Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

That looks awesome.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Glad you got it in Steven. She looks good.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Steven, you just keep making this blazer better. Thanks for sharing your thought process with us. This is most definitely my favorite blazer on the Internet. If you ever make it over to Georgia in it, I’d love to film it for a What’s In My Driveway segment.

So. Freaking. Cool.

- Robbie

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Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Thanks guys! Robbie, I can see myself making a trip through your area in the future. I'll let you know.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Blazer is looking good. Are you going to make it to C10's in the Park?

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

That's the plan! I should be able to wrap up the TKO install this weekend, next week, I'll be out of town for work, so as long as I can get it in for a new exhaust the week of C10's ITP, I should be golden.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Getting closer! I'm in the process of finalizing my driveline angles. I tried to use the new fancy crossmember for the trans, but the bosses on the tailshaft, which are apparently for a torque arm, hit the square tube on the trans crossmember and was still too high. Oh well, back to the old trusty unknown application crossmember that's been in all of my old trucks. I have some washers in there right now to space the trans up, but I think a 1/2" aluminum plate that I will make up tonight will be just about perfect. Oh yeah, that crossmember bolted into the same holes on the frame that the 700 used AND my driveshaft fits PERFECT once I swapped the yoke that came with the trans!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Oh, hells yeah

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I can't thank Kevin (65streetcruiser) and my Dad enough for their help this weekend. We got the windshield gasket changed, brake lines changed, pinion shims changed, and all of the other little stuff that we all forget about...

This morning, my neighbors were woken up at 5:15 AM to melody of an uncorked All-American Small-Block Chevy, being rev'd up to get it up on the trailer to go to the exhaust shop. Yeah, I'm their favorite!:lol:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Exhaust is done, but I left it over there because of the torrential rain, I'll pick it up first thing in the morning. When I say it is tight and he worked for the money he charged, believe me! There is "maybe" 1/8" clearance above and below the mufflers, but it doesn't touch even when aired out. :eek:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Damn that’s lookin good. Great exhaust guy did some magic.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I got a request... Turn your volume ALL the way up if you want it to sound like real life!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Sounds good Steven!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Sounds good. Nice lope in the cam.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Steven...she looks and sounds great. Just keeps getting better!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Thanks Guys! I'm slowly getting it where I want it to be, the interior is the only thing left that I haven't completely redone, so I guess that's next!:lol:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Just a quick update. Besides a little clutch chatter, the TKO was fantastic on this trip to C10's In The Park. Even though it's not why I made the swap, I checked and on an all Interstate stretch between fill-ups on the way home, I managed 21.7797137523335 MPG. :lol: Granted, that was a constant speed with it in 5th gear nearly the entire time, but that's still pretty damn amazing for a carbureted SBC with 3.73 rear gears!

The blazer was picked again to park on the square for the after party, but the adult fermented beverages were flowing too good. We didn't think it was a good idea to go down there in our state, especially since my DD that I used last year can't drive a stick. Now I have to teach him. ;)

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I know how, and I am cheap! :D

:lol:

Glad ti ran good for ya Steven. See you Saturday.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

My old 700-R4 was finally taken apart to see if it was usable...

Let's just say that I am a Master of Destruction! I wish I had a cool story to go with these pictures. :burnout:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

You can always make up one, we would believe you ! :lol:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I've finished with all of the shows that I was planning on for the year, so it's time to blow it apart again to make some mostly necessary upgrades. The Sniper setup is finally going to get installed this winter. I also purchased a rack & pinion kit from No Limit to correct my pretty sketchy steering issues. Finally, I've felt that the throw on the TKO was way too long with a 16" stick bolted to it, plus I was really having to reach too far over to get it into 5th gear. Sometimes I would actually turn the steering wheel a bit when I would lean over to get it into 5th. I finally decided to order a short throw shifter from Core shifters. I ordered it with the "E" stub option that should bring my throw from 7.5" front to rear, down to 4.4". Plus it has a 14° lean towards the driver, so it should bring the stick up close to me. I probably won't get the shifter until after Christmas, but I think I will hold off on the other upgrades, for now, so that I can immediately try out the new shifter when it comes in.

https://core-shifters.com/collection...eed-trans-swap

That looks familiar... lol
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That looks familiar... lol
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

What mufflers did you go with? Sounds awesome!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

They are Thrush Welded Mufflers, basically a Flowmaster knock-off.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-17659/overview/

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

OK, I finally got the shifter in... about 2 months later than planned. I had to work, then had some stuff come up, and then I got lazy, then lost interest, then took a nap, etc. When I first tried to install the shifter, it wouldn't seat all the way down on the transmission. The stub was too long sticking out of the bottom. I made some measurements and found that it was 0.1345" longer than it should have been. I probably should have sent the shifter back to the Core Shifters, but I had already modified the top of the shifter stub to allow me to use my Lokar stick, which he argued with me about using a Hurst stick before I even bought it. I did contact him and let him know the issue I was having. He wanted me to get a measurement on the transmission itself. I tried to get what he was after but I couldn't duplicate my measurement, which to me means that they weren't good measurements. To get what he wanted "accurately", I would have had to gut my interior to remove the high hump or pull the transmission to be able to get an accurate measurement. I'm way too lazy to do all of that.

The measurement that I got for the difference between the 2 shifter stubs turns out is the exact thickness of 10 ga. cold rolled steel. I decided that I was going to make a shim to go between the tower and the plate that bots to the transmission out of 10 ga. sheetmetal, effectively raising the tower and therefore the stub enough to allow it to all bolt up. Turns out 10 ga. sheetmetal is less common than you think since it is just slightly thicker than 1/8". I could have bought a full sheet from my local metal place, but I only needed a 4" square, so I opted to order a 12" square online that way I didn't have a full 4' x 8' sheet that I had to store afterwards. I finally got around to getting off my butt to do it last night. I made the shim, got longer bolts from Lowe's which are fully threaded and no strength was listed on them, so they'll probably break when I bang through the gears real hard. I ordered some Grade 8 4-1/2" bolts last night that should be here by next weekend, so I'll seal and final assemble it then.

It has been more of a pain than it should have been with this shifter, but the end result is FREAKIN AWESOME! I took measurements before and after the shifter swap that are listed below. I essentially cut my front to rear throw in half, and moved it all over 3-9/16" to left (closer to me). I used to have to reach way over for 5th gear, but it is now easier to reach 5th, than 1st was with the original shifter. I was afraid that it was going to put the knob right next to my leg in 1st and 2nd, but it is far enough away for it to be comfortable. I couldn't have designed something that would have worked better.

Original TKO shifter specs:
7-1/2" of throw front to rear
2-11/16" of throw side-to-side
16-1/4" tall from shift boot ring
32-15/16" from passenger door panel

New Core Shifter
3-3/4" of throw front to rear
2-1/2" of throw side-to-side
17-3/8" tall from shift boot ring
36-1/2" from passenger door panel

Difference
3-3/4" less throw front to rear
3/16" less throw side-to-side
1-1/8" taller from shift boot ring
3-9/16" further left

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Here are my 1st, 2nd, and 5th gear positions.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

And a couple of pics of the inside of the tower of the Core Shifter in case anybody cares.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I also replaced my master cylinder lid with one that I found on instagram made by H&H Custom Rods. I think it ties in with my air cleaner very well, just need to match the sheen later.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Very Nice!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Work looks great. I’ll bet the shifter is a pleasure to use.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Solid upgrades. Thanks for the pics. Would prefer audio of 2nd and 3rd though ;).

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Thanks Guys!

Just do like I do and make Vroom, Vroom noises for now. :lol: When I get the stronger bolts in and finish it up, I'll see if I can't borrow a go pro and give y'all a good driving experience while ripping through the gears.

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

That would be sweet. More than the vroom vroom...would like the SCREEEEEEEEECH, SCREEEEEECH, CHIRP :burnout:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Only thing better than pics is vids :chevy:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I got the shifter all together yesterday and took it out to run some errands today. It's a little notchy, like it was when the transmission was new. I'm not sure if it's the shifter or the transmission. It could be that it just needs to wear in some more and I feel it more because I'm moving the stick less. I definitely need to relearn it because I tried to take off from a light in 3rd... 1st and 3rd are that close to each other! I need this quarantine BS to be over with so that I can take some road trips and get used to it now.

I don't want to record a video and make myself look like I don't know how to drive it. :lol: Plus, I need to figure out a way to mount the camera between the seats and have it actually stay there. Any ideas?

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Tape it to your beer? :lol:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

You know I won't let that spill! :lol:

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

I'm finally getting back to work on the Blazer. About a week after my last post, I got word that my Mom was going downhill pretty rapidly. She had been fighting Cancer for 6 1/2 years. Needless to say, I dropped my tools right where I was and spent ALL of my free time sitting next to her bed, saying all of the things that always seem to go left unsaid. It was rough watching her go down, and juggling work and everything else that life throws at you. She passed away peacefully 1 month and 1 day ago, the day after Mother's Day.

After she passed away and we had our little COVID-19 regulated burial (Don't get me started on that :censored: :m2: :m7:), the A/C went out at my house, so we had to replace the whole thing. I guess I can't complain, I nursed 26 years out of the original unit for the house.

So here we are a month later, and I've finally gotten caught up with work. Now it's time to finish up the rack and pinion install so that I can drive it up to TN in a month for the Southeastern Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals on July 11th. Stay tuned for updates!

Re: Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint
 

Sorry to hear about your mom Steve - hope she was comfortable and that you and your family are doing well.