Well, I found a First Generation K5 Blazer, which I have always wanted, and I love the color of this one. Its a 71 Chevy K5 With a 454 with 40,xxx miles,mild cam,new edelbrock carb and turbo 350 tranny which will need a rebuilt soon or new 700r4 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif, has stock 12 bolt rear, dana 44 front with 3.73 gears, newer paint job that I love, its a light blue. So the bodys really great frame has minor rust, Also has 4 inch rancho lift kit but also back to engine the rear main oil seal is leaking /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif and the interior is real nice but just the rear main oil seal leak and tranny maybe going out soon, has 180,000 miles. So hes asking $7500, this a good deal? I thought its pretty good after looking at other ones online that need alot more work for like $6500! Well let me know what you think, dont want it to be gone on me.
CK5
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This 71 A Good Deal??
- Thread starter Blazin454
- Start date
I'm not sure how much help you're going to get......
Generally, it's considered poor ettiquette to show up as a new user and ask for a bunch of help without even filling out your "profile". Where are you located, for example??? The market price for a 1st Gen depends a lot on where you live....and also how many others you are likely to find to choose from.
If you were in CA for example, there wouldn't be much of a rush to buy that K5....I can find them all day long for $7500!!!
With the exception of the 454, that truck doesn't sound all that impressive.....I guess it depends on what you plan to do with it. A dying tranny (~$1200 rebuild), leaking rear main, 1/2 Ton axles, Rancho Lift (STIFF!)....would all be minuses in my book.
Tell us a bit more about yourself.....and I suspect you'll get more helpful answers in return! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Generally, it's considered poor ettiquette to show up as a new user and ask for a bunch of help without even filling out your "profile". Where are you located, for example??? The market price for a 1st Gen depends a lot on where you live....and also how many others you are likely to find to choose from.
If you were in CA for example, there wouldn't be much of a rush to buy that K5....I can find them all day long for $7500!!!
With the exception of the 454, that truck doesn't sound all that impressive.....I guess it depends on what you plan to do with it. A dying tranny (~$1200 rebuild), leaking rear main, 1/2 Ton axles, Rancho Lift (STIFF!)....would all be minuses in my book.
Tell us a bit more about yourself.....and I suspect you'll get more helpful answers in return! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Ok, sorry for not having profile and all, I dont also want to start a fight but when chase78 posted about his MPG increase he didn't have any info in his profile and it was his first post but no need to make the comments to him, so please give me a break, i would like some help from you guys so I make a wise purchase here and can join your kick A$$ board. Now I know that the tranny going out is bad and same with the rear main oil seal, but the body is really nice on this and the rough ride dont bother me. Also the other main reason I want to get this one is because the guy wants to have my fourwheeler as trade. So he offered me $4,500 cash and my fourwheeler for the $7,500 blazer. I know my fourwheeler could sell for $2,500 and is worth that. So that would make it like Im buying the blazer for $7,000. Now if I got him down to $4,000 cash and my fourwheeler I think thats a better price, leaves me with $1,000 for tranny. Now Ive looked at other blazer online and Ive seen alot of other K5 Blazers for $6,500-$7,500 that have rust and the 350engine, so i think this isnt that bad of a deal, plus theres only 2 other 1st Gen Blazer for sale in minnesota and ones rust and other in shakapee is way to much for me. Last how much would it cost for the rear main oil seal to be replaced? Since tranny has to be moved I suppose it would be wise to rebuild tranny at same time to save labor time/$$. Thanks for the help and I hope to get to know you all better and hope theres some Minnesota Members to meet also.
MJF
1/2 ton status
If you've thought this out & it's something you can afford, go for it. It's more than I can afford to pay for a truck, but if it's in your budget most likely you won't regret it. I love my 70 K5(when I can get it running right).
Just check all the normal places for rust.
Just check all the normal places for rust.
bouncytruck
1/2 ton status
I paid $4K for mine (you can see the pictures in the sig link). It is almost rust free, has a 6" rancho lift (blocks) and new 35" tires. It came with the soft & hard top. My tranny went out a several months after buying it but it was fine when I bought it. I don't thing the seller was hiding anything. The Rancho lift is very stiff but it is driveable.
There are quite a few first gens in the Seattle area for sale at any given time. To this day I think I got a got a good deal and feel the truck is worth more in the 6-7K range (given the others I see for sale). I would find out why the engine was swapped, make sure it was done right and inspect the truck very closely for rust & bondo. Check the Rocker Boxes & Windshield frame - pull the top back a little to see what it looks like under it. I don't know how well the stock axels are going to hold up to the bigger tires and a 454. Does anyone think this will be a problem?
There are quite a few first gens in the Seattle area for sale at any given time. To this day I think I got a got a good deal and feel the truck is worth more in the 6-7K range (given the others I see for sale). I would find out why the engine was swapped, make sure it was done right and inspect the truck very closely for rust & bondo. Check the Rocker Boxes & Windshield frame - pull the top back a little to see what it looks like under it. I don't know how well the stock axels are going to hold up to the bigger tires and a 454. Does anyone think this will be a problem?
72beater
1/2 ton status
I can attest to the fact that you can rebuild your own tranny with a shift kit for less than 250 if you already have tools. So think about that as a possibility.
Jeremy, <- /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
So what it sounds like now, is that you're getting rid of a truck you DON'T want and paying $4000 for the truck you DO want!!!
In my book, that is starting to sound like a GOOD deal. Whenever I see posts like this (the "should I buy it" type) I try to remind people to always budget some money for the repairs you don't know about.....
In this case, you KNOW it needs a tranny so be prepared to spend $1200 or more for that (assuming you pull it yourself)...at that point, you can get to the leaking rear main seal so that ends up being pretty convenient. Just be sure you have at least an extra $1000 set aside.....30-year old trucks ALWAYS need something!!!
Other than that, make sure you get reciepts for any "big dollar" upgrades it's got. I learned a hard lesson about my 1st Gen and the "so-called" 427 Big Block that it had. About 4000 miles after I bought it, the motor ate itself and I got to pay for a complete rebuild on what turned out to be nothing more than a 396! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Depending on the tire size you are planning to run, axles MAY or may not be an issue.....if you stay at 35" or less, the 1/2-Ton stuff you have should work OK. If you start wheeling it hard, adding lockers to the diffs, or stuffing big meats under it you'll be breaking a lot of parts!
Good luck with the purchase, be sure to let us know what happens and post pics when you get some!
So what it sounds like now, is that you're getting rid of a truck you DON'T want and paying $4000 for the truck you DO want!!!
In my book, that is starting to sound like a GOOD deal. Whenever I see posts like this (the "should I buy it" type) I try to remind people to always budget some money for the repairs you don't know about.....
In this case, you KNOW it needs a tranny so be prepared to spend $1200 or more for that (assuming you pull it yourself)...at that point, you can get to the leaking rear main seal so that ends up being pretty convenient. Just be sure you have at least an extra $1000 set aside.....30-year old trucks ALWAYS need something!!!
Other than that, make sure you get reciepts for any "big dollar" upgrades it's got. I learned a hard lesson about my 1st Gen and the "so-called" 427 Big Block that it had. About 4000 miles after I bought it, the motor ate itself and I got to pay for a complete rebuild on what turned out to be nothing more than a 396! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Depending on the tire size you are planning to run, axles MAY or may not be an issue.....if you stay at 35" or less, the 1/2-Ton stuff you have should work OK. If you start wheeling it hard, adding lockers to the diffs, or stuffing big meats under it you'll be breaking a lot of parts!
Good luck with the purchase, be sure to let us know what happens and post pics when you get some!
72beater
1/2 ton status
yep, that 454 th350-big tire thing might be pushing the design tolerances a bit...
dysphemism
1/2 ton status
I picked my 72 up about 2 months ago for 8k. It's 1 ton, 454 with about 500hp, about 8" lift, 42" swampers, and some rust on the rocker panels. Listen to Greg, he knows his stuff. He made me a very educated buyer, and gave me a good idea of the worth of the rig. Seller was asking 12k online for it, but he needed the cash. Maybe you can get a much better deal?
Oooops, my bad. For some reason I thought we were talking about a 700R4 tranny, not a TH350. The rebuild price should be a lot more reasonable than $1200.
Give some thought to swapping a TH400 in to replace that TH350....that's the way the factory set up their big blocks and it's a more stout tranny.... not that hard to find, and the rebuild price should be about the same as a 350 anyway.
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Give some thought to swapping a TH400 in to replace that TH350....that's the way the factory set up their big blocks and it's a more stout tranny.... not that hard to find, and the rebuild price should be about the same as a 350 anyway.
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Triaged
1/2 ton status
I am sure a rust free truck is hard to find in Mini-Soda...
If the one you are looking at is truly "rust-free" it most likely has had work done to make it that way. The ammount I would pay for the truck would depend on how well I thought that work was done.
Check out the "Cancer Support" post and do alot of looking around to find out if it is "rust-free" or just all Bondo.
If the one you are looking at is truly "rust-free" it most likely has had work done to make it that way. The ammount I would pay for the truck would depend on how well I thought that work was done.
Check out the "Cancer Support" post and do alot of looking around to find out if it is "rust-free" or just all Bondo.
rrent
1/2 ton status
Like Greg72 first said the market in your area will make a big difference -- here in Texas $7500.00 would buy a real nice truck needing very little more than to turn the key. Granted it was 4 years ago, but I bought my very rust free 72 for $2500.00 (I have put another $2500.00 in it) I take my tranny repairs to a guy here local -- my turbo350 ran me $750.00 -- he pulled, rebuilt, re-installed (its the sixth tranny he's done for me). I too would recommend you check all previous posts concerning rust -- where on the truck to look -- better now then after you plunked down your 7.5grand. Also checkout ebay -- see what is out there -- Then if all this still works for you --- buy it and join the tops-off club --- its a BLAST
Stroked72Blazer
1/2 ton status
Check out the Raptor Jr. http://www.transmissioncenter.net/highperf700r4.htm#700%20Raptor
Theres never a reason to spend 1200 to have a 700r4 rebuilt with one of those so cheap. Buy that sell the TH350 for 200 and your good to go.
As far as a good deal, from what I've seen it sounds pretty good other than the trany thing. Use that to get him to knock another grand off and I'd say you had a good deal.
I only paid a grand for mine but it's a flinstone mobile and I had to rebuild the rear end and transmision within 3 months after buying it.
Theres never a reason to spend 1200 to have a 700r4 rebuilt with one of those so cheap. Buy that sell the TH350 for 200 and your good to go.
As far as a good deal, from what I've seen it sounds pretty good other than the trany thing. Use that to get him to knock another grand off and I'd say you had a good deal.
I only paid a grand for mine but it's a flinstone mobile and I had to rebuild the rear end and transmision within 3 months after buying it.
[ QUOTE ]
Check out the Raptor Jr. http://www.transmissioncenter.net/highperf700r4.htm#700%20Raptor
[/ QUOTE ]
Stroked,
You obviously weren't around CK5 back when a member got raped by Transmission Center.......!!!!!
Ask "Tori89K5" how good the Raper, er Raptor transmissions are!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif Or better yet, do a search in either "Garage" or "73-91" areas.....the thread was enormous, and included both a lot of detail about what that company is like to do business with.......
NOW YOU'VE ALL BEEN WARNED!!! Caveat Emptor.
Check out the Raptor Jr. http://www.transmissioncenter.net/highperf700r4.htm#700%20Raptor
[/ QUOTE ]
Stroked,
You obviously weren't around CK5 back when a member got raped by Transmission Center.......!!!!!
Ask "Tori89K5" how good the Raper, er Raptor transmissions are!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif Or better yet, do a search in either "Garage" or "73-91" areas.....the thread was enormous, and included both a lot of detail about what that company is like to do business with.......
NOW YOU'VE ALL BEEN WARNED!!! Caveat Emptor.
So lets say the bodys in great shape no rust newer paint, frame has some rust, will probablly take off body and sandblast frame/re-paint, and I get him down a thousand dollars from asking price for tranny,then is this a good deal? Im going to get some pics tomorrow for reference. Also how much would the tranny rebuild and the rear main oil seal cost for a shop to due on average?
dysphemism
1/2 ton status
You should most likely either get a mechanic to check it all out before you make a bid. Make sure the 454 is a nice swap. Since that truck didn't come with a 454, they aren't all in there the same way. Make sure its a clean install, and the wiring is clean also. My ignition wiring was a mess so I had to get it redone for about $300 but other than that it was a pretty clean install.
'72brett
1/2 ton status
[ QUOTE ]
I am sure a rust free truck is hard to find in Mini-Soda...
[/ QUOTE ] I bought mine in Minnesota for 1,800 He was asking for 2,000 but T-case seal was bad and also the driver's side hub didn't lock out. (I just cleaned it and put in green grease... its OK now) Mine is (was) all rust free, except for just the driver's side rocker box. the rocker panels, the bed, the windshield frame, were all in great shape. No body rust except a scrath that had started rusting. However, my truck was also in a garage for 18 years.
There is a 1970 (I think its a '70) Jimmy for sale here in my small town. From what I have seen, its got some moderate rust on both rocker boxes and the panels are in terrible shape. It has a 350 and also the hard and soft top with it. I was going to buy his top, but I am going to get a new one instead. He's asking a $1,000 for it. He said If I want it, he will give me first dibs... Being only 17, im saving for college and I can't buy it. But if anyone would like, i will snap some pics and send em for ya. Its orange! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I am sure a rust free truck is hard to find in Mini-Soda...
[/ QUOTE ] I bought mine in Minnesota for 1,800 He was asking for 2,000 but T-case seal was bad and also the driver's side hub didn't lock out. (I just cleaned it and put in green grease... its OK now) Mine is (was) all rust free, except for just the driver's side rocker box. the rocker panels, the bed, the windshield frame, were all in great shape. No body rust except a scrath that had started rusting. However, my truck was also in a garage for 18 years.
There is a 1970 (I think its a '70) Jimmy for sale here in my small town. From what I have seen, its got some moderate rust on both rocker boxes and the panels are in terrible shape. It has a 350 and also the hard and soft top with it. I was going to buy his top, but I am going to get a new one instead. He's asking a $1,000 for it. He said If I want it, he will give me first dibs... Being only 17, im saving for college and I can't buy it. But if anyone would like, i will snap some pics and send em for ya. Its orange! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
