 |
| Foothills County, Alberta (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
Blog Post Title: Mountainman’s Suburban Project – Part Three
Date: 14 November 2026
Welcome back. This is part three of a three part post on my Suburban project. In case you missed the previous chapters, here are the links: PART ONE. PART TWO. Today, we will continue on and review the custom tarp project (from Whiteline Shelters), the centre console project, and then discuss where to go next. Let’s go!
 |
| Suburban with Custom Tarp (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
When I had my Tahoe, I had converted a common poly tarp into a makeshift awning that could be quickly attached to the roof rack and with a couple telescopic poles and four guylines with pegs, setup only took a couple of minutes. The downside was poly tarps don’t last and can be shredded in high winds or in hail storms. So, for the Suburban Project I wanted a tougher tarp system to use as an awning. I would use a similar setup of poles, pegs, and guylines, however I needed a real tarp. So, I sketched out a basic tarp plan and contacted Lauri at Whiteline Shelters & Tarps, in Aldersyde, Alberta to build the tarp from 10-ounce vinyl tarp material. While 10-oz is lightweight for trucker’s tarps, for my usage it will be a lifetime tarp.
 |
| The "Tarp Plan" Sketch (by V.A. McMillan) - Click on Image to Enlarge |
The completed tarp was ready for pickup in August 2026, and fits the Baseline Overland roof rack...for a Squarebody Suburban. The tarp was built to my requested dimensions with the requested features – grommets, reinforcements, and straps at the correct spacing. The tarp is light and tough. Had I determined how I was going to affix the tarp to the roof rack, I am very confident the buckle system would have been perfect, too. I only determined which buckle system I would use in November 2026. So, to get a custom tarp, locally manufactured, this was a good investment.
 |
| Whiteline Tarps Label |
 |
| Tarp Setup in Progress (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
 |
| Suburban & Custom Tarp (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
 |
| Close Up of 1" SR Buckle (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
Next on the list was to solve the organizing and beverage holding tasks up front. I do not disagree with Grady to remove the previous custom centre console. However, I needed something. I had mounted my cooler unit in the second row, and I am not planning to mount a fridge unit between the front seats, as is common with a Suboverland build. So, I drafted a simple plan to start from...and made small modifications over a six or seven week period – September thru November.
 |
| Centre Console Plan Sketch (by V.A. McMillan) |
First priority for me, was a holder for my drink bottle. I am a hot beverage guy, so I did not need nor want my holder to be at the front of the console closest to the output from the truck’s heater. So, I would build my console utilizing scrap ¾” plywood for the most part. I would anchor the back of the console using a hinge to the front of the cooler platform. The front anchor points would employ metal brackets and the original screws into the floor. I found the initial designed worked well. Without looking I could find my drink bottle and remove it or replace it to the correct location and maintain eyes on the road.
 |
| In Progress Console Build (photo by V.A. McMillan, 2026) |
This was only a partial solution. The other items needed a place to call home, not just a bunch of junk piled in the available space(s). So, on the last trip back to Alberta, I had a few hours to focus on how I wanted the remainder of the console divided up. A couple days after getting back, I completed two modifications. The first was a pen holder sewn together and screwed to the front of the console.
 |
| Pen Holder (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
The final mod for now was wood divider set to create space for my wife’s travel mug, the small first aid kit, my fuel log, and a place for my journal. During the install, I also added two small blocks to the outside of the console to prevent the seatbelt lowers from falling to the floor. And they work very well.
 |
| Simple Sketch of Console Divider (by V.A. McMillan) |
 |
| Centre Console (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
 |
| Another Look (photo by V.A. McMillan, November 2026) |
Another minor mod that is a work in progress is the window reflectors/covers. When parked overnight in a lit parking lot, these covers provide a darkened space inside the Suburban to improve sleeping conditions. When deployed during sunny days, these same window covers help lower the interior temperature when parked. In locations where cracking the windows to offer some venting of the hot air in combination with the window covers, makes a very noticeable difference...in areas with high crime/car break-in probability, this technique cannot be safely used. Here are a couple pics from a test trip to Gimli, Manitoba in July of 2026. There are far worse creatures on this planet than criminals...flying, biting insects!!! These little beasts required the windows stay fully closed!!!
 |
| Stayed at Offroad Campground, Gimli, MB (photo by V.A. McMillan, July 2026) |
 |
| Sleeping Arrangement (photo by V.A. McMillan, July 2026) |
So, where do we go from here?? Making portable window screens is on the design board. Two designs are being considered. One method requires screen be glued to plastic gutter guards that have been cut to shape and inserted in the rear door windows. The second method would require using a soft mosquito or no-see-ums netting that has magnets sewn into the edge hem. These would then be placed on the exterior of the door windows. Both of these ideas warrant further exploration and field testing. I will endeavour to post an update, once I have found which works best.
Lighting...is also on my to-do list. I have a small collection of LED off-road/auxiliary lamp units. Most are clear, but I also have a set with amber lenses for use as fog lights. The others will be employed as driving lights, back-up lights and side illumination. I even have a switch unit that has six or eight switches. The big challenge right now is running the wires...I need to find the best method for running wires without drilling too many holes through my truck. The next challenge is deciding where to mount the switches...again, I will keep you posted once I have a solution.
Armour...I would like to beef up the bumpers on my Suburban. However, I am not interested in investing $3000 - $3500+ for each bumper. I would like a bumper that has mounting points for “D” rings or clevis’ for recovery and places to readily mount my LED light units – fog, driving, and a small light bar. I do not have intentions to mount a winch...at this time. If I decide on a winch I may opt for one that is in a cradle that can be mounted in a front or rear trailer hitch mount. Still pondering this...
Paint job...whether it is actually paint or bedliner, matters very little at the moment. I know I need to decide on a solution at least for the roof and the hood, the two known locations that have some surface rust. Now that I am away from the humid conditions of Manitoba, I have a bit more time to come to a decision, but not forever. The challenge is the colour...I really wanted a tan exterior, however a blue-grey interior looks very out of place. Therefore, do I need to pair up a total interior colour change – headliner, carpets, door panels, seats, dash, etc. to tan??? Or, do I opt for a grey spectrum exterior colour. Maybe a darker slate grey?? I have seen some great bedliner jobs applied as complete vehicle exteriors that both change the vehicle colour and protect the exterior from Alder and Willow “pinstripes”. I am staying away from any of the shades of black, as these tend to be mistook for agency vehicles...I don’t need that kind of attention. Or do I leave the Suburban the current colour scheme??? A Squarebody Suburban in good condition is NOT a vehicle of a greyman...these things get attention every time you fuel up!!!
This brings us to the end of this three part blog post on my Suburban project. Future posts may focus on the Suburban projects as they get completed. Keep checking back to see what’s up. Thanks for reading Mountainman’s Mantra!!
Until next time…Keep improving your projects!!
Mountainman.
Suburban Project Links:
Tahoe Project Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment