You Chose a Blazer/Jimmy - WHY?

[glimmertwin01]

NICE
I always wanted one ever since I first remember seeing one..the bug hit me in the 70s when i was a wee Lad... there were 2 in my town a blue 71 and a dark green 72.. closest I could get to owning one was a AMT Boondocker model I did exactly like the blue one...

any how fast forward 30 yrs... I bought a 67 K20 and well its going no where, I always loved the body style. I am single and NO kids... (arent you all jeaolus?) and ever since I saw the first ones back in the day I always wanted one. I had a toss up going..I always thought this vintage truck as a panel 4x4 would be unique, but after getting the 67 and it just began to be a pain to find some stuff for and the cab was solid but rumpled bad.... I live in WNY in the rust belt... Old 69-72 K/5 are almost non existent.

In august I was browsing Craigslist for a parts donor and stubled into the 70 k/5 i called the dude since i figured it had to be junk.... and he might be wiling to drop in price to get it out of his dad s property.... I was just looking for parts.
I went and saw it OK i do live in the rot capital of the world but this thing was solid..... typical Blazer rot and no rocker boxes (they were torched off at some point). the original motor was not there but it had been converted from a 307 3 on the tree to a 350 2v with a rebuilt turbo 350 with a NP208.....

Long and short I bought it anyways... ive been taking it apart and the guy who owned it before the PO really had the right idea fixing stuff on it but i dont think he had the funds or the resto panels werent available... Im trying to put it back the way its supposed to be, except I am going to put in a nice 350 4v 4 bolt i acquired from a 72 c30. and im going for the SM 465 NP 205.... since this will be my first "im doing as much as I can by myself" project . I am going to shootit "hide all" white. I have a nice hard top but most likely it will not go back on it... after seeing the old school half tops I WANT ONE!!!! anyhow here is a picture of the green manalishi.... wish me luck and a small but bottomless bank account
Oh I forgot how cool they are a REAL truck made of real steel and a convertible!
Now i have to figure out how to insert a picture form my lap top

[BIGBLU 72]

Family Tradition made me want one! my father had a 72 CST blazer when i was real little and kicked himself for selling it til he past away,so when a 72 jimmy came up for sell i just had to have it! it was my first car and i spent 3 years getting it ready to drive to school for my senior year of high school! girls dig big topless truck thats all i can say

[glimmertwin01]

heheheh

[cparman]

I have thought that the Blazers looked cool for a long time. When I sold my 67 Chevelle, I was already looking for a 2WD. gave up, and bought my 69 SWB C-10. Just not enought room in my PU , and found my 2wd. A lowered 2WD has a cool factor of 10+. Legroom for an old fat man, and after I made a set of seat risers, it is perfect for me. I am forming a plan as to how I want it to be when finished. I think I bought a great place to start, and intend to drive it alot when finished. I have driven it to work every day this week, top off, stereo on, listening for a new noise and going after it when I get to my shop, or home. This old girl is comming off the frame next year, and I want it to be as nice as my last car

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by cparman

I have thought that the Blazers looked cool for a long time. When I sold my 67 Chevelle, I was already looking for a 2WD. gave up, and bought my 69 SWB C-10. Just not enought room in my PU , and found my 2wd. A lowered 2WD has a cool factor of 10+. Legroom for an old fat man, and after I made a set of seat risers, it is perfect for me. I am forming a plan as to how I want it to be when finished. I think I bought a great place to start, and intend to drive it alot when finished. I have driven it to work every day this week, top off, stereo on, listening for a new noise and going after it when I get to my shop, or home. This old girl is comming off the frame next year, and I want it to be as nice as my last car

Sorry, I couldn't give up a big block Chevelle for any blazer, I want to figure a way to have them both

What horsepower was the big block? That thing is really cherry. We couldn't get traction in HS unless you put an L series tire on it with ladder bars. Just smoked the Tiger Paws

[70k52wd]

My love for the 67-72 started when I was a kid. WAAAY back in the late 60's I saw a black 67 or 68 short stepside p/u and thought that was a cool truck. I always wanted to do one with chrome stacks coming up behind the cab, flames, Big cragars in the back, skinnys up front...Then I found Blazers. I will admit to owning several Bronco's of the same era before I got my first Blazer in '85. But I have not strayed since...What I'm trying to say is...Full top off, no window frames, Classic lines, endless possibilities to customize. I feel very fortunate to have the one I have now. They are truly VERY special trucks, and only a hand full of us know the Blazer experience

[cparman]

Oh, and Jaro, my wife said I drove it like I was stupid? WELL HELLO ! Yes it would spin the wheels at any speed. I was on the way to my shop one day and one of my customers waved. I took that as an ok to mat it. 45 MPH spinng the tires and sliding sideways. My wife was with me another time and I did that. She said STOP the D&*( car and let me out or stop doing that---- --- --- I stoped doing that.

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by cparman

Oh, and Jaro, my wife said I drove it like I was stupid? WELL HELLO ! Yes it would spin the wheels at any speed. I was on the way to my shop one day and one of my customers waved. I took that as an ok to mat it. 45 MPH spinng the tires and sliding sideways. My wife was with me another time and I did that. She said STOP the D&*( car and let me out or stop doing that---- --- --- I stoped doing that.

Hello, what else is HP for...gotta admit, banging gears at WOT will get your attention

[LUV2XCLR8]

More?

[mudman316]

Had a 70 when i was 17 and wish i had not gotten rid of it eversince. now i got to go get one i just bought. can't wait. yeeee haaaaaaaaa

[jasons]

The first vehicle I bought when I was 16 in 1988 was a 68 Chevy pickup soon followed by a 70 Chevy pickup. Soon after I saw a 72 Blazer at a car show and knew that I would have to have one. I didn't even realize at the time that the top was removable.

After college I started looking and everyone I found was either rusted/beat up too much or was overpriced, at least in my opinion at the time. Five or six years ago I found a 70 Blazer on a used lot that was in decent condition once you looked past everything that had been cobbled together that was easy to change. I traded a 69 Ford 4x4 that I had about $200 into along with $1000 cash and have been loving it ever since.

I'm in the process of collecting parts to restore it in the next year or two.

Here is a picture I took last week while putting it and my helper to work.

[Twisted78SS]

Like so many others, it started along time ago. For me, it was back in my high school days of the late 70's I was running around in a 70 SS Camaro while a friend had a 70 Blazer. Always loved that thing, and have been on the hunt for one on and off several times. Now that I have a clear cut idea of what I want one to be, its on the road to becoming a reality. Project50th

[Otsa580]

When I was growing up my dad would have 3-4 Chevy/GMC trucks or Blazers at a time. He would sink money into them then lose his butt when he sold or traded them for his next new toy. (He was not mechanically inclined just like me and pay the mechanic) I always loved the 69-72 Blazers and Trucks that he had. I think they were his favorites as well.

He bought a 69 blazer when I was in high school and I had to have it. I think I paid something like 400 dollars for it and some trading. I think he paid close to 5k in 1999 or so. Now my blazer sits at my moms house waiting for me to buy it a house to park it in. I live 4 hrs away.

I'm 6'4" and have a heck of a time getting comfortable in a 67-72 pickup. My knees tend to hit the dash. I have tons of room driving a Blazer!

[draggin37]

Growing up i used to sleep on the rubber floor matt in front of the rear seat of my dads 72 K5 4x daily driver. He bought it in 78 (3 years before i was born) and drove it day in and day out till he bought a '01 Tahoe in 2002. Maybe it was the fact that he could no longer get in through the drivers door. Blazers just stuck with me, their sound, their smell, not to mention there one of the best lookin chev trucks around! Oh yeah..i now have that same blazer in the back yard.

[Yukon Jack]

Cool story behind your Blazer Erik!

[Erik V]

picking up the now ex g/f to go to the HS formals.

learning how to hold onto the rollbar while sitting on the cold wheel well and trying to kick my sister who was doing the same thing right across from me (from about 6-10 years old)

driving it to Camp Meriwether for Summercamp staffing one summer, Sand Lake duning on the weekends (note the passenger side door caved in on my top pic).

One of my alltime favorites, pouring stale drinks through the hole in the floor where the twin stick levers used to come up (at some point Dad had that setup in there). If the passenger was bored, you could watch the road through the 3"X3" ish hole cut just next to the tunnel on the passenger side.

Oh, another fav: driving it in freezing rain/snow for the first time. Its locked up front, and factory posi out back. We put cable chains on the front, and Dad said take corners slow. At around 20mph mid corner the back end started coming around, I turned into the skid, and with NO engine rpm change at all, I was going back the way I came with no speed loss. Did it twice that day. I much prefer my Subaru's AWD system in the nasty stuff, something about the locker front kinda kicking one's @#*! in the icey stuff.

OK, last one: my mom met my dad when he was racing the Jimmy. He tricked her into racing it when they were dating. One of the obstacle courses she tagged a tree with the passenger side mirror, didnt dent the Sport housing, but shattered the glass. That was around 1975. It stayed that way until I got the truck, and I had a glass shop make a new mirror for it. The week after the glue had cured and the masking tape was pulled off, I hit a mailbox on the way to Prom with my parents right behind me. Now when I say I hit a mailbox, what I mean is that the box hung over the road, I was reaching down for a cassette off the floor, I didnt even leave the pavement but the mailbox exploded and pieces went flying. Point of all this: the mirror then looked almost identical to how it did back in the mid 70's=outer edges of broken glass, the Sport housing still fully intact and unharmed.

OK, sorry gang, I'll stop coming up with more stories.

The original reason for getting the Jimmy was because I wanted a cool car to drive to HS. Why not have one that can haul 4 people, pull anything, drive any season in any weather and do well at it. This time around I'm trying to find most of those same reasons, plus a couple dogs, the girlfriend and her 3 year old, and get me back into an old car for summer car shows. Why not also utilize the convertable'ness that is gen1 and early gen2 Blazer/Jimmy?

Erik

[Rochlow]

I was really into the mini truck scene in the late 80s and early 90s. Back when it was popular to make them convertibles. Wanted one every since, but never had the guts to cut the roof on one.

Now with two kids and a wife I need more room and still wanted the removable roof.. Best of both worlds.. Now I just have finish it and drive it..

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

I was really into the mini truck scene in the late 80s and early 90s. Back when it was popular to make them convertibles. Wanted one every since, but never had the guts to cut the roof on one.

Now with two kids and a wife I need more room and still wanted the removable roof.. Best of both worlds.. Now I just have finish it and drive it..

So, how is the rad ride comin' along anyway?

[Rochlow]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

So, how is the rad ride comin' along anyway?

It's coming along slowly.. fit the doors, got the radiator support put on, test fit the fenders.. Next month I want to make a run at it to see how much I can get done..

[BOHICA]

Bump!

[wildearp]

I always wanted one for the fully removeable top. I had everything go wrong with the build that you could imagine. Eventually I got it together and sold it after driving it a year. It lost its appeal after all the headache.

I built a 70 4x4 with a 4" lift, front disc brake conversion, 40 gallon tank, sidewinder winch, full inside Linex, 472" BBC.

[4oldcars]

Leg room that you just can't get in a pick up. (67-72's)

[NuBomb]

I'd never seen or paid attention to a first gen blazer before I saw the one I bought. It belonged to my wife's uncle. During a Holiday meal I told him that if ever wanted to sell it to let me know. A year or so later he offered it to me. I over paid a little, but I have owned it for more than 10 years. I've never owned a vehicle that long, and I don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon.

[72clifblazer]

Started as Dodge fan dad had Fords so no way it was the 70s. than found rust was A BIG PROBLEM with the Dodges so what do you do get a Camaro 80tys model rattle trap got a deal on it so sold it and found a Monte drove it hard ended up totaling it out found a beat up Chevlle and put most of the parts in it sold it and got 67-72 than another one and a 4x4 lwb than we were hanging around creeks down south mo seen a lot of short 4x4 said to my self got to get a blazer so I would stop banging off trees took top off and was HOOKED

[Senorx]

Our neighbor had an orange with white top 72 K5 Blazer. He is the original owner. I fell in love with it at a very young age and wanted one since. It was back in the early 80s. I just love the lines of 69-72 First Gen K5s. I went back home for the holidays and the K5 is still in the neighbor's drive way. Next time ill take some pics. She is well taken care of and holding up well. His daughter wanted the K5 and he refused to sell it. LOL. She went out and bought a 71 K5 of her own.