1973-91 Suburbans Are The Affordable Way to Square-Body Ownership

Believe it or not, America's longest serving nameplate isn't the Mustang. It isn't the Corvette, either. Nope, it's the Suburban. Debuting as the Suburban Carryall in GM's 1935 lineup, the first Suburbans were a new take on the station wagon body style but built on a truck chassis, making it the earliest successful iteration of the "Sport Utility Vehicle" as we know it today. Eighty-nine years later, GM is still selling the same basic concept with the same famous name.

While we've gotten used to the Chevy Suburban and its GMC-badged cousin the Yukon XL as expensive, cushy trucks, that's not where they started. If you wanted a comfy people hauler back in the day, you bought a Station Wagon. Trucks were meant to do work, and the Chevy/GMC Suburban was essentially a panel truck meant to haul people. In 1973, though, the Suburban got a significant redesign that brought on a combination of rugged utility with real luxury and usability for passengers. That seventh generation lasted for nearly two decades, and helped define the Suburban as how we see it today. As a classic truck, it's also surprisingly attainable.

Among the most important changes for '73 was that this was the first year of the 4-door body style, making passenger access easier. A generally cushier and quieter interior also made it a nicer place for riders, all while keeping ample cargo space and enough towing capacity to pull a house. The appeal of previous Suburbans was more limited and skewed toward utility, but now the the Suburban was an attractive alternative to the station wagon. It eventually outsold and outlasted the wagon in America's new car market.

Like their pickup counterparts they share a chassis with, seventh gen Suburbans adopted the C/K naming system, with "C" denoting 2-wheel drive and "K" denoting 4-wheel drive, while Suburbans would be offered in both ½ ton and ¾ ton configurations. They also shared powertrains with their pickup siblings, offering a six-cylinder as a base engine through 1976 as well as a variety of small-block V-8s ranging from the more economical 307 and later the 305 to the ever-popular 350 as well as the 400 small-block in 4WD trucks. Opting to stay with a 2WD version opened up the availability of the 454 big-block for those seeking a bit more grunt. A 6.2-liter diesel option also appeared in 1982 across all configurations.

While we use the term "square-body" as an all encompassing phrase for this series of truck, there is quite a bit of nuance throughout the model's long production run. Earlier trucks running from 1973-80 are easily distinguished from later ones by a pair of round headlights, styled hood, and vertical side marker lights. The 1981 range received more simplified styling with rectangular headlights, a flat hood, and horizontal side marker lights. The final change in 1989 was a minor one with four smaller rectangular headlights.

Three main trim levels were offered by both Chevrolet and GMC included the more "fleet" grade Sierra and Custom trucks with rubber floor mats and bare bones options, a mid-tier trim package in the form of the Sierra Classic and Custom Deluxe/Scottsdale, and a decked out range-topping Sierra Grande and Silverado package that came with better sound deadening, power everything, and front and rear heater and air conditioning. In the context of the '70s and '80s, this was serious luxury for a truck.

Today, life with a square body Suburban is fairly similar to keeping their siblings. Parts support is excellent, and the tried and true small-block Chevy is a famously reliable powerplant. The driveline is also robust with the TH350 transmission being installed on most earlier trucks, and transitioning to the 700R4 overdrive in the 80s. The ¾ ton trucks also have the bullet proof TH400 transmission. Axles are also stout and easy to fix, from the corporate 10-bolt to the over-engineered 14-bolt full-floater axle behind the 454. In other words, you don't need to worry about the driveline.

While the mechanicals are not a point of worry, rust is. This is especially true of the earlier Suburbans. Rocker panels are especially susceptible to rot, as are floorboards and wheel wells. The interior is fairly robust, but the dash almost always cracks right down the center and fixing Suburban-specific bits such as the rear HVAC may pose a bigger challenge if something breaks.

While modifications are a bit less common on the 'Burb than their pickup siblings, the same caveats apply. Lift kits with bigger tires on the 4×4 trucks require extra frame bracing at the steering box, otherwise cracking is inevitable. As with anything that has been upgraded, follow the cardinal rule of "don't buy until you've inspected the quality of the work".

While the market for classic trucks and SUV's has blown up in the past several years, Suburbans remain an affordable entry point to square-body ownership. Depending on year and configuration, it is still possible to put yourself behind the wheel of a perfectly usable one for under $10,000 and an excellent condition truck can be had for $25,000-$30,000. Chevrolet-badged versions can command a small premium, but none are particularly expensive. Compare that to comparable Blazers at nearly twice the cost, and that should have anyone seriously considering Suburban ownership.

Speaking of buyers, square-body 'Burbs are quite popular with younger ones. Hagerty's insurance quote data, which is a good benchmark for interest shows millennials as the primary generation coming to Hagerty for coverage on these trucks, closely followed by Gen-X. This is a reverse of square-body Blazers which are dominated by Gen-X, with millennials trailing.

There could be many factors at play here, but the most likely being substitution. The affordability of Suburbans compared to the Blazer may have the comparatively cash-strapped millennials flocking to the more affordable option.

Regardless, seventh gen Suburbans are historically significant classic trucks that are stylish, usable, capable, and comfortable. And, despite all that, they come at surprising and tempting discount relative to their contemporaries.

***

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don't miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.