My new build thread: Stage 4!

[NorCal69]

Hey bud, been waiting to see you start to cut into this for some time. You have done your homework and bought a good batch of parts and panels.


Just thought that I would pass along some info on the Ballistic Arms that you have been saving up for. In the last couple of months there have been a ton of threads on Pirate and some new ones on CK5 where guys are just not getting there stuff, wrong stuff of its taking months from Ballistic. I'd hate to hear that you spent your money and turns into a nightmare.

Just for your info. Good Luck

Mike

[swyfor5]

Thank's for the heads up NorCal. I talked with Nathan at Ballistic awhile back and he did say they were waiting to get the arms cut and finished. Anybody else got any info along this line? Almost ready to order stuff up and don't need any more setbacks,thank's.

[swyfor5]

Am having electrical trouble, new battery keeps going dead overnite. Traced it down to the wire setup I have replacing the fusible link off of the positive battery terminal. Fusible link is gone, just light gauge wire from the block on the inner fender to the battery terminal, bolt came loose. Anyone know where I can pick up a upgrade link for this? Problem solved for now, but want to fix this for good.

[swyfor5]

Looks like battery problem solved for now, holding a charge. Good news today, big Pontiac money coming by the end of next month! Should be enough to get this resto going again. Ready to order up the Ballistic high steer setup, tie rod end setup for crossover/high steer is next in line. Gonna start replacing rotted rubber fuel lines to the fuel tank tommorrow if no rain here. Anybody heard any more negative feedback about Ballistic lately?

[swyfor5]

Well, I started to replace fuel lines tonight and ended up dropping the tank all the way out. The tank is a replacement out of a 1972 2wd suburban I swapped in years ago. Every rubber line is rotted out, gonna rethink this. Already was considering a fuel cell in the future, but am really leaning in that direction. For now, I am going to clean this tank up, replace lines, etc, put it back in. Thinking about a custom fuel cell more and more because of my future plans for the motor upgrade. As in electric pump, EFI, etc. Gonna start searching for a fuel cell that will work good in our 1st gens-hopefully without spending a fortune to do it. Anybody ?

[VA72C10]

check fuel cell guy and boyd's welding...both vendors on here who make tanks for our trucks and custom tanks. Sure they can make a nice tank for your blazer and they both work with EFI also...

[swyfor5]

Thank's VA, I already sent fuelcellguy a PM. Also just ordered up a new fuel sending unit for the old tank for temporary service. Need to search for old info on the fill neck replacement, vent hose, and main. Seen good info here, but need to find it again, searching. Thank's, Bryan.

[swyfor5]

Found fuel fill hose to fit, ordered up 6 ft. Enough to do it at least twice! This stuff is not cheap! Gotta love the info on this site!

[swyfor5]

Still working on cleaning up the 72 burb tank, it is worth saving. Straps in good shape also,yet I have a real good spare set of straps too. Got a new sending unit complete, stainless retaining ring w/seal here already. Waiting on the new marine fuel fill line hose, be here by the end of the week. Gotta empty the tank completly yet and clean it up for repaint and etc. Also ordered up a pair of ORD's front upper shackle hangers-(FUSH), for the front leaf springs when I swap in the 1 ton Dana60 soon.Should have time to snap some pic's this weekend!Has anyone done the FUSH swap on thier 1st Gen?

[swyfor5]

Ok, has anybody used ORD's FUSH KIT?

[swyfor5]

Got the ORD FUSH kit for the front leaf springs. Looking at clearance issues on the passenger side area right where the header is. Driver side header has plenty of room, but passenger side was tight when I installed headers years ago. I actually had to modify the head of the spring bushing bolt to clear the header. To install the ORD FUSH kit with the HD shackles, I will need even more room on the passenger side. Looking at a different set of headers to increase clearance here. Anyone know of a good set of headers that work well here?

[swyfor5]

Cleaned, sanded, and repainted the gas tank straps today. They look good for being 41 years old. Rubber strips are decent also, can reuse for now. May work on other tank parts tomorrow after the all day track meet. Happy Memorial Day everybody!

[swyfor5]

Ya, got some work done today.Completly drained fuel from tank, flushed out all the rust/shale/residue. Next step is to powerwash exterior of tank and clean for a repaint, then install new sending unit and reinstall tank and new lines. Getting there one step at a time.

[swyfor5]

Decided I was not done flushing the tank. Many times so far, and still rust scale. Did get the outside powerwashed and ready for repaint. Also got the new fuel fill hose today, it is exactly the right id and some really nice hose!

[swyfor5]

Got the tank all cleaned up and painted today. Almost ready to start putting it back together. Bought the wife a new digi camera a couple weeks ago, so I get the old one. Need to start snapping some update pic's! I will include some pic's of my friends 5 ton axle swap under his school bus, that thing is huge!

[swyfor5]

Turned on my outside water today, and sprayed the K5 inside and out. Ready to take it up the road 3 doors to my buds garage and start ripping!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by swyfor5

Turned on my outside water today, and sprayed the K5 inside and out. Ready to take it up the road 3 doors to my buds garage and start ripping!

Pics???

[swyfor5]

Took pic's today, busy, busy! Will try and post up tommorrow!

[swyfor5]

Here's some pic's!

[swyfor5]

Here's some pic's of my friends bus going 5-ton. Deadlined to have up and running is the 11th, for a mud bog.

[VA72C10]

Tank looks good! And that's the fun bus right there

[swyfor5]

Mocking up the fuel fill assy, and looking for some interior pic's of any of you guy's setups. Bought a nice used assy to use but it is different from my original 1970 fill. Talking about the fill pipe/vent hose from the gas cap down to the tank. I can make a good setup out of two assy's, but would like some help here.

[swyfor5]

Man, oh man, what a good day! Looking at excavation site on the back of my property for K5 storage and deciding I need to take out about 7-or 8 really big trees. White pine, red pine, maple, etc. Luckily, my brother in-law is a ex smoke jumper, and is real good at falling trees. Confident he can take out at least 6 of these huge tree's without damage to any existing buildings, tough task! Worked on moving all my stuff out of the way tonight! Camper trailer, boat, fish smoker, etc. I will post up pic's as it goes along!

[swyfor5]

Started to reinstall fuel tank for temporary use. Looks like I have everything I need to put it back in. Got a nice box of stuff shipped in today from Wes at ClassicHeartbeat, sweet! Parts are starting to pile up nicely!

[swyfor5]

Well, just scrolled through all my cd manuals, looking for K5 fuel tank info. Found more info in my paperback 1970 Chevy truck chassis service manual, still it doesn't show the rubber sealant gaskets that mount to the bed floor. Anybody done this lately, got any pic's? My bed floor is almost gone in this area, but I saved some parts from the teardown, trying to set up for resto parts? Anybody know where I can pick up the bed floor to fuel fill tube rubber seals?