If it hasn't happened to you already, there'll be a time in your life when you're too far into a project to quit, but it seems crazy to carry on. At this point, you need to make a decision to cut your losses, or continue on and finish a project that you never would have started had you known how bad it was going to get. This is one of those projects for myself and the crew at Fabworx Off Road. The '74 K5 we had started ("Building a PreMudder," Dec. '06) had become a real headache. The frame was terrible and in desperate need of repair, there was rust in the body, and what we thought was a lucky-stroke running 396 big-block turned out to be a waste of time. Just remember: Project trucks are fun, and you need to keep telling yourself that when it starts looking bad. This month, the Fabworx crew were able to make progress. Instead of fixing a bunch of stuff, we were actually now adding modifications. We were down to a time crunch of just under a month, and things were starting to come together. In this second installment, we were able to get a big-block Chevy built for power and a four-link fabbed up to control the rear 14-bolt that Tim put a Yukon Gear gearset and spool in last month. However, I knew it was going to be bad when the oil-pan drain plug was pulled and Jack Arrington said to me, "Uh, I don't want to tell you there's metal in your oil, but there's metal in your oil." Upon removal of the heads, we found a hole on the ringland of the No. 1 piston. This would require a complete rebuild, something that we did not have time nor financial resources for. Jack Arrington, our engine specialist, took a look at me, and then back at the engine, and then back at me, and said, "I have a 462 short-block with a steel crank in my garage. I started it a couple years ago and it has just sat since then, so it needs to be honed. We can figure something out later." And you can bet we will.Upon removal of the heads, we found a hole on the ringland of the No. 1 piston. This would The 462ci block spent two weeks in the machine shop, but it came out looking good and ready to have some Edelbrock Performer heads bolted on. On top is a new intake manifold and throttle body for the Pro Flo multipoint fuel injection.The 462ci block spent two weeks in the machine shop, but it came out looking good and read The Edelbrock Performer RPM big-block aluminum cylinder heads support up to 540 hp with a 9.5:1 compression and feature oval ports that flow similarly to rectangular ports, but with the responsiveness that you'd get from a smaller port. They have a 110cc chamber, 2.19 intake/1.88 exhaust valves, and a 290cc intake port.The Edelbrock Performer RPM big-block aluminum cylinder heads support up to 540 hp with a Magneti Marelli and Edelbrock teamed up to bring this Pro-Flo multipoint fuel injection to life. The kit comes complete with everything you need to convert over to fuel injection. That's a Weber throttle body sitting on top of the new aluminum intake manifold.Magneti Marelli and Edelbrock teamed up to bring this Pro-Flo multipoint fuel injection to The Pro-Flo fully adjustable fuel-injection system is very impressive. On the fly, you can make fuel adjustments via the in-cab controller at different engine speeds and at W.O.T., check all the engine stats including rpm, vacuum, and the air/fuel ratio, and save different programs. The information is stored in the Pro-Flo's ECU, and to run the engine, you don't have to have the controller hooked up, in case you want to leave it inside your glovebox for protection while you're wheelin'.The Pro-Flo fully adjustable fuel-injection system is very impressive. On the fly, you can Feeding this fuel-hungry big-block fuel-injection system is Edelbrock's street/strip electric fuel pump, included with the Pro-Flo. It can feed up to 600 hp, and since we're looking to only get between 400 and 500 hp, it should be just fine. Be sure not to mount the electric fuel pump too close to any exhaust components, especially the muffler.Feeding this fuel-hungry big-block fuel-injection system is Edelbrock's street/strip elect A Performance Distributors D.U.I. (Davis Unified Ignition) system was put in place of the original '74 junk. The D.U.I. is the easiest ignition to work with. With it you get a much bigger, hotter spark and there's just one wire to hook up to a switched-ignition positive lead. The only other wire connection is a single wire to a tachometer. We were also able to try out a Performance Distributors Mr. Amp 130-amp alternator. It's a one-wire hookup as well, and simplifies and improves our electrical system even further.A Performance Distributors D.U.I. (Davis Unified Ignition) system was put in place of the For the rear four-link, we used QA1 1x1 1/4-inch spherical bearing rod ends for the lower control links, and 3/4x7/8-inch ones for the top links. The QA1 rod ends feature a one-piece body that is more durable in heavy-duty applications such as dragging 1-ton axles over rocks. For the actual links, we used big 2-inch by 0.250-wall tubing for the lower ones that would be hitting rocks, and 1 1/2-inch by 0.375-wall for the upper links.For the rear four-link, we used QA1 1x1 1/4-inch spherical bearing rod ends for the lower We originally intended to use Off Road Design's new four-link kit. It triangulates the lower links and keeps the upper links parallel with the frame, and includes an over-axle all-inclusive crossmember and link, a coilover mount, and a front square-tube crossmember (shown) that sends the lower links out at a reverse triangle. But as universal as this kit is for many fullsize truck frames, there is an interference issue with the lower reinforcement boxes below the body on '73-'75 Blazers.We originally intended to use Off Road Design's new four-link kit. It triangulates the low Once we realized that the O.R.D. kit would not work for us, Fabworx built its signature dual-triangulated four-link. The company's four-link uses traditional upper triangulated links that meet above the rear axle pumpkin and attach to a bracketry housing that Forrest created. The lower links are a reverse-triangulated design that mount the lower links at the ends of the axletubes and come together at a front crossmember set in back of the transfer case and below the frame. In actuality, the crossmember that Fabworx makes for its design is so similar to the one supplied with the O.R.D. kit that we were able to use the O.R.D. one.Once we realized that the O.R.D. kit would not work for us, Fabworx built its signature du Fabworx created some nice frame brackets that attach the upper links to the frame. The 1/4-inch plate was used for all brackets that Bryan and Forrest designed, and though these obviously require extensive welding skills, Fabworx is looking into redesigning its bracketry to make a kit that anyone can purchase.Fabworx created some nice frame brackets that attach the upper links to the frame. The 1/4 Forrest used cardboard to first mock up all the pieces he wanted Dave to cut. Dave is paying his dues as the second youngest at the shop, and as such gets to cut stenciled parts out of sheetmetal so Forrest can weld them up.Forrest used cardboard to first mock up all the pieces he wanted Dave to cut. Dave is payi Once all the pieces were cut to form around the 14-bolt pumpkin, Forrest began welding them on. There is some dispute in our industry over the strength of welds done straight to the iron of an axle centersection, but we've never seen any problem with it if properly welded, and neither has Fabworx. On top of this housing, two link brackets will point symmetrically at about a 35-degree angle from the truck frame. When we reconvene in Part 3, the guys at Fabworx will be up to their ears in D.O.M. tube and even less happy with me than they were when I showed up with the dilapidated K5.Once all the pieces were cut to form around the 14-bolt pumpkin, Forrest began welding the SOURCES Edelbrock Dept. 5.0 2700 California St. Torrance CA 90503 310-781-2222 www.edelbrock.com Performance Distributors Memphis TN 9-01/-396-5783 performancedistributors.com Fabworx Off-Road www.fabworxoffroad.com QA1 Precision Products 21730 Hanover Ave. Lakeville MN 55044 Off Road Design www.offroaddesign.com Yukon Gear www.yukongear.com By Jerrod Jones Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
