82 K5 "Yea this will work" build

[BlueCollarRon]

So I beat the heck out of my 79 GMC for a couple years and decided to build something different. Got ahold of a 75 k5 for $300 with a good runnin motor in it, scrapped out old blue and built the 75.

 

Then I actually looked at how bad the rust was and found an 82 for free in excellent shape. Heres what happened

[BlueCollarRon]

We ended up with 12inches of lift in the front, and around 14 in the rear, moved the front axle 3 inches forward, built longer driveshafts front and rear, cut the perches off the rear axle to adjust pinion angle. lots of work but its getting close! still got 4 feet of snow here in Fairbanks, so I got some time still.  Sittin on brand new 39.5 boggers 18wide 15 rim, and new 12 wide wheels as well.

[BlueCollarRon]

dang I thought there would be at least some interest in this, ive worked my ass off for 4 weekends now.  Its actually a really nice blazer, rust free, straight, and ive got some money into this one. 

[bake74]

     So did you combine the truck and blazers together ?  If so what did you use from each ?

[BlueCollarRon]

my pickup truck was a 79, originaly a 350 4 speed 3/4 ton, had 8inches of lift and 39.5 swampers bias.  drove it for about 2 years and I knew I wanted to change it up this winter my pickup was beat up bad, still did its job until I ripped it apart but beat to heck. 

I ended up payin $300 for a 75 blazer with a motor in it, ended up getting it running and since it was a convertible I wanted my lift under it, so I bolted everything up, then I find out tranny was toast. 

My buddy then told me he knew where 3 mid 80s blazer was sittin that we could probably have for free.  We checked them out and they had less than 80,000 miles original, been parked for 15+ years 290 straight six and 4 speed.  We drug the best one out (of a recycling yard) and proceeded to scrap the 75 out to build the 82.

Started off by gutting nearly everything out of the 82 except the cab off the bed.  Installed the 75 motor (one piece seal 4 bolt 350) with the turbo 400 out of my pickup, off road design engine crossmember went in with all the steering fixes and braces.

We put it all together and got to looking at it, it just wasn't big enough,  so we busted out the torches and got to cutting.  Ended up using a 4x6 box tubing (3/8 I believe) and bolting it inbetween the front hangars and the frame gaining 4 inches of lift.  we then scarfed off the rear hangar mounts and moved them forward about 3 inches to compensate, and longer shackles.  So that gave my 12inches up front, in the rear a buddy of mine had a perfect set of 8in springs we bolted underneath with 3 in blocks and a 4in ord drop hanger.  Also cut and turned the rear perches. 

Another friend hooked it up with a 91 front core support and harness, so that went on.  Needed steering column from the 75 since I needed all the linkage now.  Front axle came from an 85 crew cab (dana 60) and rear axle came from a 76 pickup (14 bolt, Lincoln locked)

I think that covers most of the years for the truck lol.  pulled her back in the shop today, started to do some work but couldn't find the motivation, been workin too many weekends lately.

[Big Katz]

I'm curious about the drive line vibration on that lift. My K5 (which also came from Fairbanks) only has a 4 inch lift and the vibrations at 35 mph drives me nuts!

[winky]

What purpose do the plates you welded on the frame serve?

[BlueCollarRon]

the plates actually bolt under the top frame rails then bent down and are welded only to the 4x6 box.

as for my drive line I clearanced the cv and it will work, maybe only go through 2 a summer. yokes don't touch and has plenty of slip

[gharris79]

I'm curious about the drive line vibration on that lift. My K5 (which also came from Fairbanks) only has a 4 inch lift and the vibrations at 35 mph drives me nuts!

My 1990 K5 had the same vibrations after i lifted it 4". I ended up getting a new driveshaft made which fixed this problem. The guy that made my shaft said that my was was on too much of an angle and made me a shaft similar to the front CV style.