The “Love ‘Burban” is a recycled 1989 Chevy Suburban “tri-brid” truck! Recycled? Yes, it was destined for the scrap yard and was bought for $600.00 with a blown motor among other problems. So the long journey of restoring it to run and become reliable has been a hard one.
Love ‘Burban’s motor runs on propane and gasoline, plus a small solar panel keeps the battery topped off – therefore it is a “tri-brid”! I have extensive experience with alternative fuels in vehicles, generators, and with solar so this truck was a fun project. Everything except the solar is old-school as in a non-computerized motor and transmission for reliable, EMP-proof operation. The goal was to have an earth-friendly suburban (if that exists) that looked good for not too much money. Propane is clean, low-cost, and American fuel! Solar is free! With both gasoline and propane there is about 80 gallons of fuel on board this 3/4 heavy duty 4×4!
In addition to getting it running and driving safely, we added a 10 foot long by 52 inch wide roof rack for hauling and camping on! We often play with a small table and chairs covered in netting or a tarp. A small mattress also fits up there for some elevated, open-air camping. Inside the rear of the suburban the 3rd row seat has been removed and replace with a 16 inch in diameter by 60 inch long propane tank holding 60 gallons of fuel. On top of that is a platform for another mattress and plenty of storage.
The next major goals for this rig are to add a large solar panel, battery, and inverter for extended off-grid operation.
Check out our photos on the long journey of saving this thing from becoming scrap!
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