CK5
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'89 K5 The Bulldozer
- Thread starter Tnsejed
- Start date
1989 K5, linked, caged, backhalfed, LS3, Hero case, on 42's
This will probably take awhile to get all my pics sorted out, but it will be fun to look back on my build. I remember having a conversation with Stephen and it never occurred to me before how important it is to take pictures. So I made sure to try and take pictures. Some of the other stuff from growing up has almost no pictures as cell phone cameras were not everywhere.
The original build from stock to the first iteration took me about 2 years. I was also knee deep in growing my business and having my first child, and all the stuff that comes with that. We had a small house and I had to build the truck outside.
The truck went from this to this:
The original build from stock to the first iteration took me about 2 years. I was also knee deep in growing my business and having my first child, and all the stuff that comes with that. We had a small house and I had to build the truck outside.
The truck went from this to this:
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Here's the stock truck and starting of the tear down. It lasted all of one day before teardown started.
There were two small standard areas of rust concern. The rear tailpan corners and the drivers side tub in the front of the rear wheel opening. The rockers were pretty damn decent but I knew they were going. Wheel well trim areas were pretty damn good. It was originally purchased by the previous owner in Utah.
Floorpan and rockers
Gutted the truck and started some work:
I wanted to first start with repairing all of this and having a good tub to work with before any other work was done. With what was in my head I only left areas of concern that would not be used on the finished truck.
Decided a new tailpan was the only way to go as I was going to continue using the tailgate:
New one in:
There were two small standard areas of rust concern. The rear tailpan corners and the drivers side tub in the front of the rear wheel opening. The rockers were pretty damn decent but I knew they were going. Wheel well trim areas were pretty damn good. It was originally purchased by the previous owner in Utah.
Floorpan and rockers
Gutted the truck and started some work:
I wanted to first start with repairing all of this and having a good tub to work with before any other work was done. With what was in my head I only left areas of concern that would not be used on the finished truck.
Decided a new tailpan was the only way to go as I was going to continue using the tailgate:
New one in:
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You have 2 ways.
Either you upload each picture in the post, there's a button for that, you can upload a bunch in each post but you can not type in between them.
Or you can upload the photos into an album and then link them to your post and you can do whatever you want in the post
Got it! Thank you.
After that I started sourcing parts. I went with a 5.7l and 2wd 4l80e out of a reservation school bus that we had serviced its entire life. They got some upgrade money and had to use it so the vehicle had just been sitting at our shop forever. The motor in my truck was good but it was easier to grab all of the parts and harness from the van.
Note that some of this may not be in total order. I can't remember exactly how I did everything, timewise. There was alot going on and you just pick away as you can and as money allows.
Before doing anything I rebuilt the 241 and added a slip yoke eliminator.
I also did the ORD frame stiffening for the steering box, which I ended up cutting totally out anyways when I moved the box.
Also added the ORD engine crossmember. Small block for the highest clearance.
I remember this day very clearly, it was hot as hell.
Note that some of this may not be in total order. I can't remember exactly how I did everything, timewise. There was alot going on and you just pick away as you can and as money allows.
Before doing anything I rebuilt the 241 and added a slip yoke eliminator.
I also did the ORD frame stiffening for the steering box, which I ended up cutting totally out anyways when I moved the box.
Also added the ORD engine crossmember. Small block for the highest clearance.
I remember this day very clearly, it was hot as hell.
In between all that I was boxing alot of the frame, and adding more gussets to the ORD steering box stiffening setup. Because the truck was outside in front of my shop it needed to be moveable during this time, hence it was still one its axles. Lots of things were happening in my life and picking things away like this was not the most efficient way to do it but circumstances are sometimes that way.
Also as I'm sure most of you know, there's a ton of other things that need to happen, but I didn't take pictures of everything
Also as I'm sure most of you know, there's a ton of other things that need to happen, but I didn't take pictures of everything
Oh yeah, I also cleaned the whole underside, by hand. Holy hell.
Its kind of funny looking back at weird pictures. I wished I was still working at the shop at this time.
Its kind of funny looking back at weird pictures. I wished I was still working at the shop at this time.
With this first motor I did motovac before it came out of the bus. Ripped the heads off and did some maintenance.
I had figured stabbing the motor and leaving it in there to work off of for the new angle on the motor-tranny-tcase would work decently well. By angling the drivetrain different than factory I could get my tcase higher into the floor, thus giving me more clearance. Which has been an amazing help and that angle is still on the truck today.
Not to mention it helps the front driveshaft angle, which is in the floorboard now as well.
My wife with our son-in-tow helped me stab the motor.
I had figured stabbing the motor and leaving it in there to work off of for the new angle on the motor-tranny-tcase would work decently well. By angling the drivetrain different than factory I could get my tcase higher into the floor, thus giving me more clearance. Which has been an amazing help and that angle is still on the truck today.
Not to mention it helps the front driveshaft angle, which is in the floorboard now as well.
My wife with our son-in-tow helped me stab the motor.
I know this boring crap is what noone wants to see, but I'm having fun documenting it all. Brings back memories.
Started working on the accessory drive and adding the new harness and PCM to the truck. I utilized the bus PCM and vssb drac. Kept the blazer harness and repinned out the PCM terminals for the 1996 engine. Which was still TBI but most of the pins were different. I also had to add a few new wire runs. Of course an entire new tranny harness as well.
Getting the accessory drive stuff going. I had decided to run a PSC hydro-assist setup and quickly made up some brackets to mount that right above the pump. I believe this run is critical for good performance of the system.
Thanks to advance auto for the blingiest water neck on a pig of a motor ever. Haha.
Edited to add a question for myself. I wonder why I cut the lip of the core support? I think it must have been ceiling clearance issues to get the motor in.... weird.
Getting the accessory drive stuff going. I had decided to run a PSC hydro-assist setup and quickly made up some brackets to mount that right above the pump. I believe this run is critical for good performance of the system.
Thanks to advance auto for the blingiest water neck on a pig of a motor ever. Haha.
Edited to add a question for myself. I wonder why I cut the lip of the core support? I think it must have been ceiling clearance issues to get the motor in.... weird.
After the motor was in I started working on the tranny and transfer case setup. To this day the tranny has been untouched since it came out of the bus. The 4l80e is a Jasper unit put in the bus before they left it at the shop for good.
First thing was to mate the 241 to the 2wd 4l80e. I did not have a lathe that could swing this part ( I work with small stuff), so this was made on my mill.
Really wish I had my Advance MFG die table on the bridgey back then.
Rough stock. 7075
Clean stock
Cheating off the tailhousing:
Test fit:
Finished product:
Then this whole unit went together with ARP studs.
First thing was to mate the 241 to the 2wd 4l80e. I did not have a lathe that could swing this part ( I work with small stuff), so this was made on my mill.
Really wish I had my Advance MFG die table on the bridgey back then.
Rough stock. 7075
Clean stock
Cheating off the tailhousing:
Test fit:
Finished product:
Then this whole unit went together with ARP studs.
Not boring at all, in fact it is impressive. Keep up the great work.
This is awesome! I've been wanting a build for your rig forever. It looks awesome in the pictures you have posted
Thank you guys, I will keep going. I also have a problem with my phone (note 8). It cropped up before but now has taken a big toll on things. I lost probably 10% of my pictures from 2017 and on. It also seems to rename files as well when I connect it to the computer. I do think I lost an entire folder as well which was from 2015.
With that said I still have lots of awesome stuff from the modern part of the build. That's all coming. Got back from the range today around 4 and started working on going through the pics for the next batch on the build. Its starting to get into the suspension work and cage/interior work etc..
With that said I still have lots of awesome stuff from the modern part of the build. That's all coming. Got back from the range today around 4 and started working on going through the pics for the next batch on the build. Its starting to get into the suspension work and cage/interior work etc..
Ruint.
I love it!
I love it!
After making the adapter I got the crossmember made and got the tranny and transfer case in.
Also swapped the vac booster for the hydroboost unit out of the van. Used an angled plate to mount to the firewall and give the correct angle. Also had to modify the pedal.
This was the first box, I ended up remaking it as it was too close and I needed driveshaft room. I think I may have done that with the hero case though, can't remember.
Hydroboost and complete engine.
Motor's all complete
Also swapped the vac booster for the hydroboost unit out of the van. Used an angled plate to mount to the firewall and give the correct angle. Also had to modify the pedal.
This was the first box, I ended up remaking it as it was too close and I needed driveshaft room. I think I may have done that with the hero case though, can't remember.
Hydroboost and complete engine.
Motor's all complete
After that I did the rear axle and rear 64 swap and made a new linkage bar for the Tcase on the 2wd tranny
2004 14bff
ARB's baby
Getting the new spring hangars in.
Out with the old one. So I had the jacks on the front and I had jacks on the rear frame horns, but I couldn't move the axles out and the new one back under unless I moved those jacks. Sucked doing it in a really small dirt driveway. But I had found I was good at Jenga.
I installed the rear axle utilizing a stock chevy 64 pack. During tuning of the truck I started swapping springs in the packs out to make my own bastardized pack which worked pretty well.
2004 14bff
ARB's baby
Getting the new spring hangars in.
Out with the old one. So I had the jacks on the front and I had jacks on the rear frame horns, but I couldn't move the axles out and the new one back under unless I moved those jacks. Sucked doing it in a really small dirt driveway. But I had found I was good at Jenga.
I installed the rear axle utilizing a stock chevy 64 pack. During tuning of the truck I started swapping springs in the packs out to make my own bastardized pack which worked pretty well.
Linkage bar machined out of 17-4 stainless. This was back when I had a 1938 SB lathe. Damn thing was pre WWII but still turned good parts
Please feel free to ask any questions, it may spark my memory.
