Doing the body work while it's attached to the frame is how almost everyone does it, so no shocker there. The only reason I can think of not to do so is if the frame itself is in the way of some of the repairs you need to do.
CK5
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'72 K5 - Where do I go from here?
- Thread starter Dirsuper
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- #onionclub
Here are two other ideas:
Clean up the underside of the body and paint it / undercoat it so that you don't have to screw around with laying underneath it later on to do that work.....
At that point you can either:
1. Put it on a strong body cart and do all the remaining topside bodywork
2. Put it on the frame and do the topside bodywork.
One option that might convince you to simply put it back on the frame is to drape the entire frame/rolling chassis in plastic BEFORE lowering the body back down. You can still run the body mount bolts through all the locations and even shim the body mount locations to get your body gaps, etc. This allows you to avoid contaminating all of your hard work on the frame with dust, overspray, etc as you do the topside bodywork.
I would HIGHLY recommend that you get the chassis 100% complete first... That means all brake lines, fuel lines, fuel tank, engine, drive lines, complete exhaust. It's all simple now, but when you have the body back on (and especially if you have it all draped in plastic) it's going to be a pain.
That would probably be the best compromise to address your concerns about a rotisserie style process, and would still help avoid messing up the work you've already got in final paint.
-G
Great input guys, I appreciate it. Had to do work stuff yesterday and this morning, so I got a little time to mess with brake lines this afternoon. I have it mostly figured out, but ran into a problem with the rear lines. The rear lines are 1/4" (matches the booster I got), but the wheel cylinders are sized to take the 3/16" lines. Should I just use adapters, or would that decrease in size cause issues?
Oh, and to save anyone doing brake lines in the future the suspense - 'Pre-Bent' does not mean 'bolt in.' You will still need to do some bending, so go ahead and get a brake line bender of some sort when you order the lines. If I would not have kept the old lines I never would have figured it all out......
Still kicking around the whole body thing, but leaning towards wrapping the frame with plastic before I put the body down. However, I don't want to wait and put the engine is as I can see already, (just with the brake lines which run up to the proportioning valve), I will quickly lose the benefits of having everything out of the way. I tell ya, pulling the body spoils you.....Just having the gas tank in while messing with rear brake lines was pissing me off, so I yanked it back out (had to eventually anyway to cut neck). Stopped by a friend's house for 'a few' on my way home last night and he says, "I heard you are going to paint that Blazer on your own. Don't buy guns, I have two good ones- still in the boxes, you can have them." Score! Contractors.....seems like they always have cool stuff just 'laying around.'
Oh, and to save anyone doing brake lines in the future the suspense - 'Pre-Bent' does not mean 'bolt in.' You will still need to do some bending, so go ahead and get a brake line bender of some sort when you order the lines. If I would not have kept the old lines I never would have figured it all out......
Still kicking around the whole body thing, but leaning towards wrapping the frame with plastic before I put the body down. However, I don't want to wait and put the engine is as I can see already, (just with the brake lines which run up to the proportioning valve), I will quickly lose the benefits of having everything out of the way. I tell ya, pulling the body spoils you.....Just having the gas tank in while messing with rear brake lines was pissing me off, so I yanked it back out (had to eventually anyway to cut neck). Stopped by a friend's house for 'a few' on my way home last night and he says, "I heard you are going to paint that Blazer on your own. Don't buy guns, I have two good ones- still in the boxes, you can have them." Score! Contractors.....seems like they always have cool stuff just 'laying around.'
I think rear lines are 1/4" to the distribution block at the top of the rear diff, then a pair of 3/16" lines head from the block to each wheel cylinder. No adaptors needed.
Damn Rusty - Thanks! You made me (I'll never claim to be the quickest) check and you are correct, the block is 3/16" - so I have the wrong lines - AGAIN! JFC - screw it, they are going back and I am just going to make those myself. So to answer my own question from a few weeks ago - Make your own brake lines, don't waste your time with order-return-repeat. Since those two lines are actually formed pretty well, I'll wait to return them until after I make new ones so that I can use them as patterns. Started putting the clips which hold the fuel and brakes lines to the frame.....it actually looks like I am starting to get it back together - very cool. I can't wait to start learning the art of body work......gonna be a blast. Body work summer!
Two words...
inline tube
My lines were pretty much perfection.
inline tube
My lines were pretty much perfection.
Learned another one today - If you buy a tank that comes with straps, take the straps that come with it and throw them away (or keep for possible use in another way). I got my tank from Classic Parts, but I think all of the places are sourced the same for tanks for our Blazers based on the fact that everyone seems to have the same problems with install (venting, neck, and straps). I screwed around with those straps pretty much all day last Sunday and about an hour this morning. I don't see how you can get them to fit right, weird angles at the attachment points just did not look right to me. So, I grabbed the stock straps, brought them to bare metal, painted, installed - perfect. Brake lines done (made my own - easy), gas tank in. A few more things: Any wires I can hook up now, E-brake cables, shocks, finish gas tank vents, etc. and I am ready to wrap the frame and put the body back on.......I can't wait. Even though I am in no hurry for the build to be done, I am looking forward to the new challenge of learning body work.......I know the finished product will probably pretty much....well.......not be of the 'highest quality.' But whatever. If it's really bad, I'll pay someone to repaint it - nothing lost.
Anyone know a source for stock bump stops? I've searched to the 'end of Al Gore's Internet' and can't find them. All of the "universal" ones have one stud to mount them, but stock used two, so there are two holes. To use a 'universal' one you would have to drill a hole, or have it off-centered - neither one something I want to do. I guess I could just leave them off........I'm never taking this one off road.......
ekajkrats
1/2 ton status
I was able to use the straps. You just have to bend them backwards. I don't think it is really backwards but sure looks it. I can get you pictures tomorrow.
Edit: And now I see your old ones were good enough. I didnt like mine and the new ones ended up working out great.
Edit: And now I see your old ones were good enough. I didnt like mine and the new ones ended up working out great.
I had problems with my new straps too. They were too short for some reason. Weird
ekajkrats
1/2 ton status
I reread my response and I shouldn't have said "You just have to bend them backwards." Your skills and the effort you are putting into this show you look at each step from every angle and figure out how to make sure it's done correctly. Also, obviously the new straps didn't work for either of you guys. I apologize for coming off in that comment like I know everything. Definitely not my intention. I was just thankful to get the tank up and the k5 back on the road. Because at the time I was a bit perturbed it wasn't going back in as easily as the original came out and the straps were adding to that frustration.
Thanks ekajrats, but my skills are virtually non-existent. I am stumbling through this every step of the way. If not for the great people on here, always willing to answer questions, prod in the right direction, and share experience, I'd still be staring at this thing dreaming of starting a build. I have learned more in the past 6-9 months since this started than I did in 8 years of Kolluge.
I see what you mean about the straps that come with the tank, and I think that's great advice (especially for someone who does not have the stock straps). Bending them backwards would work, but I just thought the stock ones had a more....'natural' fit. Apparently the stock straps are not easy to find, when I brought them to bare metal I found that one had been welded back together at some point.
Scored for Father's Day! Wife had friends in town who were supposed to fly out yesterday (Non-Rev....airline employees will know what I mean) and they could not get out, so they stayed another night......translates to - more shop time for me! We'll do some 'family'/'Father's Day' stuff later, but I'm not a fan of Hallmark Holidays to start with so........perfect! If the friends were not here and I tired to work in the shop today......fuhgetaboutit.
I see what you mean about the straps that come with the tank, and I think that's great advice (especially for someone who does not have the stock straps). Bending them backwards would work, but I just thought the stock ones had a more....'natural' fit. Apparently the stock straps are not easy to find, when I brought them to bare metal I found that one had been welded back together at some point.
Scored for Father's Day! Wife had friends in town who were supposed to fly out yesterday (Non-Rev....airline employees will know what I mean) and they could not get out, so they stayed another night......translates to - more shop time for me! We'll do some 'family'/'Father's Day' stuff later, but I'm not a fan of Hallmark Holidays to start with so........perfect! If the friends were not here and I tired to work in the shop today......fuhgetaboutit.
Yet another lesson.....probably more like 'common sense', but when you are on a roll, that sometimes goes out the window - check all parts before install. Now I have to get the correct E-brake cables, and take apart the brakes to put them in......more tuition!
Lol...
Yes, it's SO tempting to throw away the old crusty take-offs so that you are only surrounded by clean, new parts.
I always regret throwing old stuff away, because sure enough I need to refer back to it for a dimension, or to study how an assembly originally went together. Taking tons of photos during disassembly is a great help, but no matter how many I take it seems like I still don't have 100% of what I needed to reassemble.
-G
Found the original bumpers. One bolt - go figure! Of course I just ordered the correct brake cables......could have saved on shipping.....damn!
Looks like you're off one spline on the lower end. The U-joints should be phased together so they don't vibrate.
Toomany, I see what you mean (page 33) - I'll fix that in the morning, thank you......which is a good segue to......can anyone think of anything specific I should make sure is done before I put the body back on? I put a pigtail on the gas tank sending unit so that I can jumper that wire easily, but other than that I really don't see what wiring I can do. I started cutting, grinding, etc the body bolt heads (floors are Rhinolined) and the body was moving too much on the lift, I don't want to push my luck. I should be able to line up the Rhinolined-in bolts with the washers/bushings and get it sitting on the frame so that I can work on them without the added excitement. If anyone has one of those, "Make sure you........", please share.
Yes, I did a crappy job with the plastic, I'll fix it before I start body work. Regardless - body is back on! I am breathing much easier. That was one scary evolution to do alone.......with the bolts still in (Rhino-lined in place). Had to use two floor jacks to constantly adjust.......
Holy shit did I get lift! Makes my '88 look like a Prius!
Holy shit did I get lift! Makes my '88 look like a Prius!
To recap: ORD 4" lift springs in front, 4" shackle flip with new stock springs and a 1" zero rate in rear. As it sits (sans engine), rear is 1.5" higher than front. As you can see in pic, with front tires sitting on a 2x4, the level shows it perfect (without engine and front clip). Any ideas as to how I can level it?
