Lime Green 1ton build

[Txchevy18]

Well if everything goes as planned ill be the proud owner of my 3rd k5. Ive always wanted it ever since i had passed it on the highway. Well as luck has it the owner end up being my boss a few weeks later. Now almost 6 months later i have moved on to another job and I am finnaly geting my chance at it. The story I was told was that he had sold it but had never collected cash on it. Well the buyer drove until it quite running then gave it back and never contacted him again. He swears the motors blown so il be getting at almost a grand cheaper than he had first been asking. The engine turns over theres no oil or water where it shouldt be so i think i maybe able to save it. The guys in the injection fourm suggestion a spark problem so ill start there.

Ok so now on to the plans for or it. I bought a 83 k5 off here about 6months ago but, the truck was just in too bad of shape to do much of anything with (body was swiss cheese). I plan to swap all the useable parts over to the 88 and make one sweet rig. This will be my DD until fall so it has to be street legal and while my commute to work is 40 miles oneway i figure i cant get much worse mileage from this compared to my current dd im borrowing from my granparents, a 03 gmc crewcab long bed w/ a 6.0 and 4.10's.

Ok now for the specs
The 88
10bolt front (gearing unkown), Tbi 350 stock, 700r4 freshly rebuilt less than 500 miles on it, Np208 fresh as well, 10bolt rear (gearing unkown), 6" superlift and 35"x15x14.50 nitto mudgraplers 30% tread. O ya and a lime green paint job with bed liner underneath up to the windows

The 83
d60 front 4.10's and a backyard x over setup, tbi 350 from a caprice w/ carb conversion, th350, np250, 14ff w/ 4.10's, 8'' all spring lift w/ ss brakelines all the way around and 38.5'' x 14.5'' x 16.5" Tsl radials on 16.5 x 10 rockcrawlers


Parts I have been collecting
sky cross over arm and draglink w/ studs
2wd box tapped for hydro assist
Rocklogic 1.5" x 8" ram and wto hydro lines
Warn 12k winch
Ramsey 8k winch
1410 yoke for d60
Long travel front drive shaft (sq tube) w/ cv
Yellow top optima

I still need a front tierod, another optima, high output altenator (cs144), rock lights, aux lights, and driving lights. As well as a set of corbuea seats and a set of 5 point harnesses. As well a some 16" travel shocks and a super long set of brake lines. And 10 sticks of 1.75 x.120 hrew. Im sure theres more but thats all for now.

Im planning on a full cage to connect from the front bumper through the engine bay and front shock hoops all the way through the cab out to the rock sliders and to the rear shack hoops through the floor and on to the rear bumper.
52"s up front w/ 7.25 shackle's (sp?) and 56"s in the rear(maybe 63's and a shakle flip with zero rates front and rear. Also need to finalize my dual battery setup and get the stereo and cb stuff collected.

I hope to get the axels swapped and have it driveable by the end of the month on the 6' kit. Then next will be the intieior and suspesion mods, then cage and flat belly and somewhere inbetween learn to tune the tbi so that I can a few extra ponnies. I hope to have it mostly completed by early june for a local run. I pickup the 88 friday so tear down should start saturday evening after work. Im still ironing out driveline details and any tips or suggestions are always welcome. I have been dreaming of building a rig like this and now i finally see it becoming a reallity. Ive learned alot from this site hope to be able to pass that knowledge on when I can.

Thanks guys
Cory

 

[76zimmer]

Well Corey. Looks like you've got your feet wet a few times. Good luck with the building.

 

[mini_mull]

PICS! PICS! PICS! Congrats!

 

[Txchevy18]

Ya Ive been on this site way too much.. It has come to point where im sick off making trade off's. This rig will be built to be bulletproof to a certain point..I hope lol I mean come on im 18 and I like the skinny pedal lol. Ill be doin a few mods that ive always wanted to try.. Hid's, a nice set of resivour shocks or maybe a even link it b4 im done.. Idk yet time will tell I guess.. All my buddies keep telling me to just build a buggy from scratch and while I want to eventually. I love the look and character that the k5's have, most buggies just look like rolling jungle gyms, lol that and I want to wheel this summer not next. And ya i done this sort of stuff before. My dad runs an offroad shop, but after he kicked me out I got a job at 4wheelparts. Ive been there 4 months so far. Ill post up some pics on friday when I get the new one home. Then the fun starts.. I just wish I had all my tools at home still instead of 45miles away at work. o well I guess Ill have to make do I need a mig and a bender b4 I can start on phase 2, a second set of tools will have to wait. And as always thanks guys if it wasnt for this website I wouldnt know what I do today.

 

[Citizen Rider]

Where in texas you located?

 

[Txchevy18]

Texas City, Tx.. Ya I know im still not sure what the city board was thinking when they named it... Its about 30 miles south of houston near galveston right on the water. Which also makes most offroad parks a 4-10 hour trip ..

 

[Txchevy18]

Here she is...

Well i went and paid for it this morning and have a clean title in my hand. It was pouring down when I paid for it so we left and came back when it let up a little. We pushe dit out of the yard and pooped the hood. The seller made a interesting comment about tryin to jump it and drive it home.. SO we tried it. I used a induction spark tool and conifrmed spark. Well then we chaecked fuel.. No fuel and the pumps not running my money is going towards the fuel pump relay or associated wiring. Well it strted pouring so we left and went and got a nice jump box we use for heavy equip. and the universal fuel pump of my 83. I start looking for a rubber line to tap into and discover that isnt one. The whole fuel system fron to back is either hardline or stainless steel braided lines with crimped fittings. So no luck on that idea. About that time it started getting real bad out so we left it until we can mess with it tommrow.

O y and heres some pics...

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r79/Txchevy18/SSPX0400.jpg

Tear down start tommrow morning as long as the storms passed and can get it running...

I think its gonna be kinda hard to hide from anyone now..

 

[CDA 455]

Pretty nice rig you have there, dude!

 

[Txchevy18]

Ok so a small update. Its now runs and drives. The fuel pump relay was bad. I dont have reverse ,but it did before it was parked 2 weeks ago tho so thats a new issue to look into. ALso after i had drove it the 10 blocks home i rembered the radiator was empty. Luckily it didnt heat up enough to cause any damage. I filled up the raditor and colloant just flows out the block on the passanger side above the starter. My best guess is that it blew a frezee plug so it looks like ill be pulling the engine tommrow to replace the frezee plugs. Also the rearend is shot, it makes a horrbile noise so it now looks like the 1ton swap will have to done immediately...SWeet!

 

[Txchevy18]

Ok I Have been meaning to post up an update on this project..

Well I pulled the motor last week to change out the freeze plaugs for a new brass set. The rear one behind the starer did infact have a rust hole in it. I figured since I had already gone this far i might as well do a little maintanice. For a lil extra insurance I replaced the water pump, oil pump and screen filter, timing chain for a Cloyes double roller,and replaced valve cover and exhast manifold gaskets. I also, popped a main and rod cap off to get an idea of the engine's condition. The bearings were in decent shape but, it appears the previous re builder didnt keep everything super clean and got a pice of grit under the #3 main bearing. Since I plan to do a 6.0 or 5.3 swap later this year i skipped the bearings and called it good.

I

had I had a a day off this past thusday so I made a bit of progress. Pulled the front clip and d60 out of the donor rig along with the front springs, drive shaft, shocks and s.s braided brake lines. Then I pulled the 10 bolt , and steering system out of the new blazer to prep for the tapped and ported box. I got the cross over on and changed the oil in the 60 as well as removed the dual stabilizers and did a quick check of the internals. I ran a pattern on the gears and they seemed to be fine but, the entire carrier was cover in surface rust.. I assume its from the watery milkshake i found in the diff.

The donor 83

My tools all nice and netly laid out lol ..

Crap what Have i done now.

No more 60...

Its out and ready for transplant...

Heres the milkshake and mentioned surface rust.. almost like scale..

Poor truck... Maybe ill buggy it.. hmm

Upon removal of the gear box I found the infamous crack at the steering box in the frame. I also found an interesting cobbled together steering brace. It should hold for now but a set of ord braces are in my imediate future. I still need to make tabs for my ram and get them mounted as well..
The gear to be swapped in..
Rocklogic 1.5x8 ram w/ hiems
Skycross over kit w/ studs
2wd box tapped for assist w/ lines
A custom sq tube drive shaft w/ 1410 joints
A 1410 d60 yoke off a van rear end

I have a full two days of work time for this so I hope to get it all knocked out. I plan to buton up the motor and get it in tommrow after noon, as well as swap the 10 bolt rear for the 14ff.
Here its is as of friday..

Then the interior is next. I stripped it one day after work and found some issues. The floorboard is cracked in the rear mounts for the seats on both sides. the rocker on the driver side has speed holes(rust). As well as in both corners where the floor goes vertical between the front and the back. Im planning to cut out the cancer and patch where needed with the floor boards from the donor. Then a coat of dupilicolor, a cheap headunit and a steering colum swap and I should be golden.

And to top it all off I came across and set of 16 x 12 4.5 bs weld racing typhoon rims for a 100 bux and a jacobs pro street ignition in a trade for some of the take off parts.

So as it sits I still need to..

swap in 14ff after diff service
hook up and bleed brakes
Fab a new tierod and mounting tabs/points in double shear config for the hydro
regrease and install the sq tube d shaft
Get a conversion joint for the rear
Have a set of ubolts made for the rear since it has a 5.5 block Or do a homebrew flip w/ forward rear spring hangers
Button up engine
Wire in new ignition system
Put the engine back in and hook it all back up
Swap rims on the 38.5's
Polish up the weld rims
Figure out the no reverse problem
wire a new stereo
fix floor boards and rockers
spray bedliner inside
reinstall seats and minor interior stuff
And of course put the hood back on..
Get it registered taged and insured...
Wow that list looks alot worse now that its on paper..Deadline is friday...

Txchevy

 

[y5mgisi]

Looking good so far! good luck!

 

[nad]

That's a sweet looking lime green Blazer. Keep up the good work, and post more pictures!

 

[BlazerBud]

The table of tools all nice and neat makes me wish my stuff was organized. It looks as if your going to be wrenching like a surgeon, "Nurse hand me the 9/16"

 

[Txchevy18]

Ya it was nice to have them all laid out helped out alot when i satred wrenchin. Though I do wish I had my tool box here instead of at work 40 miles away it sucks when you for get that one tool you need to finsh up ..

OK so heres an update. I totally missed my deadline. I guess it is more ork than I realized along with nosy neighbors that like to call the cops on you for a noise ordinace at 8:30pm.. O and to top it all of I now have 14days to remove the abandonned vehicles from my property or they will be removed at my expesnse..

But on a good not the the 60 and 14ff are under and mounted with the temporay susepnsion for now. I figure I'll get it running the swap out the rear block for a shackle flip and longer shackles in the rear and a 52 swap in the front w/ 7.25 shackles and a zero rate. Then make some nice shaock hoops and get some quality shocks. Also the engine is back in and almost all hooked back up just need to put the radiator back, figure out the exhaust situation since the studs in the manifolds broke during removal, wire up the starter and conect the tranny lines.

And to add the project I ordered the parts i need to swap in the 205 behind the 700r4. I figured since i need to have my shaft modified I might as well go ahead and ditch the 208 while i had the chance. It wont be the best crawler but it should be ok and twin stick setup i have should work out pretty well.

Today I stripped the parts truck to a bare frame and chassis, so not much progress. Tommrow i go pick up a 4x4 1/2 ton suburbarn with a blown diesel, for $300. I need the tranny so i figure ill pull the tranny part out what i can and scrap the rest and should come up with a free tranny.

So the to do list as of now...

Order new headers or manifolds
Get a new exhaust either do it myself or take to the exhaust shop
swap out the 700r4 from the suburban(install corvette servo as well)
mount the 205 and make the crossmember work
have rear d-shaft shortened
use an easy out and remove the broken bled screw from 60 caliper
Install jacobs prostreet ignition
get my new bwp tierod installed and mount hydro assist
Fix floor boards and bedliner
Fix the loose steering column

Then off to inspection .. and I hope the nearest trail...
Ill get some pics up when My phone deciedes to take a charge.

 

[chevy wrangler]

that is one nice rig man!

 

[y5mgisi]

good old projects, eh? sometimes i question my sanity for thinking stuff like this(that) is fun!

 

[Big91RustyBucket]

Nice , Subscribed

 

[chiefheaphy]

Makes me feel better when I see someone else also has a long list of to dos. Good luck man!

Heaph

 

[TruckNutzDude]

Any progress?

 

[Txchevy18]

Well ive been slackin again on the updates. Ive changed jobs to be closer to home, So work has been takin up most of my time as of lately. I am now a heavy equiment operator at the BP oil refinery. Im workin on the dupont scheduel so its not to bad actually. It comes out to where I only work 16days a month but still making 40hrs a week. And all my tools are home no more carting my tools back and forth or an hour comute each day now its just 2 mins.

If I can just keep myself foucused on my truck and not my friends junk I could be done already.. In the last month ive done a 79-89 front clip swap on a friends lwb pick up, changed 2 tcases and a set of hubs of a friends cobbled together 1 ton bronco and a water pump and ps pump and tb rebuild on my grandpa work truck 95 gmc 2500hd.. wow no wonder this thing aint done yet.. not to metion my new 4wheeler and dirt bike I picked up for 500$...

Ok so anyways on to the good stuff. Ive been savin up lately and stock piling all kinds of goodies. While wrenchin on other stuff...

To be installed: hopefully most of it tommrow....
Ceramic coated shorty headers (summit but stamped as flowtech)
Copper gaskets
A flexalite monster fan setup(dual 15" fan) already mounted to a k5 radiator
New battery cables
almost all of the stero stuff i need, need a decent amp.
new plugs
new coil
new igntion moduel(sp?)
8mm wires (jegs they say msd on em)
Russel wire dividers
Jacobs pro street igntion
Bwp tierod and new tre's (moog)
make mounts for hydro ram
Cobra cb and 4' firestick
An rv fuse panel
100 leds and resitors
15 relays
2 sets of apc driving lights i got on clearance(rock lights)
ABout 150' of various size wire
Starter push button panel
Im sure theres more ive forgotten..


Well I had a problem getting the engine to fire over and had checked everything. Well after 2 days of trouble shooting I finnaly determined the timming chain was installed wrong. Now it will run for about 20 seconds, hopefully if the rain holds off i can have it running properly tommrow. (I found out about the brown and white wire to set timming.)
I have been delayed due to the weather lately..Its seems to only rain on my days off...

I did get the tranny and tcase removed. The twin stick conversions is done and finshed after having to fix a previous owners quick fix the right way, thank god for fastenal! My 3/8-16 b7 allthread came in today to use as studs since the studs included in the trans swap kit were only b5 and seemed about a 1/4" to short by lookin at it. The corrvete servo is done and the tranny is ready to go back in. Then I can get the measurments for the d-shaft done and have it made. I still have to figure out the exhaust but, I noticed the suburban im scrappin has a brand new aluminized exhaust under it, as well as hydroboost and the 52" springs I need. Hopefully i can make it useable.

I plan to run everything I add to the truck on it own electrical system and harness. Ive already had to repair eth factory harness after some interesting wiring was done and would rather leave it untouched and in tact for simplicity. I picked up a water proof rv 18 fuse panel w/ led dianostic lights, 20 relays with molded conectors, dash panel mount leds and 50 blue and 50 green leds w/ resitors. I just need to figure out what switches I want to run. I actually only need 12 cirucits as of now but its will be nice to have the extra capacity. I saw a cool idea on a friends race car that i think I might try and incorperate into the systems if I can just figure out how it all works. It was made by a company called spagehtti menders, It uses common serial com port cables found used w/ computers to go from the switch panel to the relay box. I like the idea for a clean install so well see. I just need to get my hands on another yellow top.

O and ive still got to repair the floorboards and bedliner the whole thing..

Well pics will come in the am when I can get my cell to turn on .. stupid pos... Trust me ive got plenty..
Check back for up dates, next thursday I start my long change 7days off!

Later,
Cory