1985 GMC Suburban Starcraft Conversion Is a Luxury Lodge on Wheels

Nope, this vehicle has nothing to do with the iconic StarCraft video game of the late 1990s. This is a conversion made by Starcraft Corporation. Founded in 1903, it originally manufactured watering tanks, but it moved into the boat business in the 1920s and started making campers in the mid-1960s.

Starcraft took a full plunge into the automotive market in 1977, when it began customizing vans. It created everything from custom upholstery and curtains to raised roofs and sound systems. But Starcraft also provided conversion packages for SUVs, mostly for seventh-generation Chevrolet Suburbans (1973-1991). This GMC is one of them.

While it may look like a regular mid-1980s 3500 High Sierra with an interesting livery, this Suburban flaunts a luxurious interior. Granted, it might not seem all that fancy in 2022, but it was on par with Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce offerings back in the day.

There's wood trim and leather almost everywhere you look. The instrument cluster is a big slab of wood, while similar inserts adorn the passenger-side dash and on the custom, four-spoke steering wheels. The massive center console between the front seats is made entirely out of wood, as are the inserts in the door panels. The latter also includes strips of white leather that match the seats.

The theme continues in the rear compartment with a white leather bench seat and wood/leather door panels. But things become even more interesting in the trunk. The side panels are also dressed in a white hide, while the rear windows have four rows of blue curtains. Fancy! An overhead front console and four adjustable lights mounted in the headliner round off the cabin.

The truck also comes with a long list of factory options, including power steering and brakes, a tilting steering wheel, a 31-gallon tank, front quad shocks, dual A/C, and a towing package. And there's even more good news under the hood. Originally equipped with a 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) V8, this Suburban now packs a 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) mill.

There's no word as to what vehicle this engine was sourced from, but Chevrolet actually offered a 454 in the Suburban in the 1970s and 1980s. But it could also be related to the LS-type 454 that Chevy dropped in the Chevelle, Caprice, and Corvette back in the early 1970s.

Either way, the mill has been rebuilt. It has roughly 600 miles (966 km) on the clock and mates to a Turbo 400 transmission. Needless to say, it's a great upgrade over the original 350. And based on the walkaround below, it sounds like a full-fledged muscle car V8.

If you fancy this somewhat rare Suburban Starcraft with wide rear fenders and dually setup, it's being offered by eBay seller "pastyears" as we speak. The "buy it now" price is $15,900, but the seller is entertaining offers.