I like the battery hold down. You make it or modify one? Kinda thinking this is what I need to keep my in place.
CK5
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Black Betty - Formerly Blaze the Monster Machine
- Thread starter centexk5
- Start date
1984 K5 Project for Dad and kids
It's from chassis unlimited. I cut the lip off of the stock hold down and welded this one to it.
Swapped out the oil filter adapter so I can eliminate the factory oil cooler and install the second brace of the ORD kit. I'll eventually put a cooler back on it but for now it's fine. It's winter and this thing won't see any wheeling until next spring at the earliest. Most it'll get driven is to the store and back to circulate fluids.
On a side note, changing oil on this thing SUCKS. Who the hell orders valve covers without an oil fill hole? These things are completely baffled so you have to drip the oil in practically. Be glad when I swap the vortec heads and valve covers on. Those have a dedicated oil fill hole with no baffle.
On a side note, changing oil on this thing SUCKS. Who the hell orders valve covers without an oil fill hole? These things are completely baffled so you have to drip the oil in practically. Be glad when I swap the vortec heads and valve covers on. Those have a dedicated oil fill hole with no baffle.
Well that's cool. Picked up nearly 15psi of oil pressure at idle when hot. Before the gauge would read around 5psi at a hot idle and now it's about 20psi. Fairly certain the bearings on this engine are a touch on the loose side.
Heads are finally done at the machine shop and I'm glad I took them in. They were warped pretty good. One head needed 12 thousandths to straighten out. Valve guides were completely shot so those had to be done also. But thankfully no cracks and they cleaned up well. Now I just gotta buy rockers and an intake and I'll be ready to rock and roll.
Also got the ORD steering brace on. That was an absolute bitch. Everything was either in the way or rusted to crap or just generally in the mood to fight me. And of course where you have to drill the cross member out for a 1/2" bolt there is an existing bolt hole on half the hole so that sucked to drill out. I'm going to end up welding a washer on the front and back of that hole to make it solid but for now it's there.
Also got the ORD steering brace on. That was an absolute bitch. Everything was either in the way or rusted to crap or just generally in the mood to fight me. And of course where you have to drill the cross member out for a 1/2" bolt there is an existing bolt hole on half the hole so that sucked to drill out. I'm going to end up welding a washer on the front and back of that hole to make it solid but for now it's there.
Started tearing the doors apart to make half doors.
Shiny.
Bought some 37x13.50x17 BFG Mud terrains and some 17x9 black steel wheels today. Hopefully I can get them installed this weekend. Depends when discount can get them in.
Got a new hood ornament for Christmas from the wife. I love her sense of humor.
Waiting on the wheels to arrive. Tires showed up Monday at discount tire. Wheels are supposed to be here Friday.
Makes me laugh every time I look at it.
Got the new wheels and tires. BFG Mud Terrains KM2 in 37x13.50x17. Replaced Nitto Mud Grapplers in 38x14.50x20. The new tires are 30lbs/piece lighter and you can feel it on the road. Overall truck height only dropped a 1/4" also.
Those are some good looking tires! I'm glad they went more towards the less blocky old school BFG mud terrains and the sidewalls look mean! Might need to reconsider those for the dually I just bought.
I'm pretty happy with them. Now to just get the new suspension ordered once bonuses come around and this thing should be solid drivetrain, suspension, and tire wise. Then comes the long trek of rust and panel replacement.
Just had Christmas with my parents and my mom got me a tuffy center console!
This thing is a beast. I love it.
Ordered the rocker arms, intake manifold bolts, header bolts, and head bolts for the vortec head swap. Still gotta order the intake manifold, gasket set, pushrods, and valve cover bolts (if I can find them). I'm debating a new hei distributor and plug wires since I have no clue how old the ones on here are.
I was planning on doing long tube headers and a true dual exhaust with an x -pipe at the same time but this swap is getting damned expensive. I'll be almost $1200 into it by the time it's all said and done. I'm half tempted to just hold off and instead of installing this on the current engine, just go ahead with the build on the block I've got in the shop. Only thing that sucks is I didn't have the valve guides machined on the heads to allow for higher lift when I had them at the machine shop so I'm limited in cam lift which sucks.
I was planning on doing long tube headers and a true dual exhaust with an x -pipe at the same time but this swap is getting damned expensive. I'll be almost $1200 into it by the time it's all said and done. I'm half tempted to just hold off and instead of installing this on the current engine, just go ahead with the build on the block I've got in the shop. Only thing that sucks is I didn't have the valve guides machined on the heads to allow for higher lift when I had them at the machine shop so I'm limited in cam lift which sucks.
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don't stop now 
