My build is going to be mainly a really solid street truck/DD with a little more mechanical function, and a LOT more electronic function.
I bought the K5 because it was the one thing on the car lot that jumped out at me. My Camry died, and I needed a vehicle IMMEDIATELY.
Needless to say, I loved it, and still do. I started reading 4x4 mags and CK5 because that's the only place I could get info on the K5. I'd ridden shotgun on a wheeling trip or two, but wasn't really "bitten" by the bug.
My plans are to fix the little rust spots, and pimp out the interior. It'll won't be "blinged" out, but there will be a lot more gadgetry than GM ever put into a truck built before the late 90's...
It will eventually have:
- Entertainment (radio/CD/DVD/computer with LCD touchscreen) relocated to a custom console
- Factory heat/AC replaced with a modern Vintage Air unit, with electronic controls, again mounted in the console
- New 360° swivel vents for the dash, for the new AC/Heat setup, with the "twist" feature to turn them off (like an airliner has above your head!
)
- Custom dash panel (Ryoken or otherwise) housing some nice Autometer gauges
- Manual locks and windows converted to power
- Possibly a more modern steering wheel with wireless controls for the various electronic functions
- Bedliner'd interior, but with some rubber mats over that (I just like that idea... get the mats dirty, but you can still hose it out if it gets really dirty)
- Dash pad to be stripped, have the holes welded in, then Bedliner'd. (it'll resist cracking and look sweet)
- Modern seating... Possibly take-outs from a newer truck or something aftermarket. Either way, they're be powered and have built-in ass-warmers.

- Other cool electronics gadgetry, like DRL's, timed auto-fading interior lighting, just better interior lighting in general...
I've been in on the movement to bring back the "half cab/pickup" conversion kits for Blazers. I want one of those, and one thing I want is a permanent wall/bulkhead behind the rear seats to keep cargo from sliding forward, as well as interface with the half cab kit. I will NOT be running a back seat.
Mechanically speaking, it won't be that extensively modified...
- "Small" cam for the best low-end torque and fuel economy (still considering a custom-built 292 inline-6 conversion though)
- 700R4 with the constant-pressure valve body from TCI
- 14BSF rear, but I'll keep the 10-bolt front end (no need for 1-tons). This would just give me a little more reliability as well as make me feel comfortable pulling a camper or equipment/moving trailer (I am in a band, so being able to move lots of equipment is important)
- Likely an EFI setup at some point... for reliability and driveability
- Rear disc brakes
Other mods/updates will include:
- LED taillights
- Headlight conversion using relays to get full power to the bulbs
- Possible replacement/re-engineering of rust-prone areas to keep it from happening again
- Bedliner'd underside of tub to seal it, and aid in cleaning
There are other mods I've thought about, but I'm kind of drawing a blank. I actually draw most of my inspiration from the street rod crowd than I do the 4-wheeler crowd.
You may wonder... Why? Well, it's simple. The K5 is
PAID FOR!!!!! I bought the K5 because I liked it, not because I wanted to take it off road.
I don't want another car payment--EVER. I know that many of the modern amenities found in late-model cars and trucks can be retrofitted via aftermarket suppliers (digital climate control, etc...). I'm updating the truck to give myself some of those features. Hopefully, that'll ward off the desire to buy something else.
