subtwo

Then there were TWO!

Okay, the story goes like this. Stu and I attended the big Portland Swap Meet. We saw a Chevy Suburban while there, and it looked similar to mine, lots of rust in all the same places, and all the same kind of problems. And it didn't run. And the guy wanted $2,000 for it.

I chatted with him, but did not leave him expecting I'd buy it.

When we got home I had a email waiting for me telling me of a 1955 1st GMC truck for $20. Not a pickup or Suburban, but a real 1-1/2-ton truck. I spent a little time trying to figure out if I wanted it, and how I'd get it home from Kent, and where I'd put it. Before I'd settled that discussion I got an email offering me a '52 GMC Suburban for going and getting it. I dropped the truck chase immediately.

Since my friend Gene is cleaning up his yard, I'd already borrowed a trailer to haul hulks, so Stu and I ran up to Whidbey Island and collected this Suburban. It turned into an adventure!

We left home just after 1 PM thinking we'd easily make the 3:45 Ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone. Nope. We weren't in time for the 5:15 either. We were on the 6:45 PM ferry. It was a full 30 minutes late leaving...

We spent a full 4 hours sitting in Port Townsend waiting for the ferry... I'd decided to go that route to save time. It would have been quicker to drive around through Tacoma!

The last ferry back to Port Townsend from Keystone is 9:10. It was 9:00 by time we arrived where the suburban was parked... It didn't take long to get it loaded, and headed home, but we had no choice but to head around on the mainland instead of the short-cut back through Port Townsend.

We made the 11:45 PM ferry from Edmonds to Kingston, and drove home from there, arriving at about 1 AM. 12 hours for what I expected to be just 5 or 6 hours.

This is how we left it upon arriving home. Saturday morning we quickly unloaded it, since Stu and I both had commitments elsewhere, and my commitment included the pickup and an empty trailer.

Its not a runner. The head is missing off the motor, and the transmission has been removed. It does roll, though after we parked it, one of the tires popped. I do mean popped with a bang!

It has an extra door inside, but none of the window garnishes I've been looking for appear present. The glass is either missing or broken. The barn doors are better than the ones I have, and the steel about the doors is much better too. That solves some of my problems.

The inside panels are all pretty good too. I'll be moving a lot of sheet metal from this one to my driver. Not today, but someday...

Thanks to Ken, who made this one possible! Thanks to Stu who kept me company on the trip, kept me awake late coming home, and used his muscle and enthusiasm to to help out!

Last updated: December 31, 2006