71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Well here goes......
I have put the 68' panel on hold after buying this Blazer. I feel since i have been out of the auto body business for the last 15 years I would give the Blazer a shot before messing with the panel. I found the truck on Craigs List a few months back and did not look real close at it before buying it. I knew it had some rust issues but was not quite prepared for what I pulled out of it today. Original intention was to buy the truck to part out but after I got it home and started looking at it ........sitting in it........looking at it some more, over and over I decided I wanted to save it instead. I must have more money than brains but that is my intention so far. Here are some pictures of it like I bought it.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

The previous owner removed the rear seat and installed 2nd Gen Blazer seats up front but it still has the original center console

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Today I decided to start ripping the interior out so that i could see just how much rot there was in the floor areas.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

The PO had placed a sheet of 1/2" plywood on the floor with carpet pad on top of that. Then they wrapped the entire floor, side walls and front floor in a black cloth. Needless to say with the leaks from the rear hatch and holes in the floor the plywood was not in real good shape.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

As I was cleaning up the plywood mulch I noticed a lot of mud built up around the whell wells. I was like man gotta get that mess out so it can dry up then I can see how bad it really is. Well I did not have to wait, cause once I hauled my fat butt up in I realized hey, that ain't dirt :eek:thats BONDO:ack:.....WTF? :no:Big screwdriver and hammer after about 10 minutes and this is what is really there........OH NO......:help::banghead:

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Here are the after shots

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

I assume at one time he must have had a problem with the gas tank

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

And...... I am almost certain he was a commercial roofer. I thought is was more bondo across the rear floor sill but it was actually aluminum tape with mastic material on it. Some places come up easy where they taped over dirt and grease but other cleaner areas are proving to be quite difficult to get off. The last picture is some of the bondo and roofing caulk that was pulled out from around the wheel wells, it was just heaped into the top of the cross bracing as well. The 2nd picture was a patch they made out of aluminum roofing metal and it was severely corroded.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

I'm in on this one. I feel for ya man!!!

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Looks like I am going to need some rear floor sections worse than I thought. The floor flanges are also gone on the wheel tubs so will need them as well. I assume they are same as pickups so should not be to hard to find them. good thing is when I tore the side boxes out of the rear I found a stash of some goodies. Misc. hatch hinges and hardware, K5 emblems Stainless sill plates, Extra hoses and belts and the missing black visors from the front. I did not realize the tops of the cabinets were made to come off.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Then I moved to the front floor area.....not much better but I have seen worse. The seats appear to be out of a 2nd gen Blazer because of the poor attempt at making the brackets work. I had to take a picture of the Pass side rear hold down because of the way it was mounted. PO had used spacers to lift it up off of the floor to compensate for the angle of the seat being off I suppose. After I removed the two bolts that were holding the front of the seat ( supposed to be four buts whos looking right) and removed the seat out of the truck, I started removing the rear hold down you will have to look at the pictures to see what the spacers were. ( and yes they are Sears brand LOL)

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

I cant find the picture of the driver side seat but PO installed a wooden 1x4 across the back of the seat bracket to kick it upand be able to use factory mounting holes. As if that was not bad enough once I moved the floor covering out of the way, what else did I find???? not to be outdone with the sockets on the pass side they used two nice Sears screwdrivers to shim the wood up and left them. I am hoping at the rate I am finding tools I may need to go get another box.:haha:

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Thanks man, I got my work cut out for me but I think it will be worth it in the end.

Richard

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

I am still looking for a rear floor even if it is smaller sections. I could also use wheel wells and the inner 1/4 panel sections that the tubs bolt to

Richard

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Subscribed. Good thing you are a body guy. Glad you are saving it. It will be worth it in the end.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Thanks. Nowadays I call myself a signman instead of a bodyman so i think i will make me up a sign that says

KEEP AT IT
IT WILL BE
WORTH IT

and place it in the wall once I get the truck in the garage.:metal:

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

I'm glad that you are saving it too. I hate to see them forgotten about or even worse, junked. I'll definitely follow this one, I'm most interested in watching your inner/outer rocker replacement.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Well this will be my first experience with the rocker boxes but I have doen several pickup floors in the past so hopefully everything will go pretty smooth.

Richard

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Here are some pictures of the front floor area and rocker area. I will be ordering the few parts I dont already have in the next few days so I can get started. Looks like its going to be a fun project. I have also decided to take the 68' clip off of the panel truck and put on this one. It needs a little work but not as much as the 71' clip, and I like the 68' style better anyway. :lol:

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Helps when you attach the pictures :lol: The pass rocker was only held on with 2 screws neat the top. One front one back. That was the only place avaulible with metal behind it.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

If you notice in the last picture above you can see the PO attemted to weld in some angle and flat bar bracing. Must have been 1st time with a mig. I pulled it all apart by hand. ZERO penetration on the welds.

The last picture shows the DS B pillar area. I am almost positive that it will not look any better once I start digging. More likely it will look like the pass. side.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

absolutely!!!

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Looks like mine, I just finished up the front floors and boxes and I can't believe I got all that done. Keep at it. Subscribedhttp://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...ce-popcorn.gif

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

It is amazing what some people are completely ok with doing to "fix" their cars or trucks. I guess they feel that if the surface looks ok then everything is done right. I'm glad you are tearing into it. I had a "professional" body man, I use that term loosely, fix mine and I have ended up tearing it all apart to find they covered problems up.

Re: 71' Blazer Rust bucket build
 

Ridni,
I learned years ago that the majority of the time only I am willing to take my projects as far as they need to go. Most shops around here basically want to get it covered and out the door.

Warbucket
thanks for the extra parts you had. They will get used. I could still use some floor pans and rear. Wheel tubs

Richard
Posted via Mobile Device