In 1978 I bought a 1961 GMC K1000 4WD Suburban from the University of Missouri after winning a silent auction when it was offered for sale at their Geology field camp. It was their Geology field camp vehicle at Lander Wyoming since new. It was my main transportation for several years during the late 1970's and early 80's. I rebuilt the 305 "big block" V6, transmission and transfer case.

One of the last repairs attempted before I quit driving it was fixing the fuel filler neck. It came loose from the body, and the hoses on the vent line rotted. I could still fill it so wasn't imperative to fix it. Years of storage and neglect have been recently met with vigorous effort to get it ready to drive a quarter mile home from where it's been stored for 5 years. It hadn't run it 10 years.

A foot section of 1-3/8" and 1/2" fuel hose made the proper repair possible, and yesterday I removed the filler neck and cleaned and painted it. I mounted the neck to mock up cutting the hoses, and while measuring the vent hose at 18", a light bulb went off that there was originally a steel section with rubber on both ends. Then I remembered that this hose was in a box of parts that also includes some other GMC parts.

This morning I was disappointed the steel vent section wasn't in the box, but as I was moving it for a better look, it was behind the box. It was happily cleaned and painted for reinstall.

All intact now, and everything feels a little bit more right in the world as a result.

3 on the tree?

I've been to Lander; beautiful area!

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
3 on the tree?

Granny low 4 speed with a 2 speed transfer case.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:I've been to Lander; beautiful area!

The U of MO field camp which has been there since the twenties or thirties, is in the valley leading up to Wind River peak, on the bank of the Popo Agie river. Fond memories of attending field camp, including the only cute girl attending.

Was camping the first night hiking to Wind River Peak post camp when messengers arrived alerting me to the passing of my grandfather. We left post haste and returned to Missouri for his funeral.

PB,

You didn't say whether you got it running.

I've also been to Lander...beautiful area. And as a lifelong Chevy truck fan, we need some pics of that Suburban!

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
PB,

You didn't say whether you got it running.

"It hadn't run it 10 years."

Tense counts.

Topping off an amazing day of mechanical success, I regretted not bringing a magnet to search for a screwdriver bit I used to remove a stubborn 60 year old hose clamp. It's loss would make a Wiha set incomplete. All packed up I decided even without the magnet I forgot to bring, I thought how funny would it be to find that screwdriver bit in the grass now. Ten seconds later and there it was!

And no pics?!?
Google searched & that's a neat looking truck.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
And no pics?!?
Google searched & that's a neat looking truck.

K1000 60-66 Suburbans are quite rare. GMC versions even more than Chevys. Speculations is only several hundred made in the first few years of this generation of Suburbans, likely a small percentage of them GMC. Few survivors, I've only seen one K Suburban since I've owned this one, a Chevy. Never seen a GMC one other than mine in person. A cherry restored one in the Mel Gibson movie "Man Without a Face"

After that outlay of energy, you should take a knee and pace yourself. Come to it in a decade or so.

quote:

Originally posted by Flashlightboy:
After that outlay of energy, you should take a knee and pace yourself. Come to it in a decade or so.

Been putting in several hours a day lately working down to freezing. I've earned it following a long warmup.

Love those old Suburbans. Now get that thing on the rose and get us some pictures.

My 1976 Suburban was full time 4X4. When I owned it, two things would go on:
You could watch the gas gauge drop.
Bits and pieces of the body would fall off due to the worst case of vehicle rust I have ever experienced.
Great truck! Still miss it.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
My 1976 Suburban was full time 4X4. When I owned it, two things would go on:
You could watch the gas gauge drop.
Bits and pieces of the body would fall off due to the worst case of vehicle rust I have ever experienced.
Great truck! Still miss it.

We've had an '03 Suburban that may be the best vehicle I've ever owned. I bought it 7 years ago with 250K on the clock. It's now over 400k, and still going strong.

I've been kinda hankering for a project truck, and there's a guy down the road selling a '78 or '79 Suburban, but it's got quite a bit of rust down low, and he's smoking crack on his asking price (wants $11k). If it was $3-4k, it would be a lot more interesting.

My dad had a '79 GMC stepside pickup when I was born, and some of my first memories are of taking rides in that truck. He sold it when I was 3 before we moved to Ohio, and I've always wanted to own something in that body style...at this point in my life with 4 kids a Suburban makes more sense than another truck.

Picture of 61 GMC at work, in 1961

My first vehicle was a 1962 GMC pickup with that 305 V6 and an automatic. Green stepside longbed KS farm truck. Wish I hadn't sold it for $400 in 1976

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Picture of 61 GMC at work, in 1961

Pretty sure I see a bowtie in the center of the hood. I think that's a Chevy and may have been called a Carryall in 1961 since Suburban was GMC.

By the serial number, my Suburban was the 37th 1962 GMC to roll off the line in Pontic, Michigan. Safe to say that would be the first day of production for 1962?

It has always been titled and called a 1961 even though it is really a 1962 according to GMC.