The Urban Suburban Part 3 - 1947 Chevrolet Delivery Panel

Going fast promotes more status and peer approval than stopping quickly. Car enthusiasts love to toss about performance numbers like gross horsepower, 0-60 times, quarter-mile speeds/e.t.'s, and top-speed potential, but when is the last time you heard someone brag about stopping distances? Yet, when you're driving your street rod and a situation arises that might harm you or the car, are you more likely to need horsepower or braking capability?

High-performance brakes are like seatbelts--you hope you never need to use them, but when you do, they're priceless. There are so many excellent brake upgrade systems available that there isn't any reason not to have an effective braking system on a street rod. Front disc brakes are virtually a default item, and rear disc brakes are becoming much more prevalent.

One of the first items secured for the Urban Suburban project was a stump-pulling big-block Chevy engine from Beck Racing Engines. The 496-cube Max Velocity Plus engine produced 564 hp and 563 lb-ft of torque on 91-octane gasoline. That's a wonderfully balanced output, which should propel even the relatively heavy Chevy with ease.

RB's Obsolete's Ray Doe understands the value of first-class brakes on street rods. He wanted brakes equal to the substantial power (and weight) of the Urban Suburban, so he turned to the experts at Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC). The brakes chosen were the SSBC Force 10 four-piston Extreme Duty front disc brakes and the Force 10 four-piston Extreme Duty rear disc brakes.

The Force 10 brake systems are available with a variety of rotor sizes. On the Urban Suburban 13-inch front rotors were selected, while the rear rotors are 14 inches in diameter. Such large rotors necessitate large-diameter wheels for clearance. That isn't a problem on the Urban 'Burban since big wheels and tires were always part of the plan. Billet Specialties SLX 01 wheels were the ingots of choice in sizes 18x8.5 in front and 20x10 in back.

Speaking of big wheels, there is a cosmetic plus to the Force 10 brakes in addition to their outstanding functional value. All that empty space behind the spokes of 20-inch wheels can look kind of vacant. With high-performance disc brakes there's something interesting to see behind the spokes.

All the rotors on the Urban 'Burban are the SSBC Turbo Slotted Rotors. The curved slots are CNC-machined so they look trick, but their main function is to help cool the brakes. The design allows airflow to both cool and clean the rotors. That improves performance, adds life to the rotors, and looks neat in the process.

SSBC also has optional "Xtra-Life" plating that can be added to their rotors. This proprietary anti-corrosion material helps resist rust and keeps all non-wear surfaces looking their best. When you've got a substantial investment in brakes and wheels, the last thing you want to look at is corroded rotors. The SSBC products used on the Suburban all received the full-dress options.

Another SSBC product that is both functional and cosmetic is their set of high-performance carbon Kevlar brake pads. These pads provide superior stopping power, maximum durability, and minimal brake dust. Better stopping response is the best reason to use these premium brake pads, but not having as much brake dust to clean is a nice bonus.

The standard finish on the Force 10 calipers is clear anodizing. Optionally, polished aluminum or powdercoating in red, black, blue, or yellow are available for greater visual appeal. For builders with existing disc brakes, SSBC offers Quick Change caliper upgrade kits. These Force 10 aluminum calipers provide increased stopping power over stock OEM calipers. The Quick Change upgrade kits are available in all the previously mentioned finishes.

There is an additional set of disc brakes on the Urban Suburban. The mechanical parking brake is a Force 10 billet aluminum unit. It is self-adjusting with no disassembly required. The slick little parking brake mounts on the rear rotors next to the actual rear brake calipers. They adapt to most factory and aftermarket parking brake cables.

During the time that the SSBC Force 10 brakes were installed, the brake lines were fitted (they're already plumbed on the rolling chassis) and hooked up to the power master cylinder and inline-proportioning valve.

To handle the massive power of the BRE big-block, a full-tilt B&M automatic transmission was bolted on. From there, the power is transmitted through an Inland Empire Drivelines 3.5-inch aluminum driveshaft to the 9-inch Ford rearend. A strong driveshaft is one of those seemingly mundane items that you wish you had when a stock shaft breaks in the middle of nowhere. A well-built, precisely balanced driveshaft also adds the quality of a car's ride.

During this portion of the buildup, the Rock Valley stainless steel gas tank was installed. The RB's rolling chassis was designed specifically for a Rock Valley tank. On Suburban and Panel trucks, the filler neck in located on the right side. A gas filler door in the right rear fender is necessary. For pickup applications, you can stick with the fender filler or opt for a central filler. With the center filler a small hatch can be positioned in the bed. The Urban Suburban is carbureted, but the Rock Valley tanks can be set up for use with fuel-injected engines, as well.

All the running gear is in place, and the chassis is up on wheels. Fuel and brake lines are all installed. A steering wheel, milk crate, and battery would make the chassis a driver, but as anxious as everyone is to experience the BRE engine, the only current mode of travel is pushing. During the time the chassis and running gear were being assembled, metal magician Alan Swedberg was doing the radical bodywork. Turning the Panel into a Suburban with a Nomad slant will be covered in the next installment.