Attempting my first build 72 K5

[tjsblazer]

Mike, one more question on your fuel tank neck swap. I took my new and old tank to the repair shop to swap necks as you did. The tank is probably from the same manufacturer as yours. It was a galvanized metal. Around the neck area where they had fastened it they had sprayed some grey paint on it.
I guess the new tank has the neck Brazed on where as the originals are just Soldered. The tank shop says they will have to heat the new tank around the braze fairly hot to remove it and are worried about warping. Is this how your tank removed the new neck, just by heating it up to remove the braze? Was there any issues with yours?
Thanks for any insight.

BTW, I followed your steps for fastening the front ball joints and knuckles. All good first time around. Thanks very much.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by tjsblazer

Mike, one more question on your fuel tank neck swap. I took my new and old tank to the repair shop to swap necks as you did. The tank is probably from the same manufacturer as yours. It was a galvanized metal. Around the neck area where they had fastened it they had sprayed some grey paint on it.
I guess the new tank has the neck Brazed on where as the originals are just Soldered. The tank shop says they will have to heat the new tank around the braze fairly hot to remove it and are worried about warping. Is this how your tank removed the new neck, just by heating it up to remove the braze? Was there any issues with yours?
Thanks for any insight.

BTW, I followed your steps for fastening the front ball joints and knuckles. All good first time around. Thanks very much.

The guy said he cut the old neck out with a small cutting wheel and same with the new one and then soldered it on the new tank. He didn't have to heat anything up. Then he sealed and lined the tank. Mine didn't have any gray pant on it. The entire tank was raw steel galvanized metal.

Where did you get your tank from?

Glad to hear the ball joint sequenced worked the first time you did it. I wish I could say the same

[tjsblazer]

Originally Posted by 72K5CSTDarkOlive

Where did you get your tank from?

I got mine from Wes at Classic Heartbeat. Sounds like you had the neck cut off and swapped at the base as opposed to unbolting and removing the entire base. Might be the way to go.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by tjsblazer

I got mine from Wes at Classic Heartbeat. Sounds like you had the neck cut off and swapped at the base as opposed to unbolting and removing the entire base. Might be the way to go.

I'll ask him tomorrow if he cut it off at the base to confirm and I'm sure he did because the bolts wouldn't have looked new.

[tjsblazer]

Originally Posted by 72K5CSTDarkOlive

I'll ask him tomorrow if he cut it off at the base to confirm and I'm sure he did because the bolts wouldn't have looked new.

Thanks, I'd appreciate knowing.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Made some more progress last weekend.
Installed the gas tank.. jeez that thing was PIA just figuring out what parts I needed and costly, too

[DeadheadNM]

#1 - Motor looks bad a$$

#2 - Bummer about the header

[IronCanine]

Mike...that looks awesome. I hope you're gonna install 6-point harnesses, because that thing looks like it's screaming just sitting there cold. Great job!!

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Mike...that looks awesome. I hope you're gonna install 6-point harnesses, because that thing looks like it's screaming just sitting there cold. Great job!!

Thanks Brad. I'm thinking I might just bolt some seats to the frame and take her for spin

[sockalaminski]

Tough break on the header touching. That's why I hate headers so much. The drive train looks fantastic though. I think your quality blows mine away.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Thanks guys.. I'm happy with the look of the motor and all, but the headers are killing me and putting me behind schedule.. I need to have everything back together before we're ready to put the body back on the frame which is in about 6 weeks.

I can almost guarantee these headers are for 2wd only, even though it says 2wd and 4wd right here - http://www.dougthorley.com/prod-9.htm

When I ordered them I thought these were for 4WD specific. If I had read that it said 2wd or 4wd I think I would have held off and not pulled the trigger so quick.

I'm going to call them on Monday to find a resolution to this because A. I didn't modify my engine or transmission or height of the truck. It's all stock.

If they would just angle the end of the tube a 1/4" to the left it would be fine, but I guess that's to much for them to understand.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by sockalaminski

Tough break on the header touching. That's why I hate headers so much. The drive train looks fantastic though. I think your quality blows mine away.

The attention to detail is a lot easier when you have something nice to start with. I couldn't even wrap my head around what you're doing. Your build is like stuff I watch on TV

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Other option I was thinking is cutting about 1-2" off the end of the collector and welding a new collector piece on there to make it clear

[JJH Jimmy]

That engine looks sweet! Nice job!

It sucks about the headers but, I would take them off and put them in a pipe chain vise with rags around where the chain will go to prevent any marking. Then widdle down a 2x4 so it will go in the collector end and tweak them just enough to clear. It won't take much to get them to move. Don't try bending them while bolted to the engine! You could possibly warp the flange.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by JJH Jimmy

That engine looks sweet! Nice job!

It sucks about the headers but, I would take them off and put them in a pipe chain vise with rags around where the chain will go to prevent any marking. Then widdle down a 2x4 so it will go in the collector end and tweak them just enough to clear. It won't take much to get them to move. Don't try bending them while bolted to the engine! You could possibly warp the flange.

Sounds like viable option and I think that might best way to go, but I don't have one and I called everyone I know and nobody has a pipe chain vise. I might be able to rent one.

The flanges on the Doug Thorley headers are really thick..It might work with them bolted to the engine. I'll give it try using very little force to see if it might budge just enough.

[sockalaminski]

Originally Posted by 72K5CSTDarkOlive

Other option I was thinking is cutting about 1-2" off the end of the collector and welding a new collector piece on there to make it clear

If cutting and welding is an option, you could slit the inside about 3/4 the way through in two or three places about an inch apart and weld it bac up to put kind of a natural curve into the collector.

[tjsblazer]

I ran in the same issue when I tried to fit up both Dougs and Doug Thorleys. I ended up returning both sets to Slummit Racing (love their return policy). In the end I bought a set of Stan's. They fit great on my mock up but that was with stock shackles also. I too am running the ORD shackles, it will be interesting to see how mine fit. I bought the Stans purposely bare in case I needed to make a small tweak and then get them ceramic coated locally. I will say that overall the Stans were the highest quality but also a little more $$.
My set up is a little different that I had to move my engine 1-7/8" forward to allow for the NV4500 tranny.

You've done such an amazing job detailing out this chassis I'm not sure how you could tweak the header without disturbing the ceramic coating.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by tjsblazer

I ran in the same issue when I tried to fit up both Dougs and Doug Thorleys. I ended up returning both sets to Slummit Racing (love their return policy). In the end I bought a set of Stan's. They fit great on my mock up but that was with stock shackles also. I too am running the ORD shackles, it will be interesting to see how mine fit. I bought the Stans purposely bare in case I needed to make a small tweak and then get them ceramic coated locally. I will say that overall the Stans were the highest quality but also a little more $$.
My set up is a little different that I had to move my engine 1-7/8" forward to allow for the NV4500 tranny.

You've done such an amazing job detailing out this chassis I'm not sure how you could tweak the header without disturbing the ceramic coating.

I talked to Doug Thorely this morning and we went through the pictures I sent over. He thinks it's the aftermarket Shackle being to thick but I told him even with the sock shackle the nut on the bolt will still interfere.. He's going to send the pics off to the engineers (or lack there of) lol and see what they come back with. I asked him " why wouldn't;t they just have the end of the collector tube bent a 1/4" inwards" he laughed and said that would require logic.

The guy I was talking with suggested I put in a temporarily spacer and mount the rest of the exhaust system to force the header tube to bend inwards to give it the clearance I need.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Ran into another problem, but this is 100% my fault and nobody else to blame but myself.

When I ordered the engine, I inaccurately measured the distance between the engine block to the end of the water pump. I ordered my engine to come with a long style pump and I needed a short style.. The Water pump pully and the crankcase pully need to be replaced, too.. I'm sure making a habit out of pissing $$$$ away.

I do have my old pullys and I was thinking of maybe just having those anodized locally but that would probably cost more than new aluminum spectre's like the one's on there now.

I also noticed the Crankcase pully on my old engine is a 4 groove (2+2 style) Do I need a 4 groove pully to run AC or can I use a 3 Groove?

[DeadheadNM]

Mike PM sent - looks like I was mistaken and it's an extra groove on the WP pulley rather than the crank for AIR system. Does this pic help?

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Mike PM sent - looks like I was mistaken and it's an extra groove on the WP pulley rather than the crank for AIR system. Does this pic help?

Thanks, Pete. This is helpful, but I'm curious to where the AC Compressor pulley bolts too and what brackets are used

[sockalaminski]

Originally Posted by 72K5CSTDarkOlive

Thanks, Pete. This is helpful, but I'm curious to where the AC Compressor pulley bolts too and what brackets are used

You don't have the brackets for the A/C?

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by sockalaminski

You don't have the brackets for the A/C?

I have the brackets. for the AC. Pete's picture with the A.I.R Belt is what's got me confused.

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Some forward progress made. After going back in forth with figuring my best options with the header, I decided that cutting it 1 1/2" off the end was the best solution.

I took it to classic muffler in South San Jose. This guy Andy is super cool. I brought my header in and showed him what I needed done and within 5 minutes he handed it back to and didn't even charge me.

[DeadheadNM]

This thread has pics that may help as regards the AC brackets: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=326242

Can supplement with pics from my Blazer later in week when I return