My new build thread: Stage 4!

[swyfor5]

Ok, Things just changed for the better! My buddy John who helped me with stage 4=1 ton axle upgrade, etc.-His son Craig is willing to take on my project! He has his own shop called MAYHEM about 3 miles north of my house. He is a excellant welder/fabricator/brainiac! He is willing to help me with the remaining body mounts, welding in all replacement stuff, fabbing up a rollcage, fabbing up the rear bumper setup, etc! I am really pumped about this, he is booked up until the first of June. Gives me time to get the K5 prepped and assembled to make the trip up to MAYHEM GARAGE! We did a walk through on the K5 today, and he say's BRING IT! Bring on stage 5!

[swyfor5]

Spent the whole day playing at the local offroad park. What a blast, went with my son in law driving my daughter's Jeep. All day with very little body damage. Sure is fun, and he sure can drive! Got some pic's!

[swyfor5]

Out in the pole barn today. Organizing all the replacement metal panels that need to be welded in. It's a long list of parts, and not sure where we are gonna start. But man am I ready to get going on this phase and get it up to MAYHEM GARAGE! Some old pic's of the metal inventory!

[swyfor5]

Few more pic's!

[Chulisohombre]

Wow that's a lot of panels. Got your work cut out for ya for sure.

[swyfor5]

Spent a little time at MAYEM GARAGE tonight. Working on a K5 to take skimming next weekend. Got the 454 fired up, but stuff to do before next weekend.

[swyfor5]

Well I got a little done tonight after work. Wanting to put the hood back on this weekend, so I cleaned up the cowl/windshield area and got it painted. Allready got the cowl painted and will put it back on tommorrow night after work. Only got a couple of weeks before I go up the road to MAYHEM GARAGE! I'll get some pic's this weekend when the hood is back on.

[swyfor5]

Got the tailgate back on today. I had broken the two lower bolts off that hold the trunions on when I removed the gate. Drilled them out, and installed nutserts. Worked perfectly. Painted all areas with primer for now. I had the tailgate sandblasted and I primered it also. Working on getting enough correct bolts to install in the double wall top, to snug everything down before I start with the body mounts again. I only have about 6 bolts in now. Hoping to get some help here tommorrow to reinstall the hood. Feels good, tailgate done, cowl installed. Every bolt I reinstall is coated with antisieze! Man, I am getting there finally!

[swyfor5]

Looking at my hatch next. I have my original one in decent outer shape/with no guts, and another one with all the guts/but some outer issues. No way the screws are coming out of the struts on my original/rusted big time.Other one struts came off and cleaned up nice.I have a bunch of spare parts for this including a original handle/with GM keys. Think I am going to mount up the white one and see if I can make it latch right. If it works ok and latches right, I will worry about the cosmetic problems of it later. Sound like a plan?

[swyfor5]

Yes, I am getting busy on this lately. So much to do before I let Craig have his way with it next month. My son inlaw helped me get the hood back on today. Feeling good, wife is smiling and no worries about my late hours after work. Some pic's of the tailgate and hood reinstall this weekend!

[swyfor5]

Got a little more done tonight after work. Worked on the double wall top bedside bolt area. There are 6 bolts on each side, and I have 3 on each side that hold. Really did not remember what was going on there since I pulled the top off for the first time back in the eightee's. I am sure this has been discussed before, but here is my plan. Going to buy a 5/16th rivenut tool, 5/16th rivenuts and just drill new holes near the original ones that are stripped out. As long as there is some solid metal left somewhere in that mounting strip that should work-right? Anybody tried this with a double wall top?

[swyfor5]

Well, I couldn't wait for any responce. Just ordered up a hand rivenut tool for the 5/16th-24 bolts, and a bunch of rivenuts. Could be interesting installing them, but I am sure I can use some of them elsewhere on this rusty build! Got at least one bad one at the visor area on the drivers side! Got the tool and 20 nuts shipping here for under $50.00!Already got the 3/8th puller here, and now the 5/16th coming, just may need to get a 1/4in one in the future! Any of you guy's using this type of repairs?

[swyfor5]

Well, I am on a roll now. Working on the K5 and polebarn everynight after work has inspired me to spend more money on this build. Working on the rear bumper/carrier design. Ordered up two Jerry cans/with mounts. One red for fuel, and one green for water. Two jerry cans, one spare tire mount, and maybe my highlift jack back there too!

[hemi43]

Where did you get the rivnut tools from? Just wondering why you're using 5/16-24 ? I'm not a fan of fine threads unless bolt strength is critical.

[swyfor5]

Got the 5/16th tool from PegasusAutoRacing.com. I would have rather went with a 5/16thx18 thread, but they do not offer one. I think it will be fine being I have 3 original bolts on each side allready holding. Gotta pick up the bolts tommorrow and install them. Got a little more stuff around tonight.Front center top mounts and bolts ready to go back in. Not sure what to do with the long visor bolts yet, both sides the caged nuts are loose and floating around in the holes. Any advice on how to repair this area anyone?

[swyfor5]

Well my plan has worked out so far. Drilled pilot holes in the bedsides/topper and then redrilled them to 1/2" holes, installed the rivenuts and it worked perfectly! That means 6 bolts on both bedsides holding the double wall top on, plus the rear holddowns at the tailgate area. Got the center top mounts and bolts ready to go. Still need to figure out the visor bolt area. Craig was here tonight, and we did a complete inventory of parts. He already has a design in his head for my rear bumper/spare carrier/jerry can mounts to kinda match my front bumper setup. I need to order up my new seats for the front and rear so we can design the cage mounts for the floor. Things are starting to move fast here, and it is about time! I just hope the money keeps up with the pace!

[swyfor5]

Hope everyone had a great Memorial day! We did, had a cookout with family and friends. It was really windy here, so I fired up the K5 and pulled it out so we could hang out in the pole barn. Got a couple pic's of my son in-laws jeep posing next to the house. 5.9 motor, dana60 frt, 14blt rear, riding on 44's. Other pic is of my Dad, Mom, and family enjoying the grub in the pole barn. Did some more brainstorming with Craig about my K5 and what he wants to do for me next month. CAN'T WAIT MAN!

[swyfor5]

Looks like tommorrow is the day the K5 goes up to MAYHEM GARAGE! Man, I can't wait to see what happens next. Got the new jerry cans and holders today, very nice. YES,YES, YES!

[swyfor5]

Got the new cans out and cleaned all the stickers off with some wd40. Very happy with this purchase, holders may need some fab work to mount up to new rear bumper. Need to mount the spouts yet, but these are the real deal man!

[swyfor5]

Forgot the pic's!

[swyfor5]

Well today was the day! Drove the K5 the 3 miles up to MAYHEM GARAGE.Hauled all the replacement metal panels also. Wife rode with me and it was awesome! Craig allready has ideas for the rocker panel areas and it looks like we are going a different route-other than just replacing stock-weak setup-to heavy duty bracing in this area. It was almost like a overhaulin moment, our baby is gone from the pole barn. But, it is on to stage 5! There will be many updates along the way, and pic's for sure! Bring on stage 5! Couple of pic's!

[swyfor5]

After reveiwing the new jerry can mounts, I went down a different path. Ordered up some different ones and they came today. Way better, And should be good to go with my fabricator-I hope! Got some pics of the 1st ones, and the ones I want to go with.

[swyfor5]

Made a trip out to MAYHEM today. Got a few pic's of the rocker area ripping!Floor area and rockers are coming along on the passenger side.

[swyfor5]

Cutting and chopping This K5 will never be STOCK again!

[swyfor5]

Craig is making good headway on the rocker area on the passenger side. Got the floor cut out and ready to weld in the new panels!New floor panels will be good to go! Got all the heavy duty metal to replace the wimpy stock rocker boxes!! No pic's for now, but soon!