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Two Door Conversion: 1989 Chevrolet Suburban

How wild is this custom conversion? The seller claims this custom two-door Chevrolet Suburban has looked like this for quite some time, as the Chevy 1/2-ton pickup that was used for the wild one-off was converted when it was brand new. Now, I don’t know whether this is more the case of a pickup with a finished bed than it is a true two-door Suburban, but whatever you want to call it, it certainly is unique, especially considering it has some performance upgrades under the hood as well. The seller claims he has $90,000 invested and that health issues force the sale; it’s listed here on craigslist f0r $29,000.

Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find. It’s hard to know even where to begin with describing what we see in the photos of this truck, but let’s tackle the interior to start. This is a very spacious cabin, with the original builder not attempting to add as many rows as possible to all the newfound space that was created out of converting the bed into living quarters. The bucket seat in the rear is the only other seat we see past the front two, actually, and the seller mentions that the truck features a bed as well. My guess is that the bed is installed on the left-rear side of the rear section of the van. Check out the deeply-bolstered bucket seat, too – it looks like it sits higher than the frot row, giving it a stadium-style effect.

If this is indeed a pickup with a custom roof section welded on, this represents a ton of custom work. The back door and glass is said to come from a Ford Taurus station wagon, and I have to believe the side windows were lifted straight from a 1980s GMC conversion van. The roof is some sort of custom vinyl “landau-style” job, but I also wonder if it’s used to some extent to cover up the rough work underneath required to form the roof section. In some ways, it makes you wonder if a pickup truck bed cap was used to provide weather protection with the vinyl cover over it to dress it up, but that’s just wild speculation on my part.

The bucket seats remind of the ones found in the Fox-body Mustang GT and all appear to be in excellent condition. Other upgrades include quad shocks, a rear disc brake conversion, 400/400 engine/transmission combo with “….fast burn heads, Black Scorpion manifold, and multi-port EFi,” and the seller confirms it was never used as a daily driver. As an added bonus, the listing specifies that the 60,000 reported miles is for the chassis only, and that the drivetrain is even fresher with just 20,000 miles of reported use. Have you ever seen this truck out at shows? We’d love to know what you think if you’ve spotted it in person.

Comments

  1. Avatar Cooter914 Member

    In Mexico, and points further south, I have seen Hearse conversions like this from pickups. The heavily padded roof and what could be used as hand rails especially bring these to mind.

    Like 10
    • Avatar Frank M

      That is a good posibility. With only one seat in the back and space for a bed (coffen?)… I could see it being used as a hearse or designed as one.

      Like 7
    • Avatar wcshook

      You ever modify something that was unique to your like or specifications? While not necessarily what I would do, but I admire their vision and overall ingenuity. You can’t order a new one, built like this. I am a big fan of buses, drove some. But people buy a retired coach and convert it to a RV because they don’t have $500,00.00 dollars of more for a factory converted coach.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Harvey Member

    Someone put a lot of time and money in this.

    Like 2
  3. Avatar TCOPPS Member

    Is it just me or is the link redirecting to a foxbody on ebay?

    Like 21
    • Avatar Steven Ramos

      Same thing happened here a link to eBay

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Brian73 Member

    Fix the link Jeff. Or at least tell us what city it’s listed in so we can do a Craigslist search of our own! I’m intrigued and want to see more. 😁

    Like 5
    • Avatar PaulG

      It’s on both the Phoenix and Las Vegas Craigslist but location stated as Montana

      Like 2
  5. Avatar Jeff

    Aside from a few mechanical upgrades, how is this better then a regular suburban?

    Like 5
    • Avatar Michael Berkemeier

      *than

      Like 3
    • Avatar wcshook

      Modified to be much more comfortable, more privacy, ect.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Lane

    2-door suburban conversion – cars & trucks – by owner – vehicle…
    https://helena.craigslist.org/cto/d/great-falls-door-suburban-conversion/7483417061.html

    Like 3
  7. Avatar Rw

    I like the Fox body more.

    Like 3
  8. Avatar Raymond

    You would know…

    Like 4
    • Avatar Anthony D

      What’s that supposed to mean

      Like 0
    • Avatar Anthony D

      Yea one just replied something stupid

      Like 0
  9. Avatar ruxvette

    Here’s the listing:
    2-door suburban conversion with 4 seats ; w/bed. Custom conversion from new 1989 Chevy 1/2 ton 4X4 pickup.
    Rear door and glass from a Ford Taurus Station wagon.
    Quad shocks, rear disc brakes, 400/400 W/ fast burn heads, Black Scorpion manifold, multi-port EFi.
    60,000 Highway miles on chassis only.
    Never driven on a daily basis.
    Motor change/upgrade @ 20,000 miles
    Health reasons dictate sale….. ($90,000 invested) must see and drive to appreciate.
    MAKE OFFER…..

    Like 1
    • Avatar Mike

      $90k invested?! Health reasons dictate sale? Seems logical. I’d have a heart attack too if I blew $90k creating this thing.

      Like 26
  10. Avatar Keith

    Further proof that you can’t buy taste.

    Seriously, I don’t understand why someone would have built that, at that time, in that way.

    Unless it was due to insisting on uniqueness, or an attempt to showcase someone’s bodywork skills, why wouldn’t they have just ordered/built a conversion van?

    Like 5
  11. Avatar GregM

    I’m sorry, but this is….unfortunate. In every possible way.

    Like 6
  12. Avatar bull

    $90K Invested????

    The should say what really happened.

    $90K SPENT!

    A $60K LOSS is NOT and investment!!!

    Like 6
    • Avatar wcshook

      A lot of things people spend their money on is not an investment. Antique cars and other things, are known investments. A gamble to be sure. Even stocks and bonds, an investment, are a gamble.

      Like 1
    • Avatar Gary

      I love when they say they ” invested ” a ton of money on a worthless project. Just money flushed down the toilet.

      Like 4
  13. Avatar erik johnston

    for some reason,i kinda like it. never buy it! But i really think to the right person-cool. On the ugly mentions,I dont think that applies. I have seen somany things ugly. A pacer is top of my list

    Like 0
  14. Avatar chrlsful

    2 dor’n a lift gate? Ummm, nawh.

    Nother puter glitch. Ur CL link goes to a stang add not this’un.

    So not sure if it like the early ‘burban just 5 dor not 6, 5 (3 up frnt)
    would B fine esp if the side were the modern slide in the mini-vans.
    They creat lots of access – 2nd seating row as well as a bit to the cargo or 3rd row of seats (whatever’s there)..

    Like 1
  15. Avatar Michael Berkemeier

    This thing is yet another example of waking up from a really big bender, hungover as heck, and realizing what you did the night before. If I saw this in my driveway (or sideways in my yard, as it my be) I would cap myself.

    Like 1
  16. Avatar douglas hunt

    nope, no no no no no…………………….

    Like 2
  17. Avatar Yooper Mike

    Must be a mother to get into the back seats. Not for this old 75 year man.

    Like 1

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