1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

I really wasn’t looking for a new project. But an email arrived from MT from a trustworthy guy (thanks Scott) describing a Highlander Blazer for sale that I couldn’t pass up.

It’s a St. Louis built Hawaiian (medium) blue Highlander 72 Blazer with the original motor, protect-o-plate, in blue plaid. It’s not a promo pack truck and wasn’t equipped with camper mirrors. Being a St. Louis truck, it’s got a double-wall top. Originally sold new in March 1972 by Harloff Chevrolet in Encinitas, CA and passed through four registered owners prior to myself. The original owner kept it for 18 years.

I’m planning a frame-off restoration back to original with a few minor changes. It will be a slow build. The truck was fairly complete and unmolested with intact dash and solid doors. It's had a repaint and what looks to be a new skin on the LH rear quarter. I’ve been able to collect most of the few missing little pieces (such as the under dash speaker and spare tire holder).

It moves forward under its own power but reverse is gone. It must have been used as a chicken coop for mice in the recent past but the critters didn’t damage much.

Thanks for looking!

Pete

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

More pics

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

more...

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Odd that it had two REAR carpet strips (the correct front carpet strip was not there). Since the rear strip was too rusty the duplication was a blessing. Will be adding this single wall top. It also had CA emissions compliant headers. The AIR pump brackets are still in place. The LH door jamb is a bit wonky from the skin placement (filler amongst the welds).

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Oh Happy Day!!! Have been waiting with baited breath for this thread. Buckled up Buttercup...Super down for this ride! She's gonna be a beaut! :metal:

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

She will make a nice one, I'll be watching.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Im in to see this one .

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

I want it...cant wait to see it done.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Is this the one we spoke of a couple months ago? It looks nice!

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

I'm on board.
BTW. My 72 had that style carpet strip both front and back. I don't think that is too uncommon.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Looks like a great start to a project! Congrats on the score and looking forward to following along with this build. Keep the pics coming.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Great color combo.

So you got one blazer sold in Orange County and another sold in San Diego?

John

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Thanks for joining in! Great to have y'all aboard. I'll definitely appreciate any and all help.

Wanted to throw in a front end pic. I'll be a couple of weeks before I can dig in deeper and post more photos of the rusty bits. Frame looks solid as do the cab mounts, doors, tailgate, and front fenders. A points distributor is in place and the motor fires right up and sounds good but as reverse is gone and during braking it pulls hard to the left its not going back on the road.

For the near future, I'll keep it together to the point where I can start the motor while I tear out the interior and remove the mounting bolts for the cab supports and swap in new cushions. After that I'll swap tops and inspect the windshield frame for rust.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Jeff that's good to know. It's easy to believe it left GM with both. I was able to get a fresh front carpet strip from a member on the board and it looks great.

John I bought my green Blazer in Orange but don't know where it was originally sold. I wish I did. Since it still carries the CA emissions equipment it left GM with I believe it sold new in CA. This blue Blazer was sold new in Encinitas in March 1972. The blue door tag is painted over. I suspect blue was built in February of that year but that's yet to be confirmed.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

In to see what happens with this one

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

I'd like to see what direction this build is headed, also. I'm sure it will be top notch

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

. This blue Blazer was sold new in Encinitas in March 1972. The blue door tag is painted over. I suspect blue was built in February of that year but that's yet to be confirmed.[/QUOTE]

I lived a block away from that dealership in 72 (I was 20 years old then). I remember seeing the Blazers out front on Encinitas Blvd. I wonder if I saw that one out there.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Subscribed, it looks like a great project truck. Jealous of that interior!

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Thanks for joining guys. Great story Tom. Please keep an eye out for a Harloff Chevrolet license plate frame for me.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Not much new to report. I've removed, bagged and tagged most of the interior and sprayed the body mount bolts with PB Blaster in the hope I can remove them this weekend without having to grind off the heads. I'm readying to replace the body mounts then swap the 2x wall top for the 1x wall.

I ordered new rubber body mounts from Wes Hepp (Classic Heartbeat) but Wes called back to say the USA made rubber mounts are no longer available (his rubber radiator support mounts are still available and USA made). The current choices rubber mounts seem to be LMC or similar (that I hear are not good quality) or polyurethane mounts such as those from Energy Suspension. GMC Paul's website says these are not currently available. I'm going to order a set black polyurethane. Wes is investigating the possibility of having rubber K5 mounts made here again in the USA.

Also wanted to share this informative web page regarding dating of OEM window glass: http://www.camaros.org/glass.shtml#LOF Posted originally here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=709435

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Excited to see what's next!

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

subscribed.. Looking forward to seeing another top notch build!

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Multiple applications of PB blaster this week seemed to grease the wheels so to speak and I was able to remove the body mount nuts with out too much difficulty (impact wrench helped too). Access to the rear most set of mounts was tough due to interference from a home made trailer hitch, which cradled the gas tank. I had to saw the hitch off. It's free to any local taker :)

The tank skid plate is in great shape and has some nice factory marking. It harbored a large mouse nest that encased the tank itself but that also seems in good condition.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

more

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

The GM scribble includes the model # (KE10514). The remainder is unclear to me - I may trace it out and try to replicate it.

I'll research how to post multiple pics per post with an ipad later today...

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Ill watch this one

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

The interior is almost totally gutted now. Soon I'll move onto pulling the front clip/motor/tranny/tcase. Wanted to share some interesting observations. First, I tried unsuccessfully to remove the paint over the blue door VIN decal so as to confirm the build month, which I suspected was either January or February 1972 as it was sold new in early March of that year. One of the seat backs and the dash pad had the following date codes that strongly support February as the build month. January 28, 1972 fell on a Friday.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Some quirks: the K5 had a second rear carpet strip in place of the correct front carpet strip (as mentioned earlier) and it looks as if the rear seat arm rests are both for the same side.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Swapped a single wall top for the original double wall and it fits well - no rust on the windshield frame.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

In doing the top swap I noticed two differing styles of seal about the hinges used to attach the lift gate to the top.

1) Style one makes use of rubber grommets only with no brackets/trim plates or screws - this is the only style I found depicted in the factory assembly manual on a cursory search (top rows first pic).
2) Style two makes use of metal brackets/trim plates with underlying gaskets affixed to the lift gate and top by two trim screws at each site (bottom rows first pic).

Wonder why the change from one style to the other? I'll have to investigate what style is reproduced.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Want to share some p/n's for some still available GM parts: rubber gas filler hose, rubber door grommets, vent tubes for differentials etc., and the AC divert box that typically has the busted flapper.

EDIT: The discontinued 1972-only door plates #20393850 that go between the panels and the window cranks/door handles are still in stock (20 plus) at Hubbard Chevrolet in Monticello, IN 574.583.7121 but asking ~$8 apiece (cost ~$4 list is ~$12).

T.hanks for following along!

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

I'm along for the ride. I have seen both types of hinge seals also but never really tried to figure it out. It would be interesting to know if the hinge bolt covers with the bent lips is only on one or the other also. I wonder if it is a single wall double wall think.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

I love the quirks. I wouldn't try and "correct" them either. Put it back like she came. I think you can find a truck to justify all four combinations of carpet strip installations from the factory. I think they used what they had. As a rule I love Midnight or Daytona Blue on Chevrolet trucks, but it's nice to see that Hawaiian starting to peek back through.

Great info on the OEM/NOS parts Pete. You are always blazing the trail. This is the perfect vehicle for you.

Can't wait for what's ahead.

P.S. The dash inspection tag is neat too. My brother was born the day before.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Dwayne - it's a mix, I have 2x wall examples here that use both styles (one each) but the 1x wall tops here (total two) only use those affixed with screws. The hinge covers with the screws are present on both the hatch and the top ends. I like the clean look of the rubber hinge covers. Am curious what's available aftermarket as a hinge cover replacement.

Thanks Brad! I'm reminded of the sleuthing that went into determining the build month for your Blazer. Am sure enough that this K5 is a February build that I've got a blue door VIN tag from Jeff on the way. Another quirk - there is only a high note horn, the low note and pigtail are either missing or were never installed. I don't see evidence that the low note horn was ever installed and a CST should have dual horns. The high note at least works. I wonder if there if there was a big difference in quality control between St. Louis and Flint?

I removed the fuel tank, front bumper, and and the inner fenders. Thank goodness for PB blaster and an impact wrench. The front wheel studs/lug nuts differ in size left to right.

Posting misc pics of the fuel tank, fuel lines, and attachment hardware for reference. The tank is in great shape - not sure if OEM but has a stamped circle surrounding a big letter "A" on the top (hard to photograph).

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

For the purists: the OEM clamps for the rubber fuel lines were originally painted yellow - almost an ochre color. The frame clamps to support the metal fuel lines are orange. The colors are tough to accurately expose.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

One hard line that runs along on the top of the LH frame forward to the fuel tank is not shown on the above photo but I've tried to depict it below (first pic).

The ground wire for the tank sending unit is shown - it was affixed to the rear crossmember with a bolt and two star washers at midline.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Great info Pete. Thanks for taking the time to document. Invaluable.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Hey Pete, Ahh the complexity of finding good repo's or NOS replacements...I bought the top no holes or mount plates from Classic truck parts." They got returned " They are black and close to the original's but not quite right. I ended up reusing what I had. All the rubber on mine was put back on. Cleaned, and Treated with Wintergeen oil+ Xyleen, Windshield rubber, and double wall top rubber gaskets also.... Door trim was toast...Link In a Link ....Ed. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=680699

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Nice progress! I'm glad your tank is in good shape. The pictures are great. The three vent tubes most have been routed differently between years. They were under on the opposite side on my 71 and had a bracket that held the lines in place.

Re: 1972 Medium Blue Highlander Blazer Resto
 

Isn't yours a 2 wd that might make the difference if I remember correct on my 71 4x4 it was routed the same as Pete's but I could be wrong.