'81 K5, "BlaZeus"- How to NOT build the ultimate budget K5; 3 & 4 link build

[blazinzuk]

I don't know if this is helpful.

Passenger seats complicate things. Convince your friends to build their own

Second. Get rid of the body. By that I mean if your going this far much easier to ditch most of the body. You can keep the cab and firewall but if your gonna stretch it your gonna be building a floor. Easier to build a space frame then attach seats and body work to that.

 

[blazinzuk]

If you find a long bed in good shape the skinned out sides weigh about 50lbs per side

 

[sreidmx]

If you find a long bed in good shape the skinned out sides weigh about 50lbs per side

This is good info! I never would have thought they were that heavy!

 

[blazinzuk]

Yah they aren't light. My skinned front fenders probably tipping the scale at 20 lbs though. They don't weigh much.

I did leave the whole rear structure of the bed sides to run stock tail lights



I bet just that back structure/ tailight housing is 15 lbs

 

[sreidmx]

Thats a good idea, I was wondering How I was going to keep stock taillights attached with fiberglass on mine.. looks like some cutting will be in order. Nice rig btw! and Damn look at that tire!

 

[blazinzuk]

I was um aired down lol h1 rims are nice

 

[blowedupmotor87]

So.... I think I have now found my polar opposite build thread! I think and rethink and re-rethink (and re-re-rethink, LOL!) so much that nothing ever gets done on my trucks vs you've just jumped right in!!!! I gotta give you props! There's some stuff that looks a bit questionable to me but, overall I have to say keep up the good work!!!! I am looking forward to seeing the end result!

 

[Deuling]

Horton is sexy

 

[jekquistk5]

Horton is sexy

Dead sexy!

 

[BlaZeus]

UPDATE!!!:
So0...finished the 4 link for the most part. Still need to make a X member tying the trailing arm frame mounts to the cage and redo the rear seat X member mounting tabs. also, going to take the links and get them powder coated. Also still need to get new tires or 8 lug wheels. feeling kinda exhausted so sorry I am not explaining all the pics and walking y'all through the whole process. Maybe I'll feel more up to it tomorrow. But got it running, and drove up and down the street with no problems. Everything works perfect and the new axle with the 4.88 gearing is amazing! So stoked on this!

 

[Evan Miller]

Damn I have to be premium member to see your photos

 

[Deuling]

Neato!!

Good progress

 

[BlaZeus]

Damn I have to be premium member to see your photos

Become a member. 2nd best $20 I ever spent. 1st best was on a 3.5lb BFH

 

[Greg72]

UPDATE!!!:
So0...finished the 4 link for the most part. Still need to make a X member tying the trailing arm frame mounts to the cage and redo the rear seat X member mounting tabs. also, going to take the links and get them powder coated. Also still need to get new tires or 8 lug wheels. feeling kinda exhausted so sorry I am not explaining all the pics and walking y'all through the whole process. Maybe I'll feel more up to it tomorrow. But got it running, and drove up and down the street with no problems. Everything works perfect and the new axle with the 4.88 gearing is amazing! So stoked on this!

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No rear frame?

Holding up all the rear sheetmetal with the rollcage (from above) seems like a losing strategy.


-G

 

[BlaZeus]

No rear frame?

Holding up all the rear sheetmetal with the rollcage (from above) seems like a losing strategy.


-G

Please explain...? There's not much rear sheet metal left mind you...lol

 

[truck-oholic]

Wow, I didn't even catch that. So . . . what good is a roll cage without any frame rail? What Greg, who is pretty damn up on his shit, is trying to tell you is that the whole back half of this truck is unsupported right now

 

[truck-oholic]

Please explain...? There's not much rear sheet metal left mind you...lol

According to your pics you still have the entire bed including the top. The only thing you don't have is a tailgate. That's a LOT of weight to just leave hanging out there. If you were running no top, skins, and no floor, maybe. Also think about your fuel storage, rear seat, or any other kind of tool/gear storage back there. You are asking an awful lot of that interior tube structure

 

[BlaZeus]

According to your pics you still have the entire bed including the top. The only thing you don't have is a tailgate. That's a LOT of weight to just leave hanging out there. If you were running no top, skins, and no floor, maybe. Also think about your fuel storage, rear seat, or any other kind of tool/gear storage back there. You are asking an awful lot of that interior tube structure

Yeah, so I have the floor sandwiched between 2 1/4" plates one on top of sheetmetal and one on bottem and the cage is connected to the top plate at the rear wheel wells and at the rear of the floor.

 

[truck-oholic]

Yeah, so I have the floor sandwiched between 2 1/4" plates one on top of sheetmetal and one on bottem and the cage is connected to the top plate at the rear wheel wells and at the rear of the floor.

I understand you are attaching the body to the tube structure. What i am trying to tell you is that is a lot of weight to just cantilever out there. Even tube buggies have subframes or a seriously braced back half structure and they aren't supporting the entire back half of a full bodied fullsize

 

[BlaZeus]

I understand you are attaching the bodu to the tube structure. What i am trying to tell you is that is a lot of weight to just cantilever out there. Even tube buggies have subframes or a seriously braced back half structure and they aren't supporting the entire back half of a full bodied fullsize

Okay...So then I'm not quite sure how it's cantilevered out there if the cage goes all the way back to the bumper with supporting structure and that there acts as the supporting structure? Do you want me to add more to the cage?