something with it and not keep it factory. So...it met the chopping block! I made me a general purpose truck seeing as my other two trucks are crew long beds. This one is easy to get a parking space with.

HS

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[Lowered87]

So does it swing to the right on a door hinge?

 

[Fat 454]

Hey Ryan, you NEED to do this conversion - properly done these a converted sub looks sweet. I am planning on converting a couple of early '70's Subs around Christmas break this year when I get some time off work. The 2wd is going to get a swap to a crewcab 4 door body, and then we are going to fab a service body for it. The ( super rust bucket ) 4x4 is going to get the decent sub body, and then planning to chop in a blazer rear end so it has the removable canopy at the back. I'll post some pics if you are interested. For the rear end I think there are 3 x ways to go - A/. add a pickup rear wall ( need to mod rear of the roof using rear of sub, due to the raised section you were talking about. Pinch welds from bottom of sub windows need to be replaced using pickup bed top rails. You want a cordless grinder with a thin cutting disc to remove the top 1", and drop a cut top rail on to it. Get a straight crimper from Eastwood to make a stepped flange on the sub panel, and the bed rail will fit right over the top, then lap weld or spot weld along the seam. You will want a decent MIG, DO NOT try this with stick, it will warp / burn / distort ( choose any of the above and insert ! ) through etc. There are lots of videos of welding long panel seams on the TUBE. Leave the Sub tailgate stock. B/ . as above, but remove the rear 1' from the sub and graft on the pickup rear section to get the tailgate. This helps with the look of the truck too, as the rear overhang on the sub looks too long once the roof is removed. This way you can shorten it up AND get the tailgate and all its strengthening. C/. graft on the complete bed sides and tailgate section from a pickup bed at the C pillar behind the rear doors. This is probably the best way of getting a factory look wihout all that painful seam welding. if you remove the sub rear panel at the C pillar, the profile of the bed sides match right up, and you can weld directly to the inner door frame, so no panel distortion. You will probably need to remove the outer wheel well as a square section, and relocate to get that to match up, but again easier to get a good result as you are working around the re-inforcing of the inner wheel arch. I'll post a few pics for inspiration. Paint original colour and re-instal factory trim - it'll keep folks guessing.. We need more factory looking mods of the stuff GM should have built but didn't. JUST DO IT !