Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Nice Husky and congrats on the magazine pic! I ride singletrack up north also but not near as often as I wish I could. Because of that I'm still riding the 20 year-old XR400. Maybe this will be the year I get out more than once or twice...

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

I need to fix/redue my exhaust hangers. I bought some 1/2" solid SS rod that needs to be bent and tig welded on. I might have Johnsons welding on Sprinkle help me out.

Crap...I total missed it in CK. I remembered that you were at the show to. I will give you my copy so you can have more than one. Congrats!!..

Marc

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Thanks! I was on a 05 CRF450 that I used to race motocross and GNCC with. I put it on facebook to sell and sold it in about an hour! I have never been without a dirt bike since i was like 7 so i was itching to find one quick. The Husky is a 2022 350 that i bought used with 4 hours on it. I was thinking it would be a little tamer on the single track but this thing feels like it has the same amount of power and about 50 lbs lighter. If you are ever looking for someone to ride with let me know.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Let me know what you need and i will fab up those hangers for you.

How about I trade you for the magazine that your truck is in?

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Sounds good. I will get a hold of ya. I have the ss round stock just no good way to bend it and I don't tig. I will shoot you a text.

Thank you
Marc

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Oh, BTW you might want to change the name of this build thread. After looking it over closer this past weekend, there is NOTHING budget about it. Maybe change it to High budget build. This thing has so many great details everywhere you look.

Marc

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

A little update. The short version…… USA1 sucks. I waited 16 months for door panels and visors that I was told were 12 - 16 weeks out when I ordered them in 2021 and when I questioned them on when I would see them and reminded them that every eta date they had given me was not met they cancelled my order! Oh well they can suck it. Last fall I found a nice blue set in a local junk yard and gave $18.00 for them. So I dyed them and got them installed. The original panels that were in the truck that I dyed looked good from a distance but they were cracked in multiple spots that I epoxied back together and didn’t have any texture where your arm rest.

Also, the weather was nice so I drove the K20 to work last week and got 8 miles in and the radio started acting up again. Ugh! So I definitely think now that there is something wrong with it and it is not the install. I have a couple original radios I may send one of those in for a Bluetooth conversion.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Looks great per usual Josh. Yeah you were spotted (by Nick) out and about.
I have been using mine quite at bit for errands and parts runs....so much fun.

We need to hook up soon and hit up a CnC or cruise night. The first part of May they really kick off.

Marc

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Thanks Marc! Gotta get these things out when the sun is shining because you don’t know when it is going to snow again!

Let me know on the cruise nights. I am down. Was thinking of going to the Denooyer show next week end.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Such a nice job on this rig and it's cool to see that you're enjoying it. I forgot about that slick winch mount, looks cool.

Got me all excited about that brown truck. It was so easy for someone to clean it up and take care of it.

Cleaned up OEM door panels look great!

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Thank you!

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

So after driving this thing for a couple summers now I love everything but the transmission. The turbo 400 with 4:10 gears leaves a lot to be desired when trying to keep up with traffic on the highway. It may have been fine in 1985 but in 2023 with 75 mph speed limits I am afraid I will get run over out there. It sucks because I sunk a bunch of money in it to get it built.

The plan this winter is to swap in a 4l80e. I picked up this beauty on market place for $200 and dropped it off to my trans guy for full rebuild and picked it back up this morning. I plan on getting a Hughes 2500 stall lock up converter and the Edelbrock proflo trans controller.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

I also picked this up a couple weeks ago because it was a deal to good to pass up. I have always liked the 2 door GMT blazer/Yukons. I actually bought it off a car lot near me. It spent its entire life in Southern California and was bought by the dealership off of eBay. It is cleaner than my 2021 duramax and not even a hint of rust. The owner of the lot sold it to me so cheap because they said the rear main was leaking bad. But I had a feeling it was the oil filter adapter gasket failure and it was. The only problem with it is the clear coat is starting to peel. I’m not sure what is am going to do with it yet. But I have been driving it every day!

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Are you planning on using the same T-case with your 4L80? '85 so is that a 208?

Nice two door GMT Blazer. Rare in these parts as you know so keep it clean and it will only appreciate!

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Yea, going to use the 208. I had my trans guy put a 2wd tone wheel on the 4x4 output shaft. I think the proflo trans controller has tuning so it will know when it is in 4lo? there is not much info on it. I have asked questions on the Edelbrock forum and called the tech support line neither provided me with any answers. Back up plan is to use a Speedo cable inline sing al generator.

Yea, you don’t see nice ones in these parts anymore.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Having an overdrive will be a game changer for sure.

2-doors are getting harder to come by. I've got an eye out for a Yukon to add to my fleet.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Love it! Reminds me of the one I had bought new, 1999. It was a Blue Sport. Sold it to a friend of mine, which he still has it. Just lives down the road from me. He still drives it, but has some rust. It’s not as nice as the one you just picked up! Great find. :metal:

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

It will be nice to cruise down the highway at a decent rpm.

Yea, you don’t see many in good shape in this area. I have actually been looking for one for a while.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

I like the blue! I have had a bunch of 4x4 GMT400’s growing up and love the style. They are still relatively easy to work on with all of the comforts of a newer vehicle.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Had some time today so I got the 400 out and the 4l80e in. Of course that was the easy part. Still need to get rear drive shaft shortened, front drive shaft lengthened, wiring installed, modify shift linkage, modify transfer case linkage and modify the exhaust.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

4l80e swap complete! However, it fought me but I won.

The first problem I had was when I tried to tune it using the setup wizard in the Edelbrock app it wouldn’t get past the gear indicator test meaning I was t recognizing me shifting through the gears. I knew it something to do with the pressure switches after a few tests with my ohm meter. So fluid drained back out, front drive shaft back off, crossmember removed, drop pan and I found the my trans builder forgot to plug in the switches. Ugh! What else did he forget? So back together it went.

Next problem - on the first road test I couldn’t get it to lock up the torque converter. After many calls with clueless edelbrock tech support. I was ready to scrap the edelbrock trans controller and go with a different unit. Ironically the only review on Summit mentioned this problem and a 1 star review. So I started researching trans controllers that were canbus enabled as come across compushift. The more I researched i was convinced they must be building them for edelbrock. So I called their tech support and the first question he asked me if it was a 4x4 and was the transfer case wire ran. And I told him it was. He told me to disconnect it because I do not need it and the 208transfer case won’t send the correct signal for it. Problem solved! The funny thing is is that I called edelbrock before I bought this and asked them what type of signal was the transfer case supposed to send and they couldn’t give me an answer. Long story short if you need tech support don’t call edelbrock.

The 4l80e makes this thing a dream to drive. It shifts nice and smooth cruising but when you stomp on it it will just about break the tires loose when it shifts. And 2300 rpm when going down the highway going 70 ain’t bad either!

Not many pictures from the install but this is what I got.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Nice work and thanks for sharing the info on the transmission controller. I sacrificed over drive for the reliability of a TH400 after my 700r4 blew up. Have contemplated a 4l80 ever since. I have a np208 transfer case as well.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Impressive work as always. Since it seems your budget build is in its final stages, when does the no expense spared build start? LOL

Love the truck, and great build. Very impressive.

Sidenote, I'm guessing you're still riding single track so if you're interested in riding with a buddy of mine and I once the weather breaks PM me. He's on the west side up by the dunes and rides all the time (retired) and I still work so rarely ride but got the XR400 out and got it running this winter so ready to go once mud season is over.

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

I hated to do it since I sunk a ton of money in the 400 to make sure it was bullet proof. But at the end of the day I built this truck to be my daily in the summer and I found myself not driving it if I was going to be on the highway for an extended period. On a good note I am trading the 400 to the guy that built it for a long block ls3. Apparently good 400’s are getting harder to come by. I say go for the 4l80e. You will love it. I will help you from afar answering any questions you might have.

I appreciate the compliments! Yea, this build went way farther than I planned on but I wanted to make sure there were no regrets. Next up is my Jimmy. It has been on the road for 9 years and is in need of a little freshening up in a couple areas.

Yea, still riding single track. I been doing a couple small projects on my bike this winter as well. I added a headlight and taillight just in case I am on an atv trail to try and prevent me from eating a grill on a side by side. I also put on a gummy rear tire, mousse bibs and a Rekluse clutch. When the weather breaks I will shoot you a message and maybe we can meet up.

As for that no expense spared build. It will be my 51 3100 five window. It will get a ls3, 4l80e and bagged with all natural patina. Hopefully starting fall of 2024!

Re: Budget Build 1985 K20
 

Talk about a project that is never done! I couldn’t keep the 4l80e in what I would consider a safe temperature. It would get to 220 degrees in short trips when the ambient air was 60 degrees and I was afraid what it might get to in the middle of summer running the ac in traffic. I just had it hooked up to the trans cooler in the champion radiator. So I ended up getting the biggest Derale stacked plate cooler I thought I could fit and just using it instead of going through the radiator. Had to build some brackets to get it bolted to the core support. I took it for a drive this afternoon and temps were about 150 degrees. Success!