1997 GMC Extended Cab Down Under

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df2x4

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Forgive my ignorance what's a Holden Suburban?

Holden = Australian GM. There were a limited quantity of GMT400 Suburbans sold in Australia badged as Holdens. They had some differences from the standard GM models, like a different grille and some extra side marker lights.
 

HotWheelsBurban

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Forgive my ignorance what's a Holden Suburban?
Holden was a GM division and brand in Australia, and from 1998 to 2001 they offered a Holden badged Suburban. They were all 4wd, with 1500 series being 5.7 L31 gas powered and the 2500 series being 6.5 diesel powered. Over the 4 years, less than 500 of the 1500 were produced and sold, less than 300 of the 2500s. Part of that was price; they were around $90K Australian dollars new. Transportation and conversion to RHD is a big part of that price.
I learned these facts from an Aussie member of this forum, he also sent me a pic of the sales brochure. Very neat piece! The Holden Burbs were all well optioned, as they were competing with the Land/Range Rover crowd.
 

KNG51Z

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It has been all over the place honestly... Prior to Christmas I was in NSW, just south of Sydney. Most of last year it was all locked down pretty hard, no gym or gatherings etc. This let up in NSW in November as we hit about 90% vaccinated status so somethings were kind of normal. In December I came back home, North Queensland way, managed to drive that 1600m trip with little dramas, Queensland is still trying to limit things but I am in a rural location now, so it is nothing much has really changed here. There is some shortage on certain foods in rural areas, but oddly enough not so much fresh foods, most of that is grown around here and seems to be available.


Ok interesting, according to the window guys here they are all plastic/rubber encapsulated, been trying to source one since late last year, but every time someone tells me they can get one they end up telling me weeks later that there is no such thing as a 1997 Silverado/Sierra... The current guy at least knows about the Suburban that go imported to Aus in 1997-2000, so he is basically getting a windscreen to suit that. But the length on the two models he can order differs by nearly an inch in length and he is under the impression they come with the rubber surround in place. We won't know until it is ordered and here.
My biggest issue with the OBS trucks is that no one here knows anything about them, and parts availability is non existent. I might be able to get a new hood from Melbourne but they won't ship them due to damage etc, and that is nearly 2000m away.

If the weather clears up a little I will back it out and take a bucket load of pics, inside and out, I imagine some of you will get a right kick out of the conversion. Keep in mind this was converted by a private workshop back in 1997 to comply with various Australian rules. So it isn't just a matter of swapping the steering wheel to the Stbd side, they change out brake pads, sometimes lights and occasionally glass, seat belts, tyres and all kinds of arbitrary things. I have added the mod plate and the glove box ID plate too.
Where abouts south of sydney did you go? Im from Nowra, (south of wollongong).... I get my parts through rockauto, Summit and just got sum through LMC truck aswell. Theres a few places around Aus that sell parts for the GMT400's but they dont keep oddball ****, mostly just "serviceable ****" like brake pads/ball joints etc.
 

Masterb4tes

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EDIT: I noticed that the 60/40 front bench is unchanged, but I just realized that could mean the passenger has power a seat while the driver has manual :roflsquared:
This is accurate, although the driver seat has a cable tucked up underneath and there is a cable coming from the floor... But the drivers seat in 100% manual.
Forgive my ignorance what's a Holden Suburban?

Holden = Australian GM. There were a limited quantity of GMT400 Suburbans sold in Australia badged as Holdens. They had some differences from the standard GM models, like a different grille and some extra side marker lights.
Right on the money @HotWheelsBurban. In total, 746 were sold (460 petrol and 286 diesel) - According to Wikipedia. I have only seen one or two for sale and both were in pretty bad shape.

Cheers @1989GMCSIERRA thats what I keep telling people. Unfortunately no one really believes me... We will get there, the current windscreen guy at least knows what a Suburban is.

Where abouts south of sydney did you go? Im from Nowra, (south of wollongong).... I get my parts through rockauto, Summit and just got sum through LMC truck aswell. Theres a few places around Aus that sell parts for the GMT400's but they dont keep oddball ****, mostly just "serviceable ****" like brake pads/ball joints etc.
I was in Nowra too, small world, the truck and I are up near Cairns now. Did you sell/buy the white 97 Silverado that was on Gumtree late last year? It looked lowered and reasonably tidy. I think it was around $20-25k. I have had a look at LMC and Summit, I was seeing what I could get locally but you are right, there isn't much available.
 

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In total, 746 were sold (460 petrol and 286 diesel) - According to Wikipedia. I have only seen one or two for sale and both were in pretty bad shape.
Incredibly rare, especially for how widely produced these trucks were.
This is accurate, although the driver seat has a cable tucked up underneath and there is a cable coming from the floor... But the drivers seat in 100% manual.
Cable coming up from the floor? If you mean power that'll probably be for lumbar support. Would be a little 2 or 4 pin black connector
 

Masterb4tes

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Incredibly rare, especially for how widely produced these trucks were.

Cable coming up from the floor? If you mean power that'll probably be for lumbar support. Would be a little 2 or 4 pin black connector

I suspect you are right @Jesse_Wenting, 4 pin black connector, also attached a picture of the air box/fender mount, it is loose at the moment so I will get in there shortly.
Might be going on a quick jaunt to pick up a 2003 Powerstroke F250, if I do I might be able to grab a hood for the GMC while I am at it.
 

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Jesse_Wenting

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I suspect you are right @Jesse_Wenting, 4 pin black connector
Yes that wire under the seat is definitely for lumbar support, presuming it still works lol. Just a little air pump that lives under the seat, will be in a small pouch that would have stayed with the seat during removal. If you ever need one, that orange wire is a constant 12v.

also attached a picture of the air box/fender mount, it is loose at the moment so I will get in there shortly.
This surprised me. You said the truck was converted back in post #14, but this fender looks purpose built to have the air box mounted where the battery would normally be. You can see where the air would normally flow in this photo. Curious how the filter box is supported.

If you can find a cover for that square hole back by the hood spring you might see a little (I do mean little here) power gain from less warm air getting into the intake from the engine bay. I'm sure that ribbed tube that runs from the filter to the intake is causing some pretty crazy turbulence too lol
 

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Yes that wire under the seat is definitely for lumbar support, presuming it still works lol. Just a little air pump that lives under the seat, will be in a small pouch that would have stayed with the seat during removal. If you ever need one, that orange wire is a constant 12v.


This surprised me. You said the truck was converted back in post #14, but this fender looks purpose built to have the air box mounted where the battery would normally be. You can see where the air would normally flow in this photo. Curious how the filter box is supported.

If you can find a cover for that square hole back by the hood spring you might see a little (I do mean little here) power gain from less warm air getting into the intake from the engine bay. I'm sure that ribbed tube that runs from the filter to the intake is causing some pretty crazy turbulence too lol
Good info to know about that lumbar support wiring... Constant 12v is always useful.

I am wondering if the company that did the conversion used panels from a Holden Suburban? They would of been available at the time and it would of been a genuine factory part. I know there is a cut out on the drivers side (stbd side) dash, that has literally been cut out with a hand saw, real roadside job... So considering how professional the air box intake looks by comparison, I suspect it must of been an off the shelf panel.
I'm gonna refrain from playing with the engine until she is on the road. Once we are driving around and getting a gauge on things I will see what I want to do with it. It's tough spending money on a truck when you want to spend money on a second motorbike too...
 
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