89 K1500 restoration

[James Archer]

Currently redoing my 89 k1500 4wd 5.7L regular cab and 5-6' bed. Im looking for a few suggestions. Currently I'm interested in finding an exhaust but nervous on what to buy. I'd like long tubes with a dual exit if possible.

I ordered new wheels and tires from CarID and getting rid of the 33x12.5 that it's currently sitting on. I've got all new cab corners and rockers to weld in and new door hinges. Which I'm totally not looking forward to cutting the welded ones out and putting the new ones in.
It'll get a full paint job and body work done with help from my grandfather and his restoration shop.
So far I've currently done plugs and wires, headlights,tail lights, grill, fuel pump, oil pressure sender, started wire Wheeling the bed, frame and wheels wells for undercoating, brake lines and pads and air cleaner.

It's going to be a daily driver and a tow rig for my motorcycle racing. So Ive got quite a bit of work ahead of me but sold my Jeep due to more interest in doing the truck.

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[Old77]

 

[man-a-fre]

Check your rear cab mounts metal the part welded to the frame mine were rusted bad.I just got done doing all this on my 94 regular cab today.I used lord fusor bonding adhesive on the cab corners and welded the rockers on .Put lower door skins on both doors also used lord fusor on those.I cut everything where the k1500 molding covers the cut so if it ever shadows it wont be seen because the molding hides it.

 

[Steve Cunningham]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[TexasRebel]

Welcome!

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[ChristGilley]

Welcome! Love seeing restorations, can't wait to see what you do to this thing

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[HawkDsl]

Finishing my 89 now (that it in my avatar)... hope to have it back before the end of summer (also helping a life long friend with his ****.. I mean Ford, Ha)... Been working on it for 16 years (on and off obviously, as funds became available).

Exhaust; Find a shop to custom cut you one. Buy your headers, let them do the rest. Seriously, this is the best route to go, and well worth the money (which is not so bad these days). I have headers going into a Y pipe, to a single honey comb cat, and nothing else in the way until it exits out both sides behind the rear wheel. Y pipe goes to 3 inch in/3 inch out cat, and 3 inch to 2 1/2 left and right exits with dual tips (you can see one in the avatar). I forget the pipe gauge, but the pipes are thick enough that if you hit it with a hammer, you'd hurt your hand. My man said the thicker the pipe, the deeper the sound would be, and he wasn't kidding. Sounds like an earth quake... and the cat provides enough muffling to keep the neighbors sleeping when I come home... but it will bark if you feed it.

Well... that's my two cents. Wish you the best in your build!

Oh, and I had flanges welded in so that I could pull it out if I had to.. which is nice. Band clamps, and the do not use U-bolts wreck a good exhaust, turning it into single use junk if you have to remove it for whatever reason.

 

[James Archer]

Thanks everyone! Had a busy weekend so I havent had time to work on it. My wheels and tires should be here Wednesday. So I'm hoping to start redoing the frame and underneath the bed this week before I put them on the truck!

 

[TS888]

Sweet mother Mary, brother. Throw that junk back together, take 2 weeks off work and drive to Oregon. I am picking up a perfect rust free shortbed 4x4 rolling chassis next weekend, I got it for $300, it's everything less the body, engine and rear driveshaft -- all I want off it are the wheels and tires, I'll give you the rest!

I guarantee we can find you a rust free cab and bed for under $800. You are gonna be cutting and welding for months!

EDIT: Just spotted this https://tinyurl.com/ycp9wer9 Now get out here and stop welding!

 

[Idle Serge]

Welcome! I'm fairly new aswell and trying to learn a thing or 2 lol

As far as the panels, I watched Power Nation's episode on patching up that area - didn't seem too bad for someone who knows their way around those tools

Here's the full ep - gonna have to skim over to about minute 35 for the patch work.

[yt]

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