Chevrolado
Cruisin'
This thing is awesome. Great find. Keep going with it. A vehicle this good deserves someone who appreciates it. 
1977 GMC Jimmy High Sierra
- Thread starter warrpath4x4
- Start date
givemethewillys
Jonathan Chouinard
What a great truck, love the interior!
zoomad75
K5 Camper guy
You know you can wheel and not bouce things off rocks and trees right? So you can't go down the Rubicon with it, but there are so many other places you can take it.
I beat the tar out of my 75 because it was hammered before I got it. But I've taken my 91 into the same places and trails with and without a camper on it and not beat it up. Heck I think I've taken the 91 into some fairly rowdy trails and come out without any issues. I'm more careful, follow my spotter's advice and generally drive with a bit more finesse and less throttle. I've still managed to snap front axle shafts, but been careful to keep the body straight.
givemethewillys
Jonathan Chouinard
I agree with zoomad75. I regularly go on east coast trails with my buddy in a tacoma, and me driving my '78 f150. He has all sorts of body damage where i have none. We go the same places, he just drives like an idiot.
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
This thing really hates starters lol
when i got it the starter was hit and miss, we will call this starter #1
starter #2 blew up after a couple cranks. (thought i had a pic) the end housing of the starter broke off.
starter #3 cranked a couple of times then got stuck on the flywheel I am aware the issue was that it was not shimmed correctly but with the nose cones on them its a pain to get the measurements. i was playing with the quantity of shims when it got stuck and i could hear the solenoid buzzing.
starter #4 i wasnt playing around. i got a mini starter without a nose cone, had to shim the starter back from the starters mounting block, then use 4 shims between the starter and the engine block. i have never had to run so many shims or had such an issue installing a starter lol.
BUT it runs again, also changed the transmission filter since the pan gasket was leaking (most bolts were finger tight). The front driveline gave way at some point in the past because the flange of the trans pan is bent, the exhaust is smashed in that area, and it has an aftermarket front driveline from a shop in my hometown.
when i got it the starter was hit and miss, we will call this starter #1
starter #2 blew up after a couple cranks. (thought i had a pic) the end housing of the starter broke off.
starter #3 cranked a couple of times then got stuck on the flywheel I am aware the issue was that it was not shimmed correctly but with the nose cones on them its a pain to get the measurements. i was playing with the quantity of shims when it got stuck and i could hear the solenoid buzzing.
starter #4 i wasnt playing around. i got a mini starter without a nose cone, had to shim the starter back from the starters mounting block, then use 4 shims between the starter and the engine block. i have never had to run so many shims or had such an issue installing a starter lol.
BUT it runs again, also changed the transmission filter since the pan gasket was leaking (most bolts were finger tight). The front driveline gave way at some point in the past because the flange of the trans pan is bent, the exhaust is smashed in that area, and it has an aftermarket front driveline from a shop in my hometown.
zoomad75
K5 Camper guy
Might want to really get a look at the flex plate. 4 starters in a short term could be a shimming issue, but it could be a cracked flex plate. Went through a half dozen in my '69 Nova when I was back in high school. Just kept killing starters. After the 3rd my Dad bought a lifetime warranty starter and with shimming it we thought we had it. We even added a brace to support the back side of the starter to the block. Couldn't start it in the burnout box at the dragstrip. Got towed back to the pits and it started. Most of the time I could move the engine by hand by pulling on the alternator belt with the tension set tight. In a different position, it would start.
We ended up yanking the engine out to swap it for a 350 after a couple more starters wasted. With the 307 hanging from the hook further inspection of the flex plate we found multiple cracks starting at the bolt holes for the crank and radiating out from the center. The cracks were enough that when the starter drive kicked out the gear the flex plate would move enough to not allow the gear to mesh or actually go past the ring gear and get stuck. Banging on the starter sometimes would get it to retract.
The 350 had a good flex plate on it and the starter problem never occurred again. It's a pain to see up in there but you should be able to take the dust cover off the bottom of the trans to expose the area and look up.
We ended up yanking the engine out to swap it for a 350 after a couple more starters wasted. With the 307 hanging from the hook further inspection of the flex plate we found multiple cracks starting at the bolt holes for the crank and radiating out from the center. The cracks were enough that when the starter drive kicked out the gear the flex plate would move enough to not allow the gear to mesh or actually go past the ring gear and get stuck. Banging on the starter sometimes would get it to retract.
The 350 had a good flex plate on it and the starter problem never occurred again. It's a pain to see up in there but you should be able to take the dust cover off the bottom of the trans to expose the area and look up.
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
Chevy included the Scottish bagpiper plaid interior too. I love those K5's
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
not gonna say there are no cracks, but i do have the cover off and did check the flexplate to see if it was broken or if the teeth were messed up. I have a new flexplate for it already but was not "willing" to change it where the Jimmy sits right now lol.
Yeah, but they place a lot of restrictions on what you can legally use the vehicle for:
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
true, but its not my daily driver. There are no mileage requirement checks on it so i am good with it.
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
while changing the transmission filter I verified the PO was wrong and this does not have a TH400, it has a TH350.
Yup...
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
waiting on parts this week,
the shift rod/mechanism is really sloppy and the metal is worn so i am replacing it with a new lever kit.
www.summitracing.com
"Heavy duty" headlight harness from LMC, I ran this on my 72 K5 and it really brightened the headlights.
the shift rod/mechanism is really sloppy and the metal is worn so i am replacing it with a new lever kit.
Classic Performance CPTSL Classic Performance Steering Column Automatic Shift Linkages | Summit Racing
Free Shipping - Classic Performance Steering Column Automatic Shift Linkages with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Steering Column Shift Linkage at Summit Racing.
"Heavy duty" headlight harness from LMC, I ran this on my 72 K5 and it really brightened the headlights.
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
Friday night I replaced the brake master cylinder, since the previous owner snapped off one of the bleeders. Then I installed some ORD extended brake lines I got from a member on CK5.com, put the front brake lines back into the frame holes, someone bent the lines under the frame when installing the lift. Also while changing brake lines i noticed the frame is cracked behind the steering box, common issue, so i ordered a weld in repair piece for it.
found this while changing the master cylinder, gotta love previous owners wiring.
found this while changing the master cylinder, gotta love previous owners wiring.
warrpath4x4
Adventurer
Who would think upgrading the headlights could be a multiple night project.... this guy!
I picked up a LMC heavy duty harness (used one on my 72 and it made a huge improvement), and some new headlights PHILIPS H6024CV Crystal Vision Ultra from rock auto for $12 a light.
old headlights, one was labeled halogen and the other i could not find a brand.
passenger new, driver halogen. not the best picture but you can make out that the driver side has more yellow tint to it
both of the new headlights, the thing i did not expect is the old lights illuminated more of the ground closer to the jimmy, and the new lights seem to illuminate higher up (no adjustments were made)
unlike the 72 where the harness made a huge improvement, adding the harness did not make much of a difference here, it is slightly brighter.
I picked up a LMC heavy duty harness (used one on my 72 and it made a huge improvement), and some new headlights PHILIPS H6024CV Crystal Vision Ultra from rock auto for $12 a light.
old headlights, one was labeled halogen and the other i could not find a brand.
passenger new, driver halogen. not the best picture but you can make out that the driver side has more yellow tint to it
both of the new headlights, the thing i did not expect is the old lights illuminated more of the ground closer to the jimmy, and the new lights seem to illuminate higher up (no adjustments were made)
unlike the 72 where the harness made a huge improvement, adding the harness did not make much of a difference here, it is slightly brighter.