10 year old revival....

[amberkalvin]

Let's start this off by saying I didn't want this k5.... I love k5s and have had a handful of them, but this wasn't one I wanted.

Long story short I ran into a guy that had to move a couple cars, few hundred dollars later I had a 74 nova and a 76 k5. Immediately got them both running and sold the nova for a quick profit. Now onto the k5. I think I'll be Keeping this one.... Don't we always say that though?

Here's why:

The round headlight front clip has grown on me (I've always loved the quad headlights from the 80s). This is a SM465 tranny truck with a 350 and half tons.

Now for this truck, as far gone as it is, I wanted to do it right. I feel that most of the other trucks I've had I've always cared more about what they looked like than drivability. Not this time. I've seen threads like restoring rusty and some other crazy builds and it makes me want to not take shortcuts and do the right thing lol. Anyways, here's how it started. It snowballs kinda fast. This truck sat since 2008 thanks to the fuel prices.

This is the day I picked it up. Didn't run, had it running in about 15 mins with a new battery and some gas.

[amberkalvin]

After deciding that I didn't want to mess around with the Q-jet and since it was barely running but sounded healthy I decided to invest a little money in the right places.

First up the fitech go-efi 400hp.

Man I can't stress so far (I've only just got it running in the last few days and haven't driven it much (needs tires and some other stuff) I love this thing! Whatever I have from here on out, if it has a carb, it won't anymore. So on to some pics



Also decided that 100lb intake had to go, $100 later




But man, that block looks so dirty, so does the engine bay....

[amberkalvin]

Well, let's put it back together...















And this is the engine bay today. I gotta tell you it really was just a few days worth of work and a little money invested. Makes a huge difference. Clean clean clean!

[amberkalvin]

Here's the obligatory before and after shot of the engine bay.

[amberkalvin]

I already have floor pans, inner and outer rocker panels. Any advice on cutting fenders, or cutout fender flares. Or can anyone point me in the direction of a thread that would have good info for rocker/floor replacement?

Few other things I'm working on:
Tail lights, we all know those issues... I've painted the buckets white, this is what they used to look like



And the lenses


Headlight upgrade (out of a 2007 jeep wrangler H13 bulbs I think)





Got a buddy to give me his 80s center console (I like the cup holders better) but I still worked on cleaning mine up.

Before:


After

[amberkalvin]

I also scored the front 2 buckets, the second row, and third row seats from a 2012 Tahoe LTZ? that was totaled for $400.


I'm not sure who's thread this is, please give credit if you know (I found this pic on google a while back I'm sire its on here though) this is what I'm thinking for the 3rd row seats in the back of the k5, and buckets up front.

[amberkalvin]

Just a few other random pics. Body looks terrible I know, the frame is solid though. And I stripped the dash as soon as I got the truck, I just couldn't look at it. So bad.








She's happy to be a Chevy girl...

[68Timber]

Missed this somehow! I love rattle-can resurrections. I'll see if I can find a floor repair thread I'm thinking of. Nice work!

[amberkalvin]

Originally Posted by 68Timber

Missed this somehow! I love rattle-can resurrections. I'll see if I can find a floor repair thread I'm thinking of. Nice work!

Thanks!!


Who doesn't enjoy a budget build right? Thanks for looking, but after asking around I found a body shop to help (a friend of a friend rather, good guy knows what he's talking about) and he decided to tackle the rockers and floors for me. I'd be helping him out too as he needs the work as well.

Would still love to read through that thread though.

[mickeykreg]

nice work! what a transformation of the engine bay!

Any more detail on how you plan to mount the 2012 seats? I've got my eye on a pair of the same seats for my '77. Thinking I'm going to have to make the adapter mount out of DOM tubing.

[amberkalvin]

Originally Posted by mickeykreg

nice work! what a transformation of the engine bay!

Any more detail on how you plan to mount the 2012 seats? I've got my eye on a pair of the same seats for my '77. Thinking I'm going to have to make the adapter mount out of DOM tubing.

Thanks! Its far from perfect but still night and day.

Not sure about the seats, I'm thinking the height is correct so bolting them Down they'll be fine without spacers or anything. Getting the floorpans, inner and outer rockers done in the next couple weeks. I'm waiting for that to start figuring out the new seats.

I'm thinking since they'll bolt almost to the floor I'll figure out where I want em and just make the underside brace tie in with the factory seat bracing. But that may change.

Thanks again guys!

[amberkalvin]

Well I wish I would've taken photos but I went ahead and pulled the whole column apart and I gotta tell you once you do it, its amazing how much of a difference it makes in the feel of the vehicle. I put in all new bearings and ignition gear and bar. it was like a $50 kit, but well worth it and while I was at it threw in a new turn signal switch as well. Now they cancel after turning like they should.

I was kinda afraid of pulling it all apart myself, but now that I've done it, I won't own another vehicle with a sloppy steering column. Wasn't that hard at all and I made the tools to pull the wheel so I didn't have to go rent one. Too easy.

[amberkalvin]

So I am going to try and update this with links to a new flickr account instead of Photobucket..... SMH

IMG_20170413_122708 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170413_122711 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170413_122717 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170413_122723 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170413_122733 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170519_100930 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170519_101008 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_165539 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_165557 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_170408 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_185859 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_194126 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_195446 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_195458 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_200355 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_200408 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_203130 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_203657 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170525_203716 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

I'm no longer using the factory seats so this won't really matter much

IMG_20170525_204600 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170601_193817 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170609_082806 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170609_082813 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170609_082826 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170609_082832 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_091059 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_091800 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_111726 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_114620 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_150350 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_150356 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_174048 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170612_174053 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170613_083707 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170613_091217 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170613_110607 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170613_110614 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170615_183631 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170615_183705 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170616_095609 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170616_135817 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170616_135824 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_163426 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[amberkalvin]

IMG_20170619_164911 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_164916 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_164924 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_164933 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_164942 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[amberkalvin]

IMG_20170619_164953 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_165009 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_165021 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20170619_165027 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[amberkalvin]

IMG_20180118_104254 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180116_193128 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180116_193122 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180116_193116 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180118_104301 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

I put an 80's front bumper on it. I like it. Doesn't fit perfectly but its okay.

IMG_20180121_140920 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

Took a break from floorpans and did some other stuff.

IMG_20180118_104154 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180118_104200 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180118_104224 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180118_104231 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

Still more to do the driver's side.

IMG_20180121_140938 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

Meanwhile I was waiting for my new fenders to get here so I did this. More metal to replace.

IMG_20180121_163742 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180121_163909 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180121_163901 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

And my new fenders arrived.... You get what you pay for I suppose.

IMG_20180123_142931 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_140007 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_140012 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_140017 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_140027 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_140035 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_140815 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180123_142830 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[amberkalvin]

These are the seats that I picked up. Got a great deal locally on CL, all 3 rows out of a Tahoe for $400.



IMG_20170611_212049 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[mickeykreg]

Bummer to see what happened with your fenders. Are you going to file a claim? I did one time with USPS and it was well worth my time.
Nice work rescuing the pics from photobucket. Was probably a ton of work.

[amberkalvin]

Originally Posted by mickeykreg

Bummer to see what happened with your fenders. Are you going to file a claim? I did one time with USPS and it was well worth my time.
Nice work rescuing the pics from photobucket. Was probably a ton of work.

Indeed it was quite a bit of work to get those photos back and up on another site. Well worth it tho, this community is priceless.

I did file a claim with them, not sure if I said, but I bought both fenders for $200 with free shipping, after complaining multiple times they are cutting me back $75. So at least there's that.

Coming from the fenders I had, I'm almost just happy to see all the sheet metal there lol.

[Zook75]

WOW this is a huge project to under take. but looks like your doing it the proper way.

[Ski-me]

Fun to watch but you have a ton of rust repair! But it sure looks like you are taking it on.....straight on! Well done!

Keep the progress coming.

[amberkalvin]

When you're not working on your truck a whole lot, doing a little seems like alot! Barely did any work today on the k5, but I was able to make a 2 hour round trip to pick up some rear leaf springs so I can do the beyond 52 kit from diy4x.com


IMG_20180128_174106 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[amberkalvin]

Little more progress. Slow and steady wins the race right?

IMG_20180201_201325 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

Nevermind my practice beads .... My Tig welder was on the fritz, still is but I'm making due.


IMG_20180201_201947 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

IMG_20180203_194228 by Kalvin Daniels, on Flickr

[68Timber]

Is that new over old? Hard to tell from the pics. I'm a frequent flyer on that slow and steady train.

[amberkalvin]

Originally Posted by 68Timber

Is that new over old? Hard to tell from the pics. I'm a frequent flyer on that slow and steady train.

Definitely not lol. I'm cutting it out and replacing it with fresh sheetmetal. I'll get some more pics up tomorrow of it all cut out and ready for the patches I made. I should've used something slightly thinner than this 16 gauge, but that is what I had so I decided to use it.

Thanks for viewing!