73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Fordeatinz71 on May 19, 2008, 08:01:10 pm
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well, after a lot of hard consideration, i have decided to get rid of my beloved. its not that i don't wanna keep 'er, and not even that i can't AFFORD to keep her...but even when i do everything i wanna do, she just can't carry my whole family legally. so it's time to move on to something bigger and something i think will be better in the longrun. so i'm gonna trade her on a 1978 K-5 Jimmy. it has some rust issues i'll have to take care of...but i wanted to learn body work anyhow. i have pics but i can't post them because i don't have internet access (i'm at work, cardomain is blocked from here...i'll email them to whomever but i can only check internet once or so a day until my service at home is restored.)
mechanically it's in pretty darn good shape, something my truck is beginning to lack. anyhow, here's some background/info on the Jimmy...it is a former Border Patrol truck, mileage is unknown, i'll dig more into that later...it has a new 350 and a Th350 backed by a NP203 with a part-time kit. its running 31" tires that are brand new as well. it has the High Sierra package with tan plaid interior that is in pretty good shape. top doesn't leak. needs a passenger side floorboard, doors and a fender along with a tailgate...those can come in time. no cracks around the steering box, mechanically really sound...owned by a mechanic of 30+ years. has power locks, manual windows, delay wipers, functioning cruise, tilt steering, CD player...gonna make a really good family wheeler...
i'll miss my Sierra, but when i got her i really wanted a K5, just thought she was too good to pass up...and two years later, i have no complaints...i'm gonna miss 'er bad. if i could keep both i would...but i've always wanted a K5 and this way i can cart the whole family around and still have my truck!
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I LOVED all my blazers and miss all of them. You won't regret getting a K5
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yea man, i am pretty excited to get it. i've wanted one since i was 10 or so...probably younger. can i email ya the pics so they can get posted on here VZ? i cant host them at work...
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If you size them correctly, you can upload them from your computer.
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go ahead and email them to me and I'll post them for you
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alright, pics emailed VZ...thanks man. i couldn't resize them here at work and they are too big to be attached...
edit-your email is hidden VZ and i can't remember it if you've posted it before...so i emailed the pics to CaptKaos...i figure either he can email them to ya (if you'd be so kind Capt.) or he can post them...
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Here are the new Blazer pics
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second set
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thanks a lot man! what do ya'll think?
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i really like the looks of that rig :o
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I think you should fix it up nice. Give it a 1-2" boost in the rear to level out the stance a little. Does the hood not close?
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oh the hood shuts fine, he just had it popped there because he had just taken pics of the motor. i'm still on the fence on color (can't decide if i want a dark silver with black racing stripes, a black with silver racing stripes, a bright red with silver racing stripes or a bright blue with silver racing stripes) and i don't know if i wanna keep it true to it's 1978 roots or if i wanna slap an '81-'91 front end on it. i mean, i love the looks of the newer front end (and if i do it i'm gonna update the interior and all, so it looks like a newer rig minus the fuel tank inlet.) but at the same time i kinda wanna keep it original...well, original era...any thoughts?
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I like the looks of the round headlights. I'd almost paint it like the border patrol trucks (except without the border patrol part) and maybe even put a place (if it's legal where you're at) for a rifle or shotgun rack that sits straight up like some of the cop cars have.
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the guy seems to be slowly backing out, and honestly i can't say i'm upset. i love my truck and was going back and forth myself. first off, he keeps putting off doing the trade. then today, even though i told him EVERYTHING wrong with my truck and he already said he wanted it definitely, he started asking me questions i'd already answered, like he was looking for a reason to back out. so in my reply i answered his questions and then told him (nicely) that if he was having second thoughts it was ok because i loved my truck dearly and had actually gone back and forth myself. i also told him to let me know ASAP if he had changed his mind because i didn't wanna pull my 350 out of storage if he wasn't gonna trade me...no reply as of yet...so we'll see what's gonna happen...i'm still willing to trade if he is (i DO want the K5, i have always wanted one, but i really love my truck and really don't wanna part with her) but if he backs out i'm alright with that too...
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That's a shame, that K5 Jimmy looks like its got lots of potential. Guess that the guy needs to decide if he needs a pickup truck with a bed for cargo hauling or not.
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well, if he still decides to go through with it i will, i still haven't heard from him. but honestly, i really love my truck. yes, that K5 has lots of potential...so does my Sierra though. it really bothered me thinking about my Sierra going to someone who wasn't gonna take care of her and she just becoming another rusted out, POS 73-87. with me i know that'll NEVER happen so even if this deal falls through i am totally happy...i can get a K5 later when i'm in a position to keep my Sierra too...
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as some of you know, i was suppose to be trading my 1983 K1500 for a 1978 K5 Jimmy. at first i was all for it although i was sad to see my truck go. time goes on and i thought the guy had backed out, turns out today i find out the guy hadn't, he just was busy. problem is, now i don't know if i can let my truck go. i've had it about 2 years and i'm really attached to it.
here's my problem with trading it, it's an all-original, unmolested truck that has MINOR problems and i'm scared its gonna get neglected instead of being restored. it has two TINY rust holes (one in each cab corner, could easily be welded up and fixed now, and no more rust issue) that i know will spread if not taken care of...this guy has already said he HATES body work, so i'm pretty sure they'll just be left to spread. it kills me to think about a truck as nice as mine getting neglected.
here are the pro's and con's of both vehicles...help me make up my mind...pictures welcome, lol.
my truck:
1983 GMC K1500 Sierra shortbed
305 (350 waiting in garage)
700R4 (needs replaceement)
A/C still works
truck is really clean, has the two minor spots of rust i mentioned
80k original miles
(http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/2297000-2297999/2297253_26_full.jpg)
(http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/2297000-2297999/2297253_27_full.jpg)
the trade:
1978 GMC K5 Jimmy High Sierra
ex-Border Patrol truck
true mileage unknown
350 (newer, runs GREAT)
Th350 (shifts like new)
NP203 (with part-time kit, feels tight)
A/C is there, but doesn't work
needs every bolt-on body panel replaced due to rust (albeit minor on most panels, i just want it to be perfect)
needs passenger floorpan replaced
mechanically it's perfect and the interior is pretty clean too. drives really nice too. the body work doesn't really scare me, i just don't know which way i should go...pics of the Jimmy at the beginning of this post...just posted a few of mine to give you an idea of what i'm giving up...
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I love K5's but I would keep that truck and fix her up.
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Keep your truck dude! If the other one has had many panels etc replaced you dont know whats underneath it hiding!
I'd rather have a clean cab/body and repair the running gear :)
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Won't someone think of the children! Altho, you could keep your pickup and probably pick up a newer SUV fairly cheap because of high gas prices.
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Let it come down to do you ever have to haul anything that requires a bed? Buying a new refrigerator? Hauling a new couch home from the furniture store? Moving and need the bed to haul boxes? I don't think that I will ever be without a truck in my family for these and a lot of other reasons.
That darn bed is just too handy to be without!
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keep the truck, k5's a cheap here(I have found several for $2000-$3000 that are nice) I know where a super clean 78 is for $2500 that needs tires and a few oil leaks fixed. However, a K1500 is $4000 just to start, especially a shortbed. Keep the truck, if you wanna K5, lemme know, I will hook you up.
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Ok heres my 2 cents. For all the work you would have to do to the k5 you could proably have your truck totally finished to your liking and she would be preserved and the money you save get ya a little family ride. Then when you want some man time alone with her ya still got it. Just hate to see someone with your passion for your truck you never forgive yourself for gettig rid of it just ask anyone who has. Good luck in your decision. I've had mine over 20 years and my wife knows when I go put the casket in the bed and dig a big hole.
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I would keep your current vehicle.
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I agree with capt...keep your truck, it looks great to me. Fix the problems you have and enjoy the ol' girl. I could never imagine getting rid of mine, she's a part of the family!
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Definitely, K5s in that condition are easy to come by..$1500 up here will walk away with one in that condition, $1200 for a 2wd..however, a truck in the condition yours is (same as mine) will fetch $3500 easily..mine's 2wd and I've turned down $3000 for it, with a pencil sized rust hole in the drivers cab corner and some scale rust on the passenger door skin. Admittedly, Chopped is a better price reference (I'm 1000+ miles away, hes a few hundred)..
If you need some back seat space, get a camper shell and bolt a seat down in the bed, open the sliding back glass and there ya go :D
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If you need some back seat space, get a camper shell and bolt a seat down in the bed, open the sliding back glass and there ya go :D
well, i would, but i absolutely HATE how camper shells look on trucks...lol
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I'd love to find one for my shortbed for camping..I had one that was on a long bed trailer, with a piece of plywood covering the front 2 feet of open bed space, but the clamps the PO used to attatch the shell to the trailer gave out and the white fiberglass shell went flying off the trailer into a ditch at 65 mph..
I prefer shells over those in bed tents, since you can put the shell on and then put your gear in the bed and not worry about it getting wet if it rains on the way.
IMO, put a camper shell on a shortbed and it looks almost identical to a k5 at 60/60.
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well, if it's the RIGHT style camper shell...with the same style windows it might look OK