offroading an 87 k30 silvy?

[obijuan]

dammit if im torn! i dont know what to do. i am a sucker for a classic beauty, and can appreciate the "specialness" of a stock kseries.

what would yall do, which one to keep nice and cruise and which one to offroad?

i recently picked up an 87 k30, its nice and all but not any show stopper. need LOTS to get going to my standards. really only needs a motor to literally get going.
pros:
its set up so well for offroading, with fuel injection 350/465/205 and the 60/14 combo with hydroboost. already geared for my prefferred tire size too!
its kind of a solid starting point for a good resto mall crawler.
cons:
its a basket case with wires and being through several dbag owners and their freakazoid mods. not the stock paint or grille.
freaky turquois paint in the engine bay and on the frame rails and the shifters wtf

my 85 blazer is nice and all but it isnt a perfect truck either.

cons:
ive already started wheelin the blazer and its gotten a couple shiners.
BUT ive got a set of 1 tons and a 205 to go in the blazer, been workin on those for the last year. 5.13 detroits, discs, hydro assist, twin sticks and HAD tcase brake, reverse 56s in the back and cut cut cut. for bascally an offroad only machine.
$$$$$$
the blazer has also had PO stereos and alarms put in it.
still very stock drivetrain, 350/700/208 and 10bs with 4.56

pros:
as a stock truck its all complete and clean as a whistle. paint and chalkmarks on the frame are still there and theres no rust whatsoever on it. the back window works and the ac blows cold.
still very stock drivetrain, 350/700/208 and 10bs with 4.56.
with four inches and some 35s i would be cruisin in style man, easy to get in and out with grocery carrying mall crawlin action. its already geared and it runs lol.


money wise, im in my blazer around 6k. and the k30 right at 1k needing a motor.


more pics for your judging pleasure:
k30, i dont have pics of the green frame thank god. how embarassing!

Blazer

 

[kgblazerfive]

It took me about a year to decide what to do, haven't regretted it yet. I vote for sell the truck and build the Blazer.

 

[kgblazerfive]

Having said that I wish my burb had a 1-ton frame they are alot stronger and bigger more room for stuff under it.

 

[Moody]

I know I'm probably the minority but I say wheel the truck. The K5 is a much nicer rig and is a nice DD as is. The K30 has everything to be great crawler....some engine work, bigger tires with fender trimming, maybe a cage and you're all set. You could either use the 1 tons you're working on and part out the originals to get some quick cash to work on the engine or vice versa. Course I'm kinda partial to K5's

 

[desertrat67]

I am unfortunatley unable to see the pics right now, but I would build the blazer using the parts you like best of the two trucks, and use the [red]1-ton[/red] to tow the other to the trail. That way you will always have a way home if the driver of the blazer gets a little stupid on the trail and it can't make it home on its own.

 

[thatK30guy]

How much would you ask for the K30 as-is? I may be interested in it as a resto-project. Please don't hack it or rob parts from it. I've been trying to find an '87 Silverado K30 for over 10 years now and this would be an excellent base to start with for a restoration.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

You've already got all the parts for the K5. It wheels good and it's been yours for a while now.

I say put an engine in the K30 and fix it back to stock(ish). Build it for traveling, towing, driving, and light duty wheeling. You're not married yet so you're more likely in the near future to need a furniture hauling, lumber carrying, moving trailer towing, etc etc etc vehicle than a family vehicle. Not to mention with the right engine that thing could do all that and tow the Blazer around all day.

 

[buffblazer]

part out the blazer and sell the front bumper to me

nah i voted for wheeling the blazer, and selling the truck

 

[Duntz00]

i voted to wheel the k5, i would put a cummins and nv4500 in the k30. just my .02

 

[kennyw]

The K30 sounds like a better wheeling candidate. Do the minimum to make it run and throw some tires on it. Fix up the K5 as a mall crawler by keeping the current axles and sell of the extra 1 tons to pay for the motor and tires on the K30.

 

[73redblaze]

both would be sick to wheel. i voted k5 but im startin to think the k30 would be better.

 

[chevyuser74]

dont hack the k30 nice stock trucks are few and far.

 

[obijuan]

the k5 is lightyears ahead in being a clean rig, but you can find 85 blazers all day long.

i am gonna take the majority advice and build and wheel the k5, the k30 will return to stock with the blazers current lift and tires for DD, tow rig, mall crawlin, and recovery duty for my local homies.

it will go back to black, and will get an all new interior and ill weld up the holes in the lower dash they cut and drilled out. it will look and feel like new, but DAMN i was looking at the LMC and holy hell this stuff is getting expensive.

also the ac will be back together and the engine bay will be cleaned up caue the way it is now is a mess.

 

[chevyuser74]

yea i got a 06 lmc catalog laying here and alot of stuff has nearly doubled since then

 

[slyguy_22]

Id def say offroad the k5. The k30 will make a sweet mall crawler/ tow rig. The k5 has a shorter wheel base, on the trails around my area you'd bash the piss out of that pretty k30.

 

[obijuan]

i knew i wasnt going crazy, 60 bucks for sun visors! f that.

and yeah definatley about the sheet metal there. we only have ATV trails here, our jeeps even get banged up.

 

[Ten_Bucks]

Both rigs are nice. Usually I'd say to put all the good parts from the K30 into the K5 and make the K5 one badass trail rig, but after seeing pics of the K30, I think its too nice to rob parts from it. That K30 would make a perfect tow rig if you don't already have a tow rig.

Scott

 

[obijuan]

my ks is double duty wheeler and daily driver.

 

[Big Blzn]

Looks like you already made your decision, however, after seeing Tom (454K30) wheel his K30 out here in the California Desert and Mountains I'd say wheel the K30. I can't see your pics from my work computer so I can't really judge the body. Just after seeing Tom wheel his rig, a K30 is now on my wish list of trucks to buy and build a wheeler out of. Just my $.02.