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'75 K5 build AKA -10 Below Blazer

Overview Gallery Discussion
So I got some work done on the blazer. I was walking past it with my screw gun in hand and the end result was me pulling the gauge cluster and listing the parts for sale here. I'm going to go with a DIY4X dash anyways so I had one of those might as well moments. The only gauge that stayed was oil pressure because I don't like testing the oil pressure by getting squirted with oil since I can drive it around the back 20 without any other gauges. I pulled up some carpet as well and under the pontoon carpeting let me know I'll have my work cut out for me with floor repair. I should have the rear end together soon as well as I just need the pinion seal, I got the crush sleeve eliminator and new pinion nut already. Pulled the headlights out, headlight bezels, and headlight cups. Cleaned up the cups and primed them and set them aside in a bin to get painted and go back in later. I'll have to get some progress pics for the next post.
 
Here's some pics of how it sits. I'm in the phase where I'm stripping parts down, bagging them up and just generally seeing what work I have in front of me. Once I get the carpeting peeled up I have a feeling I'll have my work cut out for me. I also took a closer look and I busted a few wheel studs so I'm 5 bolting it on 3 of 4 wheels right now.


You can see the patch that the PO screwed down with some sheet metal screws. I'll have to pop it off once I can get myself to stop driving it around the back 20 and see how bad it is under...
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All 4 quarters have this same rust from being cut and then covered with the cutout flares. Side Note, the mirrors are screwed to the door with sheet metal screws as well.

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Gotta love the blue pontoon carpeting.....I have no idea why somebody would do that....

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Anybody remember "Revenge of the Nerds" from the '80's? You'll say this in boogers voice....."WE'VE GOT RUST!!!!!!!"


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I don't know if the spotlights work or not.....but I think I'll keep them but probably move them down into the bumper.

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OHHH, Silverado, high class rust.....
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Original Service Sticker still in the glove box. This baby blue was the original color.

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Obligatory K5 on a hill shot. I really gotta yank that backseat out and get a tahoe/burb 3rd row seat to put back there. This was out of a Cadillac and it's one that's got a motor to fold it flat(which would be awesome if it weren't so tall). The problem as you can see is that it sits high as can be in the back....it's got an 8" base underneath it.
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Put some work in tonight. I was doing the front seal on the 14 bolt and holy crap is that on tight. I hit it with some PB Blaster a couple times over the last couple days and then tonight took the impact to it. I had the right size socket from the tools my dad gave me when he retired from being a mechanic but I had to take the grinder to it and shave some off the outside so it would fit in the yoke. 45 minutes of grinding it down carefully to keep it from getting too hot and test fitting it got it in there good and snug but still movable. Another 45 minutes of hitting it with the impact before the thing came loose. I got it out, and took the assembly off the axle and now it's sitting on the bench. This is the first time in years that I've gotten sore hands from using an impact for that long.

So question for putting the pinion assembly back together. Here's my thought process, sound good or bad.

1. Mic out the crush sleeve and then get a close match for the eliminator kit as a starting point
2. Test assemble the pinion and test bearing preload without the seal in place
3. Get preload where it needs to be for used gears
4. Take it apart and reassemble it with the seal
5. Retest preload to make sure it's in spec
6. Re-install into the axle housing

Anything I'm missing or does that look good?

Rick
 
Been a good long while since my last post. You know what they say, in between your plans and the future is when life happens. Well life has definitely been happening and keeping me pretty busy with family and lots of other things. I got the floor poured in the polebarn so I have a spot to work now that's on concrete and I've been getting to it here and there. Since the last post when I was working on the 14 bolt I put some more hours into it and cannot get the bearing/sleeve/yoke separated. I'm going to just have to get all new parts anyways so I've been putting that off until I want to reassemble it under the trunk with the suspension changes. Since that's a ways off I'm starting work getting the motor/tranny/transfercase out and chucking all the rotted metal from the front. I was out the last 2 nights and this is my progress after having to cut off I don't know how many bolts. I have the doors off just for access to the fenders but they'll be going back on so I can brace the body up. They're in alright shape and not rusted out so I'll just take them apart, clean 'em up and reuse 'em. The inners and outters were junk so they're in the pile. The core support is up in the air at this point as I don't have it off yet.

Question #1 - Can the stock radiator from the '75 handle cooling a 5.3 LS engine? I'm going to run electric fans on it but I'm not sure if I should find a better radiator or not.

Question #2 - Do new floor pans include the parts that the inner fenders bolt to? Those are pretty flimsy on here due to rust and one pretty much crumpled like a pop can.

Progress Pics :) I had my mini-me helping me and tossing me skittles while I was working. She also swept the shop while we were out there. She's since informed her older brother that this is going to be hers when she's older. He wants to build a lifted 2000's Ford diesel.....I'm not sure where I went wrong :thinking:.

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ricrok said:
Question #2 - Do new floor pans include the parts that the inner fender
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From LMC they are separate pieces.

May look into finding a pick-up cab and using everything below the lower door hinge to the seat pan kick up as a replacement assembly. There is an extra brace in there on the full 'verts, but wouldn't be complicated to add.
 
I can't imagine dealing with the rust you guys back east deal with. But to answer one question on if the stock 75 radiator is up to the task of cooling, I can say yes it is. I'm running the stock replacement radiator from my old 75 in my 91 with a 5.3L. It's been fine. I don't have a/c in the 91 so it doesn't have the heat load getting pumped into it.
 
It's good to get the kids involved, my oldest comes out and watches me work occasionally.

I know it's a long shot, but do you still have those wood grain door panels and do you plan on using them?
 
AbramJ said:
It's good to get the kids involved, my oldest comes out and watches me work occasionally.

I know it's a long shot, but do you still have those wood grain door panels and do you plan on using them?
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I wasn't going to use them. I'll get some pics tonight so you can see what they look like but they're not in great shape. They're sun faded and sat out in the weather for years before I got the truck.
 
ricrok said:
I wasn't going to use them. I'll get some pics tonight so you can see what they look like but they're not in great shape. They're sun faded and sat out in the weather for years before I got the truck.
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OK, I appreciate it.
 
ricrok said:
Faded and Cracked by the speaker but otherwise decent. I can pull some pics of that too so you can see what it's like.
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Sadly I live too far away...but that is the colour and right year for the truck we are working on.
Post up pics though, even in not perfect condition someone will want it for sure!
 
max 02 said:
Sadly I live too far away...but that is the colour and right year for the truck we are working on.
Post up pics though, even in not perfect condition someone will want it for sure!
Click to expand...
Yea I'll do it, I was going to chuck those items but some people might not have the access/resources to get all new so I'll share the love with CK5. Heck, I'd be down to share a cold beer if any of the local MN CK5ers wanted to check it out.

On a side note, I have the tube bumpers listed on CL and got a call from the guy that built the truck originally. It was a World of Wheels and several other car shows award winner here in MN and was in a few magazines as well. The guy is going to send me pics of the awards and magazines that it was in. I'm going to meet him and catch up on the history. The 350 is a built 350, the wheels where custom made 15x15" just for the truck. It's a tired out 350 now but it does have a holley 750, old Mallory ignition, edelbrock performer intake and he said a bit larger cam. I can confirm that it does have a rough low speed idle but it smooth past 1500 RPM. The trans also has a shift kit which you can feel when you get on it. It sucks that this went from being a show truck to sitting in the weather for nearly 20 years to get to it's current state.
 
That's cool! If you get any good pics of the truck in it's glory days be sure to share them.
 
Here are the pics as promised. The cracking in the dashpad is right around the speaker. As for the door panels.....they're flaking, faded and coming apart.

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That drivers side one doesn't look any better than mine, but that passenger side one looks almost perfect. (or are the pictures deceiving?) Any idea how much it'd be to ship the dash pad and door panels to 85282?
 
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