Damn Ice! Tree limb smashed my Suburban.

I like where this thread is going... hate how it started but it is becoming interesting.

JohnRW1621 wrote: You could then have a larger Grande Casa. The Grande Casa Grande. Or, Casa Grande, Grande

I really like this idea. My biggest complaint with he Casa Grande has been the length of the bed, which is limited because of the blazer chassis, but I keep it around anyway because of the novelty. A chalet shell on a burb would give me the extra space needed. So phase one would be graft blazer goodies, then phase two would be fit removable chalet shell. This has potential for awesomeness.

LopRacer wrote: I like where this thread is going... hate how it started but it is becoming interesting.

When life hands you limes...make margaritas!

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254301

sux... I love those things... learned to drive in an '82 diesel 4x4 burban... slow but was a great truck... I like the sawzall solutions i'm seeing :)

JohnRW1621 wrote: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254301

Win!

Casa Mucho Grande?

JohnRW1621 wrote: The answers are out there! Blazurban

Man, now I kind of want a Suburban just to do this conversion!

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that. I REALLY dig the soft top version.

Sorry the burban got creamed Cotton, but this is getting cool.

JohnRW1621 wrote: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254301

This is undoubtedly the winner.

EvanB wrote: Time for this?

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Casa Mucho Grande?

Casa Muy Grande

Oh I think turning it into a removable turtle top is the best idea. Only a little more work than grafting on a replacement piece and it will make the truck better than it was before.

JohnRW1621 wrote: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254301

Cotton wrote:

mazdeuce wrote: I had branches fall both in front of and behind my truck today. berkeley ice. Can you graft the roof channel and stuff from a Blazer on? Or just the back of a truck cab?

I have a cucv k5 so went out to take a look at how the top mounts. It doesn't look like it would be too difficult to cut the section the top mounts to from a junkyard blazer and weld it to the hacked burb. This is kind of what I'm leading towards now. It wouldnt cost much to get the parts needed from the junkyard, so I could give it a shot and if it doesn't work out no big deal. I would just need to be a little more diligent about "measuring twice/cutting once" as opposed to my usual "start cutting until it kind of fits".....

I fully support this.

Lemons - -lemonade- you've heard it before. That was a nice clean truck . Looks like the 'burb body has to be lengthened to it the Blazer roof, maybe shorten the Blazer roof to fit the existing body?

Powar wrote:

JohnRW1621 wrote: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254301

This is undoubtedly the winner.

Yup. Now I want a Suburban jsut so I can build one of these.

Here is a better shot of the limb, sorry for the poor quality, but we have bad fog today. I'm lucky I didn't park a little closer to the tree because the suburban got hit by one of the small sections.

Also, I reached out to a contact that has several Chalets/Casa Grandes and he has agreed to sell me a rusty one with a good shell for $500, so it looks like this is going to happen. My work travel schedule is pretty crazy this month, so I told him I'd come get it in April.

Cotton wrote: Any idea what most insurance companies go by for value? Another reason I want to buy it back is because I'm afraid the offer will be real low, so at least I won't lose my ass on what all I've put into it if I keep the parts. It was in great shape before this, so hopefully that'll help me.

Each insurance company has it's own method (approved by the state DOI). Some use books, such as NADA or similar. Others have services that do market valuations for them. My suspicion with an older vehicle is that the value is going to come back lower than you want, because most older ones like that don't have a lot of value (think rust, wear/tear, etc...). So in this case, it will really benefit you to show them photos, receipts, any documentation you have to demonstrate that this wasn't just another old Suburban.

Cotton wrote: Also, I reached out to a contact that has several Chalets/Casa Grandes and he has agreed to sell me a rusty one with a good shell for $500, so it looks like this is going to happen. My work travel schedule is pretty crazy this month, so I told him I'd come get it in April.

Build thread or ban.

If you plan to rebuild the truck, is there an issue title-wise if the insurance company totals it?

In reply to Klayfish:

Thanks, this one has zero rust, and the interior is perfect, so hopefully condition will help.

I talked to the insurance comp today and they said I can go around to body shops and get my own estimates, then fax them in if I don't want to wait for the adjuster to come to the house, so I plan to take half a day off Friday and run around taking care of that.

Ian F wrote:

Cotton wrote: Also, I reached out to a contact that has several Chalets/Casa Grandes and he has agreed to sell me a rusty one with a good shell for $500, so it looks like this is going to happen. My work travel schedule is pretty crazy this month, so I told him I'd come get it in April.

Build thread or ban. If you plan to rebuild the truck, is there an issue title-wise if the insurance company totals it?

Not in TN if it's over 10 years old. I've gone through this with a couple of vehicles before. One, a 944 turbo, was totaled, but over 10 years old, so no inspection or anything...also no branded title. The other, a 99 F250, was less than 10 years old at the time, so had to go through an inspection process after repairs, then would have a branded title once complete. I ended up selling the f250 as is. The Porsche, I kept and fixed, but made sure when I sold it the buyer knew what it had been through and that it had been totaled at one point.

We'll this sucks. They are offering 2k if I keep the truck and 2400 if I give it up for salvage. I've got around 6k in it and there's no way I can find one as clean as mine for 2k. I even provided a receipt for an $1800 transmission I put in just 2k miles ago.

That stinks. Hopefully you can complete the conversion for the 2k.

In reply to Cotton:
Start your online shopping.
Search all avenues to find one of similar (autotrader, CL, etc.)
Print and save that listing and provide to insurance company.

I suggest that everyone here (especially rust-free climates) search their own CL to look for similar Suburbans and post a link.
Here is what I see in my corner of Ohio:
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/4361560661.html
http://mansfield.craigslist.org/cto/4347516178.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/4334892199.html

In reply to JohnRW1621:

Thanks man I appreciate it. That helps.