- TRUCKIN.COM [7 6 ] OCTOBER 2019 -
Sources:
LOWBOY MOTORSPORTS
480 .717.9 256
lowboymotorsports.comUNITED PACIFIC INDUSTRIES
866 .3 2 7.5 288
upauto.comTruckin Tech TEXT AND PHOTOS: BRYAN FROSS
Project Rebirth ’7 1
Suburban Part 3 :
Steered Straight
W
ith every project—especially older ones like
our ’71 Chevrolet C 10 Suburban—there are
issues that can and will come up when you
begin to tear into it. Last month, we brought
you a second helping of tech on our ’71 Suburban, consisting of
a Baer brakes install to go along with the QA1 coilover conversion
and CPP spindles from the month before. We also got the Chevy
rolling on a set of Intro wheels with Nexen tires.
However, in the process of tearing out the old suspension and
brakes, Todd Burton from Lowboy Motorsports in Mesa, Arizona,
found some issues that required attention. A few of them were
known previously, but the extent of what was needed was not clear
at that time. One of the known issues was the steering column. It
was difficult to shift, the hazard light knob had been snapped off
so it wouldn’t function, the self-canceling turn signal switch was
busted, and the previous owner had haphazardly painted the
entire column. Because it was a safety issue, it was time to replace
it—but it doesn’t hurt to have the replacement be a show-quality
Flaming River steering column from United Pacific Industries.
To add a cherry on top, Seth from Lowboy added the polished
and brushed steering wheel from Intro Wheels that mimics the 22-
inch rollers we recently installed. Check out the steering column
transformation from unsafe and ugly to proper and polished.
Then, stay tuned next month as we bring you another addition
to our project that will transform the looks as well as the overall
driving experience.A Flaming River Steering
Column From United
Pacific Industries Brings
Our Project Closer to
Being Roadworthy
- The Flaming River steering
column we picked up from United
Pacific Industries in Long Beach,
California, was exactly what the
old Chevy needed to be safe and
sound on the road as well as eye-
catching at shows.
2. Our 48-year-old project
Suburban was in decent shape
now with the new suspension,
brakes, and other changes,
but a few more items were on
the upgrade list for the crew at
Lowboy Motorsports in Mesa,
Arizona, before it could be driven
back home to California.The KP Concepts rendering of this
project had visions of grandeur rolling
through our heads, but there was still
some work to do before cruising this ’71.