<<Click
photo for History.
(Above is 1918 Chevrolet model T one ton chassis with Depot hack body from unknown body maker.)
<<Click
photo for History.
Special Units Parts book below list vehicles
GM made on special order.
The Special
Units Parts Book list a 1933 & 34 "Station wagon on
a 1/2 ton chassis" for National Guard and Conservation Corps, the
obvious predecessors of the 1935 Carryall Suburban.
(Why does the Govt. get to play with all the neat toys?) I believe this
may be one of these wagons.
1933 Wagon belonging to Mr. Kessler.
Remember that before 1936,
GM used wood framing with metal sheathing on Fisher and Martin-Parry bodies.
Reading thru all the part numbers shows it uses many parts that coincide
with a panel truck body. Here is a copy of the headings, as
they are listed inside.
Two years later, the special order
'Burb' outsold the regular production Canopy by 1998 to 1206.
(GM beat Willys to the "all steel Wagon" by over a decade). Pickups
and Burbs are still in production today. The last Canopy was in 1955 and
Panel trucks were supplanted by vans in the 1970s. In the year 2000,
GM is phasing out the Suburban name, calling the small S-10s "Blazers",
the short Burbs "Tahoes" and the GMCs Yukons. Notice that 1936
-38 Burbs do not have hood emblems (Bonnet
Badges in Australia) It is presumed that Hotels might
like their name on the hood side panels.
The 37 Chev "Burb" cost $685 base, weighted 3460 Lb, and
only 1998 were made.
The following factory photo uses a lot of file space. Note the
detail on the striping. The tailgate in this photo has never been
opened as the license plate usually scrapes on the tailgate and the Bumper
Guards (overriders) will poke holes in it.
GM, Dodge and International
Harvester produced Canopys and truck based wagons in the 1930s and 40s.
Ford never did, but outside manufactures produced bodies for Ford and other
Commercial Chassis. IH made a Travelall from 40s - 70s. Dodge
made a Town Panel from 40s - 60s but neither was as popular as the Burb.
Prior to the metal body Travelall, CornBinder (IH) offered wooden
"Burbs" in 1935 and in two sizes in the mid 1940s. 
Dodge also offered a "Town Panel" from the 1940s thru the 60s.
It's popularity never rivaled the GM Burb. The rear door on
the Dodge pictured below is framed in wood and the roof still has a fabric
insert. Bad combination for longevity.
In the photo of the 1935 burb below,
Notice how the liftgate is hinged.
The color combo in the 36 burb above, is interesting.
Ron Brazille's nicely restored
36 Carryall Suburban differs from the picture above in that the side mount
spare tire is on the left side hampering access to routine engine inspection.
All other 36 Chev trux, that I've seen, have the side mount on the right.
In 1937, the spare was inconveniently mounted under the rear of the chassis
where it remains in pickups to this day. Another serious
discrepancy is that the artist's conception above shows hood emblems that
Burbs never had from 1935 - 38. Ron's Burb is correctly restored
with out.
My 1937 Ambulance is frequently
mistaken for a early burb since they have grown so much over the last 60
years. Ambulance is Job #271 listed in Special Part List.
It's seen below parked next
to Ron Brazille's Burb to show the contrast between the High Roof (3 door
hinge) and Low Roof (2 hinge) single unit body styles. The body is
rounder and the visor dissappears in 37. the 36's S-curve fenders
are replaced by Pontoon fenders for 37. A plus for the 37 metal body
is that it is more aerodynamic. The smaller, more
convenient load area is a plus for the 36.
Driving
thru Ukiah recently, a guy yelled, I didn't know they made Suburbans in
1937. When I caught up to his Camero, I said they only made half
ton Burbs in 1937, this is an ambulance. He bought a 41 Burb from
me.
Weight and price are written in upper right of color Brochures.
(This
book is available from Jim Carter's.) <jimcartertruckparts@worldnet.att.net>
Carryall Suburban Production
figures:
Year
Job#
Wheelbase Series Price
Weight Production
1931
1932
1933 (Metal
Wagon)
109"
CB (refer
to Special Models above)
1934
. .
112"
DB
. .
. .
1935 403 Green
Imitation leather
112"
EB
(?) (?)
(?)
1936 403 Olive Drab
112"
FB (?) Govt.
bid #3816 (?) (?)
1936 409 Green
Imitation leather
112"
FB
$685 3255 Lb. (?)
1937 877 Tailgate
112"
GC $685
3330 Lb 1998
1937 (?)
Panel Doors
112"
GC (Included
in above)
1938 711
Tailgate
112"
HC $834
3295
993
1938 897
Panel Doors 112"
HC
(Included in above)
1939 649
Tailgate
113.5" JC
$808 3210
1274
1939 939
Doors
113.5" JC
(Included in above) 259
1940 589 or 937 Gate
113.5" KC
$808 3300
1054
1940 587 or 933 Doors
113.5" KC
(Included in above) 718
1941 029 or 013 Gate
115
AK
(?) (?)
2190
1941 017 or 009 Doors
115
AK
(?) (?)
964
1942 029 or 013 Gate
115" BK
(?) (?)
1536
1942 017 or 009 Doors
115" BK
(?) (?)
496
1943 - 1945
(war production not listed)
1946 077 or 073 Gate
115" DP
59 + 2486
1946 075 or 071 Doors
115 DP
60 + 1584
(Please note that the production
figures and Special Models Parts book do not agree.
Special Models list no panel
door model for 1947 or 1948 but Production list 718 Panel Door
burbs produced for 1947 and
none for 1948.)
1947 077 or 075 Gate
115 (?)
1194
1947
(?) Doors
115
718
1948 814 or 811
115
5910
( I researched 8 books for this last little bit of information. It is possible that I made an error in cross referencing the various models. Please let me know if I made a mistake or you have additional information. I have no 1/2 ton production or Special Models books newer than 1948.)
I have seen several long
Panels converted into School Busses in many years. Click photo to
view other Panel trux. Click this line to view Busses. Click
here to view Ambulance.
The Burb is exclusive to USA but shipped around the
world. I saw a photo of 20 1937 Burbs in front of a hotel
in India. In 46, Holden offered a limited number what's pictured
below.
Click
here to view the section on Station Wagons. 
Vanity! (My trux)
The last are pix of my Burbs.
I assumed that no 37 burbs existed on the west coast, after looking (not hard enough) for a decade, I hooked the cat trailer to the Ambulance and headed to Michigan to get the "Burb of my dreams". Their (the middle easterners, of Michigan) idea of "Minor rust" is our (Californians) disparaging remark, "Don't park that rusty piece of _ _ _ _ in front of my scrap yard".
It is possible to open the tailgate or lift gate without disturbing the other. The tailgate was taller than that on the Canopy. The lift gate is constructed of two severed panel doors tacked to a wood frame with only a right side prop rod. It never opened straight and sagged immediately. Note the unique lift gate hinges.
In a farmers field near McArthur, this burb body apparently was home to many chickens who were not house broken. The body is not rusty but dented and missing many parts. The rear doors were swapmeet specials. It never had a tailgate and does not have the brackets on the body for such.
. 
Both of the above are wedged tightly in a storage building and it took
much digging to photograph. They are both currently being used
for storage containers tho I would love to restore them.
This last one was used by city of Beverly Hills and still has city insignia on door. I towed it home from Anaheim (Disneyland's city) with theSuperior bus and my girlfriend (at that time) leading in her newly purchased 46 Wayne bus. The grapes of wrath snubbed their noses at us. There must have been a lot of donut shops offering freebies as the Hiway Patrol didn't pester us this trip.
Ever wonder what is in the garage infront of the orange Advance Design
Suburban??
This Burb is now restored and in McPhearson Chevrolet's
collection. I don't know who has the 38 Panel in the back ground.
I don't wish to bore you with too much personal stuff.
Repair tips
Another
history of Burbs is at <http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/history.htm>
A
site for newer Suburban Carryalls <http://www.classictruckshop.com/clubs/earlyburbs/>
The
woodie club <http://www.classicar.com/clubs/woodie/woodhome.htm>
