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Help me decide if I should buy?

J

jeremywrags

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Posts
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Location
Chino CA
Hi All,

I currently have a 75K5 in the works but I think I have decided to abandon it for something that needs less work and preferably 72 or older. Here is a Jimmy that I am looking at. $5000.00 does that sound good or should I keep looking?

Rare classic! This 1972 GMC Jimmy is super reliable and mechanically strong. Runs like a top! Great vehicle, especially with the top off!
4-wheel drive with a 4 inch Dick Cepek suspension lift, newer 35x12.5 mud terrain tires on 15x12 American Eagle aluminum rims.
Engine was rebuilt 12k miles ago and starts EVERY time. 350 Turbo automatic transmission, 205 gear drive transfer case with recently rebuilt seal and gasket kit, new drive shafts and U-joints, new dual exhaust, new alternator, new battery, trailer hitch. Brand new rear brake shoes, adjustors, tensioners, and drums.
Front bucket seats, center console, rear bench seat, fully convertible double wall fiberglass hard top, roll bar, power steering, power brakes (front disc/rear drum). Dash has not been cut for stereo.
Body in good shape. Only one VERY small rust patch that I have a replacement panel for.
More pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/44586459@N08/sets/72157625282727293
No smog required.
No trades considered.
$5350 obo
 
Once I stopped laughing at your comment about buying a 1st Gen to spend less money.....:haha: I thought I'd give you a few observations:

I don't personally like the look of the Jimmy body vs the Blazer, and the fenders don't interchange between them.

There seems to be quite a bit wrong with that truck. The body has odd reflections in the side photos like there is substantial body filler in the door and rear quarters ($$$$). Body issues are the single most expensive thing to fix, and on a 1st Gen it can eat you alive. The truck has a number of mismatched color panels so obviously you are stuck doing a paint job at some point.

Hard top is damaged in the rear hatch area... Another expensive fix and the parts are hard to find. The driveline looks stock, but doesn't have much going for it cosmetically.

Basically, there just isn't much remarkable about this truck.... But plenty of areas where you'll need to invest time and money to get things cleaned up and straightened out.

The basic strategy on the early K5s is to buy the nicest example you can afford. A $5000 truck that needs bodywork and paint is a LOT more expensive than an $8000 one where a quality paint job had already been completed.... Mechanicals are a lot easier to deal with than bodywork, and for most of us we are looking to upgrade driveline parts anyway. There's no point paying a premium price for 1/2 ton axles that most people swap out anyway...

From what I've seen in the marketplace, i think you can do better.....keep searching. :deal:



:usaflag:
 
Greg 72,

Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it. I am going to take a look at it so I can get a better idea in person of it's condition. My 75 is bad so I know what you mean about $$$ to fix them, I am only into mine $2500 so far but I have had quotes near $10,000 to fix and paint the body so I definitely do not want the same thing again...

Anyway, I like the Jimmy so perhaps I will see if he is willing to negotiate a little, if not then I agree, I would be better off paying 8K for one that is Cosmetically done.

Thanks

J
 
Yea, ive seen similar trucks like that on craigslist around here for $~3500.

Just do a search for "chevy blazer" and I bet 5 or 6 first gens pop up.
 
I agree with the body ripples, tailgate got replaced too in one pic its black in the other its white.

Bring a magnet with you to gauge if it does have filler in it.

I look at 69-72s all the time and for 5k a pretty decent one can be found. That one is less than decent
 
Interior is beat, seats look shot, rear body line in back quarters look funky, surface rust in rockers, holes in doors, dust cover is missing from flywheel, no outside mirrors, no horn, rear hatch on top is missing hardware....and that was just a quick look.

They want too much for it.
 
I'm on the no side of this question also. He is just asking to much for that body. This coming from a guy that has spent the last year+ doing rust repair on what he thought was a fairly rust free vehicle.:whistle::doah:

What are your plans for the truck? Are you looking for a nice stock truck or are you going to dump all of the drive train and upgrade it anyways?

If your plans are to upgrade everything, it would be way cheaper and faster to find a rust free tub and frame and go from there. I just seen a couple of these over on 67-72.

-Mike
 
Against the Advice of Others...

We'll I bought it in the end... After seeing the vehicle up close I decided to grab it. Besides the lift it's pretty much stock, unmolested, uncut with very little rust most of which is just surface. The one rocker panel is starting to eat through however it came with a replacement that I know how to install.

The Paint is not perfect but a magnet over the whole car tells me that there is little to no bondo, just an older paint job.

As seen in the photo the front seats are shot, I will either need new seats or have to rebuild these.

Anyway I made him what I thought was a fair offer and he accepted so I think we are both pretty pleased with the deal. I pick it up tonight and look forward to tracking it's progress.

Thanks for the comments
 
jeremywrags said:
Anyway, I like the Jimmy ....
Click to expand...

thats how it starts :doah:

jeremywrags said:
We'll I bought it in the end... After seeing the vehicle up close I decided to grab it.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on the new purchase....

When I first looked at my 71, my girlfriend (wife now) said, "why would you want that thing." All I could tell her was, "because I like it". :dunno:
 
That is how it starts...

I got it for about 1K less than asking and the Pomona Swap meet is this weekend so with any luck I can pick up any of the parts I need for now.

I am very excited, I will be selling my 75 to help fund the 72 Build.

I'll Post some pics with Progress as soon as I have them
 
Congrats on the purchase.

Hopefully you got it cheaply enough that you won't feel resentful when the inevitable "surprises" are discovered. ALL of the 1st Gen guys have had to deal with hidden damage, sneaky rust and/or poorly repaired items. It's the nature of dealing with a 40-year old truck...

Get it running well, and enjoy it for a few months (at least!) before you tear it completely apart. Once it's apart and you see what is really going on with it, the "Might As Well" syndrome can take hold pretty easily. Then you'll just have a sculpture in your garage, instead of a running truck! :D


:usaflag:
 
Drove it home last night and I am very pleased so far. Besides the seats which are beat up pretty good the interior is nothing that needs attention right now. The truck drives great, good power and relatively smooth although I think I am going to ditch the 35" Mud Terrains as they are loud and IMO to big for the stock drive train.

Took a magnet across the whole car and the only spot of Bondo was where someone had put a different mirror and did a crap patch job after it was removed.

The rust is actually mostly surface, I know famous last words right, i'm sure it spreads far beyond where I can see but to be honest it is actually in better shape than most that I looked at so I feel pretty good about the price.

Besides that the Drivetrain is pretty much bone stock which I like, 350/TH350 Original Carb, Dana 44 , NP205...

For all you that know what would the rear end be and if it is still stock what would my gearing be?
 
Greg72 said:
Get it running well, and enjoy it for a few months (at least!) before you tear it completely apart. ! :D


:usaflag:
Click to expand...

Been driving my 72 Jimmy like this instead of taking it apart for over 2 years now. Have a list of stuff I'd like to do eventually, but I enjoy it twice as much as the Chalet which I seem to work on for 2 weeks, drive for a day.

jeremywrags said:
Besides that the Drivetrain is pretty much bone stock which I like, 350/TH350 Original Carb, Dana 44 , NP205...

For all you that know what would the rear end be and if it is still stock what would my gearing be?
Click to expand...

Rear end should be a 12 bolt if stock, actual gear ratio varies. Mine is 3.73, only way to be sure is check the tag or pull the diff cover and check the ring gear code.
 
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