[AirForceOne]

I'd like to have an honest discussion here.

I've got a TJ, there's a thread for it in the build forum. 2000, 4.0L Sport, A3, 70s shade of gold. I've been wrenching on this thing for the last 10 months or so, and it's still a work in progress. It was picked up in project form, and probably 120+/- hours of labor to get it where it is now. It's been on the trail twice since getting it going, and currently it's on jackstands waiting for me to find magnet thin enough to remove the C-clip from the Spartan locker'd 8.8 to replace the wheel studs after a near catastrophic failure. At 6'3", I'm a little tall for it, but I suppose I could flip the sound bar to behind the sport bar (pretty sure it's supposed to be there anyway).

My buddy (the same one that found me the TJ BTW) connects me to a fella with a '74 K5 Blazer. If you don't know GM history, this is (obviously) the 73-87 body style. The 73, 74, and 75 models have full length removable tops (fiberglass, weighing around 300lbs). This K5 in question needs a little bit of work, but it's a running and driving full size V8 truck running 38" tires. It's an obnoxious shade of yellow, but being from the 70s I'll allow it. Now for the discussion:

TJs can be good off road. It just takes time, TLC, and know how plus a quality suspension and related modifications. I'd like to fit my TJ with 33x12.5s and flexy suspension, so I'm looking at Savvy and Metalcloak. To fit either suspension to the TJ (and related SYE/drive shaft mods) I'm close to half the cost of the already built K5 (which is complete overkill for the terrain in my area.) That being said....

I am a GM guy at heart. This TJ is the first non GM vehicle I've owned, and I've cursed Chrysler more than once wrenching on it. If my bank account was represented with an infinity symbol, the TJ would be built up with about 3.5-4" of lift, highline fenders, 35-37" tires, full cage, V8 swap, yada yada. The K5 of course is already fitted with a 6" lift, near new Super Swampers, a fresh engine and transmission, NP205 transfer case, and rust in a few body panels. The K5 also come with a second complete parts truck, which is supposed to be rust free, but it does not have its hard top.

Thoughts? The gist of things is, if I get the K5, the Jeep is gone. Make me a case for saving the Jeep... I will say, while mine is essentially rust free, I spotted two TJs in the Panama City Pick and Pull with some extremely nasty frame rust, and to be honest I find that pretty unacceptable for a vehicle built in the 90s, especially when there were cars and trucks much older with minimal chassis rust and none observed with frame compromising rust like the TJs.

 

[DannyTX]

I have only had my 05 LJ for two weeks and love it. However, many years ago I had a 71 K-5 with a stick shift that was about the neatest truck I have ever had. It is too early for me to say I would keep one over the other.

Lots of pros and cons of each. The K-5 has so much more room is one plus. My K-5 was not lifted very much at all, so it was much more stable than my stock LJ. I could pull a much bigger load with the K-5. It would be safer in an accident. It was faster.

Hmmm......maybe I just answered the dilemma. However, K-5s aren't plentiful, so my LJ is a keeper right now.

 

[Knuckledragger5]

I have a 78 K5 with 4" of lift on 54" Deaver springs, 35x12.5x16 Nitto MT, 350 crate motor 4 bolt main, 4spd manual with an NP205 Tcase running 4:10 in the diffs. I'm the second owner and have been since 2007. It sits on the side of my house and I drive my TJ every day.

 

[SurfKaster]

I love the K5s, was looking at one not too long ago. Helped my dad work on few back in the day.

Thing is you bought your Jeep as a project. All that TLC & cursing is to be expected, however you can at least see the finish line. Also, you don't need highline fenders & super tricked out suspension to enjoy the capabilities of a jeep. They're far more articulate off road in stock form than most owners realize. I went to hard rock in Ocala last weekend & followed the JK leader on 35s on almost every trail.

The 74 K5 is cool, but she's 40 years old. Even with a fresh engine, trans, etc. you can bet your jeep she'll be an ongoing project too that will require quite a bit of TLC & strong words. She's gonna be pig off/on road & never be quite as capable as a jeep off pavement (if that's your thing).

Either way that's for you to decide. I think they're both awesome, but for a weekend toy off roader I'd take the jeep all week long & twice on Sunday.

 

[Knuckledragger5]

Really what is your intended use for the vehicle?
If your daily driving it the K5 is just too impractical. We all joke about the fuel inefficiency of Jeeps but on their worst day they are still double the fuel economy of a lifted K5.
I used to take my K5 hunting to spots that were too tight for my truck (CCLB F250) but I hated filling up 2-4 times in a single trip. Anymore I just drive the K5 about once a month to dinner or the occasional mud hole when we get rain.

 

[Shoe]

What axles are on the K5? I remember Chevy guys breaking lots of rear ends back in the day, so hopefully its sitting on beefy axles or I wouldn't even consider it.
The next concern is the type of trails in your area. The jeeps are more maneuverable in tight areas, The K5 might be better in deep mud.
Does it have a winch? A K5 can easily pull a jeep out of a mud hole but it will be tough to get that K5 out if it gets really stuck.
Do you have covered parking to keep the Blazer protected from the weather when you have the top off? I wouldn't want to wrestle with that top every time it rained.
Do you like rebuilding 4-barrel carbs?
Do you think you will ever be selling which ever one you keep? The jeep would be a lot easier to sell than a jacked up yellow K5 with rust.
I would probably go with the jeep, but I've seen some old blazers do some amazing stuff so you should be happy either way.

 

[NC Bear]

I wouldn't swap my TJ for 10 K5's....

 

[Blazor]

Wow, the best two vehicles out there that I like lol. Got rid of my Blazer for my Jeep, miss my Blazer but MAN I love my Jeep

Good luck deciding! Really touch decision, but if I had to pick it would be the Jeep :beerdrinking:

 

[Knuckledragger5]

What axles are on the K5? I remember Chevy guys breaking lots of rear ends back in the day, so hopefully its sitting on beefy axles or I wouldn't even consider it. The next concern is the type of trails in your area. The jeeps are more maneuverable in tight areas,

mine has a Dana 44 front and 12 bolt rear. Funny about the size, the JKU on 35's is close to the same size as my K5 on 35's. But my k5 has a better break over. The body is wider because it doesn't have the external fenders though.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

mine has a Dana 44 front and 12 bolt rear. Funny about the size, the JKU on 35's is close to the same size as my K5 on 35's. But my k5 has a better break over.

My tent trailer has a better breakover than the Unlimited.

 

[macintux]

Speaking as someone with no experience with the K5, it sounds like you may resent the Jeep if it keeps you from the K5. You can always find another Jeep later if you want.

 

[AirForceOne]

The intended use is an off road plaything and weekend tinkertoy. I've owned full size trucks for most of my driving life, and I don't give two craps about fuel economy and likely never will. If this was a K2500 Suburban that Jeep would be long gone, those things are my kryptonite. Never met a 3/4T 'Burb I didn't like. Back on topic, I'm not sure about the axles in either. I think the yellow is running a 14B FF rear. GM trucks do have fairly weak rearends in the half ton stuff, but they are much more reliable than the D35. That was rectified in my TJ with a 8.8 swap, but it was more due to the mismatch axle gears than need.

Neither the TJ or K5 would be a daily driver, I've got an Escalade for that. To be technical, I have a 2015 Ram 5500 that I take home that is more of my DD than anything. And I have a two car garage that would a fit 2 K5s, though not likely with the 38s. I'd be downsizing those anyway however. Swampers are overkill for my sandy terrain. There are a few narrow spots, but nothing to crease or wrinkle metal.

There's a possiblity I may move to the Colorado area in the next 2-5 years, but even out there I don't see size being a restriction. I don't plan on running incredible hardcore trails.

 

[Knuckledragger5]

The intended use is an off road plaything and weekend tinkertoy. I've owned full size trucks for most of my driving life, and I don't give two craps about fuel economy and likely never will. If this was a K2500 Suburban that Jeep would be long gone, those things are my kryptonite. Never met a 3/4T 'Burb I didn't like. Back on topic, I'm not sure about the axles in either. I think the yellow is running a 14B FF rear. GM trucks do have fairly weak rearends in the half ton stuff, but they are much more reliable than the D35. That was rectified in my TJ with a 8.8 swap, but it was more due to the mismatch axle gears than need. Neither the TJ or K5 would be a daily driver, I've got an Escalade for that. To be technical, I have a 2015 Ram 5500 that I take home that is more of my DD than anything. And I have a two car garage that would a fit 2 K5s, though not likely with the 38s. I'd be downsizing those anyway however. Swampers are overkill for my sandy terrain. There are a few narrow spots, but nothing to crease or wrinkle metal. There's a possiblity I may move to the Colorado area in the next 2-5 years, but even out there I don't see size being a restriction. I don't plan on running incredible hardcore trails.

Get the K5, keep the TJ for a lil while and see what you grab the keys too more. Sounds like you have the room!

 

[EatTacoCatTea]

To be honest, I feel like either way you go, one or the other is going to be more of an investment than you want. Of coarse, that's not to say that you won't find either to be a "fun" investment.

One is 40 years old and is going to come with the TLC that is required to keep a 40 year old vehicle running well, that's not saying that a K5 isn't reliable. It's Chevy, they built arguably the best motor ever, the Chevy 350 which may or may not be in the K5 (likely). Well on the flip side, we say our Jeeps are reliable but yet we find ourselves wrenching on them more often than not whether we like to or not.

To me, your situation is more of whether or not you want to keep driving a vehicle that says "Jeep" on the side or do you want to drive a truck with a Chevy logo on the front. The way the thread started, it sounded that you have already made your decision to go back to a Chevy, which is completely fine. I won't judge. You said you are a GM guy at heart so there's nothing wrong with wrenching on what you love.

Good luck on your decision

 

[ChokeGT]

Good luck deciding. I absolutely love old 4x4s like that. It'd be a tough choice for me, but I love my TJ way to much to replace it with anything else, including another Wrangler.

 

[mehbohdi]

I prefer fuel injection over carbs, just because fuel injection doesn't care what angle your at when your crawling around. That being said I've had more Chevys than any other vehicle including 71 Blazer w/aluminum head 400ci and 4.10's. Pass everything but a gas station. Wish I never sold it, but somebody offered way to much $. That being said I like my TJ and I would be hard pressed to get rid of it now. Good luck

 

[C.J. Roberts]

Do you want a Jeep, or a truck? None of the rest of the discussion matters.

 

[JackedJerseyTJ]

I'd much rather tinker with an old TJ than an older K5 in garage.
Send pics those old K5's are cool too.