Back-to-doo
Registered Member
This may be long
Well I bought an 85 K5 about 5 years ago. It appeared at first it was an unmolested truck with 67K miles, it had a seized 327ci, 700R4, NP208, 33 inch mud terrains, 4 inch skyjacker lift, decent body, power windows and locks.
Now I knew this truck had been sitting at least 5 years prior to me buying it. While it looked very nice from the road about 100yds away upon closer inspection it showed a bit of surface rust on the outside of the 2 doors but the normal places K5s rot were in surprisingly in good shape. No dents at all and I assume mileage to be correct, and it had 1 flat tire and 2 low ones. When I first approached the owner I was told Nope it’s not for sale. As I was walking back he must have seen I was getting into to my 85 SB chevy 4x4, I said something about that it had been sitting a long time I guess it’ll sit a while longer. With that he say, Hold on a second, what’ll you give me for it? I laughed and said, Nothing it’s not for sale! He kind of smiled and said, Well everything has a price! SO I shut off my truck and said, Lets go take a look at it.
So we look it over, and things look pretty good for what I was willing to pay, read not much, UNTIL I learn it has a seized 327! My price just drops! He tells me a story of how it went completely through the Blazer added the 327, had the 700r4 completely rebuilt, had a Detroit locker installed in the rear end and put on the lift kit and new wheels and tires. He almost had a tear in his eye as he tells about how his GF over heated the engine and still drove it 50 miles to get home and shut it off and it locked up, never to turn over again. That had happened 9 years earlier.
He went on to tell me all the things he did to this 327, Hi comp pistons, aluminum heads, aluminum intake, 750cfm dual barrel carb, headers, valve covers, blah blah blah. I was like well since it has been sitting so long chances are not much of that is worth anything anymore. He was like yea your right. I asked did you have any tranny issues after adding bigger tires and a little HP. That is when I learned when he pulled the 305 he had the 700R4 rebuilt and locker installed, lift kit and 33” put on. I’m getting kind of excited now!
SO the million dollar question; I ask what do you want for it. He asked so how does a $1000 sound? I was like, No! Sorry not interested in it at all for THAT kind of money! Then he asked, So how much is it worth to you? I told him I would give him $500 cash for it. He asked is that all you give me for it? I said it can sit a few more years if you don’t take this $500. He told me ok I’ll take it, but it'll take me till tomorrow to get the paper work gathered up. I was thinking huh?
So the next day I show up with the cash, a car trailer and a portable air tank. As I was winching it on after finding yep all 4 tires hold air, he drives up and hands me a 1 inch thick file folder that quite possibly has EVERY receipt he has ever spent on this truck including original paper work AND what appears to be all the gas receipts too!
And YES I checked out his story
In Aug 1995 there are receipts for 327 crate motor, transmission shop at 65K miles, tires, and many other thing! lol
SCORE!
SO I buy this thing and with no real plans to get it running I let is sit for five more years! Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. A buddy invited me to go wheelin in his Jeep. We had a blast and I decide I want to do this some more so we check out CL and any decent wheeler is $4000 Or less but they’ll need work. I was like HEY I have this ol K5, can we make a wheeler out of it. He was like Dude I’ll call you right back. 15 mins later he calls and said, We can have a low mileage 350, 14 bolt FF and Dana 60 (w/4.11s) with four 1 ton 16 inch aluminum rims, all bought & installed for $2000 Ordered a set of new 38.5x15x16 boggers for 1500 (shipping to AK is outrageous!)
After about 4 outings I had a Lincoln locker added to the 14FF and a winch bumper added. Today I will be picking up a 12000lbs winch. (I’ve already seen how the 9500TI bogs on my buddy’s Jeep when I was stuck a couple times)
Here is a few pics of what I’m starting with but bare in mind it has been 14 years since that this ol girl sat!!
Well I bought an 85 K5 about 5 years ago. It appeared at first it was an unmolested truck with 67K miles, it had a seized 327ci, 700R4, NP208, 33 inch mud terrains, 4 inch skyjacker lift, decent body, power windows and locks.
Now I knew this truck had been sitting at least 5 years prior to me buying it. While it looked very nice from the road about 100yds away upon closer inspection it showed a bit of surface rust on the outside of the 2 doors but the normal places K5s rot were in surprisingly in good shape. No dents at all and I assume mileage to be correct, and it had 1 flat tire and 2 low ones. When I first approached the owner I was told Nope it’s not for sale. As I was walking back he must have seen I was getting into to my 85 SB chevy 4x4, I said something about that it had been sitting a long time I guess it’ll sit a while longer. With that he say, Hold on a second, what’ll you give me for it? I laughed and said, Nothing it’s not for sale! He kind of smiled and said, Well everything has a price! SO I shut off my truck and said, Lets go take a look at it.
So we look it over, and things look pretty good for what I was willing to pay, read not much, UNTIL I learn it has a seized 327! My price just drops! He tells me a story of how it went completely through the Blazer added the 327, had the 700r4 completely rebuilt, had a Detroit locker installed in the rear end and put on the lift kit and new wheels and tires. He almost had a tear in his eye as he tells about how his GF over heated the engine and still drove it 50 miles to get home and shut it off and it locked up, never to turn over again. That had happened 9 years earlier.
He went on to tell me all the things he did to this 327, Hi comp pistons, aluminum heads, aluminum intake, 750cfm dual barrel carb, headers, valve covers, blah blah blah. I was like well since it has been sitting so long chances are not much of that is worth anything anymore. He was like yea your right. I asked did you have any tranny issues after adding bigger tires and a little HP. That is when I learned when he pulled the 305 he had the 700R4 rebuilt and locker installed, lift kit and 33” put on. I’m getting kind of excited now!
SO the million dollar question; I ask what do you want for it. He asked so how does a $1000 sound? I was like, No! Sorry not interested in it at all for THAT kind of money! Then he asked, So how much is it worth to you? I told him I would give him $500 cash for it. He asked is that all you give me for it? I said it can sit a few more years if you don’t take this $500. He told me ok I’ll take it, but it'll take me till tomorrow to get the paper work gathered up. I was thinking huh?
So the next day I show up with the cash, a car trailer and a portable air tank. As I was winching it on after finding yep all 4 tires hold air, he drives up and hands me a 1 inch thick file folder that quite possibly has EVERY receipt he has ever spent on this truck including original paper work AND what appears to be all the gas receipts too!
And YES I checked out his story
In Aug 1995 there are receipts for 327 crate motor, transmission shop at 65K miles, tires, and many other thing! lol
SCORE!
SO I buy this thing and with no real plans to get it running I let is sit for five more years! Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. A buddy invited me to go wheelin in his Jeep. We had a blast and I decide I want to do this some more so we check out CL and any decent wheeler is $4000 Or less but they’ll need work. I was like HEY I have this ol K5, can we make a wheeler out of it. He was like Dude I’ll call you right back. 15 mins later he calls and said, We can have a low mileage 350, 14 bolt FF and Dana 60 (w/4.11s) with four 1 ton 16 inch aluminum rims, all bought & installed for $2000 Ordered a set of new 38.5x15x16 boggers for 1500 (shipping to AK is outrageous!)
After about 4 outings I had a Lincoln locker added to the 14FF and a winch bumper added. Today I will be picking up a 12000lbs winch. (I’ve already seen how the 9500TI bogs on my buddy’s Jeep when I was stuck a couple times)
Here is a few pics of what I’m starting with but bare in mind it has been 14 years since that this ol girl sat!!
Glad to see that ya brought it back to good use!
