Tink's Hybrid Project... S10 is ON K5 frame!!

[Tink]

The Goal: To have a S10/K5 Hybrid that appears as if it came from the factory that way (except for a lift and big tires, of course ).

The Reason: In the summer of 2003, the frame of the Baja buckled on the jack; the entire frame was pretty much rotted and rusted away from years of wheeling and life in the NY road salt. In addition to the frame, the brake lines and fuel lines were also suspect. The truck was no longer safe to drive on the road and the search for a donor frame began. A 1976 K5 was found shortly after. It was driven and wheeled for a few years before being taken off the road to begin the Hybrid Project.

The Trucks:



The Body: 1989 S10 Baja package - all body parts except for cab itself have been replaced. The front and rear baja tube bumpers are new and the roll bars are in good shape. Frame is shot.
The Donor Chassis/Running Gear: 1976 Chevrolet K5 Cheyenne - Low-mileage Jasper-rebuilt 350, THM350, unadulterated NP203 Full time 4wd transfer case, Dana 44 Front, GM Corporate 12 bolt rear. Frame is in good shape, body is shot (I know it doesn't look like it in the picture above, but it is amazing how much bondo is in it).

These measurements were taken with stock rims, the S10 Baja on 235s and the K5 on 31s....

[Barry James]

I can't wait to see the Baja re-born

[Snoman002]

I can't wait to see the Baja re-born

No kidding, it's such a SWEET truck.

[Tink]

Thanks guys, I do miss her! It will be awesome to have her back and better than ever.

Where the project currently is...
Bought an 18-circuit harnesses with GM (column mounted) ignition switch plugs and a GM (column mounted) turn signal switch plug. The fuse panel had to go where the old one was due to the short wires going to the column (I had wanted to put it in the glovebox). A plate was made to cover the large old fuse panel hole. Everything inside needed to start the motor is wired.

Purchased -
Radiator core support, non-AC under hood box and blower motor from junkyard.
GM Performance Electric Fan.
84 - 89 Corvette Radiator


The back half of the K5 is completely removed:





Everything going to the Baja's frame has been removed/disconnected. As soon as the rest of the K5's body is gone, the cab of the Baja can be jacked up and the frame rolled out... then the K5's frame can be rolled under and body mount fabrication can begin. Hopefully, this will happen this coming weekend!

Still need to get:
Bushwacker cut-out flares
Headers
New Shocks
Steering stabilizer
Add-a-leafs (found that the K5 has a broken leaf in the rear springs on one side... it was leveled using air shocks)

[n.m. Jimmy]

I sure hate to see the full size (4x4 ?) have to die to save its little brother...It sure looks pretty in the top pic.

I want a Full size Blazer SOOOOO bad!! 70 or so to no later than 77,the last year the Whole top came off .I have read so anyway,I need to check out the options for those yrs.Theres a shit load of S10`s around here epically Jimmy/Blazer`s , just not many full size Blazers here.I`ll have to go to a real city to look LOL.

[Snoman002]

So whats the plan for the extra width of the K5? Just going to leave the tires sticking out?

Looking good.

And DANG your motivated, I've had my two trucks home for two weeks now and I have not even cleaned one of them (although I do go and just look at the 91 once in a while ).

[DetroitMuscle]

Custom flares are in order for that extra width, eh?


Where can I find a set of those tube bumpers?

[ZR2Malibu]

:rock:

It was sad to chop up the K5, but it sure was a lot of fun!

I'm proud to say that I've helped a little on this project, and hope to continue to do so... until I screw something up so bad that they tell me to just stay home.

[Tink]

I sure hate to see the full size (4x4 ?) have to die to save its little brother...It sure looks pretty in the top pic.

I want a Full size Blazer SOOOOO bad!! 70 or so to no later than 77,the last year the Whole top came off .I have read so anyway,I need to check out the options for those yrs.Theres a shit load of S10`s around here epically Jimmy/Blazer`s , just not many full size Blazers here.I`ll have to go to a real city to look LOL.

Yeah, it was sad... but as I said before she really is mostly bondo, fiberglass and patches.



When we removed the fenders last weekend, they had used pieces of antifreeze bottles for patches...

Oh, and the last year of the FULLY removable top was 75. Mine is a 76, so it had just the back half removable.

So whats the plan for the extra width of the K5? Just going to leave the tires sticking out?

Well, I'm hoping with the Bushwacker cut-out fender flares and a change in rim backspacing it won't look too bad... but that is just one of those things I won't know until it is on there.

Where can I find a set of those tube bumpers?

Unfortunately, they are extremely difficult to find since they only came on Baja package trucks... people I know restoring Bajas are having a lot of trouble finding them.

Anyhow, appreciate the comments guys... I really had put this project off for a while because I thought it was WAY too difficult. But after breathing new life into that 2wd Blazer, I said screw it, it is time to get this thing going... and with my man's help and 72Malibu's help it is really coming along. Here is the pic from last weekend's progress:



I am hoping next picture I post, will be the Baja cab on the K5 frame!

[n.m. Jimmy]

Can I ask a few questions?
Are you keeping the K5`s running gear?Motor trans transfer axles?
What size tires are you planning on?What kind?
Winch?How would you mount it,a K5 bumper mount?
Speaking of bumpers,what will you use,which trucks bumpers?

[The Red Baron]

That looks awsome! Can't wait to see the S10 body riding on the K5 frame.

Are you going to box the K5 frame prior to mounting the body?

[ircmaxell]

Lookin Good...

[TheRandom1]

wow that's a heckuva project. Can't wait to see it finished... you have such a sweet looking Baja, it's a shame it's been off the road so long!

[ZR2Malibu]

Tee hee heeee!

I know a secret... waiting for the post!!

[Tink]

A lot was accomplished this weekend...

The final running of the K5 as a K5 or sort-of...



Removing the rest of the K5 the easy way:



Moving the Baja's cab and K5 frame:



The Baja on the K5 frame (check out how tall it is compared to the 69 C10!!):



72Malibu, the above picture was taken Sunday after we leveled and shoved the cab foward almost a foot, now about 2" from the distributor.
This is about where she will sit... still needs to go forward ~2-4 inches. Found an Accel distributor that will work - has a remote mount coil, so it is much smaller than the HEI in there now. That should give the extra few inches needed.

Anyhow, the exciting part - not only is the cab on the frame, the key in the Baja starts that 350!! So I got to sit in that cab and start the motor! Even went for a short ride - the tranny wasn't in park -whoops!

Thanks so much to 72Malibu for the wiring help on that... it was one thing I was apprehensive about. BTW, there is no fuse or fusable link in the power feed to the fuse box... I'm thinking of getting one of those inline maxi-fuses... would a 50 be big enough?