"Baby" - My 79 Blazer Project

[mooseknuckles]

looks good man.

[VegasBruce]

Sweet, I like the stance. I was just wondering where you've been. I've been on the road looking for work for about 3 weeks. Been to FL and now I'm working my way back out West.

[juiceman650]

Looks good man, can't wait for more progress.
Posted via Mobile Device

[N8B]

Thanks all.

I found a great deal on a set of 18" Stock black stock Camaro wheels with perfect rubber and silver trim rings so I picked them up last night.
They will help me with a couple control arm clearances I have from lowering the front .

I am going to have to run a billet adapter but these will give me all the clearances I need.

Excuse the quick photo shop. Just did it to get an idea.

[N8B]

Well here, Finally, is the Money shot.



I have had some time off work to get the things done I needed done.
It included all new brakes at all four corners.
Custom machined rotors and hubs to fit the rims and a bunch of other misc items.

I am still going to replace the rear shocks with air shocks and remove the bump stops. Regardless of what they say I am sitting on the bump stops without a notch, so they have to go and I will have to improvise a bit more back there to keep the stance and get some sort of travel.

[luifer76]

blazer looks good man keep them pics coming....

[texastruckjunky]

Your Blazer looks good. How did you lower the rear? I'd like to do the same to mine. Do you have any pics of how you lowered the rear?

[Devillusion]

very nice!

[N8B]

Originally Posted by texastruckjunky

Your Blazer looks good. How did you lower the rear? I'd like to do the same to mine. Do you have any pics of how you lowered the rear?

Sorry boss. I just noticed this due to the holidays.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

I used a Belltech flip kit and air shocks.
The flip kit is very well thought out although I believe the previous owner may have reversed the spring eyelets because, even though the flip kit says you should not need to notch I was hitting the frame despite almost everything I tried.

Ultimately I cut the rubber bumpers down and added the air shocks to make it manageable until I notch it.

[mooseknuckles]

Originally Posted by N8B

Sorry boss. I just noticed this due to the holidays.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

I used a Belltech flip kit and air shocks.
The flip kit is very well thought out although I believe the previous owner may have reversed the spring eyelets because, even though the flip kit says you should not need to notch I was hitting the frame despite almost everything I tried.

Ultimately I cut the rubber bumpers down and added the air shocks to make it manageable until I notch it.

do you still have the original bumpstops in there? if you do I'd get rid of them, and you should be ok untill you put somethin heavy in the back.....

[N8B]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckles

do you still have the original bumpstops in there? if you do I'd get rid of them, and you should be ok untill you put somethin heavy in the back.....

Forgot to mention that part. I cut the old ones out to be replaced with new Poly stops. Ended up cutting those stops down also.

She would literally sit on the frame until I threw the air shocks on. Now I have about about 2" of travel and a decent ride when pumped to 80 psi or so.

With my other Hot Rods that I drive on a regular basis I already have the Vegas streets memorized so the Blazer has not been an issue so far. I know what to avoid when needed.

[N8B]

Here are a couple better shots.

[N8B]

I hope to have some more photos soon.
I have been doing a heart transplant on the old girl.
It originally had the 305 with a T350.
I was having real bad oil issues, bad pressure, bad blow by.
The pump and the front seal were shot.

I ripped that engine out and took the T400 out of one of my Hot Rods and mated it to a 1992 454 I have. I put that in last night along with all new Energy Suspension motor mount inserts and new tranny mount.

I pre fit the engine and everything was cool. I took it back out to do a little detail work and add a few things and went to stick it back in and now have some clearance issues.
Thank God these Blazer's transmission mounts bolt in. I am going to have to remove the bolts and slide it back a few inches due to the new combo.
I will hopefully get it all buttoned up tonight.

I have been shooting pictures a long the way and will post those when I am done.

N8

[texastruckjunky]

Thanks for the info on the rear. You and I think alot alike, cause I want to put a big block in my blazer also. Let me know how it turns out.

[kmfb]

hey man im in Vegas as well, if you ever need a hand wrenching or drinking a beer just let me know! You ever hit up the car meet at Rancho and Craig at the DQ on friday nights? I might be out there in my yellow 79 short bed this friday. Blazer looks really nice btw, great stance!

[N8B]

Well I am still not done with the switch over on the engine yet. Certain things have been kicking my ass. This blazer came from Southern Utah and I have spent more time cleaning red clay off the bottom of it that working on anything. I am going to use the accessories and mounts from the 92 454 which also means I only have to use the single serpentine belt. I have to redo all my power steering hoses. I have to redo the tranny cooler lines, and get and oil cooler as the 454 was a hauling truck block and has those provisions.

kmfb;
I will hit you up sometime. What side of town are you in? I have never hit the car meet that your talking about. Is that the same one that they used to do on Saturday mornings?

OH I also notice I was missing 65% of my upper A arm alignment spacers. I knew the Vegas streets were bad, but I had no idea they were this brutal. Guess that's what I get for living in the farm lands.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

[kmfb]

Im at Craig and North Fifth. Im not sure if thats the same meet or not, Ive only been in vegas for about 1 1/2 years.

[Pop's C-10]

I like tha look of tha 5th gen steelies

[bloodybigblock]

Man i hope to see more progress. you have this thing looking great and with a 454 this thing will be a killer!

[N8B]

Originally Posted by Pop's C-10

I like tha look of tha 5th gen steelies

Pop's - Thanks. I really like how they turned out. I have never seen it done before on the late model trucks or blazers. It was a challenge but a big pay off in the end. They came off a 2011 Camero. It gave me 18" wheels with that classic look and I only paid $300 for the wheels and brand new tires!!!!

Originally Posted by bloodybigblock

Man i hope to see more progress. you have this thing looking great and with a 454 this thing will be a killer!

Thanks so much. With my work schedule and a 5 year old assistant I tend to be slow. While I work on things and leave him alone he takes the creeper and get's under the truck or in the front and cuts wires to "help out".
I have to spend half my time after I put him to bed to go over everything and correct it.
BUT I would much rather deal with that and have the opportunity to spend time with my son having him in the shop then having him play video games.

I am collecting part's to get it finished so I can roll.
Believe it or not even with the 454 and t400 I am 4" shorter in engine & tranny length than the 305 T350 combo yet I still had to move the cross member back 4" for the tranny mount Figure that out!!!!!!!!!!! (each tranny has different mounting points and the T350 had a long shaft rear housing)
I am a little concerned about the drive shaft and slip yoke. I have "grab" on the yoke but I also have about 4" exposed on the yoke out of the tranny. I am very tempted to find another drive shaft a bit longer or have the blazer one lengthened. I may wait until I attack the rear.
I have not let the cat out of the bag but I may put a JAG IRS in it.
SHHHHHHHHH!


Now with the 454 I REALLY want a 3" cowl hood. I may cut the original hood and fab up my own system. I will let you know. I have to get this thing running because I am about ready to make some major changes in my life and need the transport. I took down my running daily driver Hot Rod 34 Ford pickup to steal the transmission. So now I have my wife shuttling me around.
At this point she is PISSED WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!

[hopped up]

how about letting us see the 34 pickup you keep talking about? nice blazer by the way
Posted via Mobile Device

[N8B]

Originally Posted by hopped up

how about letting us see the 34 pickup you keep talking about? nice blazer by the way
Posted via Mobile Device

Not sure it's allowed being a FORD and all...

BUT here is a link to some of my toys and shop: B and B Speed & Custom

[N8B]

So I am pretty stoked to report I just scored a very nice set of Sanderson Big Block / block hugger Jet Coated headers for my transition. $200 bucks on good ole' Craigslist.
Now I just have to finess them in.

ONE STEP CLOSER.

[N8B]

Update:

Engine and tranny are in with everything secure and bolted in.
Time to torque everything down to spec.

I put the front end back on this morning and am ready to calculate all the new lines and hosing. Drivers side header is on after a little cutting of the frame and crossmember for clearance. (no structural integrity lost although I will go back and do a little finish welding)
I am also going to have to reevaluate the fan shroud mounting.

The blazer radiator has provisions for tranny cooler in the body so that saves me a bit of time.
I had to get an oil cooler for the truck block so i need to mount that.

I am having some little issues on the shift mechanism hook up. I keep forgetting the shift pattern and starting location on the T400. If I remember correctly it is (while sitting on the ground facing the transmission)
PARK - Full clicks to left till stop.
Reverse - One click to right
Neutral - Two clicks
D - Three clicks
2 - Four clicks
1 - Five clicks


Can anyone verify this for me???????

ANYONE interested in a small block to big block write up thread???

[N8B]

I had a crazy thought for a gloss painted image on the rear of the bed area. This would go on once I finish everything with the engine transformation.




What do you think.