S.U.V.

For the last several years, SUVs have been the buzz in the world of new cars, soccer Moms, and the general motoring public. As a matter of fact, this trend is so strong that automakers from Kia to Porsche have offered myriad variations on the theme, to the point where most of us can’t even begin to name them all. With names ranging from half of a state name to words that don’t mean much of anything (Dakota, Cayenne, Rainier and on and on) the onslaught of SUVs seems to show no sign of slowing down.

A Timeless Classic: The Origins of the SUV

Of course, we’re not inferring there’s no need for an SUV, just that maybe we don’t need quite so many to choose from. For you see, the SUV—like most things automotive—is really nothing new. In 1935, Chevrolet introduced its first SUV and named it the Suburban. It’s an interesting name because it came long before the suburban sprawl that would follow in the ’50s and continue its expansion until the present. However, the new Suburban did fill a need in that it was part truck and part station wagon. It provided the rugged build of a full-size truck but also incorporated seating and roll-down windows for passengers.

Rugged Utility Meets Rarity

These vehicles were perfect for transporting small groups of people over less-than-perfect terrain. Some of Chevrolet’s best customers for these vehicles included the military and institutions such as the Forest Service and Park Rangers. Like most utilitarian vehicles, they were worked hard, and when their service was no longer needed, they were—for the most part—scrapped. That makes early Suburbans a very rare commodity today. The combination of time-tested utility and scarcity makes these light trucks prime candidates for street rodders.

Mike Kofel’s Discovery: A 1937 Suburban

Enter Mike Kofel of Hobe Sound, Florida. Kofel has been a car guy most of his life, and when he discovered a ’37 Chevrolet Suburban, he jumped at the chance to purchase the truck. Oh sure, it was a little rough, but for the most part, it was all there. It was a ’37 Chevrolet, which is one of the better-looking years for the Suburban, and it would make the perfect cruiser for him. The other bit of good news is 1937 was the first year of the all-steel body from Chevrolet—no more structural wood to replace.

The Frame-Off Restoration Begins

After hauling the Suburban home, the body was lifted off the frame and the original driveline was given the deep six, pun intended. The old inline six-cylinder motor, transmission, and torque tube rear were removed from the frame. The front suspension was also given the ax, and the framerails were boxed in preparation for the additional power of a V-8 engine. Out back, a ’55 Chevrolet rear axle housing was mounted to the stock parallel leaf springs, and a set of new gas shocks were mounted to dampen the road.

Performance and Handling Upgrades

Knowing full well this Suburban would be seeing plenty of miles, Kofel wanted improved steering, handling, and braking on his truck. He found all of that wrapped up in a very good-looking package from Heidt’s Hot Rod Shop. The fully independent front suspension brought with it power disc brakes and rack and pinion steering. Rolling stock for the truck comes from a set of traditional Rally wheels with 205-75/15 front tires and 235-75/15 rear rubber. Silver Rally wheel paint, beauty bands, and small hubcaps complete the wheel package.

A New Heart: V-8 Engine Installation

After removing the stock engine, a 250hp 350-cubic-inch Chevrolet crate motor arrived. Using motor mounts from Chassis Engineering, the engine was installed in the ’37 chassis. Behind the small block, a 700R-4 automatic overdrive transmission passes the power back to the ’55 Chevrolet rear gear. Believing that trucks should be Spartan in nature, Kofel opted not to dress the small block in billet or fins; rather, he used tasteful dark green paint and raw aluminum parts to provide a utilitarian look to the engine that would also be very simple to maintain.

Craftsmanship in Bodywork

After years of service in the military with the TexArcan Arsenal, the old truck had its fair share of dents, dings, and rust. Patch panels were fabricated, panels were hammered to perfection, and time was spent fitting doors to better-than-factory standards. Chip Astle of Loxahatchee, Florida, handled the bodywork, and the only modifications to the outside of the truck are custom fabricated smoothie running boards and the addition of ’37 Chevrolet passenger car taillights. The stock headlights remain in service, but with improved halogen bulbs and new reproduction stainless steel bumpers protect the rare sheet metal front and rear. In the back, Astle formed a neat panel closing the gap between the bumper and the body.

A Fresh New Look

When the bodywork was complete, Astle sprayed the Mint Green DuPont Spectra color. This light and bright green was the perfect hue for the truck, and while the truck has been green all of its life, this new color gives the truck a fresh look that makes it a standout at any rod run.

A Spacious Interior Renovation

With the bodywork complete, attention was turned to the interior of the truck—and when you’re working on a Suburban, that takes a lot of attention! After all, there are three rows of seats, a huge headliner, many garnish moldings, and three sets of roll-down windows to deal with. Just to make things more interesting, some of the interior garnish moldings were missing and proved impossible to find. Once again Chip Astle came to the rescue and fabricated a custom dash, console, and many of the interior garnish moldings. The custom dash was filled with Classic Instruments, and Vintage Air keeps the large interior cool. An Alpine stereo provides entertainment for all the passengers. Seats from an ’84 Nissan were employed and when all the fabricating and interior painting was complete, Chewy’s Upholstery in Jupiter Farms, Florida, took on the formidable task of covering all those seats, door panels, and headliner in Bone Naugahyde. The interior was kept simple in design, but the craftsmanship is excellent. Details such as sculpted headliners and map pockets on the doors make the interior just like the rest of the truck—much improved but with a focus on utility.

A New Era for a Vintage Suburban

The building process took over four years to complete, but for the past year, Mike and Debbie Kofel have enjoyed attending rod runs, cruise nights, and just plain motoring around in their Mint Green Suburban. Of course, they are out on the road with a new group of vehicles that are direct descendants of what they are driving. Oh sure, some are larger, and some are smaller, but we guarantee you none of them are nicer than this ’37 Suburban. Even 66 years later, the truck performs the job it was intended to do: deliver people in relative comfort to locations near and far. Long live the Suburban!