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'72 K5 - Greg's @MightAsWellK5 Build

This is the build description. I will improve this later. (GB)
Overview Gallery Discussion
I share the concern it's appearing overly complex. I'm wondering what kind of shape all the different hinges will be in after any kind of body flex after the first wheeling trip. Keeping stock body lines and paint is tough enough without any transforming stuff.

I admit it's cool to watch and explore, but in reality there's a ton of additional issues that you'de need to work out to make sure it'll meet the needs you have set for the truck. I think it'd be just as "transformer-ry" seeing the body panels come off completely to reveal a purpose built tube chassis underneath.

After all, no one expects a prize fighter to keep his $1500 suit and tie on during a boxing match so why shouldn't your blazer do the same before getting into the ring with some big rocks?
 
Greg72 said:
It's starting to get complicated, which is not sexy to me. Absurdly complex solutions tend to be the ones that fail the most.... everything up to this point on the build has been pretty simple (labor intensive, but simple). I'll keep mulling this over, but it's going to need to evolve into an elegantly simple design (without a ton of moving parts) or I'm going to lose interest. :thinking:


:usaflag:
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Build it so that the parts you want to stay nice, come off for safe keeping, unless you wanna stay on the blue trails. :haha:

The reality is, anything that stays on the truck while wheeling will get fubar'd eventually, you know it will.
 
I know, I know.....

The other reality though is that if it's a "driver", it needs full sheetmetal to get to the trailhead. My concern is that if it takes 40 minutes to "transform" my truck for wheeling every time I go somewhere, it's going to get annoying and I may start deciding to "take a chance" and not remove the panels.

The second concern is with leaving a bunch of beautifully crafted and painted panels and parts sitting helplessly at a trailhead for a day (or more!). What are the odds that they'll still be there when I get back?? I'd like to always believe in the decency of my fellow man, but imperical evidence shows that in most parts of the country they'd be gone or vandalized by the time I got back.

I've got more thinking to do, for sure.... :thinking:



:usaflag:
 
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If the panels are small enough (or break down small enough) they could be stored in the back of the rig while wheeling.
 
Greg, instead of making all these panels a "transformer" maybe you should just build a collapsable shed that fits in the back of the blazer and just put it up at the trail head and then remove and store your parts for "safe keeping". :D

To be honest, i think the idea behind this is cool but in reality like Brian said after a couple times out it is doubtful that it will work anymore once the rig has had a chance to "twist up" and then you'll be spending lots of time to reconstruct the rig back to simplicity.
 
For the amount of time and added cost of secondary pannels its not worth it. Cool idea, but not practicle. Keep it simple and full bodied, just avoid tight trails.
 
just avoid tight trails.
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Hey now, lets not get crazy!

Don't get me wrong, if you have the time and think that some of this might work, I'd love to see the process.

I'm not sure how long RyanB takes to remove the clip and panels on his, but I could imagine 40 minutes might not be too far from reality. If the panels came off in separate pieces (instead of a 1-piece front clip like Ryans) you could at least hide them easier in a tent or trailer if you were camping. I wouldn't leave them at any trailhead.
 
Don't worry, there will be fun stuff to look at.... I'm just going to have to make a decision about how far to take this idea.

I think that having a full-tube chassis incorporated into the body will help keep the panels in much better alignment than the factory design ever could. But then again, a poorly chosen line over an obstacle could easily misalign the entire side of the truck and/or destroy the mechanisms that allow the "transforming" to happen.

I've said this MANY times before, it's going to be about compromises and deciding what is most important to me. I'm sure the final result will have some combination of removeable and transformable panels in it.


:usaflag:
 
2009.03.20 - UPDATE! - A CHANGE TO A-DOOR (ADORE)...

Here was a quick one that I did this afternoon. As I dragged more parts out of the cellar to start re-attaching for the transformer initiative, it seemed like a good time to try an experiment that I've wanted to do for a LONG time...

I have never liked the look of the 1st Gen doors. They don't match the bodylines of the rear quarterpanels or the front fenders. The upper style line is about 3" higher than everything else, and it really detracts from what could be beautiful, clean profile lines. Also, I've never liked the small wing-windows...they always seem to be blocking the exact place I'd like to rest my hand when I'm doing some casual driving.

Stock door for reference (Glass, wing window and a-pillar support have already been removed)


DSC01493.jpg


A few minutes with a Sharpie marker and a cutoff wheel, and a few more minutes with a hammer & dolly to create the same radius as the rear quarterpanel bedrail has:

DSC01499.jpg


And another slightly different angle to show the new "lines"...

DSC01497.jpg


The result is freaking beautiful! :saweet: I absolutely LOVE how much smoother and nicer the truck looks in a profile shot now.... enough that it doesn't even bother me that now there's no way stock glass will work anymore, and I'll have to come up with a different way to keep rain out. Being a few inches lower will also make it a lot more comfortable to use as an armrest.


:usaflag:
 
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I have seen this done before along time ago in a mag on a red truck with a 67 nose,always love it,still do! I vote yes do it.

On edit// I didnt mean to diminish your work and the truck I saw might have had the quarters lenghthened.
 
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I started out reading and thought...:eek1::eek1::eek1:

But then I saw the result and thought...:cool:

One option for windows might be those 1-piece window conversion kits. You could seal the front of the window glass (now that it's missing the a-pillar portion) against some new rubber seals attached to the windshield frame.

Your modification also may help with the window frame and windshield crashing into each other when the body is flexing a lot. At least mine does that and the paint is chipped off in those spots.
 
Definitely prefer the door and bed rail at the same height - understandable why Chevrolet didn't go that route, but sure looks better.
 
bp71k5 said:
One option for windows might be those 1-piece window conversion kits. You could seal the front of the window glass (now that it's missing the a-pillar portion) against some new rubber seals attached to the windshield frame.
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I was thinking about that some more. It might be a solution, the only problem would be that I'd need to have glass custom-cut, since it now needs to be about 3" taller than usual, and the window regulator needs to be modified to allow the window to drop 3" lower than stock to completely conceal the glass when rolled down. This may encroach too much on the dual 6" midbass speakers that I am planning to re-install in the lower front corners of each door, so I'd better keep an eye on that as well.

Concern #2 would be the fragility of the glass, since there is nothing supporting it when it's completely rolled up. I could imagine someone slamming the passenger door and seeing the window shatter right along the top edge of the door! :yikes: I suppose if I'm going to special order glass, I could also get something a bit thicker than normal to give it some extra stiffness.

I really like the idea of mounting weatherstrip directly to the a-pillar as a way to seal the glass. :thinking:

Today is reserved for time in the man-space, so I need to figure out what I want to work on and solve today.


:usaflag:
 
I remember reading a thread somewhere on this site about a company that makes one-piece windows which eliminate the small vent window. Price wasn't very pretty either but the looks of one-piece made you forget about the price.

Someone will chime in. I can't remember the name of the company. I had it saved but deleted it when I was cleaning out my favorites files.
 
You should take a real close look at a newer, (97-06) jeep with half doors & soft uppers.

It's such a simple frame, just made out of thick wire, (1/4" or so) then just skinned with canvas & a zippered window. You could even buy the inserts that are used in the lower doors to "stake" the uppers into.

You'd just leave them off & tucked in somewhere unless you need them due to rain or other inclement weather.

Just a thought.

Later,
Buddy
 
I suspect there will be an update here by tomorrow morning sometime with pics. :D
 
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