During a local truck show in the summer of 2021, several from Jim Carter Truck Parts noticed a very special deluxe 1972 Chevrolet Suburban. It certainly stood out among the nicer vehicles in this well attended show. It is owned by Linda Grout of Chouteau, Oklahoma. You can read more on this Suburban in our feature Truck of the Month for August 2021.
While discussing the history and restoration with Linda, something very interesting was noted. The rear floor behind the middle seat was plywood! She rolled back the updated carpet (see photo) to show this factory install feature. It was a surprise to us!
The early owners of these Suburban’s probably never realized this existed. The side body panels protected this plywood from water so wet weather was rarely a problem.
Interesting Comparison:
The final years for the Panel truck (1967-70) carry ribbed sheet metal and did not use plywood in his area! A Panel was for hauling merchandise so here they used a ribbed metal panel that was the best for sometimes heavy commercial use.
