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k5 12v cummins swap build (slow progress)

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Dasvr6

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Joined
Oct 17, 2013
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Location
New York
Hey guys i figured id start a thread on here to show you guys my progress with my build and have a place where i can ask technical questions with out starting a new thread every time i need a question answered, and to have a thread with as much info as posiable on this swap for future readers. Now that that is out of the way on to the build im startimg out with a 1987 k5 blazer that i picked up in ny about a year ago. In all it seamed like a cleen truck on pick up, it had a few areas of rust around the rear wheel arches had a sbc 305 with a 700r4 behind it and chevy 10 bolt axles. i started to mess around with it when i brought it home i put a 6" rough country suspention lift in, 3" body lift, headders, 37" military tires and some other little stuff. (Truck as it sat with the mods done to it)
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The truck was awsome but i became bored and wanted to do somthing different. I decided to start to pull the truck apart originaly to fix the cancer and to get rid of the baby motor and tranny.
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While tearing apart the truck i found some problem aeras that i had not noticed before there are some cracks in the frame and the cross member behind the transfer case x member was completly rotted out. Im not to worried about the problem aeras on the frame because i will be boxing and plateing the entier frame anyways (all plating will be done with 3/16th plate steel). But i wound up finding a lot more rust on the cab then i was expecting to find which means the cab is going to be going to the scrap yard. Pictured below is a crack in the frame near the tcase x member,and also the new mid x member that i fabed up.



I decied at first to try and save money and decided that i would sand blast the frame my self but i do not have a compressor that can keep up to the task so im going and having a mobile blasting company finish the frame for me. Pictured below is the progress i have made so far and the way the truck sits as of today. Frame blasting is scheduled for next week, then its time for boxing :D .

My donor dodge is 1995 dodge 3500 dully with a 12v p pump /nv4500 with 98k original with a dump box on the back and a 9ft plow for 1800 the truck is garbage but the motor and tranny all els will be going to scrap.

As of plans where this truck is going since the cab of the k5 is absloute garbage to me i will be geting a k series 2 door cab from out west that is rust free and be making it a super short bed. Axles will be comming out and swaped for chevy one tons that i have at the house, full 12 inch ORD suspention lift, 46" x15 " military tires, cv style drive shafts, cross steer and posiably hyrdo assist, and odds and ends here and there. I will be using this guys method for motor mounts that he mentions about 40 sec into the video ( http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BBxWrRUC0g8 ). Becides any of the random stuff that might pop up durring the build hopefully all will go nice and smooth. If im forgeting anything feel free to chime in and let me know :D ! (Btw this project is being taken on by a 20 year old) cheers thank you guys
 
Subbed

I had a dream once where i wrecked my superduty and bought an Early bronco to do this... sorry bout he ford reference but what can I say, I'm an equal opportunity metal thrasher.
 
do you still have the dually 70 (80?) rear from the Dodge?
 
Thank you guys ! For the support i made a bit of progress today on the frame. On the parts of the frame where i had allready sand blasted i started to plate the frame. No pics of it yet i got side tracked helping my buddie do his rear wheel barring on his jetta that was on my lift.



76zimmer said:
do you still have the dually 70 (80?) rear from the Dodge?
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As of right now i dont have the donor truck ill be picking it up on thursday this week
 
izzy1776 said:
What kind of lift is that?
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Its a harbor freight special its a 5 ton scissor lift and i have a 4 post lift out side the gerage.

A little up date as of yesterday with that plating that has been done on the sections that ive sand blaster allready. (In no way am i a pro welder) i will need to do some touch up welding on final fitment but it is good as of now for where im at. The weather is not going here in NY for the next few days so thats where progress will be at for a while

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I"m pretty familiar with how badly the salt can rust a frame, NY is very similar to MI in that regard, so not to discourage you, but if your looking for a decent body from the west, just trash this frame and get a solid one with the body your looking for...you'll be further ahead by starting with a solid frame instead of patching this one up here and there.
If you are adamant about keeping this frame, realign the frame rails to keep them parallel with each other, and also to keep the frame from twisting as you weld...it will happen!
When you patch the frame, cut fishmouth plates for the sides to provide more weld and penetration between the two pieces...also protect between the new and old metals w/ a zinc primer to prevent new rust from forming between the two pieces.
another good idea is to make a few holes in the new plate to do some plug welds.
 
76zimmer said:
I"m pretty familiar with how badly the salt can rust a frame, NY is very similar to MI in that regard, so not to discourage you, but if your looking for a decent body from the west, just trash this frame and get a solid one with the body your looking for...you'll be further ahead by starting with a solid frame instead of patching this one up here and there.
If you are adamant about keeping this frame, realign the frame rails to keep them parallel with each other, and also to keep the frame from twisting as you weld...it will happen!
When you patch the frame, cut fishmouth plates for the sides to provide more weld and penetration between the two pieces...also protect between the new and old metals w/ a zinc primer to prevent new rust from forming between the two pieces.
another good idea is to make a few holes in the new plate to do some plug welds.
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I understand where your comming from and in the begging i was thinking the same thing, but i decided that working with this frame would provide me with a great learning experience. And in the end its not all about the end result that matters its about the learing experience along the way and try and get as much learning as you can out of the project as you can.
 
Dasvr6 said:
I understand where your comming from and in the begging i was thinking the same thing, but i decided that working with this frame would provide me with a great learning experience. And in the end its not all about the end result that matters its about the learing experience along the way and try and get as much learning as you can out of the project as you can.
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:waytogo:
 
Calling from just north of Syracuse. I got a lot of spare K5 stuff if you need it.

Wage, did you get yours on the road yet?
 
very close, only thing thats been holding me up is that im so busy with school. Should be on the road next week. Parking brake is all it needs.
 
wage92 said:
very close, only thing thats been holding me up is that im so busy with school. Should be on the road next week. Parking brake is all it needs.
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I ended up picking up a complete 1 ton running gear plus a truck.
 
awesome, wish i could have done that but need a garage to do it right haha.

Sorry to clutter up your thread Dasvr6, and as upstate said, i have some parts still kicking around as well so dont be afraid to ask.
 
Hey guys got some major progress done on the project yesterday i wound up renting a 100 cfm compressor and 100lb sand blasting unit from a local rent shop i spent all day sand blasting away and got the frame completly done. It currently sits with temp paint on it just to keep it from rusting, once i am done welding the frame it will be cotted with bed liner.

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Yes the frame is cotted in red, orange, silver, yellow, and gun metal paint because i ran out of rattle can paint.

I am still curently waiting on the donor dodge the person i was going to buy it from does not have a title for the truck. Im waiting for him to get a title from the state, so hopefully next week he will have it and i will be able to pick the truck up.
 
Dasvr6 said:
Hey guys got some major progress done on the project yesterday i wound up renting a 100 cfm compressor and 100lb sand blasting unit from a local rent shop i spent all day sand blasting away and got the frame completly done. It currently sits with temp paint on it just to keep it from rusting, once i am done welding the frame it will be cotted with bed liner.

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20140507_200724_zpsf126227c.jpg
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Yes the frame is cotted in red, orange, silver, yellow, and gun metal paint because i ran out of rattle can paint.

I am still curently waiting on the donor dodge the person i was going to buy it from does not have a title for the truck. Im waiting for him to get a title from the state, so hopefully next week he will have it and i will be able to pick the truck up.
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If it's just a donor truck, do you really need a title as opposed to just a bill of sale? Then again, I'm not real familiar with NY law...
 
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