Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build

[1956cameo]

Shot of the repaired original outer cowl welded back onto the blazer.



After finishing the outer cowl I did notice some thin metal on the inner cowl right where the weatherstripping goes.



The rust didn't seem anywhere near severe enough the require tearing out the whole panel, so I simply cut out the section that was rusty.



Replaced the rusty metal with a small patch from what else but the trusty old parts suburban.

[1956cameo]

Got home from working on the blazer that day and my wife told me that there was a big box on the front porch!



Loaded inside was my order of reproduction patch panels. Outer floor sections, rocker panels, bed patches, lower cowl patches, and door pillar patches. I still have to get the rocker box for the drivers side, but I think everything else I will need I will be able to pull of of parts vehicles.



Then what would you know, the next day I come home from working on the blazer and I have two large boxes sitting up against the garage door.




Inside of them was my well worn and mismatched; but affordable and complete set of factory 69-72 blazer bucket seats with all brackets and hardware that I got from fellow board member Toomuchstuff. Even though the one has non factory upholstery, both seats have decent repairable factory foams.



When I went back out to my dad's this today I took the seats and mocked them up in the blazer. I can't wait to see them when they are back in with new upholstery.

[1956cameo]

After playing around with the seats I got started on doing some actual work. Since all of the cowl patching was done it was time to put the dash back in. I put my guide pins (drill bits) into place, and the side bolts to get it lined back into place. All of the bolt holes and drilled out spot welds fit back up beautifully. Here is a shot of it clamped down ready to be welded in.




About an hour later everything was back into place exactly as it had been before.



Another shot of the welded in dash.



After wrapping up on the firewall area I debated whether or not the next area I needed to work on; the upper windshield area or the floor. Since I didn't want to take the top off I decide to start working on the floor section. The majority of the floor is riddled with small rust spots or gouges and dents. I am not sure what someone did to beat the floor up so bad but it is rough. I don't know if I should repair the floor as a whole unit or in sections since the middle section is still in good shape.




The rust issues facing the passenger side rocker panel area.




Just like the cowl panels, the rocker area on the drivers side is in much worse shape than the passenger side.

[1956cameo]

Fortunately my dad is going to let me use a junk cab he had laying around. The cab is very rust free, unfortunately someone cut up and beat up the interior of the cab beyond repair. However the floor and roof are both in still good shape for patches.




Whoever owned this cab before my dad must have been related to the guy that used to own my blazer. The outer edges of the floor and the rocker panels were covered in a layer of fiberglass in an attempt to do rust repair.




A view of the underside of the donor cab. My plan is to take the entire floor panel out of the donor cab as one piece. From there I will determine whether or not I wan't to insert it into the blazer as one piece, or just use it in the areas that are rusty or damaged.




I worked on getting the donor floor out for about an hour before I had to leave today. In that amount of time I was able to remove the drivers side firewall and floor braces. I already know this is going to be a slow process to get this floor out as one piece but it sure is alot cheaper than buying a complete repro floor panel.

[1956cameo]

Critter, Thanks! I wanted to let you know that the parts cab most likely has solid inner cowls so when I get done cutting it up I will get with you on what you need.




Alright I have a question for all of the blazer experts out there. For some reason I always thought that the lower chrome on the blazers were with the black inserts only, and not the woodgrain. Then when I got this blazer it had the woodgrain inserts on the lower chrome. I didn't think much of it and assumed that someone added it. Then I have seen some suppossedly "unrestored original" blazers on the internet with the woodgrain inserts as well. So my question is did the blazers come with black inserts only, or black and woodgrain inserts from the factory? Below is a picture of some of my blazers chrome.

[Jtrux]

Really nice work.

[1sik52]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

Critter, Thanks! I wanted to let you know that the parts cab most likely has solid inner cowls so when I get done cutting it up I will get with you on what you need.




Alright I have a question for all of the blazer experts out there. For some reason I always thought that the lower chrome on the blazers were with the black inserts only, and not the woodgrain. Then when I got this blazer it had the woodgrain inserts on the lower chrome. I didn't think much of it and assumed that someone added it. Then I have seen some suppossedly "unrestored original" blazers on the internet with the woodgrain inserts as well. So my question is did the blazers come with black inserts only, or black and woodgrain inserts from the factory? Below is a picture of some of my blazers chrome.

Yes, they came with the woodgrain also.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

Critter, Thanks! I wanted to let you know that the parts cab most likely has solid inner cowls so when I get done cutting it up I will get with you on what you need.


Alright I have a question for all of the blazer experts out there. For some reason I always thought that the lower chrome on the blazers were with the black inserts only, and not the woodgrain. Then when I got this blazer it had the woodgrain inserts on the lower chrome. I didn't think much of it and assumed that someone added it. Then I have seen some suppossedly "unrestored original" blazers on the internet with the woodgrain inserts as well. So my question is did the blazers come with black inserts only, or black and woodgrain inserts from the factory? Below is a picture of some of my blazers chrome.

THANKS! I would love to have it if possible. As far as the woodgrain goes, I agree with 1sik52. My blazer came factory with the wood grain (99% positive). You can see my spid on the lower left says "custom trim combina", "Cheyenne equipment", and "Special Promotional" (meaning Highlander), I guess one of these denotes wood grain on a Blazer.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by Critter

THANKS! I would love to have it if possible.

It's possible,,,,it's all reproduced if you don't mind caughing up close to $800 for the whole kit.

[jaros44sr]

[QUOTE=Critter;3758427]THANKS! I would love to have it if possible. As far as the woodgrain goes, I agree with 1sik52. My blazer came factory with the wood grain (99% positive). You can see my spid on the lower left says "custom trim combina", I guess one of these denotes wood grain on a Blazer

My woodgrain came on a '72 GMC Custom, but my guess is that the SPID lists it as "Com'bina", it is a rare and exotic wood only found in the darkest jungles of South Central Brazil, dunno just a guess!

Nice work on saving this ol' 2 WD, some of you guys have really stepped it up. Nice to see someone doing quality work to bring it back from dead

Always enjoy reading your progress, keep it up with the nice pics. as well! If you need any wood trim LMK, as I'm not using it

[72 DIRTY RAT]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

After playing around with the seats I got started on doing some actual work. Since all of the cowl patching was done it was time to put the dash back in. I put my guide pins (drill bits) into place, and the side bolts to get it lined back into place. All of the bolt holes and drilled out spot welds fit back up beautifully. Here is a shot of it clamped down ready to be welded in.




About an hour later everything was back into place exactly as it had been before.



Another shot of the welded in dash.



After wrapping up on the firewall area I debated whether or not the next area I needed to work on; the upper windshield area or the floor. Since I didn't want to take the top off I decide to start working on the floor section. The majority of the floor is riddled with small rust spots or gouges and dents. I am not sure what someone did to beat the floor up so bad but it is rough. I don't know if I should repair the floor as a whole unit or in sections since the middle section is still in good shape.




The rust issues facing the passenger side rocker panel area.




Just like the cowl panels, the rocker area on the drivers side is in much worse shape than the passenger side.

Did you say you could get patch panels for the rocker areas? I might need a set of those! Its great looking at your pictures, it gives you an idea of what it looks like under the metal! Thank you!

[1956cameo]

Jtrux, 72BlckButy, and lks dcvn, Thanks for the compliments and words of encouragement. They really help to keep me motivated!

my67chevytruck, It's a shame I missed you. I didn't even know you two lived so close together. Maybe I will run into you at Pate this spring.

1sik52, Critter, Jaros44sr, and Clifblazer, Thanks for the valuable information. I am not sure why I thought they didn't have it, other than I just never saw it on any original sales literature. Thanks!

Firebirdjones, I wish one of the previous owners of my truck wouldn't have put screw holes into all of my trim. I think most of it would have been able to be restored. Oh well looks like I need to shell out the $800 or so it will take for repro trim.

72DIRTY RAT, Yes; most aftermarket companies here in the states sell reproduction rocker panels, rocker boxes, and inner floor sections that have the back part of the rocker panels as well.

[Nobby]

Blazer is looking good.When you use that truck floor don't forget your bucket seat bracket supports.I did and it was a pain to go back and redo.Don't give up it will be worth it.

[1956cameo]

Nobby, Thanks for pointing that out. How hard of a job was it to replace the entire floor section?