My new build thread: Stage 4!

[CHEVY_DUDE]

I've been off and on this site for the past 11 years. This build always brings me back. Hope all is well on your end. Can't wait to see more progress pics. Keeps me motivated.

[swyfor5]

I made it out to Mayhem Garage sunday night just as Craig was shutting the doors.His first words were-I haven't forgot about you. We talked about just finishing up the rocker areas and getting the front floors done. Sure hope he has time soon to get that much done.

[swyfor5]

Stopped in to Mayhem Garage today, and chatted with Craig for a few. Hopefully time is opening up to get the K5 back in the shop. I am going to concentrate on ordering up the front seats so we can use them to mock up the front of the roll cage.

[swyfor5]

Well, it has been a while. The wife gave me a notice today. Pull the K5 from Mayhem Garage and bring it back to the pole barn. Craig has been too busy to work it back in, and WE are tired of waiting. I have almost run the gambit with this family of fabricaters-but I have one chance left. My soon to be son-in-law Johnnie Jr. I will go get the K5 soon and all the metal parts and bring them home and regroup before the weather changes here again! I will include Craig in the plan for the rocker elimination plan, even if he does not do the welding. I just need to get this going again, funds are becoming available again, and it's just been too long!!!

[Chulisohombre]

Sometimes you just gotta do it yourself. I have forbthe most part. And while it’s not as good as professional, at least it’s together and I can drive it. Good luck.

[swyfor5]

Yep, yet to have a chat with Craig. But our plans at this point are- If he can't finish the rocker/sliders/front floors before the snow flies, we are bringing it back to the pole barn for the winter.Pretty sure my son in law can finish it up underneath. I do have a real CUSTOM TRUCK shop just up the road that I'm going to talk to about finishing the floor pans and some exterior bodywork. That will cost me a lot of extra money, but maybe it will be worth it to get it done. After that I will have Craig build the cage and mount up the new seats! I am getting very tired of waiting to be able to drive this K5 again!

[swyfor5]

Well, here is where I am at right now. Getting ready to order the new front seats and need to do some measuring. Want them to be the right height, but have to figure in the way the k5 floor is lower in the front, and will have to mount to the roll cage tubing. So I do not want them to be too short or too tall. My old seats were out of a chevy laguna and worked good, but were a bit tall for the passengers in the back.I will need to get out to Mayhem Garage this weekend and really have a chat with Craig. The weather is starting to change here and I am running out of time before the snow flies again! Going to go with Corbeau seats, and asking if anyone else is running them in a first gen K5?

[swyfor5]

Well, here it is. I talked to Craig tonight and he is so booked up with big projects trying to raise money for his new shop building. We decided to bring the K5 back to my pole barn for the winter. I am happy with that, as I do not want it setting outside any longer. He say's he will be able to work me back in sometime in the spring. I am ok with that, at least I will have it here and inside. It would be different if I was paying him big bucks for his time, but he is basically doing this work for free. He does such good fab work that I really want him to do this for me. I am going to try and drive it home this weekend and get it back inside my pole barn for the winter months. Kind of a bittersweet moment at this point of my build, but it is what it is. I will get some pic's of the relocation, and post them up. I have waited this long, I guess I can wait a little longer. At least I will have it home where I can touch it!

[Chulisohombre]

It’s tough to have to wait on someone else but when the professional help is free it’s tough to turn down. I did most if the work myself in mine but eventually I’d like to have it more pro done as my work is decent but I’m no expert. I know it was done as well as I could do it and the work is functional. But I see the flaws no one else cares about that I’d like to have done better at some point. It took nearly ten years to get Mine put back together mostly because life and money issues kept pushing it to the back burner. It’s tough to let it sit and not be able to drive it so I did little by little until it was road worthy again. You will get there. And knowing it was done correctly you will probably enjoy it more than just throwing it together. It’s good you’re getting it out of the elements. At least it can’t get rained or snowed on then.

[swyfor5]

So right Chuli. I went and got it this morning. Drove it the 3&1/2 miles home. Felt good to drive it again, if only for a few minutes! Now it is here, just have to do a little cleaning in the barn to get it inside for the winter. SO, SO HAPPY to have it back home again! Got a few pic's.

[Chulisohombre]

Looks good. I just got tired of sitting around waiting to have the money to do it pro so I just dismantled it and did the best I could. Pro wanted 300 to do the rockets but it was only 40 for the panel. I figured I’d try it and see how it went. Wasn’t as bad as I thought. But the more I cut out the more rust I found. Had to fab a couple panels myself from blank steel too. But it got done and is drivable again at least. Slapped a ciatvof paintbin and she still turns heads no matter where I’m at.

[swyfor5]

Yep, gonna work on as much as I can now that I have it back home! Start with cleaning it out again and work on the body mounts and some body work.

[swyfor5]

Yep, just been washing all my metal replacement panels that have been laying in the the back for too long. Not to rusty, but K5 has been sitting outside for too long. All new metal from Classic Heartbeat. I will not need all of the panels I bought, as I am not putting the stock rocker box parts back in.Stock rocker boxes, end caps, etc, I just wont need them with the rock slider setup we are going with. Not that this K5 is going to do much rock climbing, but this is the way I am going with this area of the resto!

[Chulisohombre]

As long as you tie the sliders into the body for rigidity you’ll be ok. Even with newer metal In mine it still is hard to open the doors sometimes if I’m not on solid flat ground. The body moves a lot with the hard top Off.

[litebulblsc]

Just peck away at it. The little things add up

[swyfor5]

I have asked this question before, but really need some help here now. I want to order up the two front seats soon. Has anybody on here used CORBEAU BAJA SS seats in the front of a 1st Gen. k5? I want to mount them to the cage I will have built, and just need some feedback. Not looking for tilting the passenger seat forward or sliders. I was just wondering if this seat will look and fit good mounted to a roll cage. Someone must have used these seats, and sure would like some pic's as to how they look mounted up! Please help me out guy's, so I can get them ordered up!

[swyfor5]

Well, some therapy today.Got both rear inner fenderwells coated with primer again.I will spray on the top coat tommorrow.Also went through many boxes of parts in the barn to organize the parts.

[swyfor5]

Well, it's been quite a while off here. Not much progress to report, but I have been working on it again. I have got my rear inner fender wells painted, my outer cowl repainted, my glove box repainted, and got a bunch of hardware from LMC to mount it up. I have the hardware kits for the rear fenders, cowl area, both front fender kits, glove box, heater box studs, etc! Not to fond of LMC stuff, but nut and bolt hardware will work just fine. Also redoing the tailgate still, little bit of body filler, and some fresh primer. Our daughter is getting married saturday, after that I will try and post up some new pic's!

[swyfor5]

Well, here it is. I just am fed up with just sitting here with no progress on the K5. It is time to kick it in the ass and stomp on it again! I just ordered up 2 new steel wheels to see if they will fit my front steering setup/backspaceing? If wheels fit the front I will order 3 more and move on to the 40" Nitto trail grappler tires I want. I have got a bunch of primer paint done recenly. and it looks really good. My wife is still hanging in there, but don't know for how much longer.I am just at the point where I am going all out on this K5 for my sanity!

[SeventyOne]

40s...nice!

Post some pics!

[litebulblsc]

Look forward to some progress.

[jaros44sr]

40's, holy crap, you'll be able to walk over anything

Wish you and your wife my best. keep you in my prayers

[swyfor5]

Thank's guy's.I just have crossed over the bridge to work on getting this K5 done! I have a handful of friends ready to help, and it's time to get it done! I really don't have any other projects that are priorety in my life--so here WE GO!

[swyfor5]

Got the 2 new Battle Born Gatekeeper beadlock wheels yesterday. 17x9's, they are really nice. Just what I was looking for. Steel wheels, kind of heavy, but the 1 ton axles will be just fine. And I know they will be lighter than the 32 bolt hummer runflats on there now. Gotta mount one on the front to make sure they fit, and get some pic's posted up.Real happy to get this decision made and finally decide on what wheel and tire combo to go with for this final setup.

[swyfor5]

Well, got to update. My wife passed away wendsday morning, so on to the next phase of the K5 rebuild.I have some stuff to finish up, and we will be on to the Stage 5 of this journey. I have 3 awesome daughters with 3 really good men standing with them.It is time to kick this K5 build into Stage5! I have some funds to shore up, and then it is going down!