CK5
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So I've been on CK5 for many years now and have always thought about doing a build thread. I should of done one for my K5 trail rig but I just didn't have the time when I was building that. The kids were younger, I was busier with work yada yada yada...
Anyways now the kids are 15 and 17 and the K5 is mostly done, who am I kidding it will never really be done. There will always be an upgrade on that or something that's broken and needs fixing. Thats the drill with a trail rig though.
Back to the 79 K-30. I should explain a little about it. I bought it from my uncle when I was 19 as best as I can remember. That would of been 1992 It only had 60,000 some miles on it but was very rusty due to it being a plow truck here in Wisconsin. It was a factory k-30 4speed 350 small block truck with 4.10 gears. I bought it for $1800 with the plow. 1st thing I did was sell the plow for $1000 and I had my dream 1 ton to build up.
I started out with a 2" body lift and then followed with what we're called 6" mudbogger springs made by Rancho. I don't think they were ever a very popular spring. They have like 9 leafs and aren't overly flexible. And I think they go more than 6" of lift because I bought 4" skyjack softride rear springs but needed about a 3.5" block in the rear to get the ride height right. I fabbed the bumpers that are still on it now and ran 35" bfg mts on the street/trail and 35 buckshots for mud drags. I had a lot of fun mud racing it and eventually decided to fix up the body and paint it that would of been like 94-95? It started out with a newer southern cab, box and front clip all from different trucks. I also switched it to a 400 auto. I was going to blast the frame but came across a sweet deal on a powder coated 81+ frame that was also a k-30 frame. Only problem was that it was a light gray color. So I scuffed it and sprayed it with a gloss black urethane paint. The frame turned out so good that I spent more time and money on the body than I'd planned. The truck turned out very nice. I did some truck shows and Jamborees in the mid 90s then got back into some mud races and trail rides. Because after all that's what I built it for. It started to get some scratches and dings in it.
That's when I bought my K5 to mud race and trail ride and the K-30 became a weekend fun driver. It got driven up until 2004 when the tired old small block gave up. At that time my 2nd child was on the way along with house #2 being built. It's pretty much sat unused to this day.
I always told my daughter that I would get it working again for her 16 birthday, now she's 17. So that never happened.
About a month ago I found its new heart. It's a 6.0 L out of a wrecked 2005 chevy 2500 truck that had 136,000 miles on it. I got the engine with full factory wiring harness, computer and 4l80 trans. The guy selling it had was going to use it for a hotrod project so he included an aftermarket wiring harness that I got also.
I know this truck is going to need lots of maintenance items and I would like to redo/fix some of my early 20s craftsmanship with my now 47 years of ability. I just want to get this truck to be a fun to drive, reliable square.
This got way longer of a post than I thought it would but having never done a build post I think I screwed up the set up and entering of info and pics. I'll work on getting some pictures posted.
Anyways now the kids are 15 and 17 and the K5 is mostly done, who am I kidding it will never really be done. There will always be an upgrade on that or something that's broken and needs fixing. Thats the drill with a trail rig though.
Back to the 79 K-30. I should explain a little about it. I bought it from my uncle when I was 19 as best as I can remember. That would of been 1992 It only had 60,000 some miles on it but was very rusty due to it being a plow truck here in Wisconsin. It was a factory k-30 4speed 350 small block truck with 4.10 gears. I bought it for $1800 with the plow. 1st thing I did was sell the plow for $1000 and I had my dream 1 ton to build up.
I started out with a 2" body lift and then followed with what we're called 6" mudbogger springs made by Rancho. I don't think they were ever a very popular spring. They have like 9 leafs and aren't overly flexible. And I think they go more than 6" of lift because I bought 4" skyjack softride rear springs but needed about a 3.5" block in the rear to get the ride height right. I fabbed the bumpers that are still on it now and ran 35" bfg mts on the street/trail and 35 buckshots for mud drags. I had a lot of fun mud racing it and eventually decided to fix up the body and paint it that would of been like 94-95? It started out with a newer southern cab, box and front clip all from different trucks. I also switched it to a 400 auto. I was going to blast the frame but came across a sweet deal on a powder coated 81+ frame that was also a k-30 frame. Only problem was that it was a light gray color. So I scuffed it and sprayed it with a gloss black urethane paint. The frame turned out so good that I spent more time and money on the body than I'd planned. The truck turned out very nice. I did some truck shows and Jamborees in the mid 90s then got back into some mud races and trail rides. Because after all that's what I built it for. It started to get some scratches and dings in it.
That's when I bought my K5 to mud race and trail ride and the K-30 became a weekend fun driver. It got driven up until 2004 when the tired old small block gave up. At that time my 2nd child was on the way along with house #2 being built. It's pretty much sat unused to this day.
I always told my daughter that I would get it working again for her 16 birthday, now she's 17. So that never happened.
About a month ago I found its new heart. It's a 6.0 L out of a wrecked 2005 chevy 2500 truck that had 136,000 miles on it. I got the engine with full factory wiring harness, computer and 4l80 trans. The guy selling it had was going to use it for a hotrod project so he included an aftermarket wiring harness that I got also.
I know this truck is going to need lots of maintenance items and I would like to redo/fix some of my early 20s craftsmanship with my now 47 years of ability. I just want to get this truck to be a fun to drive, reliable square.
This got way longer of a post than I thought it would but having never done a build post I think I screwed up the set up and entering of info and pics. I'll work on getting some pictures posted.
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Because pictures are good right?
I don't really have many digital pictures of this truck because the last time it was in use was before cell phones
I hope to keep on top of every step of it's rehab here. I don't move real quick so this will take time. I'm hoping to have it back on the road in 2022 sometime?
I don't really have many digital pictures of this truck because the last time it was in use was before cell phones
I hope to keep on top of every step of it's rehab here. I don't move real quick so this will take time. I'm hoping to have it back on the road in 2022 sometime?
All right how does this upload of pictures or files work?
I went through my phone and selected like 20 photos and thought I was posting them all, but only got the one of the front of 6.0 engine.
Then I went back and tried 2 pictures but got 3 copies of each?
Ill keep trying. I'm not real tech savvy.
I went through my phone and selected like 20 photos and thought I was posting them all, but only got the one of the front of 6.0 engine.
Then I went back and tried 2 pictures but got 3 copies of each?
Ill keep trying. I'm not real tech savvy.
Let's see what this does
Looks like you've got to choose 1 attachment at a time?
So when one does an LS swap is everyone keeping and using this oil cooler? I need to get a new radiator so I suppose I could get one with the cooler provisions in it?
Pulled the intake off today, nothing too revealing. I was surprised how light that big plastic intake is.
So I need to educate myself on these knock sensors that are in the intake valley cover.
Do I need to keep them?
If so, I'd guess they should be replaced?
I thought I read somewhere that with the terminator computer that they could be eliminated?
So I need to educate myself on these knock sensors that are in the intake valley cover.
Do I need to keep them?
If so, I'd guess they should be replaced?
I thought I read somewhere that with the terminator computer that they could be eliminated?
Also pulled the pan. Nothing exciting in here which I take to be a positive.
I guess now I've got to figure out what all I want to add to this engine?
I don't really know a whole lot about these engines. I've got a couple of buddies that have swapped them into older vehicles.
So here's what I'm thinking-
Cam,injectors,Holley terminator,headers.
Figuring out what cam will be 1st I guess. This truck won't be a daily driver just a weekend fun truck. I'd like to get as much power as possible with the above mods for now. I guess it's time to start researching cams.
I guess now I've got to figure out what all I want to add to this engine?
I don't really know a whole lot about these engines. I've got a couple of buddies that have swapped them into older vehicles.
So here's what I'm thinking-
Cam,injectors,Holley terminator,headers.
Figuring out what cam will be 1st I guess. This truck won't be a daily driver just a weekend fun truck. I'd like to get as much power as possible with the above mods for now. I guess it's time to start researching cams.
Following just for the premium choice in wheels.
I can't bring myself to get rid of those wheels even if they are 16.5s. They are 25 years old. I bought them new the 1st time I fixed up this truck. I think I paid over a $1000 back then. I just had them repolished. Now if I could just find a decent 16.5 tire to put on them.
That wheel and tire combo is one of the best there ever was.
So as I said this will be slow process I got it out of the corner of the shop and onto the hoist. I pulled the transmission, transfer case, and gas tanks out. Then started to clean the 25 year old mud from the nooks and crannies. Once upon a time this frame was powder coated so it's in pretty really in pristine shape still.
Also have been cleaning up and painting the LS engine parts. Painting the aluminum things like oil pan,timing cover, hammered gray not sure about valve covers yet, might polish them only problem is you hardly see them once the coil packs are on, probably just paint them. Thinking just black on the block.
Lolz_cats
Uga duga
I love the look of the solid body color and lund visor.
