1987 Jimmy build

[tomford]

tomford submitted a new Build:

1987 Jimmy build

I had 80's chevys as a kid.
My first was an 87 blazer but it was so rotted i ended up parting it out. I got an 84 shorted shortly after. It had a newer crate motor, not the best thing for a 16 year old kid. The frame was rotted on the left side and broke at the front spring mount. Ended up selling it, got it back years later and parted it out.

84 shortbed and 87 blazer

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

My family had an 87 gmc 2500 plow truck. It's what i learned to drive in

87 plow truck

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

Then came an 81 stepside, the steering box tore off the frame, and i eventually got it fixed and sold it

81 stepside

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

chevy2

• tomford
• Nov 24, 2006

In the mean time i had a 76 long bed, didn't do anything with it and ended up getting rid of it

76 longbed

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

Long story short, life goes on and i got rid of all my old trucks, and moved on. Years later i got a job down in tx, and was amazed all the old trucks down there and they had no rust or rot. It was great! i started looking for old chevys, pickups and blazers, but wasn't really looking hard. I ran across this one, looks nice, so i went and took a look. 68,000 miles and two owners. It was right before christmas and he was hard up for money. He said this was the truck he was going to keep, but needed money. I made an offer and ended up with a K5.

View attachment 230458

Read more about this build here...

 

[tomford]

The guy bought it from the original owner, and it was sitting in a field, he repainted it, re did the interior and a bunch of other stuff.

 

[tomford]

One of the cool things with this truck was the fact it only had two owners, and the original owners manual, and business cards, and the window sticker

owners manual

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

orignal manual

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

orignal manual

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

orignal manual

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

original window sticker

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

window sticker

original window sticker

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

original window sticker

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

original window sticker

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

original window sticker

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

 

[tomford]

 

[tomford]

That was all done by the previous owner. I bought it and its a work in progress. Shortly after i bought it i ended up moving back from TX and had the truck shipped home. This is the first time its ever left the state of TX. I Pulled the top off, and she's been loving the new england summer

87 jimmy

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

topless

87 jimmy

• tomford
• Nov 17, 2016

topless

The heater core was supposedly changed, but the whole heat and AC system is jacked up. My plan is to replace it with a vintage air system. The stock one has been cobbled together, Broken parts, etc. The transferase was swapped out, and is an NP241, and its leaking. I'd like to pull it out and see whats going on with it. It leaks oil and the thermostat housing on the intake broke when i pulled it apart. I put a new steering shaft in, tie rods and got it aligned, trying to fix the wandering steering. It helped but it's still a little sloppy.
I put some warn premium hubs on. They made a huge difference in fuel mileage. I was surprised. My plans are to put a 4" lift and some 35's when these tires wear out. I'd like to pull the motor, trans and transfer case and freshen it up. Maybe re gear it too. I want to keep it in somewhat decent shape and have a reliable K5, that I'm never going to get rid of.

 

[Justin V]

Nice.

 

[tomford]

Well, After thinking it over, and what im going to be doing with the truck, and that i got a set of 10 bolts with 4.56 and a locker for next to nothing, I've decided to stay with the half ton's. With 35's they should be fine, I wont be beating the truck rock crawling. Just ordered a 6" lift and a whole bunch of parts from ORD. Between that and the parts ive had laying around for years i should be in good shape. Should be getting my re build 4L60E trans in a couple weeks too.

Tore down the old axles, going to clean them up and paint them. I think it came from a mud truck. Everything was frozen. Had to cut the hubs out. Ball joints were probably not out in a long time.

Whats the best way to clean the mud out of the axle tubes? The gear oil looked good, guess the seals were doing there job. Ordered a disc brake conversion for the rear

 

[tomford]

Parts are starting to show up

 

[tomford]

Stripped the axles down, new seals and u joints, bearings and axles in the rear. Did a disc brake conversion in the rear as well. DIY4x shackle flip.

 

[tomford]

Ran into a problem with the rear bilstien shocks, the metal bushing is too small for the bolt for the axle. Going to call ord unless you guys have a solution. Also, do you think the springs will settle in or should I get a shorter shackle? The springs are new 2.5” tuff country and I think 6” shackle from diy

 

[Justin V]

You can pop the metal sleeve out of the shock bushing usually.

 

[tomford]

You can pop the metal sleeve out of the shock bushing usually.

Problem is the metal sleeve is too small for the bolt, and without it the rubber is too big for the bolt, the old shocks had a bushing but its stuck in there good

 

[tomford]

Now to get it to the shop, the 4L60 and 241 are rebuilt and ready

 

[tomford]

Brought the k5 to the shop for the trans and transfer case install.

 

[tomford]

Got the 4L60E and np241C Installed. Found out the trans computer needs a speed sensor, would have been better off with a later model transfer case and not cable drive speedo. Had this one rebuilt. Oh well. Ended up using a auto meter speed sensor. Attaches to the transfer case and the speedo cable on the other side of it and a converter from Dakota digital to convert the ppm to what the ez tcu would read. It works great not but apparently no one has ran into this before. I guess I’ll be going to Dakota gauges sooner rather than later.

Sure is nice to be driving the old K5 again.

 

[Bent77]

Looking good Tom!

 

[AZK5]

Beautiful Jimmy, did you spray the car yourself?

 

[tomford]

Beautiful Jimmy, did you spray the car yourself?

No bought it painted already. Looking for a 6.0 now. Guess it never ends huh?

 

[tomford]

Finally got the top off and went to a car show tonight. Ordered a soft top today too.

 

[tomford]

So the 4L60E has been out twice, with cracked input shafts. The trans builder says the stock TBI 350 has too much power and between that and the 35" tires it's cracking the input shaft Got to pull it out again and see if the input shaft is cracked again. It gets really sluggish, almost like its not using first, and when you manually put it into 1st it locks up. This time after sitting all winter it would barely move under its own power. Now im thinking maybe I should put a 4L80 in?? In other news the original owners son tracked me down and wants to buy the truck, and "would travel to the end of the earth to get it back" Don't know what im going to do. Would be nice to see it go to someone with a connection. He remembers lots of camping trips with it throughout his childhood.