1972 K5 4x4 modified build

[k51972blazer]

Looks awesome, I agree the gray / orange combo is great looking. Keep up the progress you be driving in no time.

[Tom Vogel]

Man oh man!

[67Steven]

Thanks for the compliments! I am very close to driving. I will update with more pictures of my progress today.

[DeadheadNM]

Fantastic build - I wish I had your skills! One thing to consider, GM painted the upper part of the dash between the windshield and the dash pad in a flat color to reduce glare on the windshield. For an orange truck this would be black or I guess saddle depending on interior color but none were left orange. I did the same on my orange K20 build, which has a parchment interior and a black dash.

[boonedogs72]

Wow nice build!

[67swb72klb]

mad fab skills!!

[mx289]

Very nice.You got some skills.!

[mud.man.rj]

Man that is a beauty, did you do all that when I slept last night, I wonder if you work 24 hours a day.

[67Steven]

Thank you, thank you! This is my first project, so I learn as I go. And no, I am not working 24/7 on this. This is more of a recap of my past work. I just never made time to sit down and post. But I have a cold, we have 7" of snow and ice on the ground, so I have time now. I am nearly done, just have a few more small items to address.

On to the pictures:

I got some help, manually lifted and put the body and cage in. It started raining right when we got done:



Tailgate and roll pan going on. I had planned on using the original rubber items, but new was pretty inexpensive:


I put the dash pad on, bolted the glove box door on (yes, it clears the cage) and started the wiring. I had a large chunk of aluminum left over from another project, so I turned a couple of billet cup holders for the console. I had rough cut them for mock up, but finished them now:



I had a buddy give me a load of ¼” stainless button head bolts so I am trying to use them up:

[67Steven]

I installed the new sport mirrors and the window regulators on the doors and then hung them. I then taped off the tops to install the glass:



I got the Danhard heater tucked into position:


Then it was onto wiring. I love wiring; this is probably my favorite job. It can be tedious sometimes, though:


I looked for a decent dash panel to run the Autometer gauges I bought, but I decided to build my own. So I took some .125” aluminum and cut it out in the shape of the original, then welded a flat strap on the outside to get the original face angle and standoff.

The back wired up:


The front. I like the Sport Comp II; if you squint, it looks like the Chevy bowtie symbol:


Here is where my project went askew. If you look under the console, you can see the placement of the ECM. I had purchased a new wiring harness from PSI which allowed me to put the ECM inside the tub:

[67Steven]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Fantastic build - I wish I had your skills! One thing to consider, GM painted the upper part of the dash between the windshield and the dash pad in a flat color to reduce glare on the windshield. For an orange truck this would be black or I guess saddle depending on interior color but none were left orange. I did the same on my orange K20 build, which has a parchment interior and a black dash.

Thanks! I do wish I knew to paint the dash black when I had it on the rotisserie, it would have made it a lot easier. I now need to figure out how to paint it where it's at.

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by 67Steven

Thanks! I do wish I knew to paint the dash black when I had it on the rotisserie, it would have made it a lot easier. I now need to figure out how to paint it where it's at.

You bet! I suspect in the long run you'll be glad you did and it's a nice OEM detail (and practical) that often seems to get overlooked. Have pics of mine in the link on my my signature below.

[67Steven]

Well, I tried and tried to start it, but it would just backfire. After going round and round with PSI, I decided to use the original harness, which is what I should have done in the first place.

Since the harness is from an H2 Hummer, the ECM needed to be mounted in the engine bay. So I bent up a new one to sit on the driver’s inner fender:



I took pics of the wiring I was extending so I wouldn’t screw it up:



I then extended the wiring for the fuses into the tub and mounted it above the throttle pedal:


I was ready to start it, but I read I should clean the injectors, so I did. This is what came out of the fuel rail when I took it apart. And it STUNK. I still don’t know what it was:


Put it back together and it fired right off! I was pumped.

Here is the ECM mount in the bay:

[67Steven]

Next I needed to build a battery box for the firewall, as the air cleaner was taking the normal battery position on the core support. I still had some aluminum scrap, so I decided to build it from that.

Sides cut:

For the bottom I cut and bent a flat sheet a little wider than the battery:

The two sides with holes drilled. Good for 5-10 horsepower I’m told:


Next I bent up a top hold down plate. The dimpled holes hold it nice and snug:



Welded and mounted on the firewall:


Installed the fenders and grille surround. I painted the inner grille grey instead of the silver color it was, that way I can do touch-up if needed. I had to repair the grille surround with the TIG in a couple of spots then sanded it down to get a nickel finish look. I might have it nickel finished in the future:

[67Steven]

Since I am using the Winters/Art Carr shifter, I needed to fab some kind of reverse switch. So I went to Radio Shack and picked up a micro roller switch and built a mount to attach to the shifter:


My idea was to use the existing holes in the shifter plates to engage the switch as it comes around. So I turned some aluminum bar stock down as a ‘wheel”


I cut two just in case I wanted to activate a switch in the future (park/neutral) The wheel will sit between the gold plates:

I cut some aluminum angle scrap and mounted the switch. I can adjust it up/down and back/forward for proper engagement:


Wired it up to a relay as a switched ground and it works great. Here a couple of close ups:

[mud.man.rj]

The cool work continues, need a friend. I do think the truck is a very nice achievement. Won't be any others around close to it for sure. What are your future plans with it when finished, any mud use, competition, or fun mud use or maybe just cruise around and enjoy it, could show it but that sounds boring. Took my beast out today and tore up some 2-3ft deep snow. Funny the big block with over 500hp just seems to need more power now, think I am just getting to used to it. It kicks but easily, will literally smoke the 40" Mud tires taking off in 2nd gear, think I may need to step it up to 600 plus. Won't make the gas mileage part of the forum.

[67Steven]

Originally Posted by mud.man.rj

The cool work continues, need a friend. I do think the truck is a very nice achievement. Won't be any others around close to it for sure. What are your future plans with it when finished, any mud use, competition, or fun mud use or maybe just cruise around and enjoy it, could show it but that sounds boring. Took my beast out today and tore up some 2-3ft deep snow. Funny the big block with over 500hp just seems to need more power now, think I am just getting to used to it. It kicks but easily, will literally smoke the 40" Mud tires taking off in 2nd gear, think I may need to step it up to 600 plus. Won't make the gas mileage part of the forum.

Thanks again. Your truck sounds like a beast, I would love to have that horsepower- but 40" tires are expensive!! I think the future plans are the same as when i started it. I wanted a reliable, fun truck to camp, explore, run to the grocery store and definitely play in the snow- as a matter of fact, if I didn't feel like dog poo I would love to be out in it now. I am not a car show kinda person, I might go to a local show and shine once or twice, but I'd rather be out in the woods.

[67Steven]

I got the ducting from the heater ran and installed the console side panels that I cut out of sheet aluminum:


Threw together the front and rear skid plates:


I installed the shocks and bump stops:



Here is a better shot of the fuel filler adjustment. I forgot I did have to cut and turn the steel neck below the bed to make a straight shot to the tank. You can also see the cage to frame tie in point:


Another couple of pictures of the cage tie in points:

Above the rocker box:

[mud.man.rj]

Well I am glad you will get some use out of it, I don't use mine as much as I would like to but have plans to in the future. I do a car show or 2 but mine is the rough one, not all shone up. I have been wanting to do some more updates and your thread is very encouraging to get back to my build instead of all the builds I do for everyone else, but theirs do fund mine, all takes time right. I like the console idea a lot so planning on an upgrade there after seeing yours.

[67Steven]

I picked up a couple of slim LED turn signals and installed them in the grille:


Driveline and new parking disc installed:


An AFE air cleaner installed:

I built a radiator recirculation tank:


I also fabbed a relay holder and cover on the wiring bulkhead. Don’t mind the extra wires, just need to be cut and removed:


And this is where I am at today:


To do list:
Door seals, fab some headlight and washer knobs, axle venting for both front and rear, windshield wipers and reservoir, some kind of stereo, fuel tank vent termination, maybe a steering damper.

Oh, ya. Drive it. A lot.

[boonedogs72]

Love the fab work.

[Posted]

Sick sick sick, oh SICK!!!! Nuff said! You are one talented dude!

[freakshow108]

Originally Posted by 67Steven

Back inside to star on the bumpers. I cut the fangs on the front fenders and rolled them to match the grill surround. I actually got the idea from a member on here, I just can’t seem to remember his name.


I wasn’t sure how I was going to have the front lay out, so I decided to build the rear:




Then I started the front. I tied the bumper to the frame and the B52 front spring perch so I could use it as a pull point::




I wanted to incorporate the front bumper/engine cage/roll cage so I needed to install the steering column and shaft. Since the truck did not come with a column, I grabbed an aftermarket tilt and used it:



I milled an existing steering column shaft to a double D adapter for the column:


I installed my Entropy radiator:


This allowed me to bend up a simple cage for the engine:

Did you really say "simple" when referring to the engine roll cage?
I would hate to see what you consider difficult!
As others have said, Dude! You have skills! Love how she turned out, hope you and your family enjoy for years to come!

[Splash4195]

WOW unreal build!

[SONOSADSACK]

WOW!

From a wanna be fabricator, how about some advice on shop equipment? What bender are you using? What are you using for making dimples? Etc. I need to start building a better shop and any advice would be much appreciated. I have zero for fabrication tools and my next project is going to be very similar to what you have created. Knowing what equipment is required up front would be great.