Ugly, the 1985 k5 coming back from the dead

[inrustwetrust]

Well, as all of these stories start, I was scrolling the online marketplaces one day when I found an ugly k5 that i fell in love with. Messaged the owners, offered them a trade for the 1992 SCSB 4x4 5 speed I had at the time, but was waiting on the title. By the time I got the title the truck was sold. Bummer.

Flash forward 2+ months later and i see this ugly blazer back on the marketplace, looking for trades only. So i talked to the guy, sent him tons of info about my 92, agreed on a trade + cash deal, and then I took my daily driver to go check out the truck 2 hours away. I get there and the guy seems to be hurting for money.

The transmission is slipping and has no reverse, theres rust everywhere, and the thing is just plain ugly. So I make him a ridiculous (think scrap price) cash offer (even though we had already agreed to trade + cash), and then run to the atm, come back and pay the man and get the title and keys. Came back 4 days later with my other truck loaded to the gills with parts to drive this pig 3 hours back to my shop.
And it didnt miss a beat. The trans held together just long enough to get home and test the 4wd

So this is pretty much where I started, the specs of the truck are as such:

- 85 k5, factory 305 says SPID
- PO claims it has a cam, theres alot of COMP stickers everywhere..
- quadrajet not working properly, at all
- 700r4
- NP208 tcase
- 10 bolt front
- 14 bolt 6 lug SF rear
- 3" body lift
- 17" gmt800 stocks with 33ish tires
- doors off of a late suburban (i think) with power mirrors and windows


Things to fix:
- front driveshaft, ujoints and slip yoke
- rear driveshaft, need to find correct sized bastard ujoint for the 14b SF
- rebuild trans, bad shifting, burnt fluid, and no reverse
- Top is chunked, not worth fixing.
- rear window is broken
- repair and rebuild carb
- figure out specs of the cam
- repair floppy tilt column
- obviously repair alot of rust

And then some fun budget modifications to make this thing fun off road. The goal is to have a winter driver and a rig I can take my dog to all the fun spots with the top off!

Pics are of the day i bought it, and getting it back to the shop

hope you all enjoy the ride!

[inrustwetrust]

So the first order of business was to yank the transmission out. I'll be sorting the carb out while it is at the builder. So last night i finally got some time to go to the shop, and 5 hours later i had the trans out. The output shaft seems to have been modified or messed up, anyone know anything about this? My trans guy says it doesnt really seem to be a big deal. There werent many other issues other than the fubar'ed transfer case linkage and the driveshafts being wasted.

So the rear end is a 14 bolt 6 lug SF, what could this be out of? i need to find a ujoint that will fit my driveshaft and this rear end, anyone have any suggestions on what size i may need or where to find?

Also: i cannot seem to find where the speedometer cable plugs into this transmission, however it has some electrical plug and harness on the trans. Anyone have any ideas here?

Included some pics of the truck at the shop with its companions, ujoint issue at the rear end, the output shaft of the trans, and the gunky trans ready to be hauled off to the rebuilder. Hes going to put in a new HD sun shell, and check the pump and replace all wear parts, and seals.

[RDrancher]

Here's some 14 bolt 6 lug semi floater info: WMS= Wheel Mounting Surface

88-98 3/4T - 65" WMS-WMS
88-98 Z71 - 68" WMS-WMS
88-98 Van - 68" WMS-WMS

There is a conversion joint available form NAPA to go from your stock driveshaft to the 14 bolt yoke. You can probably get it at other stores...I was researching the 14 bolt SF and saw that NAPA has it.

[inrustwetrust]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

Here's some 14 bolt 6 lug semi floater info: WMS= Wheel Mounting Surface

88-98 3/4T - 65" WMS-WMS
88-98 Z71 - 68" WMS-WMS
88-98 Van - 68" WMS-WMS

There is a conversion joint available form NAPA to go from your stock driveshaft to the 14 bolt yoke. You can probably get it at other stores...I was researching the 14 bolt SF and saw that NAPA has it.

Thank you so much RDrancher! this info was very helpful. I measure last night and found it to be 65", so the axle is from a 3/4T. I'm inclined to believe the ujoint should be the same size for all the 88-98 years, no?

[inrustwetrust]

So yesterday was a long day of work!

I found a top on craigslist last week in pretty decent shape for a great price, but it was 2.5 hours away one way. made a deal to meet the guy halfway and pay a little extra for gas. Come the day of the deal he tells me hes busy and if i can come and get the top, I can have it!

So I loaded up the truck and hit the road! 5 hours later I got home with a better top, and a pretty clear back glass i scored for $40!

Got up to the shop as the sun was setting, got all the lights set up and the tools out and got to work. Found some rust in the back of the roof where the top meets up. i'll need to figure out if i can get some patch panels for this.. or if i care

Gonna strip the windows out of the old to and sell them to add some money back into the blazer fund. I'm also thinking I'm gonna get rid of these trashed factory seats so I can pick some GMT800 seats out of a junkyard.

The next thing i really need to figure out is the rear glass mechanism.. I cannot find a switch for it and its DISGUSTING inside.. Anyways here's some pics with the new top and glass!

[Dads79GMC]

That should be fun! Best of luck, should be fun. I've got to have me a Blazer/Jimmy some day; full-topper!! Mike

[inrustwetrust]

well this weekend was a busy one! Finally got a call from my transmission builder, and he told me that my case was cracked in the rear where the snap ring holds the reverse drum on and that the reverse drum was banging around in the case. oops. so he sourced me another case, we were ready to reassemble and i picked the trans and converter up the next day!

In the mean time I managed to secure the correct U-joint for the conversion in the rear, and then discovered the front yoke going into the transmission took the same exact bastard joint as well. weird. got the driveshaft, trans, and transfer case all painted up and ready to go back together.

While all that was drying I managed to replace the inner and outer tie rod ends, as well as the steering damper, and test fit some different wheels since the gmt800 17" steelies were rubbing the tie rod ends on the wheel.

I also scored some fairly straight, rust free power doors with glass and mirrors to cut up into half doors. the guy also had a pretty decent manual tailgate with springs and regulator. got it all for $60!

onto some pics!

[inrustwetrust]

and a few more pics:

truck with new top in the daylight


wheel test fit of some 15x10's I had laying around