-1973 K5 - Project Canyonero

edlaffoon

Adventure Every Day
I guess it's time for me to do one of these "here's my truck" threads over here on Expo as this is where I spend most of my time these days.

Most of this this will be copies of what some of you may have seen on other sites so I apologize for any repeats:

My name is Eric. I live in a Ft. Worth TX suburb with my beautiful wife Missy and baby girl Layla (and we just found out another baby girl on the way) (*EDIT* We actually have three kids now, Layla, Emmylou and William. This thread has been here a while I guess lol). I'm a hobby mechanic. I've been workin on cars and the ocassional truck for most of my life. My dad and grandpa ran the only real full service auto shop in Yukon OK for about 25 years up until 1994. I grew up there. I would work with my dad all day and then crash on a creeper with a fender cover until he was done after dark. I learned more than just workin on cars there, I learned how to learn. I know that sounds corny but it's true, my fondest and most emotional memories go back to that place.

The K5 story...

This whole thing got started when I was a kid, about 6 years old. This fella lived behind us where I grew up and he had what (to a 6 year old boy) had to be the coolest vehicle anyone could ever own, an 1986 CUCV (M1009).

From a young age I fell hard for the K5. For a long time I saved and pined for one until I got to the point where I could get one April of 2009. I'd been keeping my eye on K5's for sale weekly since about 2005. I came across what I thought was the perfect truck in Paso Robles California. I bought it and a few weeks later it was here in Texas.

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This was a very exciting moment for me. I had to sell my '84 Rabbit GTI to make room for the truck, but it was the right move in the end.

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So obviously my truck is a '73. At the time it was mostly stock; 350/700R4 d44/12b NP203. It had a 4" lift and 33" BFG's. The interior is out of an '05 Silverado, power driver seat and all. It was a beautiful truck and at that time I don't think I could've been happier.

We promptly removed the top and drove the truck. That's me in the white shirt.

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Missy riding precariously in the seatless back.
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So we were happy as larks.
One night Missy and I were driving it out to her family's ranch. I was cruisin down the highway at about 55-60 and started to smell something funny. No sooner did I smell the "hot" than I heard the noise. T t t t t t t tp tp tp tp tp tp tp tap tap tap tap tap tap tunk tunk tunk tunk tunk tunk clok clok clok clok bang bang bang bang.

It all happened in about 10 seconds. I didn't even have time to think. The smell was something getting fried inside the engine. I wouldn't find out was it was until some months later.

So with the help of a friend we towed her home and there she sat in front of our house for twelve long months.

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We were broke and I was shattered because I couldn't get it running.

But that can only last so long. The next time she moved was putting her back up on the trailer to tow it to my dad's house cause HOA's are stupid.

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In no time we had it ripped apart.

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Hmmmmm. ****** is this?!?!

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So the story is that a nut came off the rod cap and that was it. What I smelled was the bearing being turned to dust.

It was a real shame cause I could tell that the motor was brand new, just like the guy said. Everything on/under the truck was fresh. I wanted to build the motor but time and money are at a premium so I bought a reman.

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Wasn't long before we had everything in good order.

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We put the truck back together and everything was running perfectly. This brings us up to about the winter of 2010. I began driving it almost every day. We also started taking it camping at one of my favorite sate parks near where I live.

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edlaffoon

Adventure Every Day
That was one of the last pictures I took of her before she exploded again. We were driving home from that trip and while we were on I35 the whole works fell apart. To this day I'm not sure if it was the rear end that locked up or if the trans failed, maybe the T-case was partially engaged and caused everything to seize; I'm not sure but everything from the bell housing back went at the same time and sent the driveshaft flying down the shoulder of the highway.

After it blew up it sat in front of my house for over a year before the city came and put an orange sticker on it.

I had to move it so I had it towed to my father in law's property where it sat for about 4 months.

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It's really hard to see the extent of it from these pictures but over the last four years the clearcoat has been completely destroyed by the Texas sun (it's almost totally gone).
I guess that fresh socal paint just didn't stand a chance in real heat :p Also while sitting out there it was damaged a little by the horses in the pasture.

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On to the good news! I finally came up with the scratch to have Greg over at Phoenix Trans completely build the driveline for me.
I'm a firm believer in built not bought but I have to say that over the years I've done just about all the building there is and these days I'm so busy with work there is no way I could take on a job like this. I work really hard and it's nice to be able to have someone else do some work for me for once. Plus it means more time with the wife and kid.

So I had it towed off to the shop.

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I mean just look at it! It even looks good on a tow truck lol. Here is the list of what was done this past June:

Transmission (K case 700r4)
New rebuilt T case (208)
Front Drive Shaft (new)
Rear Drive Shaft (new)
Install and regear new rear 14BSF w/ govlock and 4.11s
Wheels
Tires (35" BFG AT)
Top
Misc electrical, lighting, stereo etc.

Some pictures of the goodies before they went in the truck:

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Progress of wheels:

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Got it all put together and started driving it every day again. Had to sell my other VW to fund most of this and make room for it again but as with the last one it was the right choice I think. Here are some pictures I've taken over the last few weeks:









Layla loves it and asks to ride in it almost every day.



After sitting for so long it had a small oil leak that I think was the pan seal so I got that taken care of today. I put in the new (smaller) tool box and got my new seat covers on so I need to get pictures of the inside and post them. I plan on restoring the operation of the aftermarket second fuel tank within the next couple of months. I also plan on starting my matching trailer build in October.

I should be entering what I call "Phase 4" sometime in the spring which will include refreshing the front D44 and updates to the bumpers including a front winch and funds permitting front and rear lockers although I don't feel they are an absolute must have at this stage. I also need to get around to working on the HMMWV wheels that have been sitting in my garage for a while now and will eventually adorn the truck and trailer.

All said we are loving it. The weather has been nice the last couple days and we've been taking evening cruises in it.

Not living in an area conducive to overland adventuring is somewhat prohibitive to really see what she is capable of but we plan on taking it to Bridgeport OHV park and Broken Bow next month. I'm planing a trip to Big Bend Ranch that has been in the works for a while, that will probably happen in 2015 but may happen at the end of next year, it all depends on the baby (Due in Feb) which has taken my schedules and thrown them out the window.

I'm also planning a trip to Grand Lake and Overland expo for 2015-16 and possibly Moab in 2016.

I have high aspirations for this vehicle that include my ultimate adventure, an eventual trans North American trip from Baja to Alaska and many other adventures in between.

Hope you've enjoyed reading this. I will post updates from time to time and try to get some fresh photos taken next week.
 
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1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
looks great and it will be even better when you feature the wife & kidos in some trip reports

welcome and keep us updated
 

Presto88

Adventurer
What a great looking truck! I've always liked that generation Blazer.

How is it that you are able to get away with still running the California plates? Are they THAT easy going down there in Texas?!?!
 

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
Edlaffoon this one of the coolest trucks I have seen in a long time. I love the way you can pull the whole roof off of those old K5s. Glad to see you keeping the old Chevy running and that you have not given up on that fine rig. Many people would have abandoned the truck after the first sign of trouble, but you did not! So cool! Keep us posted with updates and lots of pics. Welcome to the site and lets hope you feel at home here.... Cheers, Chilli....:)
 

edlaffoon

Adventure Every Day
Wow I wasn't getting emails saying that anyone had replied so I thought I'd check. Thanks for all the kind words guys, you have no idea what they mean to me after what it has taken to keep this thing on the road. The tan and red is the vision that I had for about 10 years now, it's nice to see it coming together and it's cool to me that y'all like it.

As for the wheels it was really easy and has turned out to be very durable, if anyone wants to know how I did it just let me know.

As for the tags... uh... I don't know what you mean.... I, uh live in California? I've been working on that, I should have it inspected this month. Believe it or not it was the horn that was holding me up (and the whole exploding drivetrain thing), the truck has a tilt column from a '95 and that horn cap is ridiculous to wire.
 

edlaffoon

Adventure Every Day
Thanks!

For the wheels I used a drill attachable scouring brush to scratch up that black powder coat. I worked at them for about 45 minutes a piece until none of he surface had any shine to it. I used two coats of Krylon etching primer.

Then I sprayed them with 3-4 coats of Krylon paint then 3 coats of Krylon clear and let them bake in the 100 degree Texas sun for two days.

When the tire shop mounted the tires they did scuff up the paint a bit around the hub but since then the heat of driving on them has baked it on pretty well. For $15 investemnt I'm very happy. They look perfect from 5 feet or farther so for the perfectionists I'd suggest a real powder coat.

Like any paint job prep and following the instruction on the specific primer/paint/finish coat is really important, especially the dry times etc for multiple coats.

If anyone wants the exact paint etc I can find it in the garage, it matches the softoper's tan sunbrella material great I think.
 

Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
Love the K5 Eric! Somehow I missed your K5 on other usual websites. Wow, that is bummer with all of the engine and drivetrain setbacks you dealt with over the years. I applaud you for sticking with it as so many people are quick to throw in the towel after the first few tanks of fuel on the old beasts let alone to work through the setbacks of owning an old rig. I too really like the color combination you chose.

My story is much like yours where I was born and raised around the shop environment. When I was baby there was a crib in the corner of my dad’s Exxon station. When I was about 12 the gas station went away and he focused on running independent repair shop and getting out of the gas business (the mid 80’s was a hard time to be in the gas station business). I worked at the gas station and shop from the time I could walk until after college. Can you imagine a skinny little 12 year old kid busting big heavy 70’s and 80’s car and truck tires on a Coates 40-40 tire machine these days….it would be child abuse! I think of it as building a work ethic and character. LOL

I know what you mean by learning how to learn….and learning how to think things through. I know one thing for sure, by the time I was 21 I already felt like I spent a lifetime of spinning wrenches and knew I didn’t want to spin wrenches for a living ever again! Wrenching as a hobby is so much more enjoyable over doing it for money.

Keep up the nice work! Hope to meet up with you at Expo 2015/16!
 

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