Trying to decide what rig to finish/wheel. Need you help....

[Emmettology 101]

Ok, For some reason lately I have been super indecisive about things and cant decide. So I summons the great wisdom of CK5 to guide me along my way! Click which choice you would liek in the poll and if you want, reply with some comments....

First I'll list the vehicles here with a descriton of present condition and futures plans if I choose the vehicle. The axles for all three wil be a D60 front and 14ff rear. Both with 5.13's.. Rear will have a spool and the front will either be a spool or ARB...

#1 - 91 Toyota Reg Cab shortbed - Currently it is sitting in my garage stripped down to a bare frame, no ifs, SAS started, rear suspension was set-up for Ford 57" springs using the stock rear mounts and Marlin Crawler frenched front hangers. Front springs will either be stock Toy rears or 52" chevies depending on what engine I will run. Most likely the tranny will be a 700r4 with a 241 tcase. Engine will either be a TBI 4.3(88-89) or an 89 TBI350..... Interior will be stripped and have a cage and Beard seats with a tube console and Art Carr shifter. The bed will be bobbed in the rear with a spare tire mount as well as a Rubbermaid box for parts and tools. Started onthis cause the floor went in my 82 Jimmy and wanted something smaller to wheel. If I go this route, the front 60 will be cut down on the long side 3". Would probably run 42s on this rig...

#2 - 89 GMC p/u longbed reg cab fully loaded - This has been my on/off daily driver/parts chaser for about 3 years now. Bought it off a friend who originally wnated it back when I was done with it but now he has a new project so I am free to do wiht this as I please. Currently it sits with a healthy 383. Trick Flow heads, Manley Rods, KB Hyperu pistons, comp cam,etc... Comp ratio is a too high and needs the timing retarded to run on pump gas. Thicker head gaskets may help this but I have never found out what pistons(flattop, dished, etc) are in it... Also the truck has a Rossler built 700r4.. Tranny shifts hard. Right now the truck sits on a 4-6" Pro Comp lift with 35" BFG AT's on stock steel rallies. Body needs work(rockers, fenders, cab corners, bed sides) but it is presentable and most rust is hidden behind the flares. If I build this... I'd do an SAS with the 1 tons, leave the front clip and cab mostly stock except for rock sliders and a cage. Would gut the interior except for the dash and run a tube console with Art Carr shifter. The front suspension would be 52" front springs. The rear would keep the 63's but would probably move all the mounts forward to shorten the wheelbase closer to a K5. Not sure what I'd do with the bed. Either bob it front AND rear to match the wheelbase, or truggy it... But I am not fond of truggies with rear leafs and cant afford coilovers. One nice thing about this year of truck is the bellypan is flat from the factory. Would also swap out the drivers drop t-case to a pass drop.. Tires would be 42's or 44's..

And finally..
#3 82 Jimmy "Emmett" - this was my first wheeler. Sold it once and bought it back. Wheeled it from 93-about 2000. Then parked it cause I bought an 86 K5. Has been sitting ever since cause I cant part with it. Has a mind of its own, loves to wheel and has it's own personality. Body is bad on this from sitting. Front wheelwells are shot(would remove them anyhow), needs new front fenders.. Back floor is gone. Needs a new floor from the rear passenger footwell back. If i redid it, I'd use flat sheet steel and some 1" c-channel supports. May taper the rear quarters. The inner quarters are like new. The outers are dented but in good shape. Rockers would be replaced with welded in sliders.. Winshield is busted and part of the roof is peeled back frrom the last wheelin trip. Would get a full cage along with a tube console, Art Carr shifter, Beards, etc.. Engine would either be the 383 from the 89 pickup or an 89TBI 350 with 700r4 and 241. Suspension would be your typical 52" fronts and 63s rear. Tires would be 42's or 44's. Only reason I stopped wheeling this is cause I bought the 86. although when I did wheel it, I thoguht something smaller owuld be nice.

So help me out... Vote and then leave some ocmments if you like.... Gotta get something done as I am tired of being a web wheeler.....

Thanks!






Oh, and dont forget to vote for CK5 on Topsites!!! CLICK HERE TO VOTE

 

[k5freak44]

do the toy with chevy stuff under it. put some swampers on it and tear it up!

i really like beefy toyotas because they are small and can do tight trails, they werent designed like Chevy P/U and Blazers so you can get a good approach angle out of them, and plus you are doing a SAS so you will be able to pretty much choose your angle of approach.

My second choice if i were you to do the P/U, and flatbed it, lot of extra weight in the K5, unless you ditch the topper and all the stuff in the back.

Sounds like you have a real problem on your hands

 

[Emmettology 101]

Ah, I forgot that on the K5... The rear top will be gone. Not sure if I'd chop the front part though..

Sounds like you have a real problem on your hands

Ya thats what I get for accumulating too many toys! LOL

 

[pauly383]

Sell the Toy to buy a trailer , truggy the Jimmy , fix up the longbed and go wheeling

 

[Emmettology 101]

Sell the Toy to buy a trailer , truggy the Jimmy , fix up the longbed and go wheeling

That would be nice, but I probably wouldn't get much for the toy. The engine was sold a while back. So it is basically just parts and a frame. The longbed will get sold if i dont wheel it. Or parted if I used the engine and tranny. I have a Tahoe that I can tow with though!

 

[pauly383]

Build a light truggy then with the Jimmy and sell everything . Towing with a Tohoe ain't perfect , but with a truggy its cool . Marv towed with his .

 

[Emmettology 101]

Present pic of the 82 Jimmy:

 

[Geargrinder]

The toy is at the perfect starting point all ready, and I don't think U could go wrong building it. IMO there is nothing more fun than having all that good Chevy drive train in a small light weight trail rig

 

[JK5]

If you build the toy...following me...is gonna be tough!!!!

You need to ride with me at wellsville...after that...your mind will be made-up!!!

 

[Emmettology 101]

If you build the toy...following me...is gonna be tough!!!!

You need to ride with me at wellsville...after that...your mind will be made-up!!!

With the Toy, I would think following you would be easier since my body wouldn't get in the way as much. (the Toy body, not my gut. ) Although I wouldn't have the 44's.... Any of the ones I build, first trip out to Wellsville, we're ehading up on the rocky hill!!!!!!!!!!! *evil grin* Even if I have to go alone!

 

[Emmettology 101]

Somewhat recent pic of the Toyota:

 

[rcurrier44]

Go with the toy. I was so happy with the performance gain when I went with a hybrid setup years ago that I would never build another fullsize extreme rig again. Nothing saying a full size can't trail ride but being light and compact is a major advantage.

 

[6.2Blazer]

As much as I hate to say it........I would probably build the 'yota. It seems pretty solid and the small body would be nice to have, and as you mentioned it probably wouldn't be worth much stripped down if you sold it. The pickup sounds like you might be able to sell it as-is for reasonable money so I would hate to see it hacked up. I love K5's, but poor Emmet is looking pretty sad nowadays and looks like you might spend a lot of time doing sheetmetal work and other piddly stuff just to make a solid platform to start building from. From my experience it gets old if you have to do a lot of stuff like that before ever getting to the modification phase.

 

[tRustyK5]

Build Emmett...an old warrior like that deserves to live on and wheel again.

Are you going to follow the popular vote from this thread?

rene

 

[JK5]

With the Toy, I would think following you would be easier since my body wouldn't get in the way as much. (the Toy body, not my gut. ) Although I wouldn't have the 44's.... Any of the ones I build, first trip out to Wellsville, we're ehading up on the rocky hill!!!!!!!!!!! *evil grin* Even if I have to go alone!

If you could follow me...it would be a FIRST for a toy...
There was one in Roy's group 2 weeks ago...they're still wondering how I made some of the hills....

LOL....I had 31 gallons of fuel in the truck too!!!!

I think I've proven....Bigger/wider is better at wellsville.

 

[tRustyK5]

As much as I hate to say it........I would probably build the 'yota. It seems pretty solid and the small body would be nice to have, and as you mentioned it probably wouldn't be worth much stripped down if you sold it. The pickup sounds like you might be able to sell it as-is for reasonable money so I would hate to see it hacked up. I love K5's, but poor Emmet is looking pretty sad nowadays and looks like you might spend a lot of time doing sheetmetal work and other piddly stuff just to make a solid platform to start building from. From my experience it gets old if you have to do a lot of stuff like that before ever getting to the modification phase.

OK, lets try and look at this from a perpective quite a few of us share. Mike isn't building something for the competitive Rock Crawling circuit. Like a lot of us here there is some sentiment and attachment involved. Hell, as long as I've known Mike he has always referred to his K5 as "Emmett" and talks about 'him' like a freind would.

Emmett has a history with mike, has wheeled some amazing obstacles and has survived everything...including being sold. Mike did buy him back. IMO Emmett deserves a chance to carry on being mike's wheeling buddy, and definitely deserves to do so with some of the beefy parts Mike has collected over the last few years.

Rene

 

[6.2Blazer]

OK, lets try and look at this from a perpective quite a few of us share. Mike isn't building something for the competitive Rock Crawling circuit. Like a lot of us here there is some sentiment and attachment involved. Hell, as long as I've known Mike he has always referred to his K5 as "Emmett" and talks about 'him' like a freind would.

Emmett has a history with mike, has wheeled some amazing obstacles and has survived everything...including being sold. Mike did buy him back. IMO Emmett deserves a chance to carry on being mike's wheeling buddy, and definitely deserves to do so with some of the beefy parts Mike has collected over the last few years.

Rene

Well, he did ask the question........if the K5 has that much sentimental value than what's the point of this post?

 

[tRustyK5]

The point is Mike can be wishy washy and indecisive...

Deep down i think he wants someone else to decide for him.

Rene

 

[Emmettology 101]

Are you going to follow the popular vote from this thread?

Good question.. It will definately be taken into serious consideration.... When you and Jerry(JK5) saw this I bet you guys smacked your heads and said "not again, I thought he decided already???" LOL

Emmett has a history with mike

Only reason I keep it around is cause I look at it like a friend or son..... Numerous times now I have come close to cutting it up. Cant do it though. Most of my friends cant figure out why I dont just scrap it... Even my neighbor has made some comments, but it is not an eyesore since its somewhat hidden... But again, I just cant seem to part with it... I did have alot of good times wheeling in it and it has taken me alot of places most could not believe... Hell at one rock crawl in Canfield there were 3 k5's there.. My brother in his locked(f/r) 86, my friend Ryan(locked rear open front) with his 78 and myself in Emmett(open f/r). All three k5s had similar lifts and 35's.... Ryan went first and didn't get far. Ended up twist a driveshaft on the rock he was stuck on. My bro went next and made it farther than Ryan but then got stuck about half way through the course. I went next and made it farther than both.... Went through both of the area they got stuck on with ease.. *shrug* Dont know how that happened!

If you could follow me...it would be a FIRST for a toy...

Well I like doing thinkgs to put "awww's" iin peoples mouths! Used to with Emmett. Got the same reactions as you with people not believeing what it could do... And hell, Emmett had open diffs back then! But I think one area where the toy will shine over a K5 is size. It wont be a lot less weight than a K5 but anythign helps. And then the physical size.. The body will fit in places a K5 cant. And in area where body height(ground clearance and overall), the toy would shine... My toy would basically be a rebodied K5 since it would have 1 tons, GM power and a fuel cell int he bed..

6.2 Blazer - Two reasons I have been leaning towards the Toy. How far along it is and the size... Although I could just keep hacking away at the K5. :P But I do see what your saying and it why the Toy is still an option....

 

[Emmettology 101]

Well, he did ask the question........if the K5 has that much sentimental value than what's the point of this post?

The point is Mike can be wishy washy and indecisive...

Rene hit the nail on the head with that comment. I have too much time on my hands. LOL... There are points I liek about all three and am getting a little antsy and want to get something done. Thats about the only reason for the 89 p/u being an option. I will probably just sell it, but it is complete and running so it seems easy....

If I were rich, all three would be complete and ready to wheel. Well maybe just the K5 and the Toy.... There are things I like about both and once I seem to get my mind made up somethign gets me thinking about the other option.. *shrug* It's a curse and I never used to be like this.