Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

I have put together a slideshow youtube on the frame conversion, go check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUI-I...ature=youtu.be

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Nice work

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Nice work indeed. Makes my mouth water for wanting to do this to my 72' Blazer.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Nice, looking good

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

I did a little research and there seems to be some debate about the thickness of the frame between the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton. Many say they are the same. Since you have both, you can easily compare. Is it substantial? I am considering finding a 3/4 ton frame and doing the same if there is a large difference.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

This is not a part of my job that I really look forward to when I get up in the morning but sometimes you just have to cowboy up and ride the bull. I wish it only took 8 seconds. In these pictures, you will see the replacement procedure on replacing a very badly damaged rear floor section. I decided it was better to replace it than to repair it. Fatigued and stretched metal is never a good foundation to build on. Fortunately, I purchased a couple K5s that one of them had a really good floor in it. No aftermarket junk here, its all GM metal. More pics to come on the actual installation these are just of the removal.


https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/...18058484_n.jpg

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

And these are last few pictures from the post above.

For those of you that are thinking about doing something like this or disassembling a regular bed I have come up with what I think is the best way of getting all the bolts out. Don't try to take the nuts off, tighten them until they break off.



https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/...50581655_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/...84829172_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/...24757631_n.jpg

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

To answer your question; there is a substantial difference between a K5 and a 3/4 ton. The 3/4 ton is a 7 gauge thickness and the K5 is a 10 gauge thickness. That is about the same thickness as my lawn mower deck. I personally and professionally believe that the single best investment that a K5 owner could make to his vehicle is a 3/4 ton frame and the nice thing about that is that you can build it separately and move the blazer over to it no matter how nice it is. Keeping in mind that you are all but eliminating door jam and roof cracking problems. And nobody will be able to tell that it is a 3/4ton frame unless you tell them.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

The blazer is a 72', fortunately the customer had a 72' 4wd drive donor truck . Yes we are sticking to the stock drive train and I believe your other questions are best answered by the pics being posted below on the frame build. One modification we are making for the customer, we are custom building a receiver hitch that will be located behind the license plate. The way we are building this hitch we will be eliminating the stock bumper brackets and reinforcing the bumper to protect the rear of the vehicle from any rear impact that may happen.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Wow that bed section doesn't look rusty at all. You should see mine. Lol. I'm missing the rear 2 inches where the carpet plate bolted into the tail pan. I wish mine was as good as that piece you just took out.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Can a 1-ton 2x4 frame be easily used for a K5 replacement? I know where one is that's been sitting for a decade or two, and the owner would probably pay me to drag it away.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

no I don't believe so.the back of a one time frame is actuallyan inch higher then a regular pickup truck frame. Not exactly impossible but I sure wouldn't spend the extra time trying to make it work if I had a three-quarter ton frame available.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Quality work on the frame. Great slideshow. I have an affinity for K5's. My Dad gave me his when I turned 16. Had to sell it in 1989 and regretted it the day I sold it.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Well as promised here are the rest of the pictures of the bed floor installation. After doing the media blasting on this yesterday, I have come to realize that we are going to have to come up with a media blasting room. I spent more time chasing the damn hinges around trying to strip them. I'm sure if there was fly on the wall he was probably laughing his ass off. No, but seriously I've not been able to do as much media blasting because of the outside elements, ie rain, and soon enough snow. For those you of who have been following my posts; you know that I will build it and it will be better than anything you can buy on the open market. Robotics sold separately.


https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...25871564_n.jpg
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Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Lookin good. I'd love to have that clean a tub

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...76929347_n.jpg


These stress cracks are one of the direct reasons why we recommended and subsequently built a 3/4 ton frame. The 3/4 ton frame will completely eliminate this problem as well as door alignment issues.

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...62040908_n.jpg


This is my GMC Blazer top repair cart.
https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...08946383_n.jpg

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...90589365_n.jpg


Peeled away all loose pieces of this pandora's %*##@* box. Feel very confident that the technique we will be using to repair this fiberglass will strengthen the whole area. More illustrations to come on the repair process.

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...54830439_n.jpg
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The deck lids on these Blazers definitely were a weak point. My plans are to reinforce the inside with spray foam after doing a resin repair which will require me to build a jig to hold it at the right shape for this process. More to come on this.

https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...67318853_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...81923081_n.jpg

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

I'm green with envy of your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Dove into all the rust issues on the driver side door pillar, rocker, and so on so forth. As you can see I used one of my inner rocker panels 16 gauge cold rolled that I normally use on my crew cab builds. Three times as many welds as factory guarantee it will be stronger than it ever was before and it won't rust. Whenever I do rockers and any rust repair, everything gets painted before I put it together.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

pictures continued

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Rust resistant coating applied before attaching outer rocker.


https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...66297514_n.jpg

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Which rust preventative coating do you use?

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Zero Rust.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

is that a weld thru primer?

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

No. I have yet to find a well through primer that I like.

Re: Frame Off 72' Blazer Restoration
 

Here are a couple of pics for you Special-Ed.