Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

I bought a used tank from 1rippen solely for the purpose of the using the filler neck. I then got a new steel tank and the Radiator shop I use lined in and swapped the neck for me. I painted it GM OEM gunmetal Gray..

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

That was an excellent way to go - tank looks great.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Tank turned out fantastic Mike...it'll pair well with that immaculate frame.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks, Pete and Brad.. Glad I finally came to a resolution with the tank.. Lets hope it actually fits

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

The new tank looks great. What was the finish on it before you painted it?

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks TJ. I liked the way color came out on it. It was raw steel. I ordered through Brothers Trucks.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Hey Mike, when you ran your new brake and fuel lines did you have all the frame x-members in or did you put the lines in first and then all the x-members ?

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

I had all the X-Members in prior to installing the lines. I'm not sure if it matters, but one thing I might be worried about if I installed the lines first is if I accidentally bashed or smashed a line trying to get the X-members in... The Fuel and Brake line run a long the top/bottom of the Transmission X-member if that makes sense.

Check out my pictures before I tore it all down. This is a link to my drop box account with about 41 photos. I made annotation marks what line was what to help make it easier for any to use as reference.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wtwaauas8...Uy2NjZQQa?dl=0

Here are after pics
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hayh08lia...U1vrvpX2a?dl=0

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Your build is looking Great! Awesome detail in the pics. This will help me out alot when putting mine back together.
Eric

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks Eric.
I'm not sure if this is 100% correct as it came from the factory. I used my old pics to reference putting it all back together. I think 72's might also have a slight difference with the rear brake line compared to the 69-71 models. Plus Jimmy's might be different, too so you might want to look into that. Before you make your final orders/purchases make sure you do just that little extra home work before finalizing your orders so you don't piss any money away.. Ask me how I know lol

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Mike, one more question on your fuel tank neck swap. I took my new and old tank to the repair shop to swap necks as you did. The tank is probably from the same manufacturer as yours. It was a galvanized metal. Around the neck area where they had fastened it they had sprayed some grey paint on it.
I guess the new tank has the neck Brazed on where as the originals are just Soldered. The tank shop says they will have to heat the new tank around the braze fairly hot to remove it and are worried about warping. Is this how your tank removed the new neck, just by heating it up to remove the braze? Was there any issues with yours?
Thanks for any insight.

BTW, I followed your steps for fastening the front ball joints and knuckles. All good first time around. Thanks very much.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

The guy said he cut the old neck out with a small cutting wheel and same with the new one and then soldered it on the new tank. He didn't have to heat anything up. Then he sealed and lined the tank. Mine didn't have any gray pant on it. The entire tank was raw steel galvanized metal.

Where did you get your tank from?

Glad to hear the ball joint sequenced worked the first time you did it. I wish I could say the same

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

I got mine from Wes at Classic Heartbeat. Sounds like you had the neck cut off and swapped at the base as opposed to unbolting and removing the entire base. Might be the way to go.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

I'll ask him tomorrow if he cut it off at the base to confirm and I'm sure he did because the bolts wouldn't have looked new.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks, I'd appreciate knowing.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Made some more progress last weekend.
Installed the gas tank.. jeez that thing was PIA just figuring out what parts I needed and costly, too

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Looking good! I'll send mine out to you when you're done. Can you weld?

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks! I'm a one man shop.. so It might take a while. I just started welding and here's my first go at it ( don't laugh to hard) :lol:

The Passenger side inner fender was rotted pretty bad at the front.. It's literally impossible to find a used replacement in good shape. I bought a driver side and cut the front lip out to replace the front lip on my original one. The caveat is you just cant simply do a straight line cut and swap it because the outer edges and holes are not the same. You have to cut those off, too. Then weld them on the opposite side of replacement piece. You also have to plu he center hole and then drill a new hole about 1/2" to the right in order for it to line up. I don't know if any of this make sense to you, but I can tell you it's very time consuming.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Once you grind it down, no one will know. Great work on your build, glad you got past the fuel tank fiasco

Nice KTM

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Jaros44sr is right. It'll be fine once it's ground clean. Use a hard disc to knock off the high points and a sanding disc to smooth it out.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Am I missing something here?? The bottom of Transmission Tail shaft has two threaded holes.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Nope, you're all good. That's where the mount would be if it was in a 2wd.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Installed the engine yesterday. My dad's friend who is a mechanic came over to oversee and make sure I didn't screw anything up..We got the engine installed in less than 2 hours.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

more pics

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

AND THEN


Wait For it


Wait for it


:censored:

The pass side header is just barely touching the shackle.. I'll have to see if my original shackles are not as thick as the ORD ones. Would anyone know if a muffler shop could bend the header just enough to clear the shackle?


Attachment 1395123

Attachment 1395124

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

#1 - Motor looks bad a$$ :)

#2 - Bummer about the header :(

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Mike...that looks awesome. I hope you're gonna install 6-point harnesses, because that thing looks like it's screaming just sitting there cold. Great job!!:burnout:

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Tough break on the header touching. That's why I hate headers so much. The drive train looks fantastic though. I think your quality blows mine away. ;)

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks guys.. I'm happy with the look of the motor and all, but the headers are killing me and putting me behind schedule.. I need to have everything back together before we're ready to put the body back on the frame which is in about 6 weeks.

I can almost guarantee these headers are for 2wd only, even though it says 2wd and 4wd right here - http://www.dougthorley.com/prod-9.htm

When I ordered them I thought these were for 4WD specific. If I had read that it said 2wd or 4wd I think I would have held off and not pulled the trigger so quick.

I'm going to call them on Monday to find a resolution to this because A. I didn't modify my engine or transmission or height of the truck. It's all stock.

If they would just angle the end of the tube a 1/4" to the left it would be fine, but I guess that's to much for them to understand.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Other option I was thinking is cutting about 1-2" off the end of the collector and welding a new collector piece on there to make it clear

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks Brad. I'm thinking I might just bolt some seats to the frame and take her for spin:lol:

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

The attention to detail is a lot easier when you have something nice to start with. I couldn't even wrap my head around what you're doing. Your build is like stuff I watch on TV

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

That engine looks sweet! Nice job!

It sucks about the headers but, I would take them off and put them in a pipe chain vise with rags around where the chain will go to prevent any marking. Then widdle down a 2x4 so it will go in the collector end and tweak them just enough to clear. It won't take much to get them to move. Don't try bending them while bolted to the engine! You could possibly warp the flange.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

If cutting and welding is an option, you could slit the inside about 3/4 the way through in two or three places about an inch apart and weld it bac up to put kind of a natural curve into the collector.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

I ran in the same issue when I tried to fit up both Dougs and Doug Thorleys. I ended up returning both sets to Slummit Racing (love their return policy). In the end I bought a set of Stan's. They fit great on my mock up but that was with stock shackles also. I too am running the ORD shackles, it will be interesting to see how mine fit. I bought the Stans purposely bare in case I needed to make a small tweak and then get them ceramic coated locally. I will say that overall the Stans were the highest quality but also a little more $$.
My set up is a little different that I had to move my engine 1-7/8" forward to allow for the NV4500 tranny.

You've done such an amazing job detailing out this chassis I'm not sure how you could tweak the header without disturbing the ceramic coating.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

I talked to Doug Thorely this morning and we went through the pictures I sent over. He thinks it's the aftermarket Shackle being to thick but I told him even with the sock shackle the nut on the bolt will still interfere.. He's going to send the pics off to the engineers (or lack there of) lol and see what they come back with. I asked him " why wouldn't;t they just have the end of the collector tube bent a 1/4" inwards" he laughed and said that would require logic.

The guy I was talking with suggested I put in a temporarily spacer and mount the rest of the exhaust system to force the header tube to bend inwards to give it the clearance I need.

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Ran into another problem, but this is 100% my fault and nobody else to blame but myself.

When I ordered the engine, I inaccurately measured the distance between the engine block to the end of the water pump. I ordered my engine to come with a long style pump and I needed a short style.. The Water pump pully and the crankcase pully need to be replaced, too.. I'm sure making a habit out of pissing $$$$ away.

I do have my old pullys and I was thinking of maybe just having those anodized locally but that would probably cost more than new aluminum spectre's like the one's on there now.

I also noticed the Crankcase pully on my old engine is a 4 groove (2+2 style) Do I need a 4 groove pully to run AC or can I use a 3 Groove?

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Mike PM sent - looks like I was mistaken and it's an extra groove on the WP pulley rather than the crank for AIR system. Does this pic help?

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

Thanks, Pete. This is helpful, but I'm curious to where the AC Compressor pulley bolts too and what brackets are used

Re: Attempting my first build 72 K5
 

This thread has pics that may help as regards the AC brackets: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=326242

Can supplement with pics from my Blazer later in week when I return