K5 on a Budget!

[pregate]

im finally getting ready to do some stuff to my K5..seeing as how im a broke teenager. but i wanted a suggestion

would you guys recommend saving up my money and doing everything just the way i want it all at once... or doing things gradually but knowingly wasting money since ill have to replace it as time goes on?

ideas?

1979 K5 Blazer
4x4, 350 V8

 

[rampage]

Do it once and do it right ...

 

[Hathaway]

I agree on doing it once doing it right. But that doesn't mean you have to save up and build up the entire truck at once. Lots of people do it a little at a time. Look at Steve and the UAV, or the project Potent Rodent, or DepDog and his project. I plan on doing mine a little at a time, but like rampage said, do it once do it right.

Dan, '86 K5, 5.0L v8, NP208, TH700R4, open 10bolts front and rear, 3.43gearing, K&N filter, 31x10.50R15 Trailhandlers

 

[ChrisM72beast]

Imho I think the main thing to take into consideration is that if you fix it one piece at a time it feels almost as nothing is getting done. That's the way I started. It sucked. You might want to go in chunks where you fix certain things that go together. Engine work is one chunk. Maybe tires and brakes together since one without the other makes them a mate. You know, so on and so on. If this is your daily commuter it will be a lot harder if you do it in little pieces. Again you'll fix one part and something else will go.
The main thing is to be paitent and realize you will get there. Also it will never be "fixed" completely. It's an addiction, you always want to do more even when you think you're done.
Keep the faith and Good luck,
Chris

 

[Seventy4Blazer]

i would go as your budget allows...
this keeps you busy and with a truck to drive for most of the time. not a pile of art in the yard for a month or more. also if you do a big bunch of projects at the same time and something is not right it can be hard to find/fix. not always but sometimes.
also if you save up and spend all your $ at once then you get what you want and put it on you dont get time to play along the way and see if you want to change something on the next addition/upgrade/removal. just my mind letting out.....
Grant

1974 Chevy Blazer Cheyanne. lots of plans for it....
but it is on 33's now, with saggy old springs. i am in so cali if ya got any parts for me.

 

[Pugsley]

My suggestion would be to formulate a plan for what you are after, and do it bit by bit, as time and money allow.

I'm so poor I can't even pay attention

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://pugsley.alloffroad.com>http://pugsley.alloffroad.com</A>

 

[pregate]

maybe i should be a little more specific.. i know i cant do it ALL at once.. i forgot to narrow in my points

im about to start lifting it..
now if i wanted to do it right, without wasting any money in the long run i could just save up, get the lift i want (shackle flip and stuff), tires, and axles all at the same time..

or i could get a regular lift w/blocks and tires.. but then i would hurt my transmission, and axles if i didnt get new gears, etc.. and i only have so much money to play with..

i could do the lift and tires, then replace stuff that needs to be worked on as time goes... or i could just save up and get everything i need/want at once and do it all the right way

so..?

1979 K5 Blazer
4x4, 350 V8

 

[denver75k5]

I built mine one thing at a time (I have trouble saving my money) your truck may look stupid with a 6" lift and 31's but it will all be worth it when you get those 35's! But i agree do it once and do it rite!

Jeep Thing,? Ya i ran over one!

 

[rocko]

I believe in starting with mechanical soundness first... then worry about Chassis, then the body...
I've done mine over a year period.. and i'm happy with the results.. I'm for doing it a little at a time..
Focus on one section at a time til it's done right.. then move on to the next ..
I started under the hood with mine, then the suspension now the interior and body are next.. it's almost where i want to be with my truck..
Hope this helps.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rocko.rockcrawler.com>http://www.rocko.rockcrawler.com</A>

 

[rocko]

Yeah.. what Pugley said..

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rocko.rockcrawler.com>http://www.rocko.rockcrawler.com</A>

 

[90K5]

Get it reliable, then work on the mods. I'd save your money up and do it right...

90K5

See my truck at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Albumindex?u=1329584&a=9886502>http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Albumindex?u=1329584&a=9886502</A>

 

[85k5blzr]

i know your situation because i'm in it and learn to do your own work (within reason), saves lots of $$$$$$$$$. Trust me. Just keep two things in mind. Experience comes from screwing things up and if it breaks, replace it with something better. But other than that, just take it one step at a time, and do it right, don't be cheap. I have a friends who jacked an f350 8" and put 36"s on it (just because he wanted a tall truck) without changing gearing and with 8in of lift blocks. Let's just say that truck didn't last long, shame too becuase it was brand new (2000).

K5 just upgraded to rig status!

 

[tRustyK5]

Andy,
I'd form a loose plan of what you want to eventually do with your truck. Dedicated rock crawler? Mud beast? Casual trails? A mix of all three? Once you have that figured out you can begin. I like the one mod at a time way of doing things. It allows you to stay entusiastic about the truck for much longer. If it takes you 3 years to save for it all you may get fed up before the first mod. By doing them one at a time you can see how each mod affects the performance of your truck both on road and off. Also you'll get a better idea of what is needed mod wise to get your truck where you want it.

Like a few others have already said, make it mechanically reliable first, but keep an eye out for weak parts. There is almost no sense wasting money on a 10 bolt if you want the big rubber later on. I try and upgrade anything that breaks, and I've been doing that for 4 years. My truck is now at the point where its strong and will take the abuse I throw at it when I wheel. Its still not pretty though. as far as i'm concerned that comes last.

Think of it as a big experiment...wheeling it is 'lab work'

and you can usually see the benefits of most mods right away.

Do some research here for what works and what breaks, I think you'll find that there are a lot of mods that can be done for little money. Grim Reaper, Depdog and others here have built some incredible trucks without taking out a mortgage, they just used their imagination and built it themselves.



Rene

<font color=green>Dyslexics of the world...UNTIE!</font color=green>

 

[CaptCrunch]

I think a little of both... Obviously like has been said is #1 is get what has problems fixed... most times is suspension and steering parts... possibly brakes or u-jt's. Next you can make some m ods that help now and later... things such as manual hubs, ORD Steering Brace... perf mods for the motor, etc. If you want step or nerf bars those can be done... Then if you are going lift... decide what you want to do... acquire the parts over a few months or so... and install all at once.

Like Rene (tRusty) said... there are some guys that have amazing trucks for not a lot of money and while my truck is far from a cheap project... Or some super rig... I like how it sits now for a $6000 total(That includes my $2800 purchasing price)... 87 K5 w/ a few minor rust spots, perfect interior, fuel injection new tranny, new d44 and 12B, 6" lift w/ 35's... bla blah blah. Heck and I have gone back to school, work full time, and have rent, utilities etc. etc.... so I figure if I can make it happen... so can you. Good luck!

-Mikey
1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.geocities.com/milnerlives_2000/blazer.htm>http://www.geocities.com/milnerlives_2000/blazer.htm</A>
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by CaptCrunch on 06/17/01 03:46 AM (server time).</FONT></P>