1973 k5

[glimmertwin01]

OK its spring in Upstate NY and its time to put together my latest rig. I started out building a 74 K5 last spring and over the summer stumbled into this truck 4" suspension 3 inch body lift. (see pic below) at the time I couldnt buy it due to being up to my neck in the 74. and Im nnot big on Body lifts at all! and this one had indications of the body being tweaked from the lift, to complicate it more the full cage was welded into the truck after it had already been tweaked.. too much for me to want to deal with at the time....

Forward to October and one evening while browing CL for parts for the 74, I stumbled upon the very same truck for sale one catch it was just the tub. and it was cheap! the tub is a restored 73 K5 with NO RUST or ROT! $600. You know i HAD to buy it...
Over the winter I acquired a 82 K5 frame complete with a 305, a SRTA TH700R4 and NP208. this thing is basically solid with a 4" susension lift and the truck body that was removed had a 3" body lift.

Not being the most familiar with the 2nd Gen K5 platform I did realize there were some changes to the floor to accomodate the rear passengers for the 78 model year. the position 2 mounts were relocated outboard of the frame rails and moved forward about 4 inches. upon closer inspection and comparison of the 2 frames... i noticed some other diffferences ill note as I go along...(the 74 K5 frame vs the 82)
Luckily i have access to a rotted out 73 K5 with a good frame. it donated the position 2 body mount cross member. i brought it home....and discovered the frame rails on the 82 had beeen redesigned. at some point had been widened under the cab floor about 5 inches..... I remeasured the tub and believe i should still have room between the torque boxes on the 73 tub to clear the frame (barely).i will just have to lengthen the Position 2 mount to fit in the frame at its proper position 44" behind position 1 mounts.

At this time, there is no hard top for it...the top i had in mind on the donor was damaged over the winter from the 240+ inches of snow we got here... If it is shot the front part is good and will serve as a donor to make a half top like they had on the first gen. If i have to do this ill use the top and window frame area from the top and graft in a pickup cab back window area and build a bulkhead....

I also picked up a vintage factory 74 K5 roll bar for one of the 2 trucks, and a nice set of 35 x12.50 x15 on alluminum 6 lug wheels. the tires should work with the 4" lift according to the rough country website.

To make the job easier i acquired an overhead Gantry crane set up to lift the body to be set on the frame.... and will make removing the hard tops a one person Job...

here are 2 pics of the truck as she sat last summer before i bought the tub
the first is the truck as she sat with the suspension and body lift and the second is the same pic lowered about 3 inches....
i will add more pictures to this build later this week.

[Altec]

Man! I love the '73-'75 Blazers! Keep us updated!

I'm guessing you plan to make the pickup top removable, right?

[glimmertwin01]

more pics.... one is of the donor 73 that i got the position 2 mount out of

[glimmertwin01]

OK time ofr an update the weather has not been cooperating but finally got the frame cleaned and repainted with POR 15 replaced the rear brake lines hung a new tank sapped the 305 with a rebuilt 350 rained the trans and replaced the broken TV cable got my new body bushings kit
set up the gantry crane and ready to lift the body onto the frame..and it poured all day today and a pic of one of the 35's for it
lots of pics to follow

[glimmertwin01]

got the chassis turned around and got the tub out of the garage and turned around all ready to go...then the rain came

[glimmertwin01]

and now the tub as it is as of yesterday..it can be seen in a post above taken last summer before I obtained it

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Sweet looking K5 looks like its going to be a fun project. Keep up the good work can't wait to see it when its all done!

[84SierraClassic]

This is going to be awesome.....keep the picture coming ;D

[glimmertwin01]

got the body on the chassis this evening... i have to fabricate a position 3 bracket to adapt the cross member to fit the frame but should not n\be that tough..
it finally feels like its gonna be done soon now im undecided is i should paint it black or the 74 Red/ crimson... i kinda like the red orange color see Jimmy in pic below

[glimmertwin01]

more pics.. including one of the cross member i have to make a brace for so it will securely support the tub// gotta love the Tiny tires...lol Love the solid original torque boxes

[MikeJones16]

Its looking good man. Keep it up!

[glimmertwin01]

Holiday weekend means no rest for the weary....
replaced the worn broken brake lines with stainless new power steering lines mounted the body down, cleaned up and painted the OE valve covers attached hoses test fitted the front clip (big storm came thru sun night was glad the engine was covered.... test fitted the factory single exhaust pipe.... ( want duals but this will do to test it our and get me to the pipe shop).... installed a tilt column with cruise button from an 80 K10 burb..... ( the factory cruise is all there intact.... its on my honey do list...lol
still to do, remove the roll cage and install the factory Item, drill out tap and replace the front bleeders install the master cyl. Pwr booster, fill and bleed lines obtain an original wire harness for the dash as the one in this one is all cobbed ... install clip radiator and fill with fluids.... oil and plugs. and test fire the beast dial it in and hopefully she'l be set to roll..... pics below on this post with the dinkys on it... the next post.... SS lines finished engine and 35's! and a nice solid torque box including some southern tier mud

[glimmertwin01]

Holiday weekend means no rest for the weary.... pt 2
the next post.... SS lines finished engine and 35's!

[84SierraClassic]

Making some nice progress here. I do love watching accomplishment.

[russgt]

looking good!

[TheWhiteElephant]

nice!

[bmchevy1979]

Looks good looking forward to the progress

[glimmertwin01]

thanks guys... its getting there. installed a factory style exhaust crossover pipe yesterday and much to my disappointment one of the ears split on the manifold..... thank God for a welder..i just said "Piss on it" and welded the new stud to the ear since it hadnt fallen out... not the best thing to do but it worked...
Spent friday in the Bone yard..... scored a wiring harness out of a 77 K5 all intact but the radio portion... the PO had already swapped the 73-76 engine harness out and substituted a 77-80 harness . the guy I got the tub from took the steering column and in the process cut the neutral safety switch wiring and too it.... gotta love those folks....
so along with the harness I got a nice 80 K10 burb column with tilt.. the thing has a welded in full 10 pt roll cage in it so im gonna have to carefully cut the welds and remove it to allow me access to the lleft dash cover screws..
in the process .. i grabbed a nice working but dirty 77 factory tach set up.. (another reason i stayed with the 77-80 harness) cleaned it up polished the lenss it looks good other than needing the needles to be repainted (some are faded)
i got a nice factory dash pad in black to match the interior lil rusty underneath but the vinyl is good just dirty NO cracks... a decent set of "wood" dash inserts for a NON AC truck they are not the "walnut" look but appear close to the 73 door panel "wood" and atleast are NO the nasty 75 style with the light burl appearance.

I installed a OD gear indicator in the IP .

I got and need to install a factory 700R4 wiring harness including the brake switch and vacuum switch out of a dead and busted 83 K20. this harness includes the light set up for the 208 4x4 indicator the IP I have had the "4WHEEL LOCK" indicator..I say "F-it" not going to look for a 4x4 one
i really dont need a light to tell me its in 4WD but its there so use it.... it will just say 4 wheel lock..... who cares...lol

I grabbed and swapped in a set of Amber turn signal lenses and swapped in my 73 head light bezels they are not show quality but are painted the factory black around the head lights ( IMO I think they set off the front end nice!) I want to get everything in the engine compartment finished and the truck wired up before making the permanent installation of the front clip (radiator etc..)

Oh and installed my weather beaten but period correct 73-74 K5 Blazer fender emblems...

the light is at the nd of the tunnel....I hope it isnt a train! Pics to come later...


Installed the power booster/ MC set up... and hooked up and adjusted the shfter linkage so it has P R N OD D 3 2 1...NICE!
I really want to drive this thing..... but i have to be patient...

[TheWhiteElephant]

You got a lot done. I'm a very slow worker, it takes me a long time to see accomplishment. You're almost there.

[JimmyFloyd]

Sounds like great work. Wish I was back up there, as I'd probably be over helping you a lot. I might know a guy with a spare hardtop he just picked up from down here. he's also got a 74 and I believe a 75.

What are you doing with the first gen? Still driving it?

[glimmertwin01]

you know of a full hard top for a 73-75 down in Bingo? I NEED ONE! theres one up here but it needs some repair the hevy snow over the winter beat it up pretty good...

yes Im driving the 72 on rare occasion..it is registered but not inspected since i need to replace the cracked windshild first. you still got my number? hows your burb coming along?

[JimmyFloyd]

There was one for sale down here, but my friend in Auburn bought it for a spare with a couple other parts. Guy still has a 72 Single wall top.

My burb was parted and sold. Still got the K5, but just listed it for sale too. Life's too busy to work on it right now, and I am trying to learn a couple more things to help advance my career at the moment. Hope once that's all done to get back into the trucks. My future wife keeps talking of moving back to Rochester in a couple years as well, so we'll see.

I'll send my friend a message and see what he says on it.

[glimmertwin01]

damn...

[glimmertwin01]

Ok been plugging away at the beast.... removed the welded in roll cage and installed the factory style one... repaired and adjusted the drivers door...they window was touchy and the door wouldnt open from the outside.... "test fit' a 73 door panel. cleaned up and restored the IP from the 77 donor truck and installed the "new" uncut wiring and replaced the brake light switch with the dual purpose switch for the 700R4. I need to borrow and hole saw to provide an opening for the grommet for the 700 wiring pass thru. installed the 208 transfer case shifter and linkage / wiring for the indicator.
test fit my late model high back silverado seats. I scored a decent pair that are graphite .they recline (although the roll bar does impede this) but match the other graphite / charcoal interior pieces. I need to make up "adapters" to fully mount the seats... but for now its good to go. repiared the stuck cables for the heater defrost unit...they work like new!
I hope to have the thing started soon.... all this takes time..but since i want it correct it takes longer..... but it will be done using all factory items. .. i replaced the late 70's turn signals and bezels too...LOL gotta find a better bowtie for the grille. it appears the core support is from a later 70s truck..not all the mounts are present..but its a very clean piece...
Pics below
gotta love flash photos..they make the interior look alot lighter than they really are... and you can see the factory silver under the dash pad i removed..

[glimmertwin01]

i replaced the "stuck" calipers too... discovered the drivers one was froze up and the PO slapped new pad on a bad rotor so now i get to figure out how to disassemble the "auto lock" hubs anyone done this or have instructions to share? how much trouble is it to replace them with a set of manual locks?