Whatcha Get Done This Winter on The 4x4?

[Yukon Jack]

Well, no progress last month and a half but here is the progress I've made on my 1970 K5 this winter - this will be a recap as a full post is in the 69-72 forum.

For those who haven't followed the project I bought this K5 about 3 years ago and it hadn't been ran in like 7 years. Front axle brakes were shot as where the rear brakes. I have rims and tires sitting that are 8 lug so I decided to pick up a 3/4 ton parts truck and use the axles for the K5.

End of November I got the Detroit Locker installation finished in the 14 bolt, got the rear cover installed and fluid back in the differential.



A few days later I got the new rear brake lines bent up and the new rear rubber brake line installed and then jacked the rear of the Blazer way in the air and rolled the 14 bolt in place. Got the u-bolts in place and now the Blazer is finally attached to the new 14 bolt. Stance is pretty good and the rear axle is located fairly centered in the wheel wells now.







I'm presently reworking the front brake lines a bit, and have pulled the spare sbc that was sitting in the engine bay and I can finally reinstall the rebuilt 400 sbc!

Here are some of the specs on the 400 sbc:

Degress .05" dur 204 Int. 214 Exh., Degrees ADV. dur 278 Int. 288 Exh., Inches Valve Lift Int. .420, Exh. .443, Degrees Lobe Center Int. 107, Exh. 117

Should be a good low end torque cam with the power range of 1000-4500.

The block was bored .020 over and the crank was cleaned up. It now has hypereutectic pistons and with the 882 heads with 76 cc the engine should have a compression ratio of about 9.5:1. These heads came off of a 400 so they have the correct steam holes.

The intake is an Eldebrock Performer and the carb is a Jet Stage II 750 cfm quadrajet.







Middle of December I decided I should get the K5 outside and powerwash/clean the engine bay before putting the rebuilt motor in - this engine bay is nasty!



Played hookie from work and got the power washer out. A little Castrol Super Clean and some scrubbing got the bay pretty clean. Then hit a few areas with the sander.

Next I got everything masked off and hit the metal with some black paint.

[Yukon Jack]

Also pulled the gas tank skid plate from the back of the barn where it has been sitting. I cleaned it up for paint about 2 years ago and, well, just never got it painted. Used the 3M undercoating/rubberized stuff and the finished product looks great. To bad I moved it before it was dry, ended up putting the smudge you see in the side shot. May sand it a bit and touch it up, maybe not





Last thing I got done was installed the flywheel and clutch and got the motor mounts secured along with some of the pulley's.

So, still need to do the following:

1. Clean up very nasty power steering pump and get it reinstalled
2. Finish front brake lines - going to just completely replace them, that will make it so much easier to hook up to the 1978 3/4 ton master cylinder and also to attach the 1978 front rubber brake lines.
3. Reinstall engine and get it running, throw the hood back on, double check everything then finally should be able to go for my first drive!!!
4. Redo exhaust

Hopefully get those 4 things done before spring gets here.

[johnnywagon]

[QUOTE=Yukon Jack;2031115]Also pulled the gas tank skid plate from the back of the barn where it has been sitting. I cleaned it up for paint about 2 years ago and, well, just never got it painted.

Jack, looks good, I spent a lot of time dressing up my engine and compartment. All for not! One trip through the mud and.....Im sure you know. Anyway, have you ever used POR-15 paint. I've been using it on my frame and springs and I love it. Super tough, brushes right over rust.