Maiden voyage of the K5

[TJ1978]

Truck still running good. Little weep here and there but all seems good thus far...

Also how heavy is the shell? Is it possible for the wife and I to ease it off? I venture it’s about 150-200 lbs?

 

[centexk5]

Possible? Yes. But a third makes it much easier.

 

[TJ1978]

Possible? Yes. But a third makes it much easier.

Like my 10 year old? He’s a big boy.... maybe?

 

[diesel4me]

I walked the full roof off my 72 K5 alone when I was about 34 years old..it was a struggle and I vowed not to attempt it alone again..
Those full roofs are heavier than the 76 up ones that are shorter--mine was a double walled one too..must weigh roughly 150+ lbs ?..

I bolted a 2x4 across the middle of it after unbolting it, and used my back to lift it up and grabbed the 2x4 with my hands and I had backed the truck up to a retaining wall that was as high as the bed floor and put two sawhorses behind the truck to lay the top on,I just walked out backwards and laid it on the saw horses.. ..felt like a turtle!..
I had a friend help me put it back on too..my back only was good for that one time..

When I took the top off a '75 2wd Blazer I had,I made up a device to slide in my engine crane that I bolted a 2x10 too,then I could just roll the crane in from behind the truck and center the board on the top and jack it up a bit and drag the crane back..I used a ratchet strap to ensure it wouldn't slide off sideways or off the crane boom..

 

[TJ1978]

I walked the full roof off my 72 K5 alone when I was about 34 years old..it was a struggle and I vowed not to attempt it alone again..
Those full roofs are heavier than the 76 up ones that are shorter--mine was a double walled one too..must weigh roughly 150+ lbs ?..

I bolted a 2x4 across the middle of it after unbolting it, and used my back to lift it up and grabbed the 2x4 with my hands and I had backed the truck up to a retaining wall that was as high as the bed floor and put two sawhorses behind the truck to lay the top on,I just walked out backwards and laid it on the saw horses.. ..felt like a turtle!..
I had a friend help me put it back on too..my back only was good for that one time..

When I took the top off a '75 2wd Blazer I had,I made up a device to slide in my engine crane that I bolted a 2x10 too,then I could just roll the crane in from behind the truck and center the board on the top and jack it up a bit and drag the crane back..I used a ratchet strap to ensure it wouldn't slide off sideways or off the crane boom..

Jesus, all that just to remove the shell? Damn. I’ll wait until I get the safari top

 

[diesel4me]

Yeah,mine was a "full convertible" but it gave me a full hernia removing the top..
It's not like you can put it back on in 5 minutes if it starts pouring out either!..

(which it did the first day I had it off of course,after a fun day of cruising in 90 degree heat with it off--a severe thunderstorm rolled in about 6 pm.. !--had to lay a tarp over the truck,and it filled up like a pool,truck ended up getting all the seats soaked when I tried taking the tarp off!..).

I only took the top of those 2 K5's once or twice the 8+ years I owned them..I didn't like leaving it parked anywhere "exposed".
I had a decent stereo and home build speaker boxes in it ,plus its not that hard to hot wire a '72 K5..no locking steering colum and ignition in the dash!.Also the truck felt like it "flexed" a lot with the top off,the doors rattled and didn't want to open & close easy like they did with it on..top adds a lot of strength to the tub..

 

[frankin5]

This is why I have a Suburban Rear Air unit in my Blazer.

 

[centexk5]

Cutting the windows out makes them a lot lighter. Still a pain to do it by yourself but much more manageable.

 

[imiceman44]

By the looks of your arm, I think it’s been more than two weeks...

 

[imiceman44]

Jesus, all that just to remove the shell? Damn. I’ll wait until I get the safari top

I have done the 73 full top and the 76 half top by myself, try it.
I walked it halfway on my back, then I came down and tilted it to the ground and then brought it down on my back and put it away.
I did easier with my brother on the other side

 

[diesel4me]

Cutting the windows out makes them a lot lighter. Still a pain to do it by yourself but much more manageable.

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No fears of smashing the windows if the top "got away from you" during removal is a plus!..