GRIZZ’s ‘79 - 2WD BLAZER Challenge over in London, England. “~It’s not a Project~”

[Grizz1963]

Only one small thing done to the truck today.

It will split opinions, do I care??

Errrrmmm..... Nope.

Proud.

[Grizz1963]

Love the little parcels.

New side repeater lenses landed.

Too big again, do I drill the holes bigger or modify the lenses......




Indicator light bulbs landed too.

These amber units were ordered before @phila got me the chrome ones for the truck.

Can you see what is wrong.





Currently a big thing....

Showing asss.



Another thing I have looked forward to for over a year was to fit one of my custom cast gas pedals.

These will possibly split opinion.

50 years ago guys made these in shop, they were everywhere.

I always loved them, and to me this one, custom cast by my good friend Andy Martin in Terlton near Tulsa Oklahoma is even more valued as it reminds me of my road trips, friends here in theUK and also in America.

A certain nod to great memories.



Life is good, remember that gang.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@mk3rob" source="/post/2650641/thread" timestamp="1609660940"]Definitely get some rust protection on the underside. You can pretty much watch S10s rust!
Mine had 2 rear seats and I have to say you can ride with 3 people in proper comfort! I rode in the rear seat a couple of times after concerts etc when our lass drove and it was really comfy!
The ZQ8 stuff is really sought after and at times not so easy to get hold of so hold onto that! [/quote]


This is the trucks “build sheet” showing its whole DNA. What was put together to create it.

It seems to be pretty special, and I am both pleased and thankful to have been able to tick a box on my lust list.



Read and interpreted by some clever people out there

G80 and ZQ8 are posi track rear and sport suspension
G80 is the LSD, nice.
ZQ8 is a code and a trim package, so your truck is a ‘ZQ8’
They had a factory lowering kit, around 2in or so, springs and leafs. A tighter steering box and some other nice things. The Xtremes got the same setup but got a body kit and some badges.
This is kind of an aside since you're curious about rpo codes, but the guys who have the super sport S10’s look for the B4U code. SS trucks were the first to receive the ZQ8 suspension in 96 until they stopped the SS in 98. The ZQ8 then became its own trim package so to speak
That is the rear end. I think the codes that start with G are the gears for the rear. Not 100% but I think that's what it means. And G80 is a locking or semi locking rear end if I remember right.

GU6 = 3.42 gears
G80 = POSI limited slip
L35 = v6 4.3l vortec
M30 = 4spd overdrive transmission
ZQ8 = Sports suspension package



So living here in England poses it’s own challenges when owning a 20 year old American pickup truck.

Parts for one, and even maintenance as you cannot just drop it off at a local dealer to get things serviced or repaired.

Part of the pleasure than becomes figuring stuff out, researching, asking questions or guys like @pauly over for a coffee pretending you do not need their technical or physical expertise ( just how hard to hit a control arm, or whatever with a 5 pound hammer in winter)

Finding hard to get bits, gets harder when it is a slightly less common model too.


So my truck came with a set of Cragar S/S 2 piece, 17” in 8J wheels, including a spare, 255/45 17 Nankang tyres, all with almost full tread etc.
Perfect wheels for daily use.

But I did not like them, and always coveted the LQ8 5 spoke 16” 8J alloys some trucks came fitted with.

Actually do not recall seeing any in the uK on trucks, ever.

So I was looking out for alternatives, and had kinda settle and made peace with getting thick adapters and going with a set of Range Rover Mondials in 18” or a full set of 17” 7J BMW steels.

I was on an American FB S10 group, asking about tyre choice for the 7J wheels when I got a message from a U.K. based GMC S15 Sonoma owner...... Surprise !

He had owned his for some time, but during the whole 2020 COVID-19 shut down, had stripped it down and was doing a 1939 Willys shark nose truck rebody, he had sold all the body panels except the rear bed and still had a set of 4 LQ8 wheels, with some tyres fitted, tyres could be fried though.

Would I be interested in those as an alternative to the Mondials and BMW steels?

He had not realised these were my personal Holy Grail of wheels, as I was trying to do the truck justice as it is in such good condition. Adding originality as far as I could, with a few cosmetic tweaks,

We have spent about two hours on FB Messenger video (a first for him, he is 67 and not a techie) getting to know each other.

And of course agreed to me buying the wheels from him, not cheaply, but certainly a fair price I was prepared to pay.

Collection based on current lockdown uncertainty to be in the next three years or more.


Stock photos from Google.



And what my truck would look like.

I am super pleased, yes there are other options, other lols, and prettier wheels, but it’s what I wanted.




Looking at these in the USA, even the price per one, wheel plus tax, duty, real world shipping etc makes for an expensive transaction.



Even just the centre caps would not be cheap from eBay and once you get stung with tax and import duties on top of shipping, this was not the route I planned on going.

Just to give an idea of their cost to me.



And an afterthought, speaking of COVID-19





Later guys, back to day job stuff, Friday today.....

Weekend soon.

[Grizz1963]

I asked for a few pics on one of the S10 groups, great response and chats ensued.

Wanting to see just how much dish they show.

I was not disappointed









MARMITE


See it for what it is.








And lastly, this one, I like.



Yup..... looking forward to these wheels.

[Grizz1963]

Next bit of crazy, on the back burner for the moment, but it is on simmer.



Look again.....



Horney Horney Horney



What those are attached to.

So can I make one up myself, just need 15mm rebar or solid rid and an Oxy-Acetelyne flame to warm and bend to shape, then drill, tap and fit in place of the original.



And then......

My shifter, knob is part of a cast in place plastic rubber unit.

Stanley Knife, cut off, fit the new aluminium shifter knob









Another random posting that surfaced after someone in the USA saw my dash and enquired.

Thats expensive.in my book, but personally, I like it.

[Grizz1963]

Carport news.

This morning after trying unsuccessfully to contact some clients, I put on the kettle for a coffee.

Then thought that while that came to the boil, I would take the 6 steering wheels, boss’s and a quick release that I have brought up to the house last night, for the wheels guy to look at, back to where they live,

Got there, packed them away, and then looked up......

Still need to gutter the woodwork shed.



Was given a length of rain gutter by the guy I bought the S10 from as he had a pile of offcusts and I needed a bit.

So blocked the end with half a margarine tub lid (It is going under cover completely, and also strapped it with Ducktape after glueingit in place.



Then created some pretty horrible, underslung wooden supports to rest it, and my length that I already had, glued the overlapped, down tilted join and tested it.

Works a charm.

Next job will be to create a 30th offshoot to carry the water back into the garden behind the compressor room.



More dry workspace guaranteed