School me on the differences - full convertible K5s

[Shaggy]

I picked up this 74 yesterday and noticed that the body has some serious beef on the underside outboard of the framerails, where on my 78 pickup there is nothing but the bottom of the floorboards. I assume that this is reinfocement because of the full removable top...

What else should I know about this thing vs a "normal" 76 and up K5?

[Esteban86K5]

It's older and it's smog exempt. In case you didn't know. :flipoff2:

[Shaggy]

Thanks Captain Obvious, that's helpful. :flipoff2:

[Burt4x4]

Rocker boxes
And yes they are for floor/door support.
69-72 top is different than 73-75 top
Two types of tops a singlewall & double wall.
The singlewall has mounting bolts on the bedrail that screw in from the top, the doublewall's bolts screw in from underneth the bedrail..obviously the single wall is lighter...
:burt:

[Nosmog73]

As the stay at home mom said the rocker boxes ..
They add the beef to keep the cab from folding in half with the top off.
door window tracks are full convert specific..
IIRC the floor gas pedal is 74-75 and 73 are 2 different types

[Burt4x4]

Shit! I wish I was a stay at home mom.... :argue: :p

[jays68yak]

umm this one is on your trailer and the other isnt?

How about some pictures of it. Does it roll or is it just the shell?

[IceMan]

I picked up this 74 yesterday and noticed that the body has some serious beef on the underside outboard of the framerails, where on my 78 pickup there is nothing but the bottom of the floorboards. I assume that this is reinfocement because of the full removable top...

What else should I know about this thing vs a "normal" 76 and up K5?

Well you prety much got your answers here in pieces, but you got them all.
Did you get it with or without the top?
I would be interested to see a 2nd gen double wall top with bolts from the bottom, all mine where double wall with bolts from the top, unless he was talking about the first gen tops.
As far as I know all 2nd gen tops were double wall , and both my 73 and 74 were bolts from the top.

[Burt4x4]

Ya I'm talkin first gen as that is all I realy know...never had nottin else.. :uh oh:

[Shaggy]

Thanks everyone, looks like minor differences.

umm this one is on your trailer and the other isnt?

How about some pictures of it. Does it roll or is it just the shell?

This is the one from 74k5 in socal, it's a complete truck minus a few engine parts, it was supposed to be with no engine but the guy that was going to buy it never showed up so it's still installed. It has a 350/465/205, full soft top that's seen some better days but is not that bad, new 4 core radiator, full cage, no front seat, d44/sf14 bolt both 8 lug, brand spankin new 265/75/16 e rated tires, and alot more rust than I expected. I ended up getting it for $380, he dropped the price to make up for the $125 in fees that he owed the DMV on back registration, so I need to take care of $125 with them when I transfer the title. It was a good deal even with all the extra rust, none of it is structural, just more extensive than I thought.

I'll take some pics of it later today if I get a chance, but it'sthe wife's b-day so I am pretty much on her payroll for the day.

QUestion - How hard it it to convert the doors with full window frames to the frameless style? I have the parts on the original doors, but they are perforated with rust, so I want to swap them with new ones.

[jays68yak]

I would hit up Kevin as he converted his doors. If its anything like the first gen blazers you just cut the frame off.

So why cant you roll it off the trailer and go to frank raines?

[Esteban86K5]

All you have to do to convert is cut carefully. Measure twice cut once. The doors are the same except the frames. Take all the hardware off the old ones and put onto the new ones.

[Nosmog73]

All you have to do to convert is cut carefully. Measure twice cut once. The doors are the same except the frames. Take all the hardware off the old ones and put onto the new ones.

No they are not..
A window track from a 73-75 will not bolt right in...
the full convert window track on the lockside of the door mounts differently then the full doors....
if you have the doors then make sure to take out the top and bottom plates in the doors..I will give you a pic in a bit..So you can mount the seals and plastic seals taht seal the top and window areas..
Not sure on the regulator it might and may not be the same..I seam to remember that they are diff but have to look to say for sure..If you want power windows then get them from the same year trucks..yes they were offered as an option..
Trade you my hard top for the old soft topper.. :2thumbs:

[Esteban86K5]

I figured he was taking the doors off the truck and putting them on the K5. If that is the case then all he has to do is cut them and put the hardware for the top on them. :flipoff2:

[Shaggy]

The passenger door on my truck is caved in, so I'll be looking for some doors to swap on to the 74, maybe. I might just do tube doors though, I haven't decided. I'm going to try to keep the weight down as much as possible and no doors will help, and on the 78 I want the doors off whenver I take it out anyways. Plus I think I want to boatside it anyways, it wil get rid of alot of the rust. Decisions decisions...

[Nosmog73]

The passenger door on my truck is caved in, so I'll be looking for some doors to swap on to the 74, maybe. I might just do tube doors though, I haven't decided. I'm going to try to keep the weight down as much as possible and no doors will help, and on the 78 I want the doors off whenver I take it out anyways. Plus I think I want to boatside it anyways, it wil get rid of alot of the rust. Decisions decisions...

Pics...of the rusty spots... :2thumbs:

[IceMan]

The passenger door on my truck is caved in, so I'll be looking for some doors to swap on to the 74, maybe. I might just do tube doors though, I haven't decided. I'm going to try to keep the weight down as much as possible and no doors will help, and on the 78 I want the doors off whenver I take it out anyways. Plus I think I want to boatside it anyways, it wil get rid of alot of the rust. Decisions decisions...

Mike got the important details: There are plates inside the doors and some special brakets to reinforce the doors, if you have the originals you are covered, it's better to get the newer doors clean and transfer all the hardware, the window and lcking mechanisms are the same though, so power you can have from later years, they will work.
:2thumbs: