For My Dad

Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Hello Gentlemen

In 1983 my Dad graduates high school from a little town called Buhl in Southern Idaho. He had been with the same gal and they decided to stick it out for the long run and she got him a gift on the 1 year anniversary.
Sometime during the winter of 1983 my Dad was helping an old rancher and seen a 1972 K5 in the barn. My Dad asked the rancher who it belonged because it was dusty and you could tell it rarely seen the road. Rancher said he bought it for his daughter to tow her horse trailer but eventually she hung up the saddle. Anyhow after that my Dad couldnt get over it and eventually it was in his driveway thanks to my mom. All 4 of us kids were raised in that truck. Hunting in the Fall or top off in the Summer. If you flip through our old picture albums you’ll see an occasional cameo of the truck in the background. At the time my Dads other car was a LeMans, thats still in the family too this day! Not a clone either and man he’d take that personal
Anyhow eventually we ended up moving out of Idaho when I was 7 and went to Alaska. To this day I dont know why we left but it felt like a “get out of Dodge” thing because we left everything behind including the Blazer. Fast forward 10 years and I came back to Idaho for about a year. The heat and winter had taken its toll on the body. I put some fluids on top of the pistons, rolled it over by hand and after a little tinkering she fire! I happily drove that thing for that time back in Idaho. I went back to Alaska and didn’t come back to Idaho for about 4 years and even then I wasnt tied down to any one place because Halliburton moving me around and then I found a hone as a roughneck for Nabors Drilling ND. At the time my Dad lost both of his parents and he moved back to the farm where he was born and raised in Southern Idaho.

February 2015 my tool pusher calls and gives the bad news that I seen coming, OPEC was washing the market and rigs were stacking out so I started conserving for about my last year of my time kn the rigs. I knew I would be one of the first to go, I started out on the rig floor making connections, cleaning etc and made Motorman after about 7 months over guys who had been on floors for 3 years. I worked over a lot and the people liked me, my drillers and pushers were cool with me but I knew the floor hands who had been there for several years were salty af.

I linked up with my Dad and we spent practically every minute of each day together. We redid the plumbing on a buddies house and remodeled a bathroom for him but nothing would pay enough for me to keep my chin about the water but I was having a lot of fun with my puppy Austin and my Dad.
Well I sold my LLY and held onto my LMM and sold my RZR and basically all my sh*t. I had good money bills and about 7 months worth of money saved up to pay them if needed. Well that didnt happen instead I paid for a funeral.
March 1st my Dad and my Aunt came to church with me and left early because my Dad didnt feel well. I didnt think anything of it, he’s tough af. I called the farm that night and my aunt said he went to bed early. I told her that if he didnt feel better in the morning, to tell him I’ll braze all the copper pipe for the shower we were doing in my buddies house.
I wake up the next morning, braze the shower. Go to town and get the worst phone call of my entire life. I did his services the way i thought he’d want them, flannels and boots and beer.

Its been 3 years since that and its time to make it my own for my kids to grow in. Shes hammered af but give it a few years and there wont be another like it!

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Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Went to it at my storage place, its been there for 5 years!! Broke af for the longest time recovering from my oilfield bills but I made it!!

Pulled the fuel supply line, made a make shift gas supply
1aaf3bf543ba9895422667b6a048f06f.jpg


Hooked up to the battery, and got my fire extinguisher.
2d1ed59e5bef0817b795acc834b30719.jpg


Not gonna lie she got some of the good stuff but this truck used to use about 2 oz of engine oil per cold start 10 years ago after sitting for 10 years then and now its gonna another 7 so its gonna need an overhaul anyways, plus Im gonna bore it but all that is gonna be the last thing I do.

After fighting me for about an hour she lives!! Misfirin and hating me but she was running on her own strength after an hour of tinkering. You cant kill these motors on stock power. Its got a Crager 4 barrel thats probably gunked up because it doesnt like you jumping the throttle. It did sound good though. Full straight true duals Y’d out the back with the tips turned






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2004LB7

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2010
6,426
1,779
113
Norcal
Not gonna lie, you made me choke up a little. :hug:

Lost my dad 18 years ago. Still haven't got over it. I have some of his wood working tools that I will never use but I will also never get rid of them either. Its one of the last pieces of him, other then the memories, I have left.

For your dad, get that rig running right and proper and never leave it to anyone that won't give it proper respect it deserves, he would be proud :thumb:
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,345
1,627
113
Mid Michigan
Based on your other truck(s), that K5 is going to turn out nice. Would be worth a pretty penny here in Michigan. Just no stretched tires on this one, ok? :rofl:
Thats a great tribute to your Dad. Sorry you lost him so young. That was right around the time you joined here, wasnt it?
 

Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Based on your other truck(s), that K5 is going to turn out nice. Would be worth a pretty penny here in Michigan. Just no stretched tires on this one, ok? :rofl:
Thats a great tribute to your Dad. Sorry you lost him so young. That was right around the time you joined here, wasnt it?



Im thinking so because my LMM had issues. I had been a long term creeper before. I think i may keep the 2 piece centerlines!


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NC-smokinlmm

<<<Future tuna killer
May 29, 2011
5,058
258
83
At Da Beach
Cool project! I too lost my dad, last year 5 days before Christmas, hard times for sure. I'll be watching this one brother...
 

Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Not gonna lie, you made me choke up a little. :hug:

Lost my dad 18 years ago. Still haven't got over it. I have some of his wood working tools that I will never use but I will also never get rid of them either. Its one of the last pieces of him, other then the memories, I have left.

For your dad, get that rig running right and proper and never leave it to anyone that won't give it proper respect it deserves, he would be proud :thumb:



It honestly wasn’t fully set in til my youngest was born.

She is gonna run good N loud!
Initially i was think anything from a LLY or LB7 or a 12V.
But when I cold started it yesterday instantly I was like....bore it, stroke it and let er’ eat.



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zakkb787

<that’s not me...
Sep 29, 2014
2,340
52
48
Granite Falls NC
Damn Dakota you got us all choking up. Awesome project. I’m hoping me and my dad have many more adventures together... but you just never know anymore. Even as young as he is.
 

SmokeShow

Well-known member
Nov 30, 2006
6,818
34
48
42
Lawrenceburg, KY
Sorry about your ol' man. Neat background story with the blazer. It's sure going to be nice getting it back up to par.

What's the story behind that hood?!
 

1TRIKHD

Country boy Limo.
Sep 15, 2015
1,664
343
83
P.N.W
You never get over the fact that he is gone, u just used to it I guess. I'll be following this one as well. Like others have said I lost my dad 7 years ago and there isn't a day that doesnt go by I dont think of him.
 

Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Now I'm going to have to go get the MG out my dad left me and go drive it around this weekend...:eek:

Nastalga is contagious...



It is!!
IIRC Carol Shelby bought like 3 of those when he was serving in the UK and sent them back home to the US. About 15 years later he designed his own car......pretty cool history behind the MG’s and their old school race pedigree.


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Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Sorry about your ol' man. Neat background story with the blazer. It's sure going to be nice getting it back up to par.

What's the story behind that hood?!



Its been on there for awhile. I think it was from a JC Whitney catalog. Not sure i will keep it. We always liked to 67 front clips the most so I think thats the route Im gonna go! Maybe make a bench seat out of the 72’ front clip for my shop if i go with 67’ front end.


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SmokeShow

Well-known member
Nov 30, 2006
6,818
34
48
42
Lawrenceburg, KY
Oh man, I'm definitely more fond of the 69-72 front clip compared to the 67-68 but like you all, the 67-68 seem to be preferred more often? Meh, it's y'alls truck, do with it what you like! Either hood will be better than that one on it. :D :thumb:
 

Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Oh man, I'm definitely more fond of the 69-72 front clip compared to the 67-68 but like you all, the 67-68 seem to be preferred more often? Meh, it's y'alls truck, do with it what you like! Either hood will be better than that one on it. :D :thumb:



To each their own. If i could squeeze a 69’ grille in the 67’ clip Id be doin alright.


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Novak

SQUIRREL TRYN TO GET A NUT
Jun 15, 2015
990
0
16
Cloud 9, IDAHO
Hard top all the way bud. Nothing like that factory look. Although soft tops are nice for ease of removal.


Ive seen people make the tops look good but i cannot find a real solution to something that makes the old clamps and on the windshield and along the bedside obsolete.

Im leaning toward something similar to the new Rubicons and Wranglers. I know the Jeep have had their issues with sealing (we used to have a 13’ wrangler) however they were user friendly and easy af.