Ultimate basket case Suburban 400 project

[meadowfield 2,961]

Not super rare, but equally they only surface once every six months and there’s a queue waiting to grab them!

I managed to acquire a suburban 400 from a young lad who bought it then realised he couldn’t do anything with it! 

Had a very large Briggs engine fitted, a VW Beetle steering box and too many hacks to mention.
 

 

he nabbed the narrow rears and left me with the rest! 
 

 

gearbox full to the brim with water!

 

 

Interesting stretch chassis to take a Briggs engine.

 

 

 

 

lots of chassis patching!

 

 

 

rolling.....
 

 

 

making a new hoodstand

 

 

 

 

steering gears - same size and ratio as the original - but will outlast them!

 

 

 

 

looking more like it

 

 

onto that gearbox

 

 

 

it was a mess, all the bearings were gone!

 

 

they had chopped the bottom of the casing for some reason

 

 

 

nearly together - amazon packaging to the rescue as a gasket  

 

 

 

done - with a modifed C series shifter

 

 

 

onto the brake drum - I turned down and old cast pulley.

 

 

reamed the inside to 3/4"

 

 

 

all done - just the pedal and linkage to sort....

 

 

Ewan very kindly fired up the forge and made me a pedal.

 

 

new brake/clutch pedal in place - I thought a bigger bush can't be a bad thing!

 

 

donor Clinton engine didn't spark - home made puller did a reasonable job. Points cleaned up and all connections clean - we were in action!

 

 

didn't have a pull start either - so made a start cup and used a new tecumseh pull start

 

 

 

 

 

finally made two footrests to match. Hard work in the press, but a modified bolster chisel did the job!

 

 

Finished - just needs the right steering wheel and hood!

 

 

Does anyone have something that could be shipped to the UK?

 

 

Edited September 23, 2025 by meadowfield

[oldlineman 1,682]

Very nice work and weld, looks like your right leg won't get cold 

[meadowfield 2,961]

1 minute ago, oldlineman said:

Very nice work and weld, looks like your right leg won't get cold 

 

thanks - longer pipe is on the way  

[Pullstart 69,849]

Those welds look better than robotic!  Awesome work!

[953 nut 65,439]

                                       

That is quite an impressive transformation,  nice work. 

[peter lena 9,855]

@meadowfield  terrific work on that , love the way you  just adapt to any situation , what   a concept !  stay at it ,good on you , pete ,   

[rjg854 12,975]

Very nice work on that tractor to save it  

[stevasaurus 23,665]

Outstanding work and thankyou for all of those pictures !!  I think that transmission looked pretty good for all of that water that was in there.  

[8ntruck 8,788]

Nice work to bring that tractor back.

 

Just curious - what is Ewan's last name - Smith?  I like his forge set up.

[meadowfield 2,961]

3 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

Nice work to bring that tractor back.

 

Just curious - what is Ewan's last name - Smith?  I like his forge set up.

Yes, that’s my son - you might have seen some of his work.

[wallfish 19,774]

As always, that's very nice work and done right.

 

15 hours ago, meadowfield said:

Does anyone have something that could be shipped to the UK?

Check out the third steering wheel down. They are the same correct steering wheel except the bore is a taper spline. ( Or at least the last cub wheel I saw did) I think you might have the tools and the skills to drill it out to 3/4". Price isn't too bad a brand new one. $60

Let me know if they wont ship it to you and I will buy it and ship it

https://www.ccspecialties.org/steering_seats.html

Edited September 23, 2025 by wallfish

[meadowfield 2,961]

11 hours ago, wallfish said:

As always, that's very nice work and done right.

 

Check out the third steering wheel down. They are the same correct steering wheel except the bore is a taper spline. ( Or at least the last cub wheel I saw did) I think you might have the tools and the skills to drill it out to 3/4". Price isn't too bad a brand new one. $60

Let me know if they wont ship it to you and I will buy it and ship it

https://www.ccspecialties.org/steering_seats.html

 

I had spotted those steering wheels - my boss is travelling to philly in two weeks, just building up to seeing if he has room in his luggage for one...   thanks

 

[oliver2-44 11,412]

Impressive work as always. What are you plans for it?  Keep as is, or disassemble and paint?

[meadowfield 2,961]

17 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

Impressive work as always. What are you plans for it?  Keep as is, or disassemble and paint?

 

thanks..... it will be pulled apart and a full paint job, just a bit too random to leave as is.  (your measurements and photos still invaluable as I've put a 400 and 551 together)

[wallfish 19,774]

9 hours ago, meadowfield said:

 

I had spotted those steering wheels - my boss is travelling to philly in two weeks, just building up to seeing if he has room in his luggage for one...   thanks

 

I have a used correct steering wheel, I could probably get it to my father in Toms River NJ, but that's about 2 hours from Philly

[meadowfield 2,961]

A bit further, it’s been good weather for painting!  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

still looking for a hood, anyone up for chopping one in half and mailing me…. The UK Wheelhorse show is first week in June! 

Edited 8 hours ago by meadowfield

[702854boy 670]

I wonder if one could be made with the right dimensions and stuff since you at least have the front nose part of it

[Treepep 1,111]

A bit further, it’s been good weather for painting!  

 

Never thought of using marinara

 

Looks great as always!