Love this vehicle

[Gem99ultra]

That Suburban brings back good and bad memories :-) I restored one myself back in the '70s. Mine was a '49 7-seater. I loved the uniqueness of it, but hated the scarecity of parts. I had to buy 5 other old beat up broken down panel trucks to get parts. Sometimes I'd have to buy an entire junker just to get one door hinge or one running board! Surbans were extremely scarce but every plummer in town had a similar (no windows) panel sitting out back.

I sure had fun getting it passed on state safety inspections. They'd want to check the turn signals. :-) Nope - they didn't come with turn signals. Same with safety belts. No smog equipment. Almost no-nothing.

Loved that old truck... Thanks for snagging the picture.

[TripleR]

Beautiful car robs.
I would like to have seen the blue and black one with a chrome grill and bumper bar though. Or did the grills come painted?

My daughter just took first prize for her '66 Mustang that was imported from the States a few years ago. I guess they are old hat there?

That is a beautiful car, a friend of mine had one just like that when they first came out. Your daughter did a great job on it, both of you should be really proud.

[JDgreen227]

That Suburban brings back good and bad memories :-) I restored one myself back in the '70s. Mine was a '49 7-seater. I loved the uniqueness of it, but hated the scarecity of parts. I had to buy 5 other old beat up broken down panel trucks to get parts. Sometimes I'd have to buy an entire junker just to get one door hinge or one running board! Surbans were extremely scarce but every plummer in town had a similar (no windows) panel sitting out back.

I sure had fun getting it passed on state safety inspections. They'd want to check the turn signals. :-) Nope - they didn't come with turn signals. Same with safety belts. No smog equipment. Almost no-nothing.

Loved that old truck... Thanks for snagging the picture.

Glad you liked it, it was one of the most unique vehicles I have ever seen at a car show...people were walking right by it to admire the Camaros, Corvettes, GTO's etc. and none of them seemed to realize just how rare those Sub's are.

[LBrown59]

Went to a car show today, lots of restored and shiny muscle cars, Corvettes, street rods, etc but practically NOBODY even took a second glance at this '48 Chevy Fleetmaster, which is why I liked it so much.

These were called panel trucks back in the late 40's to late 50's.My dad worked at a furniture carpet store back in the day and he would on occasion drive the stores panel truck home from work .Our next door neighbor also drove a panel truck delivering flowers for a florist. I got my first high school job at A mom an pop grocery store back in the late 50's I got to delivery groceries driving their 1952 Ford panel truck.

[JDgreen227]

Not trying to argue with LBrown59, but to me "panel truck" refers to a body with no side windows aft of the front doors.

[2LaneCruzer]

Not trying to argue with LBrown59, but to me "panel truck" refers to a body with no side windows aft of the front doors.

That's my recollection also. Note the term "Panel Truck"; emphasis on the word truck. Chevrolet also made something called a sedan delivery, similar to a panel truck, but based on the body and chassis of a sedan. They are becoming quite popular for restoration.

Google Image Result for http://allcarcentral.com/Chevrolet/Chevrolet_sedan_delivery_1948_Rick_Feibusch_2009.j pg

[Gem99ultra]

You only had to compare one ride in a Sedan Delivery vs Panel Truck back then ;-) The Panel was a trucker's truck. And the Suburban had the same suspension. The Panel & Suburban's rode like a wagon.

Isn't it strange that GM will title a Suburban as a truck or as a 'car'? At least they did in Texas. I suppose it depended on your intended use or your whim.

It's nice to learn that we have a good number of car enthusiast here on TBN.

[JDgreen227]

You only had to compare one ride in a Sedan Delivery vs Panel Truck back then ;-) The Panel was a trucker's truck. And the Suburban had the same suspension. The Panel & Suburban's rode like a wagon.

Isn't it strange that GM will title a Suburban as a truck or as a 'car'? At least they did in Texas. I suppose it depended on your intended use or your whim.


When my GMC Yukon XL 2500 was new, Michigan titled it as a "station wagon" and 12 years later they still do. Now, is a station wagon a truck or a car? Webster's defines a station wagon as an "automobile with folding or removable rear seats and a tailgate that can be opened...." Now, is my GMC a station wagon or an SUV?
It's nice to learn that we have a good number of car enthusiast here on TBN.

Yes, there are a lot of auto lovers here....I am one of them !!

[jonyyuma]

Yes, there are a lot of auto lovers here....I am one of them !!

Yes, the older machinery had eye appeal...I Love to walk thru Custom Auto-shows, BUT rarely ever go to the New Car showings in September???

[JDgreen227]

Yes, the older machinery had eye appeal...I Love to walk thru Custom Auto-shows, BUT rarely ever go to the New Car showings in September???

New car showings....HAHAHAHAHA why bother they all have the same bland silver/beige/black "I'm a jellybean too...." appearance. Used to be you could tell a '65 Ford LTD from a '69 Chevrolet from a '67 Pontiac blocks away. Now all the new cars look alike with the same bland ugly colors and no chrome.

Does anybody here realize that back in the 50's and 60's you could get a new car with two and three tone paint, hundreds of color combinations and interior color and trim selections and today you get one bland exterior paint color and a grey, tan, or black interior. UGLY UGLY UGLY.