For a long time now I've been meaning to write up at least the highlights of my build, as it is to my knowledge the only OEM/like operational 2008+ M.Y. Escalade with a Duramax/Allison power train. I honestly don't get much forum time with the busyness of life right now but I'll try to put some of it together here out of my 500+ picture archive and videos of the project.
Mentally this project started about 17 yrs ago when GM launched the Duramax pickup. As the youngest of 8 kids and always having an absolute blast with my siblings I knew that someday I would likely have more kids of my own than could fit in a pickup and I just hoped that GM would make a "Duraburb" by the time I reached that stage. So, here I am today with a beautiful wife, 5 kids and a trailer chucked full of camp gear toys etc.
My wife finally gave her blessing to this project a few years ago when we were towing our 12,000# trailer up a 10% grade in the Bighorn mountains in first gear and the the ole 6.0 Escalade was barely keeping up.
Taching redline the whole way up the mtn she looked at me with a concerned look on her face and said "are we going to make it?" I said "I hope so... We really need a diesel suburban", her reply was "then do it!"
Mentally this project started about 17 yrs ago when GM launched the Duramax pickup. As the youngest of 8 kids and always having an absolute blast with my siblings I knew that someday I would likely have more kids of my own than could fit in a pickup and I just hoped that GM would make a "Duraburb" by the time I reached that stage. So, here I am today with a beautiful wife, 5 kids and a trailer chucked full of camp gear toys etc.
My wife finally gave her blessing to this project a few years ago when we were towing our 12,000# trailer up a 10% grade in the Bighorn mountains in first gear and the the ole 6.0 Escalade was barely keeping up.
Taching redline the whole way up the mtn she looked at me with a concerned look on her face and said "are we going to make it?" I said "I hope so... We really need a diesel suburban", her reply was "then do it!"