'74 K5. $650 buy - More rattles than parts.

[Malathion]

Ok just picked up a 74 Blazer. I was looking for a capable 4X4 to commute to work, take on camping trips and get around the state on some fire and BLM roads. Lots of amazing things to see in the South West.

The Disco II would be perfect. Smooth riding, luxury, very capable, A/C, Roof Racks,etc. Unfortunately a good one is around $5,000 or more in my area. Too much for something that can potentially have head problems due to overheating, right? $5,000 plus, more than I wanted to spend.

Due to that, I thought I would look for a used Tahoe/Yukon. I had a 96 previously and liked the interior room, leather seats and it had decent power. Pretty crapy off-road but I was just looking for something for fire roads right?

Well, I looked at the local classifieds and saw a Blazer for $650. I thought, "Hey a Blazer for $650, I can build a great daily driver and camping vehicle for $2,000 or so. It's even a 74 with a full removable top! It will be great in the Summer. Since I once owned a 76 K10, I should know how to fix everything. I'm going to go get it! Besides, you grenaded the limited slip on the Yukon and messed up the ball joints on the last fire road you took. Get this, it's a real truck".

Well went for a test drive. First thought was Uh-oh, this thing needs a lot of work but hey, parts are cheap and it'll be a fun project. I can probably fix everything in about 3 weeks and be good to go. Oh boy, was I ever wrong! 4 weeks into it and it's still not street legal! Dang, I knew that I should have talked him down. Unfortunately there was another guy there to buy it too. I had to make a quick decision. I bought it.

Weeks later, I think I forgot almost everything I knew about these trucks. I started into the build and most of the time spent, was looking for the tool I just had in my hand but set down for just a minute, somehow it would disappeared and I'd spend a long time trying to find it. Any remaining time was spent day dreaming over what I want to make it. Yikes. Need to focus and start fixing, not getting much done. I'm thinking, Hmmmn. Maybe I should have bought that Disco II.........

Anyway, next post will have the photos and descriptions of the beast.

 

[Malathion]

First Pics

OK, here is the beater. $650 got me a Whitish 74 Blazer, 4 inch lift (Rancho ?), no front bumper, doors that wouldn't shut, missing passenger vent window, no radio, mostly bald tires, rusted floors, rusted inner fenders, hacked fenders and a bent hood with custom paint job, 3:73 gears and a 350 (I think), NP203 Full Time (I like this), GMC grill and Oh, I forgot to mention the smoke aroma (puke). I love it!

Unfortunately, I didn't take better photos when I got it.

Drivers Door

Custom Hood Paint

Ripped striker plates, one for each door. Jackpot!

Engine photo (hood and fender removed). At some point somebody put some money into the outside of the engine. But that was probably 10 years ago. Guy I bought it from said it was just rebuilt and had 72,000 original miles. Yeah, I didn't believe him either.

 

[Malathion]

Electrical Demons Banished

Ok, the K5 had some electrical demons when I first got it. Took a little while to hunt them down.

1. The headlights wouldn't stay on. Left one didn't work most of the time.

Rewired passenger head light socket​

2. Passenger blinker didn't work.

Changed Bulb and relay​

3. No Hazards.

Harness plugged in wrong under steering column.​

4. Passenger reverse light didn't work.

New Bulb​

5. Driver's side rear side taillight didn't work.

New Bulb​

6. No Horns.

Missing one horn wire, bad ground, missing horn relay, all replaced​

7. Fuel Gauge.
8. Brake pressure sensor didn't work (brake light on dash).

Wire connected by power steering pump and fixed behind cross member. I think it was tan and the brake sensor, could be to fuel tank, can't tell but it should be fixed.​

9. Window wipers didn't work.

Soldered 3 cut wires back together​

10. Wiring harness wasn't connected through firewall.
11. Ash tray power not working.

Plug wire reconnected​

Still need to fix:

1. Non functional courtesy lights as they don't come on when the door is opened.
2. Gas gauge not working properly. Sometimes it reads full and sometimes it reads correctly.
3. Random wire sitting next to the temperature gauge wire that connects to the block. No idea what it should go to. Maybe the choke?

 

[Malathion]

Clean up

Ok, also did some fender replacement and engine clean up. Routed the wires, scrubbed the rust off of the chrome and repainted the firewall and radiator support in flat black. Hmmnn.Think I will redo in gloss black so the dirt comes off.

Also installed a battery tray from an 87 truck. Had to cut the lower part off but it worked much better than the eroded piece I had. One bolt fits in the radiator support, one hole is drilled into the fender and bolts to the tray. Pretty sturdy as that was a better tray than the 74 tray. Need to drill one more hole in the radiator support and it will be done (Sorry no pics right now).

Replaced the drag link ends. Tried to repair the steering gear leak but I couldn't get the large nut off the gear. Tried for 6 hours, no luck. Should have just bought a rebuilt one. Dang think leaks like crazy and over time has ruined the leaf spring bushings on that side. Bought some Lucas steering wheel fluid stop leak, guess it's worth a try.

 

[Malathion]

Doors shut

Ok. Got the doors to shut, I didn't re-weld the striker plates yet. I just pounded them back with a mini sledge and tightened them. Definitely will have to redo this summer if it can wait that long. Kind of want to wait until I have new doors. Driver's door is still way wacked, needs new hinges and pins but it shuts.

I replaced the passenger vent window along with the bumper and bumper brackets I got at the local pick and pull.

Passenger Fender and inner fender are on. Drivers side fender is on but not the inner. Waiting to see if I have to change the steering gear. Hood hinges are on but not shown in the bottom pic. Washed and resprayed. May still buy new ones once I get a new hood.

 

[Richcz28]

I'm digging the flames on that hood!

 

[Deuling]

I dig it. And still a great price imo.

 

[Gorillajeep]

I dig it. And still a great price imo.

I agree you didn't do bad. They are great solid rigs. I love my '74.

 

[rdn2blazer]

650 is cheap. Anything can be fixed. Just depends on how involved you want this project to be. You can try and keep it running and fix what you can a little at a time, or a full tear down and years of it sitting while you work on it and dump lots of money into it. I would try and keep it running. My project has been sitting WAY WAY WAY too long.

 

[blazer74]

Reminds me of mine when I first got it. $800 in 1988. I wouldn't think twice if I had room for another one. being a full vert. Mine was much worse on the rust department, Been thru much of what you are seeing. Mine was a street-able rattle trap when i got it.
Get it to the point of drivable and then pick your battles. Take a good look at the rocker boxes, front cab supports. I'm having flashbacks.

 

[454Sub]

Reminds me of my 80 Sub. They are so much fun, wish I had a full vert. I am one flop away from sawing the back half of my 90 Sub off and using a blazer top on it.

On the rattling, which in your case its most likely loose body mounts, various nonsense, and certainly the doors. After you get it all tightened down and squared away. I would recommend two things if it still rattles more than your liking. Pull the carpet up, fixing anything you deem needing fixed, and lay a big fat coat of bedliner down on it, and lay the carpet back. If that isnt enough, Dynomat or an equivalent on the door under the door panel, and inside the door against the outside door skin, will make the doors shut like they are full of lead. I went with both of them as the doors on 90 drove me nuts, not it has almost no rattles, it stays cool, and outside noise is way lower now, even when I run open headers it is acceptable. Now I spent quite a bit on Dynomat and did the floor, roof, and doors in pieces and patches, but the difference is an

 

[max 02]

I like it man! Keep with it.

And you got a good deal for 650.00

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Looks like yer headed in the right direction...


Welcome to the sickness.

 

[Malathion]

Thanks

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm hoping to get all the mechanical issues fixed before the cold winter hits and address interior and exterior issues this spring (depending on the weather).

I have to say, I do love every minute of this, even the frustrating ones.

 

[Malathion]

Brake time

Ok, this thing needs brake work. It could need that it just needs to be bled but I'm seeing a deep grove in each rotor, identical position. I have never seen this before on any vehicle so I assume it's not normal. It's about time for new pads so I'll just go ahead and do new rotors.

Thought about some slotted and drilled rotors but I've heard good and bad. Nobody stocks them locally that I can find anyway so I'll just stick with the standard rotor. Besides, I think I'd rather have stainless steel brake lines, they help to make the pedal feel firmer and allow for more flex. Note that I will not be installing those today.

Dana 44 full time hubs and brakes.

Ok, tire is removed. Two allen head bolts slid out. Need to be fully out to remove caliper (see back of calipers).

Caliper needed to be pried out of holders and off of disk.

How pads sit in an upside down caliper.

Worn pads. Note that both pads are worn evenly so the caliper appears to be functioning properly.

Since I have a lift, I was able to put the caliper up safely with out wiring it out of the way.

Time to remove the hub. Place screw driver at this angle and hit it a few times with a hammer. It should move out about a 1/4 to 1/2 an inch. Work your way around until removed.

Removed the snap ring with snap ring pliers. Dang Harbor Freight $3 snap rings were barely wide enough to get the ring off but hey, they were only $3.

Outer hub and spring come out.

Crap. Here's where I had to stop. I know I have a hub nut socket (spindle) but I can't find it anywhere. Maybe I can borrow one from Autozone. Notice that the GM Dana 44 1/2 ton has 4 groves. The Dana 60 should have 6. Make sure you have the right socket.

Hope to finish up tomorrow but things always seem to come up.

 

[454Sub]

Autozone sells it for around 15$ I keep one in my toolset that goes out and about with us, and always keep one in my tool box at home.

Slotted and vented rotors are a bit expensive, around 100$ or so, but they do have some benefits such as cooler pads and better braking with less fade, but like I said, a bit expensive.

And since I am going through this now, with my bumpstops which I hate. Check how much of chrome shaft in your shock is showing, and then how much from the spring plate to the bumpstop. Wouldnt want you to blow out the shocks butthole bottoming the truck out on something.

 

[Malathion]

I did end up buying the socket from Autozone. You can rent the 6 tooth but have to buy the 4 tooth. Guess I have one now. I swear I have another one too but can't find it.

I ended up deciding the rotors were good. Each disk has a large groove I thought was from rivet wear however the groove is the same size and same location on all four sides of the rotor. It almost looks like it could be an air channel to cool the area the pads contact. Who knows, they were straight so I kept them for now, I installed new passenger side brake pads and still need to do driver's side and bleed the system.

Will check the shock length and number to make sure they aren't too short or too long. You never know what's on a used vehicle.

 

[Foxxtrot]

Ripped striker plates, one for each door. Jackpot!

I had a '89 Jimmy like this one time and had no money. When cruising the junkyard I noticed the Astro vans had a much larger base on their striker. Ended up straightening up the metal, using a thick piece of metal as a backer and the astro strike and tightened it up. You couldn't even tell it had been broken, and I drove that thing for a couple of years like that.

 

[Malathion]

OK, follow up images to the hub removal incase anyone needs them. Again, my rotors and grease looked good so I just added a little and put it all back together.

After removing the outer axle nut, I used a pick to remove the ring. Note the holes.

There will be an inner axle nut that also need to be removed.

If needed, use the pick to help remove the ring and outer bearing.

Everything comes off in one piece. If you want to change the rotors, you need to press or pound out the wheel studs. Note that the inner bearing is still inside, you may want to remove it and check the race for smoothness.

Everything goes back together in the opposite order.

 

[Malathion]

Additional fixes

Had a nasty leak from the transmission pan. Great, no drain plugs, terrible decision by GM as draining the pan is a huge mess. Did my best to lower one side of the pan and let it drain. Still made a mess.

Pic of new filter. For some reason there are 3 different TH350 filters. Note that Autozone only list the 74 k5 as having a TH400 so I had them look up the filter for a 76 K10.

Old filter on left. New on right. Same holes in the middle of each.

As I noted way earlier in the thread, the vehicle wouldn't go into part. I tried adjusting the shift column linkage but it didn't work. When I dropped the pan I heard something fall it to it. I figured the parking pawl was broken but it was a bolt! What the? Looked up and it was from the thing that keeps the parking pawl in position.

Missing bolt (upper right hand corner) = no park.

Bolt installed = park. Sweet!

Now comes the scary part. I googled what the stock pan capacity was and put in 3 quarts. During the search I came across a thread than changing the fluid and filter can kill an old transmission. I thought I hope that doesn't happen. Even noted it to the wife.

Added a drain plug to the transmission pan by drilling a 1/2 hole in the front right (passenger) corner. The section next to it would probably have worked but it had a big crease in it and I thought it might leak. Note the tight tolerance on the one bolt head. I was able to get the bolt to fit but if the hole had been any higher, it might not have. Yeah, it's a cheap plug but my pan has already been hit so I wasn't even sure it would seal against the transmission so I figured if the drain leaked I would get a new pan.

Anyway, I finished up and put the K5 in drive and it didn't move. What! Checked the parking brake and still didn't move. Hmmn. Maybe the fluid needs to be pumped up into the torque converter because I had let it drain overnight. Stepped on the gas a little more and it rolled out the garage only to quit. Ah! It's ruined I thought! Well, I added another quart and it works just fine. Whew! Will check the level after the brakes work.

I also bled the brakes and now have brake pedal pressure! Seems to work ok but I drove just enough to seat the pads.

Even changed out the throttle return spring. PO had a stiff spring running to the engine lift point, it was very hard to press the gas pedal. To fix it, I bought a replacement spring at Autozone for $4. This was a double spring and much safer than a single spring. It allows the throttle to close if one spring brakes. To install, I Had to drill the hole on the linkage to get both springs to fit through it but it works great and takes very little pedal pressure to move. Even fixed the detent cable clip so the transmission downshifts properly.

It's nice to get things working. Still have a massive oil leak when I stop. I mean MASSIVE! It looks like it may becoming from the oil pressure sending unit as it comes from high up on the drivers side of the back of the engine and runs down the transmission case. No wonder I found a 5 quart jug of oil in the K5.

Overall, it was a good day.