Pender1's "no idea what I'm doing" '86 K5

[Pender1]

Picked up an '86 K5 in pretty straight shape to replace the K10 I recently totaled. I've got a plan in mind, but as always it's going to change as I go, so we'll see where this all ends up.

Here's my punchlist of what I'm planning on doing:
-New engine (long block from Summit with Comp Cams cam before it ever goes in)
-Manual swap (700r4/208 combo is getting swapped with SM465/208 combo out of my wrecked K10)
-Axle swap (K10 has fresh rebuilt 10 bolts with a lunchbox in the front and regeared to 3.73 so these will be going under the K5 to replace the 3.42 gearing and unknown condition of the stock ones)
-Mild roll cage (going to put in a full length roll cage. Want it to be a little protection, a little so I can mount stuff on it, got to come up with a design. Also going to make a removable soft-top that attaches to the cage)
-Rust repair (a couple of little spots in driver floorboard, nothing major)
-Herculiner inside of the tub (PO started but never finished)
-Get the A/C system operational (missing some parts)
-Get some tube doors for the summers
-replace stock bumpers with something worthy of the trails (need recovery points, possibly a winch mount front, maybe a small stinger on front)
-Paint (this thing looks like shit from a long way off)

 

[F.S.F.W]

Looks like a solid rig to start with! I'll be watching this one!

 

[Phil513]

Cool. Sounds like a good plan!

I keep thinking about tube doors for mine too.

 

[Pender1]

Thought I'd give a little update. Had my small head gasket leak turn into a large leak the other day, so I'm in the process of tear down right now to swap my gaskets. Never dug this deep into an engine before, so I'm in new territory here. I've got everything except the heads and valve covers off but I ran out of time. I'm hoping to work on them some more tonight.

At the same time, I'm finishing up my rear axle swap. The blazer had 3.42 gearing on 33's which isn't great and the pinion has been howling since I bought it, so I pulled the recently rebuild axle out of my wrecked K10 and got it under the Blazer. It went well except for 2 things. 1)I tore up the fitting on the brake hardline before the flex, so I've got to pull that line and reflare it with a new fitting. 2)I was unaware that manuals and automatics ran different u-joints. So I have a S44->1350 conversion on the way. This will get me by until the transmission swap happens, at which time I'll probably have a driveshaft made to fit with the larger 1350 joints. It's slow progress in my driveway especially now that the time has changed and it's dark when I get home from work everyday, but I'm still having fun.

 

[Pender1]

And here's what I found. 3-4 oz of coolant came out when I pulled the spark plug from cylinder 1.

 

[sreidmx]

Ugh that sucks to find that..

 

[UpnAdam]

On the other hand, its a great excuse for power upgrades! MAW

 

[Pender1]

Ugh that sucks to find that..

I'm actually glad I found it instead of it being something else that I had to go digging and looking for. I pulled the head and went "well there it is, that was the problem."

On the other hand, its a great excuse for power upgrades! MAW

I'm not putting much time or money in this thing. The plan is a whole new engine within the next year or so. Plan is a crate 350 with some tweaks, but I still haven't put the idea of a 454 out of my head.

 

[UpnAdam]

Well I don't think you'll get much argument on here with talk like that!

 

[Pender1]

Well I don't think you'll get much argument on here with talk like that!

Cost is the only thing stopping me from going 454. I can do a 350 with a better intake and a cam for <$2000 (already have a good carb and headers to go on it). just can't find a way to get a 454 without blowing my budget all to pieces for the whole truck.

 

[UpnAdam]

Best bet might be to buy someone else's project that already has the drivetrain you want. Seems like that's the way to go if you have the space for the extra vehicle while you tear it down. Then scrap the rest or sell the parts and you might recoup some of your money back.

 

[Pender1]

I've already got 1 parts truck sitting on jack stands in my yard. Any more and the neighbors might stage an intervention.