Register or Log In To remove these advertisements. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
05-05-2014, 01:48 PM | #1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
hello all! I am new to being a member on this forum but have browsed it for many years. I have always loved the 87 and old GM trucks and SUV's. the lower the better has always been my way and that is exactly where this project will be headed! recently picked up this 78 K5 blazer 2WD for a very good price and I plan to bag and body drop it, put a nice, fresh 350 in with a healthy cam and good sounding exhaust, and drag this thing till the cows come home! lol. hope u all enjoy this build as much as I do. ill be posting progress pics once a week. first goal is running, driving, and laid in time to go to Midwest Drag Fest!
Bringing it to the shop to start the build. I had already removed the fragile parts so they would not get damaged. lol Removing the body Shot from upstairs grabbing more beers lol Getting my freshly built frame jig all lined up under the frame Close friend, Dan, finishing up the rear end securing jig And she's set on the frame jig! Body on the temporary body dolly I built Topper and other random parts my custom made plumb drop for making sure the front crossmember is centered on the frame jig lol |
05-06-2014, 12:40 AM | #2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: la puente so cal
Posts: 51
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Sweet build! Looks like a good solid start. Subscribed
|
05-06-2014, 12:49 AM | #3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 276
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Sweet another blazer build
|
05-06-2014, 10:22 AM | #4 |
78K & 79C Jimmys
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA
Posts: 7,901
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Cool looks nice ,good start
__________________
John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350 |
05-19-2014, 10:33 AM | #5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
well I ended up skipping a weekend of working on this due to other things going on lol. but this last weekend I got quite a bit done. my bags and four link came in and my metal for the new frame. here's some new pics. she's looking more and more like a frame again lol. enjoy!
a lot of learning process here. more than I imagined at first. this is my first body drop ive ever done. before this I bagged an 86 caprice and that was my first bagged project ever lol. lovin this stuff though! cant wait to see finished product. hopefully my next update will include the rear four link, rear bags, and starting on the front bag setup. |
05-19-2014, 01:58 PM | #6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Posts: 41
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Man your gonna have to hustle, dragfest is creeping up fast.
|
05-27-2014, 10:21 AM | #7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
alright folks just a small update. been busy helping other friends with their projects lately. have had time to get a little bit of work done, but hopefully this week I can make some major progress. I don't think ill be able to drive it to drag fest as things look right now, but I may be able to trailer my finished rolling chassis just for fun lol. here's some pics!
got the rear bag plates mounted and support bars in got the front inside gussets secured. I know the angles don't match but I wanted to save a little time by using the same one as the rear. did some cosmetic work on the front stub. overall pic so far. sorry its blurry. ill get a cleaner pic by weeks end lol also made this bag jig from a junk dominator a friend had. this will come in handy for the front bag mounts so I know I have plenty of clearance. also got my fender emblems in! these will be a nice touch once I restore them and color match the insides of the letters to my final exterior paint |
06-09-2014, 10:34 AM | #8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
hey all! finally have time for another update. things are moving along well now. the rear suspension setup is very time consuming lol. but im down to just the rear shocks, then finish welding everything up. hopefully gonna be setting the body back on in the next week or so. really looking forward to that! lol. here's some pics!
got the passenger side parallel bars secured. for the record these digital angle finders are awesome! would recommend using them in any build like this. during the driver side suspension setup drivers side all secured! built the panhard bar from scratch. turned out pretty well! look at those sexy bends figuring out where to mount the shocks. hopefully have that done in the next couple evenings picked these horns up at a local auction over the weekend. just messin around here with them mounted on the front of my frame :P |
06-09-2014, 09:44 PM | #9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: wilmington nc
Posts: 492
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Looks really awesome. I'd never take on this type of fab work till I upgraded my welder and bought a plasma cutter. But had a few questions.
What is that front bracket for the 4 link going to do to your rear interior seats? Not real familiar with blazers. How does inboard bagged trucks differ from outboard? Just doing my 1st bagged truck and curious how it effects handling. |
06-09-2014, 09:49 PM | #10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Thanks man! Outboard bags would give a bit better cornering and less body roll but the main reasons I mounted mine over axle and inboard is because of space. They just work the simplest where they are.
As for the four link mounts, I did some measuring and it's really not going to effect my final plans with the floor. |
06-09-2014, 09:57 PM | #11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: wilmington nc
Posts: 492
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Awesome. Looking forward to your progress.
|
06-11-2014, 09:24 AM | #12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
picked up some much needed parts the other night. since the start of this build I have had many ideas run through my head on how I want the final appearance to be. got very lucky and one guy had all the parts I needed and was very reasonable on prices.
got a good hood that not folded like the mine is lol. both wing vent assemblies since mine are broken. 2 full sets of body trim for the two-tone paint. the trim sets are from regular cab long bed trucks so I will have to make them fit. good chrome front bumper with the bumper guards. idk why I just think those guards look sick on a laid out square body. also picked up this period correct billet style grill. the guy said if I took it off I could just have it lol. I know they aren't anything special but I like seeing custom built vehicles with period correct custom parts. its just a lot kewler to me than buy new off ebay lol. and finally I snagged these door lock topers. I thought the wood was a nice touch and with a little sanding and staining, these will look really nice. my father has a custom wood steering wheel from when he was younger that he is passing on to me and will be in this when its completed picked all this stuff up for $225. I thought that was a very fair price, especially since it was like a one stop shop for everything I needed lol. |
06-14-2014, 11:20 PM | #13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Posts: 557
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Looks like a great start!
__________________
Max Max's bagged 81 81 rcsb bagged, 22s, build in progress 09 ext cab, 24" U2's, DD sub/amp |
06-16-2014, 08:24 AM | #14 |
78K & 79C Jimmys
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA
Posts: 7,901
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
some nice pickens there
__________________
John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350 |
06-16-2014, 12:20 PM | #15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Thanks for the positive comments guys! This weekend was quite the exciting weekend for me! Got the rear suspension all fabbed up and bags in and tested! So pumped lol. Here's some updated pics. Enjoy
Drilling lower shock mounts cutting out lower shock mounts grinding them all to match welding them suckers on! Finally a full mach-up of the rear suspension At long last the frame is cut from the table to begin finish welding and final assembly the mounts for everything look pretty wicked on the rear end lol And now final fit and test of the rear suspension setup. All works great! now just gotta do the front, which should be much easier, them plumb it and start fitting the engine and trans. Here's a pic of what the shop looked like this weekend. My buddy is welding up his front bumper for his demo car, S10 is bagged and v8 swapped, civic SI is bagged lol |
06-16-2014, 08:18 PM | #16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Posts: 557
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Im sure you've thought it all through and have calculated everything needed to feel safe, but I thought I might voice my slight concern, which hopefully you already have an answer to. haha The front mount of the 4 link appears that it will see a lot of rotational force on the top, about the welded point at the bottom. what is your plan for tying the top of that member into the rest of the frame? Otherwise awesome build so far!
__________________
Max Max's bagged 81 81 rcsb bagged, 22s, build in progress 09 ext cab, 24" U2's, DD sub/amp |
06-16-2014, 08:25 PM | #17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ottumwa Iowa
Posts: 8
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Oh yes I know lol. Just haven't added the brace yet. I'll run a bar from the top/inside of the mounts straight back to the frame. Also still need to bend the tops of the mounts down and weld them up so they look nicer.
|
06-17-2014, 01:29 AM | #18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Posts: 557
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Oh nice I figured as much. Keep up the good work!
__________________
Max Max's bagged 81 81 rcsb bagged, 22s, build in progress 09 ext cab, 24" U2's, DD sub/amp |
09-28-2015, 02:09 PM | #19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: alabama
Posts: 2,079
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Updates????
__________________
my 86 c10 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=496829 my 56 3100 build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...09#post5712509 my 95 silverado build: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...35#post5879335 my gray 86 c10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post7624734 |
09-28-2015, 03:36 PM | #20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: la puente so cal
Posts: 51
|
Re: 78 K5 2WD Blazer Laid Out
Doubt it, it's been over a year since he has been online here....
|
Bookmarks |
|
|