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rcfatcat's 78 chevy k5 build

14K views 37 replies 12 participants last post by  SMC 
#1 · (Edited)
well figured id add my up and coming (atleast i consider it that way) k5 build. main goal is to build a decent rock crawler that can still hit the streets now and then. first put the truck together back in my junior year in highschool. started with a 4inch rancho lift and 35's. 350 4spd 205 10 bolt and a 12bolt 4.10 gears. not to bad for not really knowing much back then and trust me im still learning. truck has since been daily driven for two years and then turned into a wheeler since i picked up my 96 f-350 psd. some will say its a sin what the truck looks like now but its been nothing but fun for me. now into the fun stuff. it currently sits on 4in and 38.5 tsl sx's. swapped in 14bbolt for the rear still looking for a 60 for the front. this is a severe budget build as i am a fulltime student in the university of northwestern ohio. i am also the current offroad club president. the truck has been used and abused alot and seen many many jeep trails. plans for the truck are hybrid interior/exo cage, 52/56 spring swap(for now eventually linking it), rear shackle flip, dana 60, shock hoops and relocated shocks, doubler, boatsides, redo half doors, get rid of dovetail in front(not legal back home if this thing ever wants to see the road), will bob the bed down a bit probably between 4 to 6 inches, stretch wheelbase. more ideas to come especially if i keep watching other builds on this site :stirthepot: so here are the pics just so u guys get an idea of the different stages this thing has been through.

the begining(had an 80's front clip)


















and thats it so far this build will be starting this weekend by stripping her down and am planning on starting with the boatsides. and feedback would be great!
 
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#5 ·
actually little bit of a story behind that one. that was a temporary for only one trip i had a chrome air cleaner assembly on the truck at haspin acres in indiana. for those who know the park that place has some sketchy peaple and someone decided they wanted that aircleaner in the middle of the night so i had to take the filter off my powerstroke tow pig to use temporary on the blazer it worked for what it needed to do.
 
#6 ·
the build is goin to start this weekend with a mild teardown. there is some things i need to fix first such as the driverside axle shaft in my 10 bolt that i wiped out last trip and i also spun the splins on the driver side shaft of my 14 bolt. thats the second time its happened on that side to the 14 bolt so im pretty sure the spider gear splines are also shot. in there place i will be dropping in a mini spool. i am also going to be starting my shackle flip for the rear to get rid of the lift blocks. one of my teachers at school has a 5.3l and harness for sale for $500. so im looking into that swap. as far as i know the only issue with bolting up my sm465 to it is that one of the bellhousing bolts needs to be left out. if anyone knows of anything else that is involved please let me know as i am still researching this. more updates to come this weekend.
 
#7 ·
hey looks good as well i was also at unoh for a semester tho i hate that place with a damn passion the whole damn state no offense to anyone who lives there i just like woods not fields and fields.... but im sure u know one of my friends who just graduated with a silver and red jeep camanchee went to high school with him
 
#9 ·
that would be him steevo is good shit he is now an instructor at the tech school we went to for auto back in high school he is going to be long arming it soon i think and he is talking about building a street legal buggy and regestering at a hot rod!!!! would be sick if he could but i dont think nh dot would give him a vin lol

u in unoh for hypo ??
 
#10 ·
yeah im hear for auto/hypo and thinking bout diesel but not sure yet. yeah ive been keeping in touch with him he sent me a vid today of his dad breaking a yoke on the s-10 blazer.

update on the blazer: pulled my shitty half doors off and and pulled both axles apart. spun the splines on the 14 bolt again and completly sheared the axleshaft in the front ten bolt. gonna start tearing down the rear for the shackle flip during the week when time allows. we shall see working full time and going to school at night is a busy schedule. pics up later on
 
#11 ·
Well had some financial issues with school but I.finally got it figured out! Updates on the truck: front axle fixed and still waiting on spider gears for the rear. I mostly completed the dovetail by adding hood and grill as I have decided to stick with it. The hood rightnow is only for practice as it is really beat up. last weekend I started the boatsides by bringing her into work. Each side I took out 6 inch from the top of the rocker. I only have the passenger side partially done and will have both sides completed this weekend. Pics to follow and a more detailed right up on the boatsides
 
#13 ·
heres more on the boatsides. basically i work fulltime and go to school. im currently employed at a welding/fab shop that speciallizes in stainless steel but does work in almost anything. i used the shops 15ton shop crane to support the cab just incase i discovered hidden rust and just didnt want to take the chance of the cab shifting while cutting into both the a and b pilliars.


i then messured out six inches above the rocker. i did not want to relocate my bottom door hinge as i still plan on running doors. i did cut the two bottom bolt holes of the hinge though. after marking evenly along the cab i proceded to cut into her but did leave the farthest inside portion of the cab supports intact and these would later be used to help locate the top box tube of the boatsides.
before cutting


front cut

rear cut


from here i used two large stands to hold the box tube in place and tacked it to the cab supports.

i then messured out for the support tubing that would run from the frame. then i tacked in a piece of angle to make templates with for cutting the box tubing at the proper angles. from here i cut down the box tubing with a cold saw and tacked in place. i only did two due to time constraints but i plan on having four supports total.
here they are tacked in place.

now when i get back too it i will modify the body mount supports on the cab and then finish welding in the next two supports and then finish weld this side. i am going to be tig welding all the visible sheet metal to box tubing connections and mig welding everything else.

gonna continue this sunday and hopefully finish minus the cover plating. still not sure wether to go with just 1/8th plate steel or uhmw? is uhmw worth it for the price? any input and suggestions greatly welcome!
 
#14 ·
looks good so far :)

mines not a chevy, but im going to try and use 12 ga. stainless.
1. i think i can get it free
2. adds a touch of bling. (but not gawdy) at least i hope

since you have access to the stainless, that's what i would go for.
unless you have to pay for it :eek:
 
#22 ·
more updates on the k5 srry for another long pause but due to walking away from my job for personal reasons i have been delayed on working on her but did get some stuff done this weekend!
was able to pic up a new(to me) full manual door and two much nicer front fenders. i cut the door to fit the passenger side boatside and then proceded to mark up the fenders for my second attempt at a dove nose



pic of new fender being bolted on and prepped for the dovenose

here i made a cut only on the curved upper part of the fender and cut out a 1inch wide piece of the support framework on the inside of the fender. i then folded it in towards the rad support and welded everything back together to get this on both sides

i then went and started on the driver side boatsides using the same process as before and only adding in two supports for now till i can obtain more metal. new job is first on the priority list.


look for the completion of the boatsides and a rear shackle flip to be next and i have been toying with the idea of rear 63in springs but we shall see
 
#23 ·
well havent had much to update school has been kicking my ass and i have had loads of stuff to do for the school offroad club. did get a chance to throw the blazer on the rti ramp this weekend to see how she flexes and see what i can do to get more.

did very well wasnt expecting all the flex! and the boatsides really stiffened up the frame and body
more pics


not to bad for stock rear springs and 4in ranchos up front
did allow me to realize some things that need upgraded such as the fact that my front brake lines where acting as limiting straps and my front rad support mounts are shot. but other then that pretty happy
took her out on the school mini playground once or twice


still need knew front hubs and need to plate the boatsides.
more to come this week on some more basic stuff. will be getting ready to twin stick my 205, repair the hubs, and do some steering upgrades.
 
#24 ·
back to pirate.

sorta fallen away from pirate. found alot more usefull info at ck5 and have been just lurking in the background at this site reading builds and random posts. figured it was time to update this thread.
finished up my dovenose by sectioning the hood to try and make it look as factory as possible. i still want this truck to resemble a blazer.
start of the cutting and welding


first start at bondo work and i hate doing it...


finished product of the hood

welded up the 14 bolt

built and engine cage to reduce front end flex. this will be integrated into the interior cage which is soon to come.


pic to show how much the engine cage helped
before (absolutly terrible front end flex)

after (much much better)
 
#25 ·
more poser flex shots not bad for leafs


more recently the truck has gotten alot of attention. first to the list was a long awaited dana 60 swap. found a 79 dana 60 with 4.56's and dually hubs. not many pics where taken during the swap as thats pretty straightforward but here she is under the truck.

the hubs where torn off to be cut and turned down to srw.

still waiting to get those back from my buddy as he has been slowly working on them as time allows.
i liked the idea of a shortened rear top for more bed space so i did this.



the last pic is just the two halves pushed together and a spare tire thrown up there deciding if i would want to make my spare mount like such.
fiberglassing the top back together has been a pain with only periodic access to a heated garage and temps hovering around 25*. fiberglass doesnt like to set up in those conditions


 
#26 ·
did an ord shackle flip with ord zero rate add a leaves

set my zero rates at the 1.5 inch stretch


finished product. nice simple upgrade to do.

had to deal with more rust. the rear tailpan was about gone so that got replaced.

my setup for supporting the rear of the truck (flame on! :flipoff2: )

rust rust rust


new product
 
#27 ·
next was a 2wd steering box.
clean frame no cracks


painted knuckles

bought a crossover arm and cap from a guy here on pirate

installed these are springless design



thats where she is at so far. waiting on funds to order the rest of the parts for my crossover and my hubs should be done by the end of the weekend. flame away!!!:flipoff2:
 
#33 ·
back in action

been a while since ive been on here but i will just cut to the chase and show you what i have been up to.
mid winter scored this from a guy that was looking to get out of 4wheeling. cant beat free!!

its and old warn 8274. everything worked i just had to put new bearings and frictions in the brake assembly.
pic of the mounting assembly i built into my front bumper

then tax season came around so i invested in some fab tools

tig and plasma cutter from eastwood. the two along with the cart and everything u need to weld and cut for just $1300. have used both a couple of times now and im very impressed! very affordable and a well built product.
also picked up a hobart 140 mig welder off of amazon.
so with the new welding tools i picked up 4 of these to start some beadlocks.

more beadlock parts coming in from trail worthy fab

unfortunatly i lost all my in process pics of the beadlocks cause my phone took a dump but here is the finished product

added a ruffstuff 1ton tre steering kit too. shouldnt have to worry bout steering parts for a bit.

all 4 beadlocks done and mounted

went up to rausch for a weekend in march and the truck did good all weekend until i went through a very flexy spot on trail 20. the steering box then decided to leave the frame again:shaking: already had an ord box brace on it too.
spot i lost the box
 
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