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Story of two '72 K5's build

I think i will replace the fan with a heater only style as i like the idea of keeping it oem stye. Does anyone know a good palce to get a heater only fan and housing?

Also i am assuming the 2 coolant hoses running into the firewall are for the heater?
 
You should be able to find one at a bone yard. I have mine that I took out. Not sure if you need both the inside and outside pieces. I think you will.. Someone else may chime in..

Yes the two tubes are for your Heater core.
 
First off i want to say thanks to everyone especialy Greg72, bp71k5 and 90k5blaze for all the help you guys have been giving. It really helps ease some headaches.

I ripped out all the Climate control from under the dash and the radio and gauge cluster. I am pretty sure i am just going to go after market on the heater and close up those holes in the firewall. After pulling it all out i didnt like how much of a mess it all seemed to be back there and having big plastic boxes on my firewall. I think i will probably follow your lead 90k5blaze or the company greg72 suggested.

Question: Has anyone had experiance with Painless products? I hear they are really good and very simple. I would like to remove every bit of wireing on the truck and replace it completely with a painless harness.
 
painless

I installed Painless Wiring's 18 circuit harness in my '71 Jimmy last summer. It worked out pretty well accept for a very few minor details. I did it all myself, outside on my driveway, with almost no multimeter experience. The directions were pretty explicit and the technical support Painless provides is very knowledgeable and helpful. I have a few wires still hanging around since I haven't installed an electric fan or power windows/doors. I went with the extra circuits just in case U wanted add gadgets later on (like heated seats).

Let me know if I can help.
 
Great, thats what i like to hear...I am pretty set on ripping out all the wire and ordering a complete painless set-up. Think that is what i will do tommorow.
 
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For wiring also try American Autowire (www.factoryfit.com)....

I'm not sure if M&H is actually the same company, but I keep reading good things about them as well.

American Autowire offers a complete OEM reproduction of the factory harness....accurate in every way, right down to the buss-style fuse block. From an originality perspective they are nice, and also since the wire colors are identical to original, you can still use the factory schematics later on to decode the wiring. I'm not sure if the Painless harnesses would be as simple, though they might offer more circuits that never existed from the factory. If you're going full-custom and are comfortable with wiring, the Painless stuff will give you more non-standard choices for a solution.


:usaflag:
 
M&H plus lessons learned with Painless

I thought about using the M&H and even had some experience with their factory AC/ heater harness. I decided to go Painless in order to update to the blade style fuses. The wire colors are the same as the factory PLUS the circuits are actually printed on each wire. I rarely needed to look at the old schematic.

I had the most problems trying to accommodate an M&H AC/Heater harness with the Painless 18 circuit but once I switched to the Painless AC/heater harness that problem went away. I only use the heater part of the additional harness but it is necessary as the stand alone 18 circuit harness just doesn't give you enough length to get it all done.

If you go with the 18 circuit painless harness:

Be aware that you'll have to enlarge the hole in your firewall if you intend on mounting the fuse block it in the factory location. I suggest using a dremmel with a cut off wheel rather than an electric saw with reciprocating blade. It was hard to maneuver the bigger saw.

If you go with Painless, don't throw away your old harness. You might need to use a few of the old connectors and its good to have around to look at if you get confused later on.

I used the following tools and extra supplies not included in the kit:
1. Camera - for taking video notes
2. Extra connectors -They give you just enough but if you screw up like I did....
3. Plastic wire loom - home depot or Lowes is cheaper than the Autoparts stores...this stuff is great for wire management and protection
4. Plastic Ties
5. Adhesive plastic tie mounts
6. Extra 10 and 12 guage wire for routing the power wires around the engine compartment the way I wanted.
7. Crimping/Stripping tool
8. Heat shrink tubing.
 
Wow, thanks for the help. Were you running the stock heater set-up??? I plan on running an aftermarket heater and scraping everything of the old ac and heating system..well i already have scraped it all out.

Everything i hear about painless is that its pretty much a no-brainer even for people not too comfortable with wiring. And most any mechanicaly inclined person can do it alone in their driveway. So i am pretty confident that i can pull it off without too much trouble, especialy with the help of some friends experianced in wiring vehicles.

Thanks again for the advice, especialy the list of extra stuff, that kind of info is always good to know ahead of time.
 
yes I'm currently using the stock heater set up. It came with factory AC but I tossed the old 50lb-wt air compressor and purchased new ducting, etc, that I haven't bother to hook up yet. Who needs AC with a convertible? :D

No problem with the list. I figure it will save you some extra trips to the store.

I also bought a set of generic grommits for the firewall from Harbor Freight. Keeps wires from rubbing as they pass through the firewall as well as engine compartment gases out of the passenger compartment.

If you have buddy's willing to help with the wiring then you're golden. I'm still trying to figure out why my backup lights, night time rear lights, dash lights, and ammeter are all non-operational. *sigh*:o
 
got some work done and some parts in

Well i finaly got some work done today and a few parts in. Against many peoples doubts 1 person can remove a tub with a cherry picker. Although i admit it probably was not the best method but i wanted that tub off 3 days ago and all my buddies are still home on leave.

Those body mount bolts and thier little damn tack welds were a SOB...Every single one was tack welded.

Got the painless kit today
IMG_0593-1.jpg


And the floor pans and supports
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Hard to see but the floor is eaten up
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IMG_0578.jpg




Pretty much gutted
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Maybe not the best method, but when your out of options you are out of options
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This part was a little sketchy
IMG_0609.jpg


a little elbow grease
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and a little TLC with a sledge
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And its all done, tub sitting on its stand
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Frame rolled into the garage
IMG_0619.jpg
 
Hell ya! Results are what matters and it looks like you're making progress in leaps and bounds.

I wish I had pulled the tub on mine... Next year. maybe
 
Thanks man...I am almost to the point of switching from the Tear-Down to the Build-Up which is exciting.

I have also changed some things in my plan. I am going to do something similar to Greg72's plan and have 2 seperate phases, although my final phase wont be nearly as elaborate as his. I am doing this so that i can get it drivable faster and enjoy it during the summer, plus phase two does not require the tub of the frame or much of a teardown. And it will give me plenty of time to slowly build up the 1-tons which if i did now could push me over budget and i would like to have them built up all nice and strong before i put them under.

Phase one: ALL body work finished, frame partialy boxed and coated in some anti-rust stuff, undercariage coated, interior line-x or rhino lined, crate 350, rebuild th350, rebuild 205, new gas tank, new brake lines, fuel lines, 4" lift, keep the 12bolt and dana 44 and run 35x12.50's on the stock rims (which are actualy pretty nice looking)

Phase 2: Get the 14ff and 60 front all rebuilt with electric or air locker and 4 wheel disk brakes, 205/203 doubler, crossover and high steer, fender trim and 37's, with the 4" lift and beadlocks, Rollcage, new soft top, Autometer gauge cluster, Footprint gas pedals, J/k on that last one
 
Sounds like a good plan I hope to be done with everything in a couple of days and enjoy my truck for the summer and then go tackle rust and stuff next winter. If you go to long it starts to become more and more unfun.
 
Your Blazer is in about the same condition as mine, so will be following your build closely. Love the cherry picker photos. what are the mounting points and did you have any issues (such as bracing) that should be added?

Also, with the wiring kit- what PN and price? I also see they have a weatherproof kit, and still deciding which to get. :waytogo:
 
RudyO said:
Your Blazer is in about the same condition as mine, so will be following your build closely. Love the cherry picker photos. what are the mounting points and did you have any issues (such as bracing) that should be added?

Also, with the wiring kit- what PN and price? I also see they have a weatherproof kit, and still deciding which to get. :waytogo:
Click to expand...

1. As far as mounting and bracing...You probably dont want to do what i did, and if you do you really need to make a door brace especialy if your rocker box is as non-existant as mine are. Bottom line...much better to round up about 6 or so buddies and do it the not so redneck way. But if you must know i used the holes for the seats, with 4 lengths of chain attached to a shackle on the cherry picker.

2. The pin# for the painless kit is 10206. Call them and double check, they are really helpful. I ordered the kit through Jegs and it was 400 bucks shipped and took about 2 days to get to me with just normal shipping.
 
More progress

Well i got a little done today...I worked until the dam North Carolina heat kicked in at about noon and the humidy drove me back inside to clean the house. Got the old 350 out, leaked fluids all over my garage and driveway...pulled the tranny, leaked more fluids everywhere, and droped the tranny off to get rebuilt.

Old Engine coming out
IMG_0628.jpg


Old engine sitting ugly...
IMG_0629.jpg


Tranny out
IMG_0630.jpg


Pictures like this make me wonder what the hell i got myself into. That mess is so bad that the D60 is bairly visable and the 14bolt is hiding behind the back seats
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It's a big elephant....take smaller bites! :)

Brakleen and some paper towels will clean up the mess on the floor, just store the rags in a steel container when you're done (fire hazard)

Next time, throw some sacrificial cardboard under the truck when you pull a radiator, or motor or trans to soak up the big fluid spills... that Hooker Headers box would have made a nice large mat if you cut it and layed it out flat.


:usaflag:
 
Thanks for the tip, that box just looks so nice there as the base of my other nice boxes all full of nice shiny new parts. I will have to try that brakleen.

So does anyone have any suggestions on a good coating for the frame?

Probably going to order DIY4x crossmember and ORD 4" suspension (shackle flip in rear, springs up front, HD greasable shackles, HD front shackles and perch, etc....) Anyone have any comments or suggestions on this area? Also going to replace almost all the brake parts and brake lines, power steering box.

I am getting the tranny rebuilt for 400 bucks by the local mudrace champion/shop owner. AAMCO wanted 1400 which is more expensive than a bran new tci 350.
 
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