Help and advise required

[pissed and broke]

Hi
I have just bought an 82 K5 diesel with the Gale Banks turbo.
By the looks of it it has been lying in a field with a broken back window
for years.
Where do you start?
None of the electrics seem to work or work erraticly the rear window mechanism did go up and down now it doesn't can this be changed over to
a manual window? When i operated the window switches i can hear the power door locks working and when I switch on high beem the headlights
go out.
Next the steering feels very light and vague is there an easy upgrade for this
steering box/coloum or is it just a case of putting in a new rag joint and hoping for the best
Thanks in advance
ps Iam not a mechanic but I like to try and fix things myself.
ppps does any one know of a good website for parts.
Cheers.

 

[Robert D]

lmctrucks.com has a catalog with just about every part imaginable..I like it. The issues with your electric system sounds like a ground issue to me. The Porsche's I used to work on had similar electrical gremlins due to failing ground connections.

 

[southernspeed]

Hi
I have just bought an 82 K5 diesel with the Gale Banks turbo.
By the looks of it it has been lying in a field with a broken back window
for years.
Where do you start?
None of the electrics seem to work or work erraticly the rear window mechanism did go up and down now it doesn't can this be changed over to
a manual window? When i operated the window switches i can hear the power door locks working and when I switch on high beem the headlights
go out.
Next the steering feels very light and vague is there an easy upgrade for this
steering box/coloum or is it just a case of putting in a new rag joint and hoping for the best
Thanks in advance
ps Iam not a mechanic but I like to try and fix things myself.
ppps does any one know of a good website for parts.
Cheers.

I'd think long and hard before getting involved in this project if I were you. I'm in southern England and have done a lot of work to 2 older Blazers. Both have since recycled themselves, donating major organs to other projects. I spent thousands on those trucks and it was mostly wasted. My '91 is in good shape thanks to them being galvenised after '87 (???) so I've no problem with sinking big money into this one but I'll never do it to an old rot box again.
Chances are yours is rotten underneath and will need lots of work. Check that before you go any further. Getting parts from dealers here is hard work and expensive. For us, buying in the States is cheap...but shipping and duty/VAT is a killer.
I've no idea what you payed for yours but there are usually several for sale on our Ebay which may have had a lot of the hard work done already.
I know where you're coming from, wanting to fix it up yourself, I love doing just that but I've learnt my lesson now that throwing good money after bad on something that isn't worth the effort or expense is not such a good idea.
Sorry to be negative but you did ask for advice!!
If you're determined to go ahead with it then you're in the right place here. If you can't get the help you want here....you don't want it.
As far as dealers and sources over here are concerned, PM or email me and I'll help as much as I can but do think this over seriously before you throw thousands into it, and it will be thousands!
Good luck.

 

[pissed and broke]

Hi
Well I am going to go for it rightly or wrong only time and my bank balance will tell if Iam right.
The underneath does look solid althoughI have poked about 3 small holes in the floorpan, it's still got underseal/waxoil on it and in the doors etc so I am not too bothered about rot at this stage I just want to get the electrics fixed up and the rear window in and working then I will move on to the engine ect
By the way how does the diesel last what are its strengths or weakness.
Better go for now Iam going to pull the front seats out and lift the carpets
to see whats underneath them.
Cheers