I need some advice please:

[gjk5]

I have 2 '72 K5's that I bought together. The wife is now demanding that one of them goes. The yellow one is definitely not going, it runs, is in pretty decent shape and I use it. Here it is for reference:





The green one was apparently in the middle of major work when I got it. It does not run, but only because the TH350 and NP 205 are sitting in the back (were rebuilt just prior to me buying) the engine only has a few hundred miles on a rebuild but has been sitting for two years. It also has pretty bad rust issues (for Colorado at least) and no hood. Here are some pics of it as well:









Here is the question: I have a guy that wants to trade me the truck (minus eng., tranny and trans. and any other little stuff I want off it) for a 72 3/4 ton long bed converted into a trailer (properly, not halfass), in good shape, no rust, good sheet metal; which I always wanted to get so I could paint and match to the other K5, and maybe put a camper on. Does this seem like an OK deal? I'm kind of a noob to this kind of stuff and to first gen's for sure.


OR:
Do I sell it whole (nobody's gonna pay jack for it like this), do I part it out (is this even worth it and will I see a difference in $$)


Thanks for any advice, I appreciate it. It took me forever to find a 1st gen K5 in the first place (and I accidentally ended up with two) I just don't want to throw it away and regret it.





Disclaimer: I am not trying to sell this, if I sold anything it would be local anyway.

[sganje]

Where are you at in colorado? I might be interested in buying the green one or some things off of it. Please let me know. Thanks

[1969owner]

why not part it?

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by 1969owner

why not part it?

Can't see everything in the pic's, but the seats and console is
usually worth at least $250 if complete w/ brackets and decent
does it have a tach dash? Tilt? A/c? Rear seat w/ hold downs?
is that a single or double wall top? What motor? etc...............

*In summary it might be worth at least $1500 parted out or more

[vtblazer]

All depends on the "worth" of the green blazer to YOU.
Meaning if you've always been wanting a matching trailer but really don't care to much or need the parts truck, then sure...do the trade.

IMO, the green one is only a parts donor since you already have a nice running/driving blazer to ride around in.

...keeping your wife happy, priceless.

[Tynee]

If he's willing to let you take all the part off that you want and still do the trade, that sounds like a no-brainer to me. I think that if you pulled the engine, trans, seats and console, and anything else that was in GOOD shape, and he'd still make the trade, you're good to go!

[blazerparts]

Seats aren't stock or I'd take those.

[bouncytruck]

That looks like a $1000 - 1500 rig (as far as parts go). The body looks restoreable and it is a CST with AC. You might see if he'll toss in a couple hundred on top of the trailer.

Is the trailer leaf spring or trailing arm? If it is leaf spring, you can lift it to match the truck - that would be cool.

[bouncytruck]

That looks like a $1000 - 1500 rig (as far as parts go). The body looks restoreable and it is a CST with AC. You might see if he'll toss in a couple hundred on top of the trailer.

Is the trailer leaf spring or trailing arm? If it is leaf spring, you can lift it to match the truck - that would be cool.

[gjk5]

Thanks for all the replies guys. OK, here goes:

I think I will talk to the guy and pull some select stuff off of there, I don't have a clear idea of what his intent with the truck is anyway, originally he just wanted the frame?

Yeah, the seats are (I think) van seats from the same approx. year range, so they're not original, but they are in real good shape and I hope to have 4 buckets in the yellow one eventually (especially if I could figure out shoulder belt mounts for the rear)

I do have the bench and brackets, maybe I should pull those, that'd make two sets if I go buckets in the yellow.

No tilt or tach, but the AC system is good (and ac dash obviously)

The top is kind of jacked up (couple of cracks and the hatch latch is toast) but it is a double (I think, bolts mounted from top of rail, two lights) plus I have the top from the yellow one (which is single wall unless I have them backwards)

ANy other parts on there that are worth anything big (relatively)? I already took the two hooks off after seeing some posts here, holy crap those things are pricey!

As far as the engine goes, just a '74 truck engine, nothing special. I had thought about building it up a little and putting in the yellow one, but checked the yellow and it has a decent '69 high output motor that mortec says was orig. 300 HP so that's probably the better builder.

As far as the trailer, I don't know, I'm gonna try and look at it this week, the plan is to lift it and paint it to match when I do the yellow one, probably with a pop-up style camper too.




At least this decision will help me get off the "Restore one and Wheel one" plan that'll never happen. No reason I can't make the yellow one look good and still wheel it.

[bouncytruck]

Single wall tops bolt down from the top of the bedrail and are much more desireable.

With the cage in your rig, you can mount front and rear shoulder straps to the cage. There was a guy on the board who fabricated some nice brackets to run shoulder belts. You can also just weld on some tabs to mount them to as well.

Good luck on the trade, I'd love to have a long-bed trailer to pull behind my '72.

[gjk5]

I've seen that done on the front belts, but the cage in the rear is a little low for mounts, especially if I put buckets back there. I plan on extending the cage a little anyway to give rear passengers a little noggin protection as well and will take that into consideration.


Also sounds like I have a good double wall (the less desirable) and a crappy single (the one everyone wants). Great. Good thing I'm sticking with the old Kayline softie until I get new paint and a new fasttrac soft top.

[Huck]

If the trailer is coil sprung--forget it as it will not trailer worth a dam. Leaf's are OK. Cherry pick the green one then "let-er-go" to anyone who will give you enough $$ to make it worth your while.

[smokekiki]

Why would a coil spring trailer not be worth a dam? The majority of 67-72
2wd trucks are coil spring suspension.

[sganje]

Were are you at in Colorado?

[1976K5CHALET]

What am i gonna do with you....

I heard about htis trade two weeks ago when ervin helped me trailer the 79 up to ORD for the rest ofthe work i have no time for. I thought you and dave were going to grab something from that field in montrose to make a trailer?
We sold the house last weekend and close on the 27th of this month...should be home friday from this job...but i have drill weekend so starting monday afternoon i have to move my entire garage and K5 collection to my buddies shop. If you want to store the green one there with the rest of my non running fleet you are more than welcome. I'd still like to see it as i don't have a gen1 yet...

I'd call ya dave but we have no cell service where this rig is located here in parachute.


BTW...everyone...we are located in grand junction colorado.

Doug W.

[gjk5]

sganje: Grand Junction


Doug, thanks for the reply. Congrats on selling the house, found some acreage yet? Let me know if you have a chance and you can come over anytime when you get back and take a look (but I think your wife is gonna hit the roof if you get another K5, don't you have 4 or 5 now? ) . Ervin was kind of unsure what all he needed from that green one, originally it was just the frame, and then he was ready to take the whole thing, and I just wasn't sure of giving him the whole thing for the trailer.

Supposedly he has this 3/4 ton already, not sure if it came from that Montrose field, and it is supposed to be pretty clean. He also has somebody willing to weld up a proper tongue and all rather than just notch the frame and bend like most folks do. I sent him a PM today and told him we needed to get together and work this thing out, and let me take a look at that trailer while I'm at it.

[1976K5CHALET]

Got 217 out of the house...we were asking 224 but i told the wife to take the offer as we want out allready...lol. No luck on land just yet. Looked at some chunks with the wife last week on casing break. She really likes the 3.4 acre parcel on 17 and N road in that lucki subdivision....i feel 3.4 is way to much...i don't like associations...and $175K is outragious. I think 2 acres would be great but there seem to be no 2 acre plots anywhere in mack-loma-and or fruita.

Just don't want to see a 72 K5 that might be saveable go to the hack shop....nothing against ervin but i have never seen him finish one yet. He seems to trade out to a diff K5 every 6 months or so. To each there own i guess. Lets see...
1976 K5 Chalet
1979 K5
1979 K5 2wd
1977 K5 (replacement body for the chalet)
1989 Jimmy (couldn't pass it up for $500)
1975 K5 (still in arizona)

Okay...so i have a few....lol.
My buddy rents 3 stalls from the boneyard behind the hotel on 24 road....Potters...the semi bone yard. Thats where they all have to go monday....as we are living with our mom in law once we clear out the house and sell off everything we don't want to move.

Didn't you meet big dave with the sweet 72 short box when you were over one time? His friend in montrose where my 79 K5 2wd came from has an a--load of 67-72 trucks in the acreige they have. probably get one for free then we can have randy weld you up the tonque you want on it? Just an idea....
Also i'll try and go get those fuel tanks while i'm home this time....


DW

[71blksuper4x4]

***Editted by Moderator***

[Swbman]

As can probably tell by the replys,a lot of folks would love to have it like it is whole.longbed trailers are not that hard to find well at least not from where I sit.Sell it and make someone happy including yourself..with a few extra dollars in your pocket.

[gjk5]

Doug, I'll keep my eye out too for any 2 acre parcels, I get a lot of clients coming in wanting to split bigger chunks up into small parcels.

I did not meet the other Dave though, and I think that Randy was who Ervin was talking about doing that welding anyway, I'd like to alk to you further about it when you get back or at least back in reception world.



71blksuper4x4: grill and bumper are pretty beat on that one, door panels are pretty good (plus it has the "fancy" vinyl rear panels too that are in good shape) as are the emblems, side molding is beat down too though. I'll PM you when I make a final decision if you want though.

[gjk5]

Originally Posted by Swbman

As can probably tell by the replys,a lot of folks would love to have it like it is whole.longbed trailers are not that hard to find well at least not from where I sit.Sell it and make someone happy including yourself..with a few extra dollars in your pocket.

That's sounding more and more like the outcome here.

[71blksuper4x4]

***Edited by Moderator***

[krue]

I'll say it again, NO BUYING OR SELLING ON THIS BOARD! If you want to sell it, or in this case buy something, subscribe and post it on the parts board.