1978 Suburban

I am selling a 1978 Chevrolet K20 Suburban (3/4-ton four-wheel drive) with four-speed manual transmission. It has a sound drive train, a decent body
and interior, and a completely worn-out engine.
This Suburban is a “project” vehicle. It runs enough to get it loaded on a trailer or maybe to drive to a destination within 25 miles of Cody – anything
more than that would be pushing it. With a good engine it will be ready for many more miles of rugged service.
This vehicle has logged almost 271,000 miles and the factory 305-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) engine needs either a full overhaul or replacement. When I
parked this car in 1997 it was using a quart of oil every 80 miles or so and would often foul one particular spark plug. Today it seems that at least two
plugs are fouled out and the carburetor’s accelerator pump is not working right. It is a bit of a challenge to get the engine running when cold.
This car has been stored indoors since 2001, but it was outside most of the time prior to that. It has suffered some of the harm that results from outside
storage, including degradation of some of the window seals and plastics. The steering wheel is coated with that sticky stuff that results from too much
ultraviolet exposure.
This Suburban was originally owned/used by the US Bureau of Reclamation’s office in Mills, Wyoming. It had 70,200 miles in May 1985 when I
bought it from the private party who purchased it at a General Services Administration (GSA) auction earlier that year. As a GSA vehicle, it does not
have the chrome strips, carpeting, and other fancy stuff like the Suburbans that were sold off dealer lots. It is simple, plain, and rugged.
As mentioned above, the engine is the 305-cubic-inch V8 and it has a two-barrel carburetor. The four-speed manual transmission is the Muncie SM465
with the granny low gear and direct drive in highest gear. The transfer case is a New Process 205 with cast-iron housing. The rear axle is the fullfloating 14-bolt GM-corporate product with 10.5-inch ring gear. The axle ratios are 3.73:1.
In 1993 this Suburban received some body work and a new paint job. One (or possibly both – I do not remember and the invoice in my files does not
provide a detailed list of the work done) of the front doors was replaced at that time. The glass is pretty good but there is a small horizontal crack
(possibly repairable?) in the windshield. Some of the following pictures provide details on the cosmetic deficiencies of which I am aware.
I replaced the clutch cover assembly, friction disk, release bearing, and pilot bushing in May 1993 at 187,149 miles. Today the clutch is still smooth
(but it is hard to tell because the engine misses so badly).
The original speedometer was replaced in December 1987 at 109,529 miles, and the second speedometer has turned over once since new.
This Suburban has power steering and power brakes. There is no air conditioning and no third-row seat. It does have a receiver hitch and a KelseyHayes electronic brake controller wired to a 6-pin trailer receptacle on the rear bumper. There is a Pioneer AM-FM radio with cassette player.
Right now this Suburban is in a roomy garage with a smooth and clean concrete floor. If you want to check everything underneath, bring your coveralls
and/or creeper and have at it. I will provide a droplight for your inspection convenience.
I have no real idea of a fair price for this Suburban, so will throw out an initial asking price of $1,500 sold on a cash basis and picked up by the buyer at
Cody, Wyoming. If you are interested, please call or email and let me know what it is worth to you because I am definitely going to sell it.
Glenn Borkenhagen
Mobile 307-213-9922
1978 Chevrolet K20 Suburban
[email protected]
30 January 2015
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The receiver hitch is built higher than most to provide maximum ground clearance. Therefore, there was not room for the license plate above the hitch.
The license plate was moved to the left-back door and the bumper was modified to fill in the open space.
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No front bumper. I do have a homemade (not my home!) winch bumper that I will include with this Suburban if someone wants it.
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Inside left-front wheel well, looking forward.
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Inside right-front wheel well, looking backward.
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Inside right-front wheel well, looking backward.
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Inside left-rear wheel well, looking forward.
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Inside left-rear wheel well, looking backward.
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Behind left-rear wheel.
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Inside right-rear wheel well, looking backward.
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Inside right-rear wheel well, looking forward.
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Cracked body filler on right-rear door.
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Inside right-front wheel well, looking backward.
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Inside right-front wheel well, looking forward.
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Front seat from right-front door.
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Rear seat folded down, from right-rear door.
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Rating plate on post behind left-front door. There is no label in the glove box and GM does not have build sheets for vehicles this old.
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Headliner is in place but coming loose at a couple of edges. Both dome lights work!!
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Rear seat viewed from right-front position.
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Front seat from right-front door. This seat was recovered during October 1988.
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Rear seat from right-rear door.
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Front seat from left-front door.
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Add 209,529 miles to get total miles driven. Note hazing of plastic due to sun exposure.
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I installed these electric gauges to replace the factory warning lights.
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Cracks in dashboard mat.
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Transmission/transfer-case controls. You can see the Kelsey-Hayes trailer-brake controller
and Pioneer AM-FM radio with cassette player on the left edge of picture.
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Inside of right-front door.
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Inside of left-front door.
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Inside of left-rear door.
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Rear seat from left-rear door.
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Rear seat from left-rear door.
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In front of right-rear wheel.
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Inside of right-rear door.
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Inside of right-front door.
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I missed some dust on the roof when at the car wash on 21 January.
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This car is still too good to send to the crusher.
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That is dust on the roof. I should have taken a ladder to the car wash.
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Factory 305 with 2-barrel carburetor. I have a rebuilt Quadrajet and a four-barrel manifold I can include with this Suburban.
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