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CK5
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Purchased in 1996 for $1000.00 in the condition shown. It had a carbed 350, that ran poorly, TH 350, 4 wheel drum brakes, leaky sunroof. Held together with bailing wire and duct tape for a few years.
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A couple engine swaps and transmissions later I decided it was time to build it for offroad and more dependable driving. First order of business was body work and paint. I stripped it down and paid to have it hauled across Colorado to have the body work done, after 6 months that shop shut down and they paid to have it hauled back with no work done. A friend helped me cut the fenders and tangs off the front and made the front clip one piece by doing a ton of welding on the front inner fenders. Took it to a local body shop and sourced a bunch of parts. They tubbed the rear fenders, changed doors using cut down truck doors, body work, paint and speedliner work followed.
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Next it was off to a welding shop in Crawford Colorado, a former member here, Metal Melter and his father, and I designed and built the cage, sliders, and bumpers. I wasn't a great deal of help. The cage and sliders are 2 inch .120 wall DOM, along with rectangular tubing. DIY4X staked cage floor plates were used to connect the cage to the sliders. The bumpers were also rectangular steel that was cut, bent and welded. PRP seats were purchased along with RCI harnesses.
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Then it was back to a friend's shop where the 10 bolt front and 14 bolt rear were put in along with changing pinion angle, shock tabs for the rear axle, driveshafts, and the rims and tires were installed. At this point it had 37 inch BFG krawlers which were run until 2022, various replacements were obtained from multiple sources.
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At this point it was somewhat roadworthy, so I met up with Mrk5, 3 on the tree and several others to run Old Chinaman's Gulch near Buena Vista Colorado. The carb was cutting out and I received a dent in the fresh paint and broke the steering arm off the knuckle. The vehicle was left on the trail while we ran most of it then we came back and repairs were performed by various people in the group, steering arm was ground down and battery welded to the knuckle. Vehicle was limped back to town and I stayed in the motel so it could be driven home in the daylight. Pics from the trip.
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DIY4X: Staked cage floor plates, 360 degree tube tab rings, tire carrier, gussets.
Offroad design: tuff country EZ ride 6 inch lift springs 2 sets for rear since I ruined one set. Shackle flip, extended shackles greaseable bushings,
AMP research: Gas cap lid.
Offroad design: tuff country EZ ride 6 inch lift springs 2 sets for rear since I ruined one set. Shackle flip, extended shackles greaseable bushings,
AMP research: Gas cap lid.
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After running old chinaman's gulch some repairs had to be made. New flattop knuckles, Steering arms from WFO Concepts, steering tie rods and crossover arm with heim joints.
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Next it was off to the upholstery shop for a couple custom made tops. The cage sits above the windshield frame so the hardtop was ditched.
Experience in off roading was slowly gained, still learning, with a few more trips, a car show or 2 , and even a mud run.
Experience in off roading was slowly gained, still learning, with a few more trips, a car show or 2 , and even a mud run.
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It became painfully obvious that fuel injection was needed so I picked up a 1993 Suburban with a GM goodwrench engine with TBI that was less than a year old. Ordered a computer and wiring harness from Howell Industries and did some horse trading to get help putting it together and making it work. It was quickly realized on the test drive that the TBI engine uses a reverse rotation water pump, which meant the fan was spinning the wrong way. New flex a lite 7 blade fan and spacer and a 4 core radiator took care of that problem.
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More trail runs and Blazer Bashes attended and the desire for lower gearing increased. The 4.10 gears with a twin sticked 205 and 37 inch tires and a lack of horsepower led to a few more upgrades. 3 on the tree transported a 203 range box, ORD doubler adapter, NP205 and TH400 transmission from the Kansas City area to Pueblo Co, which is where I was living then. I can't remember what CK5 member it was purchased from, maybe Sweet K30? I had the transmission rebuilt, ordered more stuff from ORD, went through the 203 and 205, put that all together, new driveshafts, and a triple stick, along with an art carr/winters shifter, reverse manual valve body with engine braking installed. Then new driveshafts. Somewhere along the way a grant steering wheel was put in.
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Since then it has been using the rig and fixing what breaks, a few issues with TBI related problems, distributor, ignition module, plug wires burning up, exhaust manifolds replaced, wiring, injectors, and several fuel pumps. It is still running an original style tank and external fuel pump.
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Blazer Bash 22 it was on 2 wheels sideways twice for a few minutes, first time I drove it out and got it back on all fours, 2nd time Stephen from ORD and others did some creative rock stacking and guiding to prevent me from rolling and ending up on the highway or in the river. During these episodes my front shocks were toasted, so after a rough drive back to Colorado the rig sat for a while until I ordered Bilstein 5125 front shocks and a bolt kit from ORD. A little massaging of the F250 front shock mounts got them installed and the ride is much better, now back to wheel, break, fix repeat...
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Better late than never with the write up.
I thought you might have bought something new when I read the first post.
I thought you might have bought something new when I read the first post.
Great thread, like the history
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For Christmas 2018 wife and son got me a 12,000 lb warn winch, so in April 2019, I convinced 3W Fabrication to do the winch install. Thanks Wade!
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A few weeks prior to BB2022, went to go on an easy trail run and got 5 miles from the house and bang blew a tire. I knew the tires were old and could blow at any time for a while, see pics of hauling multiple spares for BB2021.
So I bought some 37 inch milestar patagonia M/T 02's.
So I bought some 37 inch milestar patagonia M/T 02's.
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Got a call at 8:45 this morning, a co-worker's roommate had slid her Subbi off the road. Warmed up the bomb and headed out, only 10 minutes from the house. Pic he sent me.
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Car was on a bit of an angle, when she tried to move it right after it happened it slid a little further sideways.
When I arrived I hooked to the rear rim and winched it up about a foot and a half then it started pulling my truck across the road. I switched to the front rim and winched it up some, same thing happened. I had another pickup hooked to the rim I wasn't winching on to keep it from sliding down the hill. We were blocking the county road so had people stopping traffic. I put the tow connection on the front end of the car and had the pickup disconnected from the rim. I winched from the front and got both front tires on the road then had her drive forward as I winched. It tried to slide the backend sideways but then popped onto the road. She had called for a tow through her insurance and they called her and said no one would be coming right after I got her out.
Lots of slide marks on the winding mountain road from people going off.
When I arrived I hooked to the rear rim and winched it up about a foot and a half then it started pulling my truck across the road. I switched to the front rim and winched it up some, same thing happened. I had another pickup hooked to the rim I wasn't winching on to keep it from sliding down the hill. We were blocking the county road so had people stopping traffic. I put the tow connection on the front end of the car and had the pickup disconnected from the rim. I winched from the front and got both front tires on the road then had her drive forward as I winched. It tried to slide the backend sideways but then popped onto the road. She had called for a tow through her insurance and they called her and said no one would be coming right after I got her out.
Lots of slide marks on the winding mountain road from people going off.
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