Project: 7-8-7

[bluex]

This is the project thread for my newly acquired 87 K5.

I picked it up with the intentions of swapping all the good parts from my '78 over to. Thats what led me to the name, but I have decided to grant the truck a pardon from its death sentance. Long story short it has lots of rust, but also lots of meaning and memories to me. I was going to let it live on in the blazer, but I think I'll just take my time and build it the way I want.

Anyway on to the pics, this is how it looked after I got it home, and spent 2.5hrs washing it. I had been sitting under a tree for about 2 years I think...





Here are my plans:

I have an 82 swb chassis I was going to use to start a frame off with the '78.
It will be donating its suspension to the K5. I will then set the rails aside to use for the truck....maybe

I will be selling the entire drivetrain and suspension that is currently on it to fund the project. Also the front seats on console. I will be putting later model seats in it (99+) with the jump seat in the middle so the whole family can ride together to car shows etc...

I will probably look for a vortec 350 from a 96-99 truck to replace the engine and convert it to carb. I may "borrow" the engine from the '78 as I want to put a LS based engine in it. I have also had thoughts of using a vortec 4200 I6 like in my wifes trailbazer. Mainly looking to get it running now and possibly selling my 07 and making the blazer a daily.

[bluex]

Progress so far:

I attempted to free up the engine, since the PO said it was running two weeks prior to when I purchased it. I had my doubts there, but for $900, i knew not to exptect much. I was not dissapointed, lol. I had to peel the belts from the pulleys, and as I expected I can not get it to turn over, either with a ratchet, the starter, or both at the same time.

I also found a few problems:

The headlight harness is ripped apart where it crosses under the radiator support.
Turn signal/dimmer switch is broken
Ignition cylinder needs replacing
Rear window not attached to regulator
Tailgate wont open, pass side wont unlatch
Floor cracked around front rear seat bolts, on both sides.
A 2"x2" spot of rust on the dr rocker.
Dr vent window is broken from the bottom hinge
and the normal, it needs all new weatherstripping and door pins, bushings and alignment.

Since I couldnt get it running I started the tear down....

[LiveAnimals]

Still a good deal, looking forward to more progress pics

[tvblazer78]

Very cool, Keep us posted..

[bluex]

Not much progress. I took the headers off it today, but that is all so far this week.

I spent most of today, fixing a leaking tire on my wifes TB, and changing her oil. Then I put the windsheild back in the '78 (cracked it again!), and cleaned and primed the rest of the floor.

I have done research on the engines I mentioned earlier.

4.2L I6 from the TB is out. It apparently has a really finicky computer system that freaks if you try and run it standalone and it dosent see the TCM, BCM or Instrument panel. It takes an atlas specific tranny due to starter location and is front sump and will more than likely need a custom pan to clear the crossmember. (should have know the last two as I have done 9 oil changes now on the wifes )

I would really like to keep the '78 mobile, so I'm leaning to the L31, but cant find any info on converting it to standalone, just premade $500+ harness.....

[bluex]

Well the engine is out!!



I had to pull it with the torque converter attached, as I couldnt get to one of the bolts, and it wouldnt turn over. I used my floor jack, with a jack stand on it to support the tranny as I pulled the engine and it slid right out. Much easier that I thought it would.

I have been lied to again, PO said the stock 305 had been replaced with a 350 from a 92 camaro. Well.....



As you can see that says 5.0! So now I'm wondering if this is the original engine? I'm going to do some checking on the numbers later. Someone has been inside it before, it has a double roller timing chain and a one piece oil pan gasket. But they used the rubber end seals for the intake and one end was pushed out on both the front and rear. Now I know why it is covered in oil!

I did not find any bent push rods or pistion rods. Once I got the pan off I could see the rust up in the cylinders. I soaked everything with WD40, I need to get some bolts tomorrow to put it on my engine stand and then I can finish tearing down the top end and see if I can get it freed up. I also loosened up the rocker arms and spun the cam, so that wasnt holding it. I had someone interested in it if it was a 350, but since it isnt if I can clean it up and get it running, I'll use it instead of buying a engine. I will probably convert it to carb though as there are quite a few broken/melted plugs in the engine harness.

Here is how it sits now:



Hopefully the WD40 will loosen it overnight and I can get it turning. I will probably still tear it down and have it checked. New bearings, rings, oil pump, and timing set at the least.

Also due to what I found in the engine/lighting harness and what little I've seen in the interior, I maybe rewiring this thing too....

[spaseghost]

it sucks people lie to make things seem better. good progress though, keep up the pics and work!

[flamingbig10]

cool project

[tvblazer78]

Sorry about the motor. Looks like you have been working hard on it..

[Jonboy]

It is probably a 305 out of a 92 Camaro. They would look the same, and the Camaro never had a TBI 350 in them. Seems like the Blazers may have started to come with a 350 in 87?

[bluex]

If it was out of a 92 anything it would have centerbolt valve covers, and a roller valvetrain. This one has regular heads and a flat tappet cam. It has been rebuilt, it had a melling HV pump in it too.

I got it all apart, it wouldnt rotate untill I loosened the main bearing caps and then it turned over? I dont see anything major in there, no spun main bearings. I think 4 of the rod bearings were spun and there were 3 broken top rings on the pistions. All the rod bearings were GM parts though? Most of the tangs that hold the bearings in place were gone!



It is a one piece rear main block, but like I said it had a flat tappet cam in it. It has the boss in the lifter valley for the spider to hold the roller lifters in, but I guess someone took all that out? Who knows what happened to it, but I know it needs a rebuild, so I'll probably be boxing everything up and starting on the suspension swap. I can get a complete engine will all accessorys at the local pick and pull for $300. I cant rebuild this one for that.

This casting number comes back as a 88-94 305 with roller cam as far as I can tell.




Progress from here will probably be slow, Back to work tonight and we are going on 50 hrs shortly, so I probably wont have much time for it.

[bluex]

No progress this weekend. Went to the autofair at LMS instead of working on the truck. Saw alot of nice stuff, but everyone knew what it was worth and wasnt budging!!

I managed to get a set of 88-98 (I guess) centers with the new plastic lugs for $20. Then got the 1/2-20 dual thread lugnuts for them for $20 too. Also picked up a set of fendertrim for my 07 for $50.

My buddy got a 350 block for his camaro, and a set of 4 gen seats too.

I ordered a set of energy suspension bushings last night, I guess that counts a progress right???

[bluex]

Been a rough few weeks. All I have gotten done is space made in the garage, and started taking the front end apart on the 2wd frame. All I really have off so far is the engine mount stands on both trucks. I'm trying to see something common between them to help with locating the 2wd crossmember.

So far it looks to me that the holes in the 4wd frame are all in different spots?

Anyone with any tips, please chime in. Otherwise I'm just going to tear them apart and hope for the best.

[tvblazer78]

Originally Posted by bluex

Been a rough few weeks. All I have gotten done is space made in the garage, and started taking the front end apart on the 2wd frame. All I really have off so far is the engine mount stands on both trucks. I'm trying to see something common between them to help with locating the 2wd crossmember.

So far it looks to me that the holes in the 4wd frame are all in different spots?

Anyone with any tips, please chime in. Otherwise I'm just going to tear them apart and hope for the best.

I know some guys that have done this before and hope that will chime in on this.

[tobiahr]

I used this page when i started mine http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/framespecs.html
There are a few common points listed here. I do remember I had to torch out the rivets holding the front spring perch before the measurements began to look right.

[bluex]

tobiahr, thanks for the reply. Thats kinda what I was figuring.

I only have one night off this week, so I'm going to stay on the third shift schedule and thrash on it all night. I hope to the get 2wd stuff off my frame. I wont get to the rivited stuff, since the air hammer at 2 am will piss off the neighbors for sure! Then I can get whats left of the frame out of the garage and start on the blazer.

Picked up another top this week to get the sliding windows, got an extra set of windows too, all for $75. I know you guys like pics, so I'll put them here too incase some of you dont visit the sub/blaz section.




So hopefully I"ll have an actual progress update sometime sunday?

[bluex]

Well I promised progress, and got way more done than I expected.

3 hrs yesterday morning when I got home + 6 hrs tonight =







All that is left to get off are the radiator support mounts and the shackle hangers. I woke my little girl up getting the ball joints loose, so they wernt too happy. Shes 2.5, so that means momma got woke up too. So I decided the air hammer would have to wait. It was rough doing it this way without my nice air tools, but really its the only uninterupted time I could get on it.

Now I have alot of cleaning to do, then I'll start tearing the K5 apart, mock it up and paint everything. I might just shove the rear under there b/c I know its just and R&R and make everything pretty back there later.

[smashingchuck]

Check out this thread:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=168231

[bluex]

Thanks for linking that chuck. I've read that thread about 50 times now.

I had an idea today, tell me what you guys think about this.

The frame I took the suspension from took a pretty good lick on the Dr side sometime in its life. The rail in front where the bumper mounts is tweaked, and there is a pretty good hump in it right in front of where the suspension crossmember was.

So my idea is to cut it off and save the rear part for something (SWB CC?) and basically slice the front into pieces and use it as a template. With the gage holes that tobiahr posted above being the same, I could line those up and have exact placement of the holes?

So, good or bad idea? This frame could probably be fixed, but not unitl its all back togther...

[ghettoluxury]

chop it up. swb crews are awsome

[bluex]

geez, I am slow. I almost got knocked to page 3....

No new progress really. The rivits holding on the hangers and rad supports are beating me down. I need a real air hammer, instead of the cheap $20 harbor freight one.

I did pick up some new seats yesterday for it.



Also got the sliding windows out of the other top, so it can go now. That is it for now. I think I may have the toolbox sold off my '07 for the 10th or so time. If I do I will be getting the air hammer tomorrow!

Oh, I forgot to post that I did order all new MOOG front end parts, the rear spring/shackle ES bushing kit and some KYB shocks for it about three weeks ago. Found the best prices at Amazon of all places. I wasnt in a hurry and used the free shipping and it took its time getting here. Not much to take pics of there though, just boxes...

[bluex]

Well after 2 hrs of air hammering, a little drilling and grinding, the shackle hangers are off!!!



What a PIA....

[bluex]

So I came home this morning to take a nap and I was going to tackle the rad mounts and forward xmember this afternoon.

Well my neighbors are having some kind of party so.....



Got it all off, I'm sure they loved the sound of the compressor and air hammer. But when I got done the music was so loud probably didnt bother them.

Well time for some lunch and family time. Hopefully I can get someone to come by and help me get the frame out. Then I can clean and organize some and the next picture will be of the blazer in the garage, hopefully monday sometime.

[bluex]

Ok, so I havent had the funds or time to get the blazer in the shop. I have done a little work to my '78 to get it going better so I can drive it some. The garage is cleaned out and just waiting for it though. It will more than likely be after the holidays before I get moving on it again.

Anyway thanks to chevy high performance last month I have a new idea on how to locate the front suspension.

I know these things cannot be different between 2 and 4wd.

1. Engine placement in the chassis, I know the mounts are different, but the placement of the engine between the firewall and core support has to be the same.

2. Wheel placement in the fenderwell or axle centerline if you would rather say that.

Knowing this here is my new plan.
I will mark the center of the 4wd engine mounts on the frame rail. I will then use a plumb bob to mark the axle centerline on the floor. I will have to mock up the control arms and spindle back on the crossmember, but using those two references should locate the suspension right where it should be.

I think this will work better than making a template out of the old frame. What do yall think?

[tvblazer78]

Sounds like a plan...