New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Well, I first came to this forum because of the extensive knowledge of first generation K5"s. Now diving into a couple 3rd gen K5"s and hope for the same knowledge base or help to build it. New in the driveway 1991 K5. I do have some work to do on this truck (not a southern truck). I have to do rear floor (at tail gate) and rear floor support, outer and inner rockers both sides, drivers outer floor, body mounts. But here is a pic

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

subscribed welcome

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

You wouldn't guess it needed that much metal work looking at the picture. Congrats on the purchase. What are your plans for it?

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Gut the truck day. 1991 K5 Jimmy under the knife. Gutted the inside, all side panels, seats, carpet, kick panels, center console, glove box, removed nasty running boards, retracted rear window and removed tail gate. And yes there is rust and rot (this was planned for). Next step order body parts, cut and weld in new. FYI this is what salt does to your vehicles and this truck has been heavily undercoated since new. So yes rust from the top side down.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

I'm liking it. Just dig in full bore.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Small update. All body bolts out. Body panels ordered.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

That's a dagone shame right there. I guess you northern guys are completely used to it though. It can be nice again.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Pulled the wheels. New brake pads and rotors up front. New shoes in the rear. Waiting on drums. Welded in patch at passenger kick plate. Removed the broken power mirrors. Have manual stainless ones to install. Wouldn't you know the bolt pattern to mount the mirrors are different. So I will have to drill new holes and fill the old ones. Seat bases were rotten. Ended up buying a complete interior from another k5 just to get the seat bases.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Plan is function. This will be my winter beater. I have a son who will turn 16 this next year, so a slightly imperfect truck for him to learn with is okay.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

I guess you call this progress. New mirrors installed. A couple kick plate patches in (not super pretty but nobody will see this area ever). Cutting out more rot and more rot and more rot. My new friend is air chisel. He makes removal fast and easy. Any body that knows these k5's the rear step area/ back seat is the bad spot. I made the funny rectangle pieces that goes from the cab floor brace to front of the rear bed floor. Install after I get the new floor in. All new floor pans etc are to be here by Wednesday. Tail gate repair started. Cut out the bondo area. Welded in new patches on the top left and right corners. Picture 4 shows a hole. Thats the seat belt mount! more metal going in there later.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

A few more pictures

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Ain't rust fun? ;-)

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Rust sucks! But I am getting it beat down. its nice to have a rust free k5 beside it so I can see what its suppose to look like.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Power mirrors removed and manual mirrors installed.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Tail gate patch welded in place. Some more details to work out on that. Rear tail support- using a spot weld drill bit. Works awesome and fast. More knife cutting and a test fit. No particular order.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Bottom of drivers door metal repaired. This area gets covered with carpet so nothing pretty here. Need some body sealer and paint. first pic was test cut to see how much I needed to cut out.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

At least the frame looks like it is decent!

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

This truck was heavily undercoated since new. All cab supports are like new. Rot is all top down other than the dreaded rear sill support.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Progress tonight! Rear part of the passenger floor pan welded into place.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Some work done tonight. Front passenger floor pan and cab support floor brace replaced.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

More work tonight. Welded in new seat belt patch - thicker metal than the original. Inner and outer rocker in place some more stitching to do but ran out of time.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Been watching your posts and you're a better man than me. That was a parts truck to me.
I bow down to your patients, sir!
Rare truck for sure.
Only made 3026 or so Jimmy in 1991.
Just got a 91 SLX Jimmy myself. Cant stop buying these things!

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Nice work! :metal:

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

That's some high quality tedious work. Good stuff.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Thanks guys. Its my first crack at this kind of work. Sometimes I feel like I am over my head but just have to keep at it. Hope to have it on the road by the end of the weekend- but that wishful thinking.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Looking good! Nice work!

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Nice work! Both of mine need rust repair, not sure if my welding skills are up to it. I'm ok with smaller repairs. How long have you been welding? Never would have guessed this was your first time.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Thanks,
Self taught. Last year I bought a mig, never welded before. Welding thin stuff you learn fast what works and what doesn't. Have done a few projects then this.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Picture of passenger side seat belt area to wheel well and rear floor that is not remanufactured, so I had to make my own. All thicker material than new. This is also the first area to rot out on a 3 gen K5. Driver side is cut out. FYI the small hole in the new floor is to have access to the body mount nut just in case the nut spins or what ever I can replace without a guess cut. I will weld it shut after new body mounts and bolts are in.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Driver side complete with rocker and drivers door now on.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

What diameter wire are you using?

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Wire I am using is .023. About 50 percent of the joints are butt welded.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

I have .030 loaded in mine now, so I need to step it down then.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Yes. Buy some small wire, flip your grooved wheel, and change your contact tip. Then start playing. Once you get the trigger rhythm and timing its fun (until then you just make holes, or no penetration and get frustrated). Last year when I started welding on another project with thin metal I learned real fast. that .030 doesn't work. No matter how far down I turned it. The wire needs to melt before the surrounding metal. None of this is running a bead. All stitched small spot here and there to not get too hot. Fine adjustment on the heat and wire speed make the world of difference. I don't know jack about welders compared to other welders but I am running a Miller 180 with auto set feature. I don't use the auto set for this work as I can fine tune way better than it can.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Awesome. Thank you, that's what I needed to hear.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Rear floor support out. What a nasty thing to get out. Then had to drop the skid and gas tank to get out a body mount. All cleaned up and ready to install the new rear sill.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Rear sill welded in place. You can see in the previous post how far the box sides were hanging down due to the rear support being rotten. Nice and straight now. New rear floor body mount supports welded in place. Frame repair and new shock mount bolt installed (the hole where the rear shock mount bolt attaches was wallowed out from it not being tight). New body mounts installed with new bolts and washers. New rear drums. Getting there.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

This is impressive! Even more so that it looks like your doing it all outside...in Canada! Good work!
Did you have to brace anywhere when you had the rocker and cab support cut out in post 20? That's exactly what I'll be doing next. I totally agree with your sentiments on learning to weld this stuff and making the rear cab corner that isn't produced by anyone. Weird that nobody would make that piece.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Thanks! In post 20 i have floor out, and rocker, I did not have to cut out the the cab support just the square plate thats between the the cab/ body mount and the floor. I did not brace anything as I felt the cab would keep things inline. I guess it did because the doors fit properly and good clearance over the rockers.

Re: New to me 91 Jimmy
 

Looking more like a truck. Floors seam sealed, painted, rust checked, carpet and complete interior installed, new head lamps, grill installed. Need to install tailgate and rear window.