Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Looking good, consider me subscribed:)

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Well just sat here for a couple hours and read the whole build so far. Great job so far, looking to see how it turns out. I am getting ready to start on my 71' 4wd which is just about as bad from what I can see. Like you I am fortunate to have a donor pickup to get most of the body parts but I am still lacking a good rear floor area. The pickup was toast in the floor area. Subscribed.....

Richard

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Do you get your parts from outback truck parts? Whats new on the build by the way?

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

YBNORML, Thanks! I am glad you like it.

richard2717, It's always cool to hear when people actually spend the time to read the entire thread! I will have to keep an eye out for your build thread. I love seeing these old blazers bieng put back together.

72blazr, I actually have gotten a few of my parts from Outback (Repop tailgate, rear wheel tubs). Most of my parts come from "The Truck Shop" out in California. Overall they have the best prices from what I have seen. I usually just buy the oversize items locally.


Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been very busy with work and my kids, however I have been making steady progress on the blazer. I worked on it two days this week alone. The drivers side is bieng wet sanded and is about 90% done with the body work. The passenger side is still bieng block sanded and is about 50% done. I would post pictures of the progress but my camera stopped working. Don't worry I am getting another one soon. Hopefully I will get the entire truck covered in filler primer soon and then do the final blocking. I don't know when the paint will be laid down but it is starting to look like it will be very soon.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

this is great build your build is what inspired me to take on my 2wd blazer, i havent started yet just collecting parts now. thanks for all the pics and great info.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

ColoradoK5, Wow! That's really cool to hear. I'm with you on the parts collecting. I did the math and if I could do it over again I would have kept my old 72 4wd blazer. I sold it for $1,850 and have since bought parts that I could have used off of it for ALOT more than what I sold it for.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

I just picked up a decent 68 clip for mine and a five lug rear end. still need a few more things before i get started but parts list is slowly getting shorter

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

After taking the summer off from working on the blazer I am back at it. Around April I just hit the wall and was on total burn out mode. The last thing I felt like doing was working on the blazer. I honestly didn't even feel like looking at it. Fortunately I have been working on these old trucks long enough to know that my lack of interest was just part of the ebb and flow of working on a restoration project. I knew that eventually my interest would re ignite and the only thing I would be able to think about is working on the blazer. Well that interest came back a little over a month ago. Every weekend for the last month I have spent huge amounts of time doing bodywork on the blazer. Below are some updated pictures. They don't look too different from the pictures posted back in February but I can assure you many, many hours of work has been done since the last picture update. I am hoping to have the blazer ready for paint soon.

http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/DSC_2030.jpg


http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/DSC_2029.jpg

http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/DSC_2031.jpg

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

I can see all that hard work is paying off. I can see a huge improvement. I wish I had the time and place to do that to my Jimmy. And of coarse the skills to do that kind of work! It looks good to me. You really had your work cut out when you started your project. Keep up the good work. I understand about burn out. I have too many projects and not enough time or money to keep up with all of them.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Looks like its time to spray some primer and start blocking.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Moving right along. Looks great.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

I hear ya! I am in the same position with my shortbox. I haven't touched it since early summer, soon though:).

Blazer is looking good!
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Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

I think we're all glad this wuzn't left for dead again!

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Big Block, Thanks for all of the encouragement! Right now the only skills that seem to be necessary is patience and determination.

hgs_notes, It won't be long.

Wasted income, Thanks!

YBNORML, Burn out sucks. Fortunately it never lasts forever. Thanks!

PHAT TONY, Me too. But I have to much time and money in it to quit now.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

any new progress?

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

made2drag, I have been slowly working on the body work a couple of days a month. I was hoping to paint it by about now but I got an unexpectedly large property tax bill, and now my paint money is sitting in a tax office. So since it will take me a couple of months to save up for paint again, I figured there's no rush.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Cheap paint...

http://www.summitracing.com/search/d...t-finish/gloss

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

hgs_notes, I could definitely afford the Summit paint at those prices. There have been numerous times in the past that I have painted projects with the "cheap" paint with really good results, but since this was my dream truck I wanted to go with all PPG materials. Right now I have $700 worth of PPG primer on the blazer. The paint that I want is supposed to cost around $1,000. Now I would be too afraid to change paints out of fears of incapability.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Not here to change your mind, I also like PPG ...I just can't afford it..my color choice requires silver base coat 1st then 2nd color (Lime firemist) I had a gallon of DBC and I put TCP Global over it.(Not as good as PPG) but I like it.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

You will be safe to use any urethane over the ppg epoxy primer. i just painted my bike using sherwin williams epoxy primer and dupont crhoma base then s.w. clear. came out great. my buddy that painted it had always used the ppg before he switched to the s.w primer. its cheaper and doesnt shrink like ncp primer does. P30B - SPECTRAPRIME™ COLOR SURFACER SEALER SYSTEM 2K PRIMER SURFACER - BLACK worked great and has a built in guide coat. use it as a sealer and blocking primer.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Thanks for the information guys! I guess I am just a little gun shy since I have had so many paint jobs crinkle, peel, and flake that I am too nervous to chance it anymore. I might try out some combinations on a fender or door so that way I can see how the paint / primer combos will react on a small panel.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

I too am glad this project was not "left for dead" glad to see it is still being worked on. I am in the same boat trying to finish up body work for final paint. Its a slow boat, with only one oar, and the trailer still attached under the water. Keep it up, Barry

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

PD1292, Thanks for the encouragement.



I know I haven't posted a lot in the way of pictures lately, but here are a few to prove that progress is actually being made. The first couple are pictures of the blazer after receiving it's coat of "filler" primer.
http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps67f408a7.jpg


http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps15d53259.jpg



These are pictures that I took yesterday. We are getting down to the details now.
http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd397d676.jpg


http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps74bdbaf8.jpg

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

After all this work that HAS to feel great to be getting so close to color!

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

It does feel great! Long overdue but great. I hate to throw a date out there because that means it won't happen, but depending on my schedule it should get painted in late March or early April.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

looks good to be coming back around to paint I was enthralled to finally get one solid color on my truck and then my red finally had my dad do my tailgate after 7 months betwee painting the rest of the truck :haha:

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Wow all that work sure looks great, i can't wait to see the finished product.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

i dont know about you guys, but i am ready to see some color on that beauty..keep it up

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Thanks Everyone! If everything goes as planned she should be painted by the end of this month! I am already planning out the next couple of stages; new suspension with a 3/5 drop, new wiring, crate engine, etc..

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

So I made a little progress on the blazer today. After working on this thing for three years and three months I finally laid down a little paint. I wen't back with the factory original blue. The paint shop was able to match the paint from a paint chip chart that I had for 1972 Chevy trucks. I saved a little money and went with PPG Shopline paint. It is a base coat / clear coat paint. We put down 3 coats of paint and clear on the interior panels, dash, and firewall; and we put 4 coats of paint and clear on all of the exterior panels. Overall the paint went on really well. We do have a few sags combined with light orange peel, but that will all come out in the sanding and buffing stage. Here are a few shots.

First a few close up shots.
http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...psce4a05e4.jpg


http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5d7bdc78.jpg

http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7412efe6.jpg

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Originally I was just going to post the close up shots and then wait a day or two before posting the full body pictures, but then I figured why make people wait. So here are a few shots showing the entire blazer. Sorry the shots are so up close and limited in angles and views. There just isn't much room in the paint booth to take adequate pictures. I can't wait to get this thing sanded and buffed so that paint will really "POP"!

http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps942045e6.jpg

http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...psb82d444a.jpg

http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8c763e23.jpg


I don't know why the interior looks so bad in this photo. The inside actually came out looking great. I think it looks bad in this picture due to weird lighting and poor camera angle. The floor of the cab area and bed will be painted with black rubberized coating.
http://i848.photobucket.com/albums/a...psee10dafa.jpg

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

I can't wait to get to this stage with my blazer, I know how you feel finally getting to paint, when we got to this stage with my kids truck It was definitely the light at the end of the tunnel! Looks good, keep the pics coming!:metal:
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Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Awesome :metal: so glad to see some paint in this bad boy
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Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Wicked! I love the color.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

When I see members that do builds like this I am always floored. It is such an amazing display of everything good in people. Self reliance, will-power, ingenuity, determination, intelligence, capability, resourcefullness, sacrifice, hard work, etc..... on & on. Nice, nice work. Glad I found this for morning reading/coffee. GM did not do that much work when they built it (you will have a "hand built" auto) ! Truly Sweet !

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Subscribed.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Looks good. Nice work!:metal:
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Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Proud of the 1956Cameo outcome on the Blazer, now after a little color sanding and buffing it will look even better. Then off to paint the fenders, tailgate and hood which will be easier since they are off the vehicle. keep up the good work.

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

Great work. That's one killer blue!

Re: Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build
 

freakshow108, Thanks! I am sure you will have your blazer in paint before you know it. This is definitely one of the monumental occasions during a restoration. The others are the first time you fire it up, the first time you drive it, and when it is finally completed.

NewType72, You and me both!

YBNORML, Thanks! According to my glove box door it is Dark Blue, but the factory 72 paint chart called it Mariner Blue. To be honest the color is one of the big reasons why I bought this blazer. I like to keep my vehicles the factory color and knew I had to have a factory red or blue blazer with a white or black interior. This one was originally blue with white interior.

72ironmike, Thank you for the very kind and encouraging words! The great people like you and everyone else on this forum deserve a huge credit for projects like this. Without everyone's help and support I am sure that a lot fewer projects like this one would ever get completed. Oh, and I have to agree with you. This blazer was definitely put together with a whole lot more determination the second time around than the first time around. That's what I always tell people that are afraid to tear into these trucks. Every part of your truck was originally put together by a guy that had one minute to assemble hit part, it was his job and he was likely just trying to get through the day and didn't care about the vehicle at all, and no one at that time thought of these vehicles as anything but work vehicles.

jjzepplin, Welcome!

Greenlee, Thanks!

Muleman100, Thank you for all of the help! This project would be only a fraction of what it is without your overwhelming help. There is a long way to go but it is satisfying to know what we have been able to accomplish up to this point!

sicklajoie, Thanks! Its one of my favorites.