When the Family Gets Bigger, so Does the Ride

WHETHER IT’S CARS OR TRUCKS, THOSE OF US WHO LOVE WRENCHING ON OUR RIDES SHARE A BOND THAT’S DIFFICULT TO SHAKE. Toby VanSyckle of Charlotte, Michigan has been hooked on cars for most of his life, going back to the ’66 Chevy II Nova he owned in high school and the many muscle cars that followed. But trucks? Well that wasn’t in the cards at first, but once he married and had kids things changed.

When you have children, your priorities shift, and if you’re a car guy who loves vehicles with tiny (or non-existent) back seats, you have to question your decision-making process. Don’t you want your kids to enjoy your passion, too? For Toby, that was a no-brainer, but he also wanted to dip his toes into the truck world by building a 1947-55 Chevy. How was he going to make all of that jive?

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES IT’S ABOUT THE JOURNEY, NOT THE DESTINATION. ON THAT TRIP, IT’S THE PEOPLE RIDING IN THE BACK THAT MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE.”

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The solution came with a phone call from his father, who found a ’52 GMC Suburban online that was located out in Georgia. Toby loved the look, but other than hopping on a plane, there was no way he could buy it himself. How was he going to make the deal happen? Since his dad had a regular trip to Florida on his calendar every winter, he told his son that he’d check out the truck on the way. Once his dad confirmed that the Suburban was good to go, Toby pulled the trigger, made the deal and arranged for a friend to haul the truck back up to Michigan.

That would usually be a simple process, for Toby it was anything but. Toby’s friend was going to tow the Suburban home using a truck and trailer, which worked out just fine initially. But as travel progressed, he hit a gnarly blizzard, which not only slowed progress, but became quite dangerous. To keep his friend safe, Toby talked to him for three days over the phone to make sure that he was awake, but also to provide moral support during that difficult time. Fortunately, the driver (and the truck) made it home safely.

Once Toby had the truck in his possession, he drew up a plan of action. He performed some basic mods, like soda blasting the paint and shaving a thing or two. Obviously the suspension saw some work, what with the new Total Cost Involved front clip and the 4-link out back, and obviously there’s the mammoth wheel change—that doesn’t hurt at all. For now, the truck is his spring and summer cruiser, something in which he can take the entire family to truck shows and local ice cream runs, then pack up for the winter. He’ll finish it at some point, but for right now the ’Burb is just fine.

That’s the thing about car guys who have converted to trucks: They understand that sometimes it’s about the journey, not the destination. On that trip, it’s the people riding in the back that make it all worthwhile. For Toby and his family, that’s all that matters.

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Toby VanSyckle
1952 GMC
Suburban/ambulance Charlotte, MI

ENGINE

• Shop: Gunter’s Automotive in Dalton, Georgia
• 383 stroker Chevrolet V-8
• Comp Cams camshaft
• 1.5 roller rockers
• 100-amp alternator
• Cooling Components cooling fans
• SoCal finned aluminum air cleaner and valve covers
• Holley 750 carburetor
• Shorty headers hot jet coated
• 2.5-inch exhaust with 40 series Flowmaster mufflers
• 700R4 automatic transmission
• Chevrolet 10-bol posi-trac rearend with 3.42 gears
• Tanks, Inc. gas tanks relocated to rear of the vehicle

SUSPENSION

• Performed by Don Mohre in Michigan
• Total Cost Involved Mustang II front suspension
• A-arm lower shock mounting location dropped 1 inch
• Ridetech Shockwaves front Total Cost Involved 4-link
• Wilwood Dynalite four-piston rear brake calipers
• Ridetech Shockwaves rear
• Wilwood Dynapro six- piston front calipers
• Corvette master cylinder

WHEELS & TIRES

• 20×8.5 Billet Specialties Dagger wheels with 4.5-inch backspacing front and 4-inch backspacing rear
• 245/40R20 and 255/45R20 Falken F453 tires

BODY & PAINT

• Performed by Don Mohre and previous owner
• Chrome front bumper and grille
• Welded shut gas filler
• Stock inner fenders raised
• Floor cut to fit C-notch and steel cover built to go over the rearend housing
• Halo LED headlights
• Gibbs lubricant to prevent oxidization

INTERIOR

• Performed by owner
• Stock seats with scissor lift front passenger seat
• Vinyl seat coverings and floor
• 15.5-inch Billet Specialties Stiletto Profile Series billet steering wheel
• Original gauges converted to 12-volt
• Auto Meter voltage gauge
• Eight ball shifter

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER: “Don Mohre for fabrication work including the frame C-notch, 4-link rear suspension installation and front A-arm modifications; Greg Halliwill for transporting the truck from Georgia to Michigan, helping to install the air ride management system and assisting with many of the details requiring an extra set of hands; my parents, Bob and Kris VanSyckle, long-time hot rodders who always had great advice when I bumped up against obstacles (with both hot rods and life), and of course, my wife Tina, who readily admits she does not understand my hot rod obsession but fully supports it anyway. Thanks, Momma!

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