Another gearhead from Texas

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Sierra977

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Hello all and thanks Miami-Dade for letting me know about this forum. Appears you folks have all the bases covered for GMC/Chevy SUV's.

I own a 1992 Chevrolet K1500 Suburban that I bought new twenty-seven years and 396,000 miles ago. It's my most trusted possession.

Bought when my son was born to be the family hauler, I raised my kiddos in it and taught them to drive with it. They all call her Big Red. She's carried us on vacations, pulled Harleys to Daytona, pulled tractors out of mud bogs. stood up to my kiddos jumping terraces with her and been the most reliable vehicle I ever owned.

Look forward to spending time with folks here and expanding my knowledge base.

Big Red

IMG_0339.jpg
 

swathdiver

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Hello all and thanks Miami-Dade for letting me know about this forum. Appears you folks have all the bases covered for GMC/Chevy SUV's.

I own a 1992 Chevrolet K1500 Suburban that I bought new twenty-seven years and 396,000 miles ago. It's my most trusted possession.

Bought when my son was born to be the family hauler, I raised my kiddos in it and taught them to drive with it. They all call her Big Red. She's carried us on vacations, pulled Harleys to Daytona, pulled tractors out of mud bogs. stood up to my kiddos jumping terraces with her and been the most reliable vehicle I ever owned.

Look forward to spending time with folks here and expanding my knowledge base.

Big Red

IMG_0339.jpg

Welcome Newman and Big Red! With near 400K under your belt, you can teach us about these great trucks!
 

Tonyrodz

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Welcome. Awesome looking ride. Has anything been overhauled yet? How's the interior look?
 

Miami-Dade

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Miami-Dade, the most memorable thing about the Suburban is both my daughters asked to be driven to their weddings in Big Red.

That is really awesome!!
 
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Sierra977

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Tony, the Suburban has been remarkably trouble-free. Engine has never been opened, nor have transmission, transfer case or differentials.

As you would expect, interior shows wear on driver's seat and paint has finally started to show signs of age. Everything else is in good shape.

This Suburban was built for the Dallas Fire Department and one of the last military-grade vehicles that was able to be sold to civilians prior to President Bill Clinton signing an executive order prohibiting sale of them. Same executive order that banned sale of diesel-engined HUMMV's to civilians. Being built late in the model year, the DFD person it was built for decided to not take delivery and wait for a 1993 model instead. The dealer, Steakley Chevrolet in Dallas, had not painted the top white or applied lettering so the Suburban was put on the used truck lot with 0 miles on it. I saw it early on an August Saturday morning in 1992, realized what it was and by 9:00am it was mine.
 

Tonyrodz

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Tony, the Suburban has been remarkably trouble-free. Engine has never been opened, nor have transmission, transfer case or differentials.

As you would expect, interior shows wear on driver's seat and paint has finally started to show signs of age. Everything else is in good shape.

This Suburban was built for the Dallas Fire Department and one of the last military-grade vehicles that was able to be sold to civilians prior to President Bill Clinton signing an executive order prohibiting sale of them. Same executive order that banned sale of diesel-engined HUMMV's to civilians. Being built late in the model year, the DFD person it was built for decided to not take delivery and wait for a 1993 model instead. The dealer, Steakley Chevrolet in Dallas, had not painted the top white or applied lettering so the Suburban was put on the used truck lot with 0 miles on it. I saw it early on an August Saturday morning in 1992, realized what it was and by 9:00am it was mine.
I'm sure you maintain it religiously. I didn't know that Clinton signed a bill banning the sale of military grade vehicles. Cool vehicle. What makes yours military grade? Suspension? Rears? It is gas correct?
 
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Sierra977

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I don't remember all the individual details but it's things like armored gas tank, skid plates, high-ride 1/2-ton suspension, narrow door panels, heavy-duty electrical system, big radiator, oil coolers on engine and transmission and things like that. I really never modified the vehicle except for adding an alarm. Suspension has not been modified. It always sat high and level.

The Marines that live across the street tell me it's a Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (CUCV) like was built for various US military and law enforcement groups like FBI, SS and others. They told me what the military designation is but my memory fails. It is something like M-1012 (they have a square-body M-1009).

ETA: Tony, the executive order mentioned is the same one that banned sale of diesel HUMMV's to civiiians for twenty-five years. that's why there were so few diesel HUMMV's on the road in civilian hands. And why during those twenty-five years diesel HUMMV's commanded such high prices - there were only a few made before the ban. And that's why used diesel HUMMV's just came on the civilian market in the last year. The twenty-five year ban expired.
 
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Tonyrodz

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I don't remember all the individual details but it's things like armored gas tank, skid plates, high-ride 1/2-ton suspension, narrow door panels, heavy-dute electrical system, big radiator, oil coolers on engine and transmission and things like that. I really never modified the vehicle except for adding an alarm. Suspension has not been modified. It always sat high and level.

The Marines that live across the street tell me it's a Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (CUCV) like was built for various US military and law enforcement groups like FBI, SS and others. They told me what the military designation is but my memory fails. It is something like M-1012 (they have a square-body M-1009).
Nice. I never knew that.
 
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