Projects 54 Suburban

Evening
I just purchased a 54 Suburban and it arrived today to view in person. I first noticed it sat a bit tall like a 4x4 but it is not. I also noticed it has what appears to be a factory type sway bar. I am hoping there is a Hamb member that can help me figure out if it is a stock height that was made for forest or something. It also has a very cool stock roof rack that makes me wonder if maybe it was a Hotel or Campsite vehicle.

 

Lets see the frame, front suspension and rear suspension pic's.................................................
It looks to be sitting on a later model frame.
6 lug wheels?

 

Did they swap axles from over to under springs to give it that attitude? Not a NAPCO 4x3 conversion
Here's the shop manual. 1954 specifications
This is how it should look at normal ride height: extended shackles, blocks, new springs?

 

Took a sway bar off the front axel/frame of an old 50's Suburban....about the only thing that was left....it's u-shaped and I think I saved it when I moved....thought maybe it was a school bus....not much left of it but it was yellow....or it could be a highway or train support vehicle....I'll look around for it...

 

With no drivetrain or guts that's not a surprising height, to me anyhow.

I think suspension photos are in order however to really give s good answer

 

Really hard to tell from the picture you provided. If you take some pictures of the frame and suspension, we can identify if it's original.

Suburbans and Panel trucks got sway bars before pickup trucks did...my late 50s Suburbans all had them.

 

It appears to be a stock frame as I have a truck frame here in the yard. It does have what seems to be a pretty big stack of springs. The rear was loaded with parts when it got here and it was same height. I do not have a stock set of springs to compare.

 

huh, looks like someone went crazy on the springs.

I generally don't worry too much about the history of bizarre modifications like that...I just remove them, and make the truck like it ought to be. (whatever you think that is)

 

I was more curious if it was a factory thing so I didn't remove something that is a rare option. Do you happen to know how many springs for a stock set?

 

Thanks that is very helpful info. It does seem to been heavy in the springs area.

 

you can tell by looking at the springs, that a bunch of leafs were added. Notice they have different shapes on the ends, the lengths are not in even increments, etc.

There weren't really hardly any rare factory options on those trucks....but there were a whole lot of different kinds of home brew modifications you could do. Some are neat, others are not so neat.

 

for info about the springs, look for the information pack for that year truck (don't look under Suburban, you wont' find it there).

https://gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html

here's a sample...

 

Thanks a bunch this is awesome info. It came with all the seats and other parts. I am going to build it with my son and put a six back in it but maybe with a 5 speed.

 

5 speeds are lame, but yeah, the six would be fun. Column shift 3 speed, for bonus points.

 

I thought about going back stock but I would like for him to be able to freeway drive it comfortably so he can drive something when we go on cruises.

 

There are ways....

 

Looks like I was way wrong, was going by the shadows under the Berb in first pic! Anything siting that high would have to have sway bars!
I will be working on a '54 GMC tomorrow will at least check out the rear springs for you but I replaced the front suspension many years ago with a MII........................................

 

Springs are bone stock. Put all of the factory gear on the truck and it will settle right down to normal height.

I have 6 Suburbans and a couple of Canopy Expresses and there is an amazing amount of spring rate in half ton spring packs.

 

Just checked out your profile guru and your web pagehttp://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0004.html , you may know what your talking about!

 

I agree the original springs are pretty stiff, but they also don't have those extra leafs with square ends stuck between the original leafs with tapered ends.

Look close at the pictures....

 

That is very nice.

 

Thanks I hope it does. I have had a few trucks same year and they never sat that high with out an engine is what I was going by. You have some very cool trucks. I have a 54 truck not stock suspension and I have a 55 first series cab and parts. The 55 was restored and then my father totaled it. I kept it registered and hope to put it back together some day.

 

I looked at a couple of front axle leaf spring packs in my shop. Several only have the tapered ends as Squirrel indicates and two have the interspersed square leaves, all have only 8 leaves.

I have a set of Eaton Detroit springs as well and they are straight on all leaves.

None have 10 leaves like yours appear to have in the photo. I was mistaken to jump to the conclusion they were stock. It looks like they don't fit any of the configurations in Squirrel's table.

I have seen heavy duty spring packs on rear axles of suburbans fitted out as ambulances with 9 leaves . . . but I have not seen 10 leaves on either axle before.

 

Thanks

I would just take them apart, leave out all the leaves that don't look like they match the majority, sand blast, replace bushings, and reassemble and paint, using the correct length center bolts. the clamps may give you grief, though.

But I've been known to be a cheapskate.

 

This is great information. If I pull them apart would it be best to remove smaller ones or larger ones?

 

Thanks that sounds like what I will do as I already removed the front sheet metal.