Surfs Up! Mercer, PA
1953 Chevrolet Suburban
Built by Bonnells Rod Shop in Fairview, Pennsylvania
408 CI Pace Performance big block engine
TH400 automatic transmission
Strange 9 inch rear end
Wilwood brakes
AccuAir Air Ride system
Custom stainless steel exhaust
Only 300 miles since build was completed
Pittsburgh World of Wheels show first place award.
Once the crew at Bonnell’s Rod Shop in Fairview (near Erie), Pennsylvania, was done with this 1953 Chevrolet Suburban, it had totally transformed the utilitarian truck into a chopped, shaved and slammed custom masterpiece it dubbed “Disturban.” The truck proved to be “a great project to showcase our skills,” according to the shop, including the work of its new upholstery division. The Sub came to the shop as a trade-in, already a work in progress. They “fixed a few things we didn’t like,” and then it was “on to a bunch of our own ideas.”
Disturban gets its ground-scraping stance thanks to an AccuAir air suspension, while the fenders were reshaped (and the cargo area tubbed) to clear a fat wheel-and-tire package. Under the giant hood is a 408 CI Pace Performance big-block V-8 routing power through a TH400 3-speed automatic transmission to a Strange 9-inch rear end. Wilwood brakes all around bring the behemoth to a stop.
Bonnell’s upholstery division set a high bar for its future jobs when it custom-fabricated Disturban’s interior. The one-off dashboard flows into a cabin-long console that runs between two rear bucket seats and ends in a semi-floating armrest, which is suspended in front by a delicate aluminum strut. Push-button controls for the windows and the air suspension are housed in the console, as are several alloy cup holders. A rear-facing third-row seat sits nestled between the rear wheel tubs. The whole interior is upholstered in orange and gray leather, matching Disturban’s unique paint job. Bonnell’s debuted Disturban at its local Erie Auto Show, and it went on to earn a first-place award at the Pittsburgh World of Wheels show. The wild hauler is essentially brand new, having traveled just 300 miles since completion.
Surfs Up! Mercer, PA
1953 Chevrolet Suburban
Built by Bonnells Rod Shop in Fairview, Pennsylvania
408 CI Pace Performance big block engine
TH400 automatic transmission
Strange 9 inch rear end
Wilwood brakes
AccuAir Air Ride system
Custom stainless steel exhaust
Only 300 miles since build was completed
Pittsburgh World of Wheels show first place award.
Once the crew at Bonnell’s Rod Shop in Fairview (near Erie), Pennsylvania, was done with this 1953 Chevrolet Suburban, it had totally transformed the utilitarian truck into a chopped, shaved and slammed custom masterpiece it dubbed “Disturban.” The truck proved to be “a great project to showcase our skills,” according to the shop, including the work of its new upholstery division. The Sub came to the shop as a trade-in, already a work in progress. They “fixed a few things we didn’t like,” and then it was “on to a bunch of our own ideas.”
Disturban gets its ground-scraping stance thanks to an AccuAir air suspension, while the fenders were reshaped (and the cargo area tubbed) to clear a fat wheel-and-tire package. Under the giant hood is a 408 CI Pace Performance big-block V-8 routing power through a TH400 3-speed automatic transmission to a Strange 9-inch rear end. Wilwood brakes all around bring the behemoth to a stop.
Bonnell’s upholstery division set a high bar for its future jobs when it custom-fabricated Disturban’s interior. The one-off dashboard flows into a cabin-long console that runs between two rear bucket seats and ends in a semi-floating armrest, which is suspended in front by a delicate aluminum strut. Push-button controls for the windows and the air suspension are housed in the console, as are several alloy cup holders. A rear-facing third-row seat sits nestled between the rear wheel tubs. The whole interior is upholstered in orange and gray leather, matching Disturban’s unique paint job. Bonnell’s debuted Disturban at its local Erie Auto Show, and it went on to earn a first-place award at the Pittsburgh World of Wheels show. The wild hauler is essentially brand new, having traveled just 300 miles since completion.