Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I hear ya. That's one reason we left too.
Can't wait to see more pics. It's starting to look like a Blazer again.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Is there anyplace in this country now that's warm? Hell, it's only 58 in Key West today! Then there's the snow that we have to put up with, too. You're probably getting hit pretty hard today. Ours started about 12 hours ago.

Hey, I was wondering what you're thinking about doing for doors for your truck. I've got two new repops (one Blazer and one truck door that I cut down) that I got from GMCPauls that I'm not going to use. Any interest? Wouldn't be sure how to get them to you- one of the boxes got ruined.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Weather here - 3-5" of snow today/tonight - with snow in the forecast for the next few days as well - :(

Not sure on the doors yet - the set on there isn't too bad - some rust here and there.

I also have a set of truck doors that I might use - haven't got that far yet though.

When I get there and I have a need - I will be in touch. Thanks.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Arizona :lol:

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I hear ya, saw the forcast out there and it looked like quite a bit coming your way on radar.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Oh, you and your rust free floorboards can just be quiet! LOL!:lol: I'm just kidding. We got something that you don't got, though, nor do you want it: LAKE EFFECT SNOW! My desktop weather channel thingy says I'm supposed to get 8-12 inches by Friday morning. What can I do.... it's January. Gotta expect it sooner or later.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

No worries. I'm thinking of putting them on the parts board as I need the dinero. Wanted to give you first shot.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

:lol:Hope he has some thick skin, showing us easterners those floorboards


Nice work so far on the rust, lksdcvn! What you are doin' is the hardest part of the resto. Hope the new heater works out for you, nice to be warm when your doing a difficult task

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

You gotta love how the rockers have about a 1/2 inch gap up on the A pillar and they dont meet.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

It just rolls right off :lol:

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Ya ya ya :lol:

That snow is rough. I'm from Cinci originally.
If that isn't enough we seemed to get hit with 3-4 inches of ice, then 8 inches of snow on top, power lines down, no electric for weeks. That seemed to happen consistently 4-5 winters in a row.
So we got the heck outta dodge.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Got an email that my new heater showed up today at my house from FedEx. :metal: - I hope this thing works like it should.

I will be spending some time in the garage tonight when I get home to get some stuff done. Hopefully, with less layers on...

1. Apply rust sealant paint on the inside of the torsion boxes [need to warm them up to do this so the paint can cure].

2. Get patch metal ready for the rear floor where it meets the step up on the B pillar.

3. Maybe start on the front floor support and then work my way out.

Hoping to make some progress on this blazer this week.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Gotta love the heat, hope it works out for you. Just waiting for the new pics:lol:

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

OK - got the main thing I wanted to get done tonight - out of the way...

painted the inside of the torsion boxes...I got them up to temp - the new heater works pretty good - :) and then put a coat on them to keep them from rusting away.

They had some scale and some minor pitting - but they were solid enough to use :metal: I killed the heater - no fires thank you - and then went to work.

Right now the garage door is open [for a few hours] to let the combustible fumes out so I can get to work tomorrow evening. I was getting hungry so I stopped for dinner...

Here are a few before and after pix. No more rusting from these guys...

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I have been working here and there on this thing and got some time tonight to get some minor welding done...I stink at welding, but the metal is solid - I tried the bend/pull/break my welds (within reason) after I got done with spot welding - nothing broke loose so...solid enough for me...

Don't laugh at my welding - I am still learning.

Using the front cab mount that I goofed up on a few posts ago I cut that down to make a floor patch since the 'lip' on it was the same size as the floor/step lip - pix will make that much clearer...

Now my outer floor extension patch fits right in there and I can burn it in once I get the front cab mount in there solid as well.

Trying to find time to get this thing moving along...slowly but surely.

This is taking me forever, but I find it rewarding to see that I am saving something that would surely rust out around here.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

It might be at a slower pace than you would like, but your progress is looking good. I am like you; it is always nice to have a rust free body to work with, but knowing you brought a rusted out truck back from the brink is always rewarding.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Looks good to me. I want to learn sometime soon and find a decently priced welder myself...

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I got some more done last night - but didn't have the camera available...

Front cab mount is now solid and welded in - I shook it to death to make sure it was in there - :) That is my non-scientific way of testing my welds...

I only get about an hour or so a night to work on this stuff.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Alright - had a full day yesterday to get some stuff done-

Got the outer floor and inner rocker burned in and coated with some rust prevention paint.

Plenty of pix coming up...

I will have to fix my B pillar post patch panel - I got a bit zealous at trimming it to fit and took a bit too much off the top - :(

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

more pix. I had to keep welding, grinding and then rewelding to get it all to solid metal without any holes - what I PITA!

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

coating on and mocking up my B-pillar - :)

I couldn't get my cut-off wheel or the flap disk close enough to the step up to get the welds ground down smooth - so I left them - they are in there solid - so I didn't worry about it too much...

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I got the B pillar burned in last night - so that is done now - some time with a flap disc in the angle grinder should get it very close where only a small skim of glazing putty should do the trick to level it off.

I am wondering about my A pillar patch - I might just buy another patch panel and start over on that - I cut too much off the first one and it might be easier to just get another one.

**UPDATE**
I just bought a psgr side floor pan and another A pillar patch today - should be here in day or so - that should take care of the rest of the psgr side.

I am worried about hanging the door to see how this all lines up. I would hate to start over on the psgr side.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Cool, lookin good.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

[QUOTE=lks dcvn;3777509

**UPDATE**
I just bought a psgr side floor pan and another A pillar patch today - should be here in day or so - that should take care of the rest of the psgr side.

I am worried about hanging the door to see how this all lines up. I would hate to start over on the psgr side.[/QUOTE]

Looks really good, the more you weld the better you get at it. That is a really tough area, as you have about 5 patch panels going in at one area, and you pulled it off...Congrats

You will probably have to tweak the 'A' post patch at the inner rocker to get your outer rocker to sit low enough, generally that is where I had problems. But, all in all it looks like a really nice job!!!

It's not that bad to have to start over, just wish I would have tacked the parts in, as opposed to a full weld. Oh well, sh!t happens, I'll get back to the passenger side one day:lol: Luckily the patch panels aren't really that expensive

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

nice progress.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Thx for the comps guys - I am working on it almost every night now - by the time I get home, make/eat dinner and then get out there and warm up the garage - I have about an hour or two to work - which is fine by me - by then I am usually pretty tired of welding/grinding/etc. and I am ready for a break.

7 hours of sleep, 1.5 hours of working out in the morning and 8 hours of work away from the truck makes me forget how bad the process is and I am ready to start again - :)

I did get my flap disk up near the step and cleaned up the rest of those welds so they don't look so 'natural' anymore.

I can't see how this would go any faster in the warmer months - I would spend more time with a cold beer in my hand than a welder. :lol:

I miss the warm months. :( ~12 weeks and counting...

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Keep up the good work its really starting to take shape.

My timeframe for progress effeciency is the exact opposite of you. Since I live in a humid subtropical environment I try to get as much work done as possible from mid November thru Early April. That is when the shop is usually a steady 50-65 degrees. Anything outside of that time frame is miserable. With shop temperatures from 90-105 degrees, with 85-100% humidity. In July and August all I want to do in the shop is sit in front of a fan and chug Gatorade. I cant do bodywork because sweat gets all over the body filler and primer; and if you paint sweat will drip onto the fresh coat of paint!

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I got the patch panels today for the a pillar and the floor - :metal:

Wasn't expecting them for another day or so - so I got started and got this one to mate a LOT better than my last one. The first one I did I tried to get fancy with - not worth it.

I didn't get to weld it in tonight, but mocked it up and then slapped on the outer rocker to see how it would measure up...little bit of fitting at the front and rear of the outer rocker, but looks pretty close to me - :)

Over the next few weeks I should (hopefully) get the passenger side done and then move over the driver side...

I will weld in the a pillar and then tack in the outer rocker and install the door and front fender to see how it looks - makes me wish I had an empty door shell to use...instead of heaving the loaded door around.

Wish me luck to get this side done in the next week or so. I can't wait to get to the other side.

I am booked on Saturday for most of the day so I might only have Sunday morn/afternoon to get to work on it.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Nice work Dude!! Lookin good!

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Got the A pillar on yesterday and then tacked in the outer rocker and hung the door and the front fender - fit pretty good actually - although I need to get my door lined up a bit better...it didn't help that I removed the hinges from the doors first and then the hinges from the a pillar [:dohh:]

I did some more fitting, but it was getting cold so I headed inside to take a break...

I plan to get the floor patched up, the door and fender back on then swing the truck around and get started on the driver side of things. That side (I am hoping) should go much faster - :)

I need to clean up the front fender and see how it looks without surface rust on it...I might just swap doors, but have made that final decision yet.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

nice progress!

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Wow Tom, you've made a lot of progress on the Blazer. Nice work too. Keep up the good work dude and post plenty of pics.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

looking good. Starting to come together nicely.

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Thanks guys - snails pace but making some progress - with the foot of snow we are going to get today/tonight I am going to wish this thing had a plow on it...

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

hit me up when you get 2 alaska and i will give you a ride in a blazer ! these bodies are all over up here and even a bunch of the trucks lol. good progress is a series of small steps. work is looking nice:metal:

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

You got it! PM sent with my schedule to be in Anchorage for few days - :metal:

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Spent some more time last night out in the garage...trying to figure out what I am going to do with this door/fender that I have.

They are workable - just need to put in the time to get them presentable.

After reviewing jaros's thread - I might drag them down to my local Maaco to have them media blast and epoxy primer the front fender - (how can they screw that up) to see what I am working with. The door works good, just has surface rust and I also like how all the glass on this thing is etched with the VIN.

They (door and fender) will both be coming off in the Spring anyway when the warmer climate hits and I get to doing the body work on this thing and paint it all one color in the jams and the floors - :)

I got the torsion box end cap bolted on and then started working on the floor patch panel - should get that side wrapped up this weekend - if I can get some time out in the garage.

If I can get this thing turned around this weekend - I will be very happy with the progress.

I will post some pix this weekend if I get this done. :)

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

I will be the first to recommend you to the board for the 'Stick toit award' above and beyond the call of fun, under adverse conditions(cold), and still performing a job well done! You wouldn't catch me out there:lol:

I was kinda surprised with the cost of Maaco, my fender was already blasted, and to just epoxy prime, it was 100. Seems high to me, but I can't shoot paint in my workshop, so it did resolve a problem

Didn't know about the etching on the glass, I'll have to check that out

Wait till you try and hang your door without all the guts in it, so much easier

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Thanks for the nomination for the "BLAZER" [Busy Leading A Zealous Endeavor of Revival] Award...little at a time and then a few long hours on the weekend.

I get cabin fever in the winter so being outside and productive helps to pass the cold months quicker - at least for me that is. I will be looking forward to taking the top off when the body is done and then doing some cruising this Summer [might be getting ahead of myself though] - LOT of work to go.

I don't think any vehicle came with the VIN etched in the glass - one owner along the way did it on the Blue one though...

$100 to just spray it - hmmmm - maybe I will just wait until Spring to worry about the fender/door since they will be removed [and possibly replaced] anyway.

I will be replacing the windshield and the broken rear driver side hatch glass in the spring as well - so those won't have the VIN after that.

I want to get this done before April so I can get my other cars out of extended storage and back into my garage. It keeps me moving to stay within my 'time line'.

I hope the driver side doesn't take me months though - the pix offer a double-edged sword - I like the pix for reference, but they can slow down the progress a bit - :lol:

Re: 1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project
 

Another day down...more progress. :metal:

I was out there last night and today for several hours...getting the floor patch in.

First pic was a few days ago when I tested the weatherstrip and the door closing - no issues - yes.

Today and last night I spent my time getting the floor pan patch fit in there...

I realize that the floor is pitted in places, but when I cleaned it up in the Fall and put on the rust preventative paint - it was pretty solid. Plus this will eventually have carpet or a rubber mat over it so it won't matter that much [at least not to me] - it is better than it was for sure.

I left the patch a little long and cupped it over with some to recreate the firewall seam. Once the rust paint dries I will add the seam sealer before I paint it.

There are plenty more pix coming in the next few minutes...