‘76 K5 LS swap fiberglass body

[82355]

Close, but Jaws Blazer is GM 527 Yellow Gold

I think he meant the Jimmy in Jaws 2.

Martin

 

[Chief Brody]

I think he meant the Jimmy in Jaws 2.

Martin

You know that one was blue and white

 

[82355]

You know that one was blue and white

Ha, my bad. I thought this was a different thread. I had to go back and look.

Martin

 

[Asherk5]

Realized last week that my original MAF sensor didn’t work with the PSI harness but luckily I hoard random LS parts and found a correct one. FYI van engines have a bunch of oddball parts

 

[Asherk5]

Wrapping up stuff in the engine bay the last week. We had to heat and bend the heater core tubes as the aftermarket does not make one that actually fits for the non A/C setup. Bled the master cylinder and brake lines. Updated Ypipe and headers to v-band style and correct O2 sensor orientation. Still need to dress up some wires up and finish throttle cable and shift linkage, but it’s all coming together.

 

[82355]

Are you not going to add AC?

Martin

 

[Asherk5]

Are you not going to add AC?

Martin

No AC. The top will rarely be on this truck anyway. Plus, that’s what kick panel and window vents are for!

 

[Asherk5]

fit the rear bumper, filler plate and final tailgate install last week and started fitting all the trim this weekend. Once this is complete, we are back to final body work and prep for paint!

 

[max 02]

fit the rear bumper, filler plate and final tailgate install last week and started fitting all the trim this weekend. Once this is complete, we are back to final body work and prep for paint!

View attachment 418610

View attachment 418611

Nobody is going to believe that is a glass body!

 

[Blue85]

This thing is coming out top-notch.

 

[Asherk5]

Got a little side tracked with other things the last month or so. Picked up another rust bucket that runs pretty nice. Started cutting it up and saving what I can. Will probably swap my original body onto this frame and have a decent driver on top of the 76 I’m restoring.

 

[Asherk5]

sanding, sanding, and more sanding is in store for my near future. we just got the final coat of filler primer sprayed.

 

[Asherk5]

We are down to wet sanding one last time before spraying color. Hopefully this this makes a big transformation in the next week.

 

[Asherk5]

finished the paint marathon around 4 this morning. this is right before we got out of the booth.

 

[CT-BLAZER]

Wow..... From an accounting perspective,. What was the labor times & costs, parts etc,. to a completed state?

 

[Asherk5]

Wow..... From an accounting perspective,. What was the labor times & costs, parts etc,. to a completed state?

The answer to that question is... ALOT. I worked on this in my garage getting the powertrain swapped and functioning for approximately 2 years (collecting parts and such). Since I got the fiberglass body, it has been in a shop (around 1.4 years now). He is a one man show with my help on weekends and he does other small jobs during the week sometimes. We still have a ways to go before this is "complete". We are wiring the entire truck from scratch right now and then there is still trim, new weather stripping and glass, and other knicknacky things. Then have the seats reupholstered and complete all the interior.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Wow..... From an accounting perspective,. What was the labor times & costs, parts etc,. to a completed state?

We have always said, "if you have to ask, you can not afford it ".

 

[Blue85]

There's a big difference between a labor of love to build your own stuff and paying someone else by the hour.

 

[CT-BLAZER]

We have always said, "if you have to ask, you can not afford it ".

The reference was trying to compare a fiberglass build, to a steel OEM panel restoration project.

Mine had an open check book and all new OEM panels where needed.

 

[Asherk5]

The last week or so we have been working on wiring with a focus toward getting the truck running and driving again. Man was it awesome to here this run again.