BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
Yeah totally. Some of them are not too pretty but I guarantee you the penetration is there.
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'81 K5, "BlaZeus"- How to NOT build the ultimate budget K5; 3 & 4 link build
Why did you cut the firewall up where the steering column comes through?
Martin
Martin
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
For a number of things. I had to relocate the brake booster and master cylinder. And then when I went to custom brake set up had to mount the new floor mounted masters to the frame cuz the floor is sloped and wouldn't allow for install.
I agree with Steve. Slow down a bit. A lot of it looks like you cut first and figure it out later. Also a weld almost never fails, it is the material around it. What welder do you have? Most those welds look cold.
I vote for go jump it and then find out what needs to be fixed 
Cool build. Subscribed for a neat truck. 
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
Sorry about the lack of updates. Totally let y'all down.
But anyways, theres been a lot going on in my life lately that prevented me from working on the truck but recently I have managed to regain my gusto for chopping things off my truck and building new stuff and putting on new parts.
I graduated college in mid december and got 2 full time job offers right after graduating. PRAISE JESUS! So, I have busy with work and the adjustment that the "real" world and working 50 hours a week is. It's also been rainy and "cold" here which has not been the most preferred truck working environment.
ok, back to the truck. If you look at this photo below, you can kinda see the jacked up driver side fender from when i went into the ditch that bent my frame. I had been wanting to do fiberglass fenders for awhile and this was a perfect excuse. While on CL one day, i found some glass fenders for a 2008 silverado for a great deal and thought, why not try and mount these up? I discovered this guys build thread https://ck5.com/forums/threads/83-09-4bt-k5-on-board-air.318527/page-6#post-3592665 and decided to go for it. However, I am going for a full front clip swap. Look out BJ Baldwin!!!
But anyways, theres been a lot going on in my life lately that prevented me from working on the truck but recently I have managed to regain my gusto for chopping things off my truck and building new stuff and putting on new parts.
I graduated college in mid december and got 2 full time job offers right after graduating. PRAISE JESUS! So, I have busy with work and the adjustment that the "real" world and working 50 hours a week is. It's also been rainy and "cold" here which has not been the most preferred truck working environment.
ok, back to the truck. If you look at this photo below, you can kinda see the jacked up driver side fender from when i went into the ditch that bent my frame. I had been wanting to do fiberglass fenders for awhile and this was a perfect excuse. While on CL one day, i found some glass fenders for a 2008 silverado for a great deal and thought, why not try and mount these up? I discovered this guys build thread https://ck5.com/forums/threads/83-09-4bt-k5-on-board-air.318527/page-6#post-3592665 and decided to go for it. However, I am going for a full front clip swap. Look out BJ Baldwin!!!
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
my sister gave me this card for Christmas and i thought it was the funniest thing i had ever seen.
Picked up @hidesertwheelin 's 14bFF disc brake axle with 4.88 gears, detroit locker and armored cover and his 10b front with matching 4.88 gears. Thanks again!
SO stoked i don't have to pay to have gears installed in my 14bSF 9.5 6 lug(which is now for sale BTW.)
Picked up @hidesertwheelin 's 14bFF disc brake axle with 4.88 gears, detroit locker and armored cover and his 10b front with matching 4.88 gears. Thanks again!
SO stoked i don't have to pay to have gears installed in my 14bSF 9.5 6 lug(which is now for sale BTW.)
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
Mocked up the glass 08 silverado fenders. They are way shorter than the stock ones, so some creative fiberglass work is going to be required to get everything somewhat line-up and get the body lines to somewhat blend in with each other.
The only way the fenders are going to be centered over the front wheel is if i use a part of my old fender as a "filler" between the glass fenders and the door skins. I am planning to have this "filler" section fiberglassed over to create a more seamless transition of body lines.
New aluminum radiator, as my "temporary mounting" of my last radiator punctured a hole in it. Never doing "temporary" mounting again. Now, taking my time and doing things right, the first time. especially since now that i am out of college, i have no reason to really have my truck running as before i wanted to have it running so i could drive it around at school and look super cool.
getting some ideas for the rear 4 link set up i have been dreaming about for awhile now. I have had trailing arms that i bought off Jerry Longo who has a sick ass luxury prerunner blazer that is full caged and i beamed front. He got new trailing arms made and so i picked his old one up for cheap and never had the money or time to do a four link setup on BlaZeus.
Well, its happening. just getting some ideas and inspirations.
The only way the fenders are going to be centered over the front wheel is if i use a part of my old fender as a "filler" between the glass fenders and the door skins. I am planning to have this "filler" section fiberglassed over to create a more seamless transition of body lines.
New aluminum radiator, as my "temporary mounting" of my last radiator punctured a hole in it. Never doing "temporary" mounting again. Now, taking my time and doing things right, the first time. especially since now that i am out of college, i have no reason to really have my truck running as before i wanted to have it running so i could drive it around at school and look super cool.
getting some ideas for the rear 4 link set up i have been dreaming about for awhile now. I have had trailing arms that i bought off Jerry Longo who has a sick ass luxury prerunner blazer that is full caged and i beamed front. He got new trailing arms made and so i picked his old one up for cheap and never had the money or time to do a four link setup on BlaZeus.
Well, its happening. just getting some ideas and inspirations.
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
WHOOP THERE IT IS!
AND THE BACK HALFED BLAZEUS BEGINS.
AND THE BACK HALFED BLAZEUS BEGINS.
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
LOOK OUT! FRAME ON THE GROUND, FRAME ON THE GROUND. LOOKIN LIKE A FOOL WITH YOUR FRAME(pants) ON THE GROUND.
ok. yep. Back halving the BlaZeus and 4 link rear suspension with a new axle. man, it is nice being single and a full time worker.
Also, finally picked up some high lift hoist jack stands so i can actually work underneath the rig without the possibility of being squashed underneath it or developing temporary sclerosis from bending over and working under it. my rear Long Travel 63" leaf springs are for sale now if anybody wants them. pulled tons of travel and night and day difference from stock or even "lift" leaf springs. also have the shackles and hangers if ya want them.
Cut the front of the frame rails off and will be fabbing a new X-member and a new radiator mount and core support where the new 08 grille and headlights will hopefully mount to without too much grief.
ok. yep. Back halving the BlaZeus and 4 link rear suspension with a new axle. man, it is nice being single and a full time worker.
Also, finally picked up some high lift hoist jack stands so i can actually work underneath the rig without the possibility of being squashed underneath it or developing temporary sclerosis from bending over and working under it. my rear Long Travel 63" leaf springs are for sale now if anybody wants them. pulled tons of travel and night and day difference from stock or even "lift" leaf springs. also have the shackles and hangers if ya want them.
Cut the front of the frame rails off and will be fabbing a new X-member and a new radiator mount and core support where the new 08 grille and headlights will hopefully mount to without too much grief.
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BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
so, a couple questions. i have been toying around with the idea of extending the wheelbase by moving the axle 6"-10" back and putting glass bedsides from a chevy truck on it and extending the cage to protect my 3rd row seating occupiers and building a fuel cell mount 0ff the back of the truck for my new 50 gal fuel cell (the thing is massive) with spots for mounting 2 spare tires either laying on top or upright on each side of the fuel cell.
so now questions: In order to make this work, will i have to use a drive shaft from a 80-88(87?) long bed truck with the same t case or would it be easier just to take my driveshaft in to a shop and have it extended to whatever I need it to be??
Has anyone ever put truck bedsides on a k5 before? how did it look?
does anyone have a front 3 link or rear 4 link set up on their caged k5? what spring rate did you use for the front? for the rear, where did you mount the coilovers and at what angle? What spring rate and length coilover did you use? Thanks!
so now questions: In order to make this work, will i have to use a drive shaft from a 80-88(87?) long bed truck with the same t case or would it be easier just to take my driveshaft in to a shop and have it extended to whatever I need it to be??
Has anyone ever put truck bedsides on a k5 before? how did it look?
does anyone have a front 3 link or rear 4 link set up on their caged k5? what spring rate did you use for the front? for the rear, where did you mount the coilovers and at what angle? What spring rate and length coilover did you use? Thanks!
Why do you need a 50 gallon fuel cell?????
Did not expect the back half, good luck on that. Id do it on a pickup where the bed could be removed, but kudos to you for jumping in head first.
Did not expect the back half, good luck on that. Id do it on a pickup where the bed could be removed, but kudos to you for jumping in head first.
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
Why not?? Lol I got it for free and also I'll never have to worry about running out of gas again(happened once in the desert. Sucked.) and this way I can take it anywhere, anytime and make it back to civilization.
Thanks!
. Yeah, ya know, I always jump in head first 
. "Don't just dip your toes in the water and be a little girl, dive the f*^% in!" we all can't wait for perfect situations to do things we want. Sometimes you just gotta make do with what ya got. Nut up or shut up ya know
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@ktmoutfront did a nice job with his linked, caged K5. Didn't take many pictures, but is a good reference if you want to ask questions.
@sreidmx started out doing links on his 4WD K5 and then tore it out to run a 9" rear with beams in front. Lots of tech pictures (of both setups) if you read through his build thread.
There are others on here, just start reading through threads.
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Why not?? Lol I got it for free and also I'll never have to worry about running out of gas again(happened once in the desert. Sucked.) and this way I can take it anywhere, anytime and make it back to civilization.
Also, the 50-gallon fuel cell is going to burn a lot of your cargo space. Be sure that's a worthwhile swap before you decide you wanna use it. Personally, I wouldn't touch something that large unless I wanted to do serious amounts of long-distance travel (and, since I'm a 6.2 guy, 50 gallons means 1200 miles of road range
). I've yet to meet someone who wished for more range than a stock 30-gallon tank provided (and you already have that, right?), but I've met many folks who wanted more cargo area. Especially in a K5. If you lengthen the rear, it may help (guess I'm not quite sure what you have in mind for that), but cargo space is always a precious commodity.
BlaZeus
The Real Mateo
Thanks! I'll definitely check these out!
Campfire has wise suggestions. There is some wide and low 50 gallon fuel cells you can find. they wont be as bad as a std height design. I am surprised you cut the frame.. I found the 9 inch bumped out on mine above the fuel tank by a few inches. Im not sure how low you want this.. check out BJ Balwdwins build, search online for Blazito itll be a FourWheeler article when John Bitting owned it. Thats similar to what your going for I think.
Drive shaft is probably gonna need to be custom, also extending the wheelbase without moving the rear windows might look a little strange, most usually extend the rear of the cab and keep the proportions. If you dont do that expect to move the wheel wells rearward a bunch.
If I can make a suggestion, as I build mine, tack everything and dont burn it in 100% until you know for sure that is exactly how you want it. This has saved me a ton of time if I wanted to rework something...(shock mounts etc..)
Otherwise seems like your on the right track. fyi most offroad trucks(gofast) end up somewere in the 80% range for antisquat, try to not get so caught up in the numbers. Chances are it wont fit exactly how it looks on the computer which tosses your numbers out the window. Make it fit then check it to see where your at.. hence the tack welds.. so if you want to move it you can ez,.. good luck I cant wait to see how this goes.
Drive shaft is probably gonna need to be custom, also extending the wheelbase without moving the rear windows might look a little strange, most usually extend the rear of the cab and keep the proportions. If you dont do that expect to move the wheel wells rearward a bunch.
If I can make a suggestion, as I build mine, tack everything and dont burn it in 100% until you know for sure that is exactly how you want it. This has saved me a ton of time if I wanted to rework something...(shock mounts etc..)
Otherwise seems like your on the right track. fyi most offroad trucks(gofast) end up somewere in the 80% range for antisquat, try to not get so caught up in the numbers. Chances are it wont fit exactly how it looks on the computer which tosses your numbers out the window. Make it fit then check it to see where your at.. hence the tack welds.. so if you want to move it you can ez,.. good luck I cant wait to see how this goes.
Why did you cut the back of the frame off?
Martin
Martin
