Project "It's a Jimmy Thing"

[JJH Jimmy]

After a year of working on this thing i am finally going to start a build thread! After looking for a blazer for 6 months i found this Jimmy in Colorado on craigs list. I went to pick it up and was impressed with the condition for what i paid. Just rust in the typical places like rockers, B-pillar area and the back of the bed on both sides. My avatar picture is when i just picked it up and was on my way home with it. The plan is to be a real nice driver with a 5.3 and 4l60e. Here is where i am at today with it. I fixed all of the rust last summer and have been working on the frame and engine all winter and blasted the body a couple of weeks ago. After i blasted it i dropped it off to my body guy for epoxy primer and to paint the dash and fire wall. I plan on putting raptor liner on the underside of the tub and anywhere there is going to be carpet on the top side this week end. The first picture is when i loaded it up to take it to blast (that sucked by the way). The second picture is when i dropped it off at the painter. The third picture is when i brought it back home and the last picture is where its going to end up.

[JJH Jimmy]

More pictures!

[JJH Jimmy]

More pictures!

[JJH Jimmy]

More Pictures!

[skorpioskorpio]

Looks great, but where's the lead up pics?

[JJH Jimmy]

Originally Posted by skorpioskorpio

Looks great, but where's the lead up pics?

yea, i know. I will post more pictures. I wasn't sure if any one would want to see more of the same old demolition and rust repair pictures.

[skorpioskorpio]

Looks like it's actually pretty far along and you're back filling. Did you make the tank? It looks great.

...and it's not the same old thing, it's a Jimmy, Jimmys are better

[Thealien]

lots of work, looks good.

[JJH Jimmy]

Originally Posted by Thealien

lots of work, looks good.

Yes, it has definitely kept me busy the past year. Thanks!

Here are some pictures of the rust repair on the rear of the bed. After buying a chunk of some rear bed patch material it was obvious that the profile was not even close and the material was a quite a bit thinner i decided to form up my own pieces. It took forever and a lot of wasted material but in the end i am glad i went this route.

[JJH Jimmy]

More rear bed pictures.

[JJH Jimmy]

More of the same.

[Tom Vogel]

You drove from Michigan to Colorado? Thats quite a tow!

[JJH Jimmy]

Originally Posted by Tom Vogel

You drove from Michigan to Colorado? Thats quite a tow!

I searched for one closer but every one i went to look at was too far rusted for what i was willing to tackle. Plus, every one here in the rust belt wanted 3X what i thought they were worth! I got lucky. The guy i bought my Jimmy from was a real good dude and he described it accurately. He sent a ton of pictures. After i agreed to buy it i sent him a paypal deposit and he said he would hold onto it for as long as i needed him to until i could make arrangements to get it. About a week after i sent him the deposit my boss at work told me that we got a job in Colorado and wanted me to run it. Perfect! I elected to drive instead of flying. I ended up leaving to pick it up about 3 weeks from when i made the deposit on it. I spent a week getting the job going and then picked it up on my way back home, so bringing it home didn't cost me a dime! I guess me and this Jimmy were meant for each other.

Here are some pictures of the transfercase rebuild.

[JJH Jimmy]

I blasted and painted the front and rear axles. I also installed a 4" Tough Country EZ ride lift kit.

[JJH Jimmy]

More Pictures.

[JJH Jimmy]

I mounted the transfer case with the advanced adapters NP205 to 4l60e kit. I was told by advanced adapters that they did not make a kit for the 10 spline NP205 and i had to piece it together from several different parts. I ended up having to cut about a half of an inch off of the coupling. After i got the output shaft in the transmission and measured about a thousand times i figured out that the output shaft was going to bottom out on the transfercase input shaft! I called advanced adapters and the guy i talked to this time wondered why i just didn't buy the kit?????? Really? Needless to say advanced adapters tech support really sucks and they are no help what so ever. The so called tech support people do not even know what they sell. Anyways, i used the chunk of the coupling that i cut off as a straight edge to cut an 1/8" off of the transmission output shaft. I am still a little nervous about the VSS signal wheel not being clamped to the shaft perfectly square. Oh well, i will see what happens!

[TonyJohnson]

Nice work. Really smart way to get that shaft cut straight! I need a mentor check... lol. Nobody ever showed me that one. Now I'm realizing it's the way to cut bolts, etc. Now you've got me feeling dumb.

[JJH Jimmy]

Originally Posted by TonyJohnson

Nice work. Really smart way to get that shaft cut straight! I need a mentor check... lol. Nobody ever showed me that one. Now I'm realizing it's the way to cut bolts, etc. Now you've got me feeling dumb.

Thanks! It was the only way that i could come up with to cut the shaft some what straight with out having to take it back out.

[Wasted Income]

Nice build!!

[JJH Jimmy]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

Nice build!!

Thanks! Your blazer build is pretty sweet too. Sorry about the engine. I'm not putting turbos on this one, but i have a 51 5 window that will get them someday. I will be looking for a build thread on your 69.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by JJH Jimmy

Thanks! Your blazer build is pretty sweet too. Sorry about the engine. I'm not putting turbos on this one, but i have a 51 5 window that will get them someday. I will be looking for a build thread on your 69.

Thanks! I'm watching this build for ideas for the '69

[JJH Jimmy]

A few pictures of the fuel lines and fuel pump hanger.

[JJH Jimmy]

I installed a Entropy radiator. I called Tony at Entropy and he built me a standard radiator and changed the inlet and outlet pipes to the ls sizes and installed a steam port connection. I liked the standard radiator over their ls swap radiator for a couple of reasons. I could use standard 2003 truck hoses, the tranny cooler is on the passenger side and it made it easier to route the lines and the radiator cap is not hanging right over the battery. I tapped the water pump for the temperature sender like many have done. I also stole an idea from ls1nova71 on this board and cut the battery tray apart and swapped the sides so it essentially made a mirror image of itself and could be mounted on the drivers side. I still need to fit the inner fender to make sure it clears before i blast and paint it.

[Russell]

I am guessing you must be an industrial instrumentation mechanic? My truck is filled with swagelok stuff too, haha!

[JJH Jimmy]

A little bit of progress. After 2 rolls of masking tape i got the body all masked off for the Raptor Liner. Then the hard part started when i had to scuff up the epoxy primer. My arms felt like jelly after that. I sprayed 2 and a half kits of the liner on outside and i think i pissed my neighbor off because they were having a graduation party when i was spraying with a breeze in their direction. Oh well, i wasn't invited so how was i to know. Haha. I think that it turned pretty good. I just hope it holds up good and doesn't start flaking off in time.