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88 K5 Build - Colonel Mustard

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A few more small but necessary fixes.
my rear spring pack was fanning out any time it was on a trail. The springs are OLD and I was concerned that it would put too much stress on the main leaf. A quick fab of some tabs to hold the pack did the trick. 73ED370A-B3E5-4657-B2A0-0F9B8831AEB7.jpeg

My bump stops were in desperate need of more length. Should have ordered 6” stops…..turns out the stock ones are the same size as these.



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Next thing and possibly the most anticipated for me was this steering box. I have always had issues with the hydro assist and I thought this was going to solve the issue. Turns out that it didn’t change anything.
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Big upgrade here!! Now everyone knows it’s name!
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Loaded up and ready to head down to Moab for Blazer Bash 2021!
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I missed my annual build update, so Ill try to get back caught up to where my junk is currently.
The next phase of the build was something I have been wanting to do for over a decade.
I am finally to a point where I can do this type of upgrade myself…the fabrication portion, even though I suck at it:doah:


NP205 getting rebuilt and an ORD Magnum box installed with it.
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Crossmember fabbed up. Simple, but it works.
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These kicked my tail....I figured I could get them installed in a couple hours. I think I did it in double the time:1zhelp:
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Another reason this upgrade took me a decade to pull the trigger on. Additional, but necessary items start to squeeze the wallet. I had the front shaft upgraded a couple years ago, but I wish I would have had it built like this one with the double cardan at the t-case side.

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Great update!

What bushings did you use on the tcase? The round pucks?
 
More updates to catch up on the progress. These are still '22 blazer bash prep upgrades.

Removed the zero rate and installed the ORD plates to take away some lift and move the axle forward 1.5".
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I finally ordered some shocks to replace the procomp junk that I threw on in 2004.
I bent up some tube to build shock hoops for the front and a brace to go between.
I used 1.75 inch tube. I felt like the shocks probably needed bigger than 1.5 inch, so i ordered the bigger die and sent it.
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Passenger hoop tacked in with some massaging of the A/C box that has no purpose other than taking up space.
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Drivers side hoop, turned out to be easier than the passenger side.
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Shock brace burned in.
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Rear shock setup. I won this setup on one of Kerts tech talks, I think the shocks are a bit long for it.
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Wish we could’ve taken a k5 twin picture at blazer bash ‘23.
 
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Small but important build update…..
Picked up a 5.3 to replace the 2nd 350TBI that is past its expiration date. The plan was to “freshen up” this one with an oil pump and some gaskets…..I knew I was telling myself a lie when I thought I would settle for that. I had it freshened up at the machine shop and it’s currently sitting in the garage ready for assembly with a BTR stage 2 truck cam. Just waiting for the time to work on it:1zhelp:. I have collected ~90% of the parts needed for the swap. I just need it done and tested before blazer bash…..:eek:
 
Taylormade said:
View attachment 469769
Small but important build update…..
Picked up a 5.3 to replace the 2nd 350TBI that is past its expiration date. The plan was to “freshen up” this one with an oil pump and some gaskets…..I knew I was telling myself a lie when I thought I would settle for that. I had it freshened up at the machine shop and it’s currently sitting in the garage ready for assembly with a BTR stage 2 truck cam. Just waiting for the time to work on it:1zhelp:. I have collected ~90% of the parts needed for the swap. I just need it done and tested before blazer bash…..:eek:
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Weekend worth of work ......
 
kgblazerfive said:
Weekend worth of work ......
Click to expand...
For some….
For me, I have…
One weekend taking the old engine out.
One weekend cleaning up the engine bay.
One weekend installing the new engine.
One weekend rebuilding the trans x-member that I screwed up the first time…
Then 3 more weekends troubleshooting/testing the new setup!
If you can do this all in one weekend…you have to be a part of the Methodist church.
 
I guess working on the suburban gave me some motivation to work on the blazers engine. It’s been sitting in my garage for a year since I got it back. I’ve just been lazy about working on it for a few reasons, none that are good.

I got it painted, it’s progress! One more coat tomorrow and then my goal this week is to get the build started. Never assembled an LS, but YouTube university has everything I need. Should have heads on by next weekend…maybe?

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kgblazerfive said:
Blazer Bash is coming soon ..... Just sayin
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I’m planning to go to Blazer Bash this year, but not in this truck. I’m getting my suburban prepped to go for the really easy “scenic” trails. If the suburban isn’t ready, the blazer should be!
 
A little paint made a huge difference. Got the cam in last night, going to get the timing set and oil pump on tonight. Still on track to have it put together this week. Maybe tackle the wiring harness next week? Just cleaning up the stock harness for this one.

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About ready to throw the heads on at this point. Every time I look at the heads I get a little irritated. Long story/vent session. After I tore into the engine and realized that a few gaskets and an oil pump wasn’t the route to go after finding the whole thing covered in sludge. I made the right call to have it taken to a machine shop. Well, a friend of a friend has a shop, who has a machine shop where he took all his stuff. Cool, I have a line for a machine shop. So I turn over the engine to my buddy and he takes it to the engine shop so the guy could take it over to the machine shop. A few months later it gets to the machine shop. No big deal for me since my projects take years anyway lol. I get a call that the engine is ready, so I went to pick it up and found out that my “clean” 706 heads were swapped out by the engine shop with a set of 862 heads that somebody attempted to spray paint…poorly. Don’t get me wrong, the heads look great internally. But who would just swap out parts like that? The dude said he upgraded me with the 862 heads since the 706s are prone to cracking. I think he just wanted the clean heads for another engine. Ok, rant off. Here’s the new heads. I think I may just try to clean up the front and then send it.
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