Im New here! some info about my k5!

[DaveFlisK5]

hello everyone! new here, want to get the jist of things. im 15 from connecticut, no permit or liscence, but yet im in love with my 1987 Chevy K5 Blazer.

i have cousins and several friends that know the background of these 80's chevy's trucks and i have a excellent jist of the trucks as well. although i do have a few questions, allow me to let u in on what im working with. may 22 2012, i buy a 1987 k5 off craigslist for $550. it cost me 200$ to get it towed from Quinebaug/Thompson CT to Wallingford CT, it did not have a transmission in it. It came with a Turbo 400 in the bed of the truck with a shot reverse gear, and a practically brand new turbo 350, not installed. may i tell you now, im just beginning to became a hardcore gearhead so i dont have fancy jacks and lifts and that crap. LOL. So i am install a tranny by myself, i wont tell you how because someone will give me grief about how unsafe it was lol . so i go out and purchase a rebuilt turbo 400 from a soon to be friend of mine, for 225$. after getting that installed i probally have 100$ in miscellanious items like fluids etc. this i what my truck has in it.

305 tbi - with tbi spacer and headers.
400 trans
208 tcase.
*im unaware of the type of axles, my cousin said they should be stock ones, who knows!*
6 inch rough country lift
35" discoverers in the front and general grabbers in the back.

the reason it was so cheap is because of the floors and rockers and the normal chevy rust spots. i looked on lmc, classic trucks, all the normal websites and it looks like it going to cost about 400$ - 500 in repair panels . i know i can cut some costs and use sheet metal. but i want it done correctly and as proper as possible. i dont have a welder or a grinder or none of that so i will have to find a new friend to help me weld this stuff. problem is i keep wanting to upgrade other things before i do the floors and end up with no money. i alread replaced the fenders and plan on replaceing the doors. i need a new tailgate because the window channel that holds it to the regulator is rusted and it goes up crooked and the channel gets caught. some a$$hole who had it before me messed up the sunroof so it has 3 lbs of caulk on my roof. my cap is somewhat leaky but that is fixable. i will try to post build pics as i go i have taken pics as i went but will have to figure out how to put them on here. or u can see my pics on facebook. add me, Dave Flis. my truck is my profile picture. i have an album of my trucks history since the night i bought it. let me know what u think!

NIGHT I BOUGHT IT




ME! (its a school night and this was taken at midnight!)



NEXT MORNING!

[DaveFlisK5]

[DaveFlisK5]

old turbo 400 that sh!t the bed

[DaveFlisK5]

[DaveFlisK5]

[DaveFlisK5]

[DaveFlisK5]

ripped out the extremly mint interior and starting rust repair.

[DaveFlisK5]

[DaveFlisK5]

NEW DRIVER FENDER



NEW PASS FENDER



FRONT VIEW



FIXING SOME DENTS, TRYING TO SAVE DRIVER DOOR



CHECK OUT MY AWESOME BONDO JOB!





NEW HOOD







NEED A NEW RADIATOR



FRESHLY PRIMERED

[DaveFlisK5]

HERES SOME RUST SHOTS AFTER I RIPPED OUT THE INTERIOR












YIKES, FLOOR SUPPORTS!

[68Timber]

Nice score! You've got a little work to do on the floor boards, but is there a better place to learn? Find a used welder you can afford and tackle it yourself. I'm guessing you'll be pretty good with it by the time the floors are patched up, and the carpet will cover your learning curve.

[DaveFlisK5]

thanks man! and definetly. i can learn to weld easy because i have all the time in the world. i just cant start anything till i have the money to buy the replacement panels. i dont want things flexing out of place. i would be solid if i can get the driver side stuff done so i can drive it to school and work on it in my home repair class. definetly more pics to come.

[DaveFlisK5]

*UPDATE* MORE RUST PICS










THE 5 LBS OF CAULK THE MORON PUT ON THE SUNROOF -_-

[Ski-me]

Doing great! Be sure you get at least the sides done with solid metal so your seatbelt anchor points are secure. You want to be safe for sure.

Also, check your entire brake system and your u-joints in both drivelines (especially the rear) and front axle shafts. Front axle shafts are a bigger project....definitely, but they get overlooked quite a bit.

Check your front balljoints (upper and lower on both sides) for any slop/movement.

Finally, look at your frame real good around the steering box and check for cracks. If you're lucky, the PO might of done a fix but these K5's are well known to have cracked frames at the steering box.

Keep the pics coming! 87' the first year of fuel injection!

[79 silverado]

If you can get some money together ahead of time two places you need to be at to help you out on that thing, and save some money:

#1 - Ty Rods Swap Meet at Stafford Springs Motor Speedway. It'll be in about 2 more weeks, and it runs all day on Sunday but alot of guys start to pack up and go home by 2-3pm.

#2 - Don Hoenigs Swap Meet in Thompson. That one is basically the last-gasp for the big outdoor meets for the season and I believe its the first weekend in November this year. Runs on both saturday and sunday of the weekend.

Not only can you find guys selling parts off parts trucks and abandoned projects, but, vendors will sell repop parts at swap meet discounts, everything from specials on patch panels and cowl hoods to por 15 kits. Definitely worth the price of admission.

[DaveFlisK5]

thanks man! and most definently! i starting cutting last nite but i need a grinder/cutoff wheel not a jigsaw. i keep breaking them lol. more pics to come for sure!

[DaveFlisK5]

only a little bit. can do anything major untill i get the real tools lol

ITS ALL SOLID JUST MINOR SURFACE RUST, EASILY WIRE BRUSHED OFF AND PAINTABLE

[Roynutts]

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/3245242711.html THIS MAY HELP ?

[DaveFlisK5]

im from connecticut roy

[shade67]

I have redone the floors in a blazer before and you need to start with the mount in the floor behind the seat and the panel the seatbelt mounts to and get the floor and side tied back together. The door opening will need to be checked before doing any welding the support is gone from the floor and rocker and the weight of the body will make the door sag and other than slicing the fresh steel , tweeking back in position and welding.

Also check the rear where the tailgate mounts to. The rear sill rusts out and the body settles then the tailgate drops shattering the rear window!
Wish you luck ! guys here are very helpful!

[DaveFlisK5]

shade, do u have any pics to help guide me? im more of a visuals guy.

[motornut]

hi and welcome you got some work ahead!
may want to have your panels before you cut out
your gona love this when it's done
chances are if it's this rusty you don't have many still around town,making them rare trucks

[DaveFlisK5]

MORE CUTTING!

[Oilbrnr]

Wow. Thank god I live in AZ! I can't even begin to imagine dealing with that kind of carnage.

Good luck!

[DaveFlisK5]

Oh yea your lucky. UPDATE****

bought a new battery for the truck and threw in the bad radiator just to hear it run again. i will be replacing the rad in the next week with either a new one, a used one that works from a buddy, or just get this one fixed. not sure what to do. but even after 2 months of not being started, it fired right up and what a relief to hear it come to life again. i also got a pack of connecters so i can transfer that 3 prong/4 prong transmission kickdown wire to the one flat spade thats on the turbo 400. now i can pass people! i hope. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OR KNOW WHERE I CAN GET REALLY CHEAP PART FOR MY BLAZER! i am gratefull for any advice from anyone. need ideas! let me know!

BACK IN BUSINESS!