454 build
 

What's up all. Had an 86 1/2t shortbed steering box/frame catastrophic failure, that is a story of itself. Instead of welding this pos back together I started a hunt. The hunt led me to an 88 K5 Blazer, for 200$. I found my prey. After an 8 hour round trip, we are home in the driveway and the tear down begins. And it snows...And snows, and blows and is too cold to roll around out front in the gravel.

Snows gone, so work begins. First is pulling out this tired looking 350, and tossing it in the bed of the dead red truck. Next was the tricky part..Pulling the 454 out of the truck with its 4" lift, on the gravel. Sure glad I live in the county, and could do this part in the middle of the road heh. At this point, all that is running through my head is how nice a garage would be. I can picture it, over there on the corner of the property, smoke billowing out of the wood burning stove...Yeah wouldn't it be nice.

Snap back to reality..I Look for WHY they parked this perfectly fine looking blazer, and started canabalizing it. See in the country, if something breaks There is no auto parts store down the road so folk make it work. So I look close, and notice broken passenger side motor mount, which answers why one bolt was broke off in the block from the bell housing and another was missing. So at this point, I am worried the tranny is dead, not the engine....700R transmission and all I have around is a manual 4 speed which I don't feel like putting in the blazer. Too much work for now.

After much searching, I find the flex-plate that will fit between the 454 and the torque converter on the tranny. Replace motor mounts and squeeze the big pig in. :icon_toast: The hard part is done. Everything lines up, that much closer. Tighten, double check and fire the pig up. (short clip let me figure out how to get it posted). And I see it...Transmission bleeding all over the place. Huh, line looks loose connecting into the side of transmission. Nope, good and tight. So I grab some glasses and start it up and crawl under. Line has a rub hole, all because of the broken motor mount. Redneck fix it in 5 minutes, no more leak. It's getting dark at this point, have cut down and put on exhaust, everything is going good, lets take it for a spin. This is when I discover, no lights. Brake lights, turn signals but no tail lights or head lights. Fuses good, bulbs good...Damned switch. Gotta be. So that is where we are. We did go for a quick ride, transmission shifted smooth and all seemed well.

Tomorrows adventure, getting those headlights to turn on and pulling the lift and axles out from under the dead red truck. Kind of sad to pull it apart, but the blazer will fit 4 and a moose of a dog better then the pickup did.

sounds like you got alot of progress done in little time, sounds like its goin to be a nice project

depending on how close to ct you are, i may have some things to help the build. very interested to see this develop

pictures please

researched answer on my 700r4. Gonna have to buy some pieces, to make sure I don't break it.

And working on the pics, it snowed again I am hiding inside from it.

quick vid of it.

It won't stop snowing...and blowing. I gotta get the tran throttle cable? Not sure what it's called, I have to read that article about the 700r4 again. I also have to buy the aftermarket part, that doesn't let the pressure within the tran drop too low. Also have to get the fitting for an auto transmission for my carberator? And still have to troubleshoot the lights. I still can picture the garage in the corner...Wonder if I can fit the blazer inside the house.

Shift kit ordered. Waiting for arrival, then that little bit is squared away. Tell you what, thing runs like a raped ape, lots of power for the k5.

So the lighting issue has gone deeper then just the switch. Currently trying to figure out where my power is dropping off at. No power is reaching the switch, so swapping the switch out did nothing. Trying to find where the disconnect is, or broken piece. Thinking it might be the power block (?) that is behind the steering wheel wheel against the firewall. Any suggestions guys?

Electircal issues are not fun issues.

that cable for the trans,is called a detent cable. its the life if the trans it regulates fluid pressure. without it you can roast the trans in a matter of miles. i hope u havent been driving without it. What carb are you running? i can help find you the adapter for it.

[QUOTE=BBRide;566898]What's up all. Had an 86 1/2t shortbed steering box/frame catastrophic failure, that is a story of itself. Instead of welding this pos back together I started a hunt. The hunt led me to an 88 K5 Blazer, for 200$. I found my prey. After an 8 hour round trip, we are home in the driveway and the tear down begins. And it snows...And snows, and blows and is too cold to roll around out front in the gravel.

Snows gone, so work begins. First is pulling out this tired looking 350, and tossing it in the bed of the dead red truck. Next was the tricky part..Pulling the 454 out of the truck with its 4" lift, on the gravel. Sure glad I live in the county, and could do this part in the middle of the road heh. At this point, all that is running through my head is how nice a garage would be. I can picture it, over there on the corner of the property, smoke billowing out of the wood burning stove...Yeah wouldn't it be nice.

QUOTE]
I know how you feel I have pulled a few engines outside in a gravel lot its not fun by any means.I bought some 4x8 sheets of plywood to lay on the ground to make the job easier.I live in an apartment triplex amd have been looking for house with a garage for the last 2 years.Its out of reach on my income.Nobody will eccept pets either but I`ll be dammed if im getting rid of mine.They are good for a person who has high blood pressure and other than that give hours of entertainment.Last year I rented a shop building which helped alot.