For the detectives in the crew (Rastus), it's not news that I picked up a 1983 K5 from Bent & Twisted a few months ago. I grew up on Chevrolets as a kid and I've always had a fondness for the Big Iron rigs like FullTop's (before he butchered it) and Limey's. Even TX_Zuki will admit to owning a Bronco in a prior life!
"Dirty South" is how I think of the project as a concept - basic, nothing fancy, but done right and has it where you need it:
Let's start with the baseline specs of the rig:
1983 Chevrolet K5
350 V8, currently carbureted with an Edelbrock Model 1411 Performer 750
700R4 Transmission (apparently rebuilt in 2000)
NP208 slip-yoke
10-bolts, 4.56 and locked
Home-brew big iron bumpers
Dual-battery setup with 170-amp Powermaster alternator
Tuffy Security Console
By the by, anyone looking for a good part number list for these rigs can find one here:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53116
This how she looked when Bent-n-Twisted got her many moons ago -
And, how she looked when I got it after she had been sitting for quite a few months outdoors with no top -
You can see here the extremely sturdy rack B&T made for it back in the day. The rack had a transmission sitting on it right before I took this shot. This will be reworked and retained into a new bumper setup.
Among the many luxuries are a busted column due to no key and the always obligatory rat's nest of wiring under the dash. A bonus is no key for the Tuffy, either. However, if you call Tuffy Security Products and give them the lock number, they will send you a whole new lock and key assembly for about $11. Problem solved, once we man up and drill out the old one.
Truthfully, the floors are in much better shape than I expected but outdoor living kicks the wee out of the 80's Chevy sheetmetal.
Rockers are toast - no surprise. They're getting cut out for sliders anyway. There is also some rust penetration around the door drip rails. It's minor enough that a few mig tacks should take care of it. All of these interior pics are after the soggy interior and carpet was gutted, which was a fun job on its own, sort of like gutting a moldy pig.
Engine bay is in pretty good shape, considering how long it had been sitting. A large screwdriver, some brake cleaner and I had to join forces to convince several colonies of dirt daubers to move on, but otherwise we were open for business.
"Dirty South" is how I think of the project as a concept - basic, nothing fancy, but done right and has it where you need it:
Let's start with the baseline specs of the rig:
1983 Chevrolet K5
350 V8, currently carbureted with an Edelbrock Model 1411 Performer 750
700R4 Transmission (apparently rebuilt in 2000)
NP208 slip-yoke
10-bolts, 4.56 and locked
Home-brew big iron bumpers
Dual-battery setup with 170-amp Powermaster alternator
Tuffy Security Console
By the by, anyone looking for a good part number list for these rigs can find one here:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53116
This how she looked when Bent-n-Twisted got her many moons ago -
And, how she looked when I got it after she had been sitting for quite a few months outdoors with no top -
You can see here the extremely sturdy rack B&T made for it back in the day. The rack had a transmission sitting on it right before I took this shot. This will be reworked and retained into a new bumper setup.
Among the many luxuries are a busted column due to no key and the always obligatory rat's nest of wiring under the dash. A bonus is no key for the Tuffy, either. However, if you call Tuffy Security Products and give them the lock number, they will send you a whole new lock and key assembly for about $11. Problem solved, once we man up and drill out the old one.
Truthfully, the floors are in much better shape than I expected but outdoor living kicks the wee out of the 80's Chevy sheetmetal.
Rockers are toast - no surprise. They're getting cut out for sliders anyway. There is also some rust penetration around the door drip rails. It's minor enough that a few mig tacks should take care of it. All of these interior pics are after the soggy interior and carpet was gutted, which was a fun job on its own, sort of like gutting a moldy pig.
Engine bay is in pretty good shape, considering how long it had been sitting. A large screwdriver, some brake cleaner and I had to join forces to convince several colonies of dirt daubers to move on, but otherwise we were open for business.