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85 gmc jimmy "she's got balls"

T

timmfrit

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michigan
Hello all, my name is tim, i am new to the k5 community. I had a 92 bronco years ago that I ended up having to part with. I loved having a truck to go off the beaten path with. Well I recently picked up an 85 Jimmy from a buddy for under a grand. She def needs some work but if functional (ish) as is. I don't know alot of the specifics..but this is what I do know. It has a 350 supposedly rebuilt bored .30 over with 30k on it. After market cams but I don't know what kind or specs ( the built sheet is somewhere). Edelbrock 750 cc 4 barrel carb. Sirra classic trim. As she sits right now she is suppose to have about 400 hp, but that is a hear say figure and could be completely off. It has alot of rust, particularly the rocker panels and a little in the rear fenders. My buddy just replaced the mechanical fuepump as it is not getting gas flow at this time. I couldn't find an inline fuel filter so we are dropping the tank tomorrow to see if it's clogged in the tank. Any advise or recommendations are welcome. I went to tech for auto body and i am a die setter as an occupation so i think everything that needs to be done is within my capabilities. I plan on fixing her up...don't need it show room but I'd like to keep the heat inside as I got it foremost as a winter vehicle, but I plan on mudding a little too.
 
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Does the AC still work? It is almost a rarity to find one some hack hasn't cut up at this point.

What are your plans for the truck?

Martin
 
82355 said:
Does the AC still work? It is almost a rarity to find one some hack hasn't cut up at this point.

What are your plans for the truck?

Martin
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I haven't gotten that far to tell you the truth. I think it's still all in tact, probably not charged through. I certainly hope the heat works, michigan can get pretty cold. I have a 97 xr7 cougar that is my daily, but I have to be able to get to work in the winter and my road usually is the last to get plowed. My cougar doesn't like rain much less snow, so on those days we get more than a dusting this is going to be my back up. Plus I plan on getting a boat or kayaks so something to get around on vacations will be nice. Luckily most spots I would go are relatively close. Id like to have some fun in it too, trail riding to camping spots. If I get into wheeling more than that I would probably get a better base to start with. The frame looks good but the body has alot of cancer. The motor is already built pretty well, 355 w/ cams and big carb. I am going to have to do some work on the exhaust so I will probably put headers on and replace it all the way back.
Another reason I jumped on this jimmy is because I have a 1980 motor home that I was given. It's in running condition with a 350, but I hear it could have a better rear axel possibly Trans, spare parts.






I don't know if they are compatible or not, but just an idea.
 
There is only a single cam in a small block Chevrolet.

Martin
 
I am thinking I have a bad fuel line, replaced the mechanical fuel pump and still not getting any fuel flow. The truck sat for a while then was moved a couple block and won't start, no fuel to the carb. Or a clogged fuel filter and it looks like that is in the tank I fallowed the fuel line and there is no inline canister that I could see . The lines look like they have seen better days.
 
I would inspect/go through every part of your fuel supply system(tank/lines). You never know what kind of stuff could be floating around in the tank, and possibly gotten sucked up in the lines.
 
GWeakland620 said:
I would inspect/go through every part of your fuel supply system(tank/lines). You never know what kind of stuff could be floating around in the tank, and possibly gotten sucked up in the lines.
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I seen my buddy who is selling it to me and he is buying the parts to get it on the road and helping me wrench on it. We only had time to go over and work on it for an hour or so. We started dropping the tank, but we lost sun light and I had to get ready for work. While I only plan on this being a back up vehicle, i still want it to be 100% reliable so any part that is in question will be replaced or repaired. Once I get it home where I have access to power and my tools it will be thoroughly shook down before being put into duty.
 
With a mechanical pump I am thinking I could rig a fuel line into a gas can to get it home, it's less than a mile.


I am rolling around the idea of taking the 350 out of the camper and rebuilding it, 383 maybe. It only has 60k on it, I have no idea about the motor that's in it. I have always wanted to build a motor since the first time I saw one on a engine stand. This seems like a good opportunity to make a purpose built power plant. I can run the motor that's in it till I am ready to put in the built one.
 
timmfrit said:
I am thinking I have a bad fuel line, replaced the mechanical fuel pump and still not getting any fuel flow. The truck sat for a while then was moved a couple block and won't start, no fuel to the carb. Or a clogged fuel filter and it looks like that is in the tank I fallowed the fuel line and there is no inline canister that I could see . The lines look like they have seen better days.
Click to expand...

The fuel filter should be in the inlet of the carburetor, but someone removed the quadrajet to replace with that rebranded Carter AFB. It probably does not have a fuel filter. Install an inline filter at the carburetor.

Martin
 
Well after poking around some more we got fuel up to the carb, blew air through it and got her to fire up and run. But the choke or butterflies are not working properly. I had to prop open butterfly over the extra barrels to keep her running. She def has balls. So I got to drive er her for the first time. And she is home. Now comes the fun part...figuring out and fixing what needs to be done before the snow falls. Steering column needs to be replaced, came with one. Exhaust . Rebuild carb.
 
Nice work. That's got to feel good driving and getting it home.


Oh, and remember....more pics:popcorn:
 
GWeakland620 said:
Nice work. That's got to feel good driving and getting it home.


Oh, and remember....more pics:popcorn:
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I was grinning ear to ear. It set me back in my seat better than my my 200hp cougar. Couldn't be happier. I went through and pulled all the stuff out of it today and started cleaning it up. I will def take more pictures and post them. The interior is acually in good shape. The door panels are off and on one the pull strap is not attached, but the rest of it looks pretty good considering. The rockers and floor adjacent to them are gone on both sides. But the frame and suspension looks good. Rear window needs a motor. Also to correct an earlier statement it has a 650 cfm edelbrock carb. I found a for sale sign and it says the motor was a crate motor. I'll have to check it out closer to see what model, LS more than likely.
 
After some digging into what hardware is in my 1980 chevy motor, looks to be a LT9 350 4brl with a th400 trans, don't know the rear differential yet. It's a 1 ton g series van so it's possible it has a good one. Still don't know if they are compatible with my 1985 jimmy. Will the 400 turbo from a 2wd mount to the transfer case where a 700r4 4x4 transmission was? Lt9 a good motor? For building a 383 stroker? Take the whole rear suspension remove some leafs and Shackel flip. Open to ideas.
 
The transmission question has several answers,depending on what transfer case you trying to bolt it too,etc..

A 2wd TH400 can be "converted" to a 4x4 version by using the correct length rear output shaft..for the desired transfer case..which means tearing it down to install it,its the first part in and last one out,so you may as well have the tranny gone thru while it is apart,even if it worked fine before--you may tear a seal or something during the shaft swap..rebuild kits are fairly cheap,but the labor isn't...the transfer case must have the 32 spline input,so one that was behind a TH350 or 700R4 wont work unless you swap in that 32 spline input..

Edit : there are special "adapter" output shafts made to fit the TH400 that has the 27 splines just like a TH350 or 700R4 uses,but they aren't cheap,and might not hold up as well as the "right" factory 32 spline inputs do)..

Now it gets trickier--I know certain years of NP-205 transfer cases that came with a TH400,used a rear output shaft the same length as a 2wd one,
as is the "correct" 4x4 one,so in that case a 2WD TH400 could be bolted right up by just removing the tail cone...

I read "some" NP-208's also will bolt up to a TH400 2WD with the tail cone removed,but I have a 2WD Th400 from a '74 Monte Carlo and a spare NP-208,and after measuring them both,I dont think the input spline is deep enough to let that TH400 couple up to it..

TH400's used with NP-203 full time transfer cases had a "stubby" rear output much shorter than those used with NP-205's or NP-208's...so its a "one off" output shaft...

Note that a 2WD Th-400 wont have the "K" case ribs casted into its bellhousing,nor will it have the cast dust cover those strut bars bolt too--those might be adaptable though--my '82 GMC 4x4 has a 2WD TH400 case in it and its seen quite a bit of hard use with no issues without those 2 strut bars connected...
 
diesel4me said:
The transmission question has several answers,depending on what transfer case you trying to bolt it too,etc..

A 2wd TH400 can be "converted" to a 4x4 version by using the correct length rear output shaft..for the desired transfer case..which means tearing it down to install it,its the first part in and last one out,so you may as well have the tranny gone thru while it is apart,even if it worked fine before--you may tear a seal or something during the shaft swap..rebuild kits are fairly cheap,but the labor isn't...the transfer case must have the 32 spline input,so one that was behind a TH350 or 700R4 wont work unless you swap in that 32 spline input..

Edit : there are special "adapter" output shafts made to fit the TH400 that has the 27 splines just like a TH350 or 700R4 uses,but they aren't cheap,and might not hold up as well as the "right" factory 32 spline inputs do)..

Now it gets trickier--I know certain years of NP-205 transfer cases that came with a TH400,used a rear output shaft the same length as a 2wd one,
as is the "correct" 4x4 one,so in that case a 2WD TH400 could be bolted right up by just removing the tail cone...

I read "some" NP-208's also will bolt up to a TH400 2WD with the tail cone removed,but I have a 2WD Th400 from a '74 Monte Carlo and a spare NP-208,and after measuring them both,I dont think the input spline is deep enough to let that TH400 couple up to it..

TH400's used with NP-203 full time transfer cases had a "stubby" rear output much shorter than those used with NP-205's or NP-208's...so its a "one off" output shaft...

Note that a 2WD Th-400 wont have the "K" case ribs casted into its bellhousing,nor will it have the cast dust cover those strut bars bolt too--those might be adaptable though--my '82 GMC 4x4 has a 2WD TH400 case in it and its seen quite a bit of hard use with no issues without those 2 strut bars connected...
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Thank you for that. I have worked on my cars all my life but never had much experience with trucks or wheeling. I have my truck here so I am going to figure out how to decipher what transfer case I have. And specific motor. The motor home is in Alpena mi which is 5 hours a way, so I have had to figure that all out by the vin and what was available at the time, which could be completely wrong I admit.
 
Old motor homes often have good engines,most sit and go to hell more so than worn out though--if it will start up and run with no smoke,and has only 62K on it,I bet it'll last for many years,but might need head gaskets,etc,if it has sat a long time..

I have had friends get "free" motor homes for the price of having them hauled off someone's property--one got a nice 454 with less than 30K on it,another one got a motor home that "had a 350 in it" so the owners thought,but it turned out it had a 400 small block swapped into it (or it was labeled wrong on the build sheet,it looked factory installed to me!)..

The rear axle in that motor home "might" be useable,you'll have to cut off and move the leaf spring perches most likely--then find a front axle with matching ratio...van diffs are wider than truck ones,so the rims will stick out further..
 
1) Welcome to CK5!

2) Where in Michigan are you? I'm assuming lower peninsula?

3) Why do you want to take the drivetrain out of the motorhome? is there something wrong with the truck as it sits? Tranny-wise, switching from your 700R4 (4-speed with O/D) to the motorhome's TH400 (3-speed, non-O/D) tranny should net you some stoutness, but losing O/D is something that you may wind up regretting each time you drive it to work. IMO, there aren't a lot of times that you'll want a 3-speed instead of the 4-speed. There are folks who disagree with me because of the stoutness, but they are beating on their rigs pretty hard. I'd bet that the 1/2-ton axles are a weaker point than the 700R4, if you're concerned with strength.

What axle ratio & tire combination are you running?
 
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