Rider's '94 K1500 Ecsb aka "Vegas"

[Darkrider]

Another update...i have the following parts on hand for this truck just crap weather for installing them:

Quad Sealed Beam headlights
Compass/temp mirror
Fuel sending unit
Lift pump bypass kit
Leds for dash
Overhead console
6 "Sawblade" style wheels (just need rubber)
CCls from truckin

Once it starts warming up and melting this truck will be headed out to my friends place to get its new injector pump and glow plugs. As well as a used but better condition windshield.

Sent from a 6.5 Detroit Diesel powered smartphone

 

[Darkrider]

Just another update, im about $750 away from having all the parts I need to get this truck operational again.

The parts left to purchase:

Injection pump (buying this next month)
Raptor 100 lift pump
Wix filter head and filter
5/16" inlet and out let fittings for pump and outlet fitting for wix filter head
Bulk 5/16" high pressure fuel line.
3/8" inlet fitting for wix filter head.
Brass T fitting and 5/16" fittings for fuel pressure sensor for electronic fuel pressure gauge.

Sent from a 6.5 Detroit Diesel powered smartphone

 

[Darkrider]

After some serious thought over the past year or so here is the final plan for this truck:


Stage 1:

Tbar crank to level
285/75R16 tires on sawblades
New injector pump
New lift pump
New fuel sending unit

Stage 2:

Heath Diesel Max e tork chip
Exhaust
Body work
Demold with adding reproduction badging in body line like Rehab
Tinted windows
Avalanche style rear bumper and custom front bumper like kyle97GMCs with a reciever hitch built into it.

Stage 3:
Holset HX35 Turbocharger
Engine overhaul or replacement with Optimizer 6.5 (Current gen block made by Navistar)

Stereo Stage 1:
Pioneer or Alpine CD Player with bluetooth
Kicker 4x6 speakers in dash and rear Pillars

Stereo Stage 2:

Rear seat delete with custom sub box and speaker enclosures against back wall

Kicker DS series 6x9 rear speakers
MTX or Kicker rear subwoofer
MTX or Kicker mono block amp (or custom built amp through MOBs)

The goal with this truck is to build it up into something i can drive daily and occasionally tow with along being able to hit off road trails.

 

[Darkrider]

Making the following additions to the above final plan. This truck will be set up more into an expedition style now that i have gotten a very good idea as to what sort of off road driving i can do around here and after reading a few expedition builds on other forums.

The main change is how the box will be laid out and the fact i will be upgrading the aforementioned avalanche style rear bumper design into one with a tire/fuel can/hi lift carrier.

The box will have a sleeping platform built flush with the top of the fender wells. Under the front section of the sleeping platform will be two air tanks, one for air horn/emerg use and one for tire inflation use. The connection and controls will be built into the right rear corner of the box as well as controls inside the cab. Under the rear half of the sleeping platform will be sliding drawers for clothing/supplies. The goal is to use a Double matress to give myself some space between the bed and the rear tailgate allowing me to shave the tailgate and relocate the handle inside it for increased security as well as adding two sliding locks to the rear hatch of the canopy for securing it when the box/sleeping area is occupied.


There will also be an expedition trailer built to go with this truck that will also be shared with the trailblazer, This trailer will have a 22 gal fuel cell with fuel pump set up for aux fuel for the tow vehicle and to fuel up the Yamaha Dual sport which will be carried on the rear of the trailer. Primary use of this trailer will be to carry supplies as well as serve as an outdoor kitchen setup at the camp site. When i start on that a build thread will be started in the other vehicles thread.

I know it may not make sense to have two camping vehicles considering im buying the Chevy G20 in about a month but this build is more for off of the beaten path campsites the van prob has no business trying to getting into lol.

 

[great white]

So, you're going to hang motorcycle off the BACK of a tag along trailer?

Bad idea....not good for tongue weight issues....

Personally, i'd chuck a transfer case and a front axle under your planned g20 and call it done.

That would be a great self contained expedition style rig and you could hang the bike off the back (or in it) easily...

 

[Darkrider]

So, you're going to hang motorcycle off the BACK of a tag along trailer?

Bad idea....not good for tongue weight issues....

Personally, i'd chuck a transfer case and a front axle under your planned g20 and call it done.

That would be a great self contained expedition style rig and you could hang the bike off the back (or in it) easily...

Trailer is still in the design phase so i can easily come up with a different idea such as moving the planned aux fuel cell to sit on the tongue in a truck tool box which would allow the bike to be carried in the center or offset to one side, either way going length ways as normal vs carried across the back.

I have kicked around the idea of doing a SAS on the van a couple of times, most likely with a divorced transfer case...but its the front suspension set up that i could never figure out.

 

[96k1500]

To much talk not enough actual updates, lets see some work!

 

[Darkrider]

Not much of an update more so a revised plan as mentioned in the chat thread...

Ultimately i will have 3 older vehicles on the go in the end especially if i pick up that K10...But as for Vegas the plan atm is to get it running and see if i can finally get rid of the bugs with its Drive by wire system. If i manage to work that out it will be getting cranked to level. the spare 265/75R16 Wrangler ATS tires swapped on in place of the BFGs on the rear to have wranglers on all 4 wheels. Tool box installed along with the following:

Overhead console
Hyper LEDs LED bulbs in cluster
Quad Sealed beam headlight conversion
updated fuel gauge sending unit
winch carrier/grille guard rebuilt and upgraded with larger hardware

Then eventually on to body work to get rid of the rust and rock chips along with the grandpa looking pin striping along with bed lining the body from the body line down. As well as NBS SIERRA badging on the doors above the body line.

 

[Darkrider]

Just to repeat here is the most current plan for the truck and it has not changed much...

Stage 1:

Tbar crank to level
235/85R16/265/75R16 tires on sawblades
New injector pump
New lift pump
New fuel sending unit

Stage 2:

Heath Diesel Max e tork chip
Exhaust
Body work
Demold with adding reproduction badging in body line like Rehab
Tinted windows
Avalanche style rear bumper and custom front bumper like kyle97GMCs with a reciever hitch built into it.

Stage 2.5

Expedition conversion (see below)

Stage 3:
Holset HX35 or A Team Turbocharger
Engine overhaul or replacement with Optimizer 6.5 (Current gen block made by Navistar)

Stage 4:

NV4500 swap
8 lug Sas conversion

Stereo Stage 1:
Pioneer or Alpine CD Player with bluetooth
Kicker 4x6 speakers in dash and rear Pillars

Stereo Stage 2:

Rear seat delete with custom sub box against back wall and speaker enclosures built above the rear seat foot wells placing them in a similar location to reg cab trucks.

Kicker DS series 6x9 rear speakers
MTX or Kicker rear subwoofer
MTX or Kicker mono block amp (or custom built amp through MOBs)


Ok with all that said i am now realizing i should really put together a Check list as to what i need and what i have for parts on hand/on the way.

Check list of needed parts:

Injection Pump
Batteries
9005/6 pig tails
Twist locks for cluster

Parts on hand

Metrum fuel sending unit
Lift pump bypass kit
Fuel tank sock
VW fuel filter head
Quad sealed beam set up
Overhead console
Truckinaint4sissies CCLs
Hyper LEDs blue LEDs for dash
Modified Temp/compass mirror (blue lettering vs stock green)
265/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler ATS tires to install on rear to match up with existing 235/85R16s in front. Noticed the truck steers better with this combination.
6 "Sawblade" style wheels

Parts that im still waiting for:

Console insert from Baron with Autometer Boost gauge and switches
Switch panel for OE Head unit location


Check list for items to add for expedition conversion:

Lumber for sleeping platform
Isolator for rear battery bank
batteries for rear battery bank

 

[Darkrider]

Not much of an update but at least it gives an idea as to whats going on.....Waiting on a sample from Durabak to see how close their dark blue liner matches the OE paint. If its somewhat close i will prob go with that from the side moldings down and leave the current graphics on the truck alone after body work is done. I have also made a deal on a set of 275/65R20 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires from the same friend i have gotten a lot of stuff from in the past including the truck itself. Thats about it so far as far as forward progress on this project. The change in job and other outside factors have slowed things down a lot.