72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

I started to get serious on this in February and am finally getting around to starting the thread.

Here is where things started. My Blazer was purchased about 10 years ago and stuffed away in the shed in the background on this picture. I've only occasionally driven it. It's in fairly good shape other than the typical rust spots.

I put a new suspension and 3" lift kit last summer and my focus this year has been getting the body cleaned up, painted, and interior work. Hopefully I'll have it ready to drive for the summer time in Montana. Engine work will happen next winter hopefully.

I'm going with a tan soft top and original Medium Red Paint. The dash will be black and she'll be retro-fit with seats from a Cadillac SRX. I'm toying with making the blazer red and tan two-tone at the moment.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

More Starting Pictures:

Build Sheet:
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Interior:
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Back Seat:
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Instruments:
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

March 2011 interior tear down:
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Nice looking project!

Good luck with the build.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Found some seats on ebay in April. 2008 Black SRX Cadillac seats. They have power everything, memory, heat bottom and back. I've gotten all the power movement working but in order for the heat and memory settings to work I'll need 3 different computers. Hummm..... Not sure those will ever work but maybe...

I will need to modify the roll bar by moving it back about 5 inches so I have good clearance for the new seats. I'm a tall guy and want the extra leg room.

Not sure if I'll put the 3rd seat in. That's my wife giving the 3rd seat a try for me. She'd kill me if she knew I posted a picture of her drinking a beer still in her pajamas :lol:

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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

The mirrors:

Here's a picture of the mirrors that were on the Blazer when I purchased it. They're not in great shape and I don't think they are stock mirrors so I want to go with something different
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I'm replacing the mirrors with a set from a highlander package pickup I have. These mirrors will clean up nice I think. That highlander truck may get restored someday....
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Refinished the instrument panel so it's ready to go once I get the body work done. I decided to put a stock vacuum gauge in just to fill that annoying hole and happened to have a clock that fits the Tach spot. Just wanted to do something a little different. I'm not completely sure what the clock is out of. Somebody told me it looked like a Corvette clock but I don't think I've seen one from a Corvette like it. If you happen to know, give me a shout.
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Nice blazer! Nicely optioned too. Drinking beer in pajamas around here is what we call an eye opener:lol: good luck

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Typical Body work that needs to be done on these old Blazers. Rust in the cab corners and along the doors. My door bottoms also needed to be replaced.

When I was driving the Blazer a few miles to the body shop, I hit a deer going about 30 miles an hour. I didn't have my front bumper or grill on. However, I actually got VERY lucky because I hit the deer square on my right front bumper mount. It made one heck of a mess. I basically skewered that poor deer right in the paunch. A stinky mess but believe it or not, no damage to my A/C condenser, Transmission cooler, radiator, etc. The unfortunate thing is that it did buckle my right front fender a bit from the impact and deer body swing. I guess if you're going to hit a deer might as well do it going to the body shop. Let's hope I don't hit one on the way home....
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Spare tire carrier:
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Up to last month or so photos. Blazer is just about ready to paint:

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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Painting started just about 3 weeks ago. Medium Red stock color. I've decided to go with a two tone with tan/brown accent color. I'll post a photoshop image of what I'm going for.
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

OK. Here is where things stand as of current date. I put the soft top on this week. We are finishing the mounting work for the seats before painting further just to make sure everything is right before finishing and to minimize the propensity to scratch something while working. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the top on but it looked great.

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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Here is the vision for how things will turn out. At least at the moment.
The dash and overall interior theme will be black with tan/saddle brown highlights.
The outside will be painted original Medium Red with the addition of a second color of tan to match the tan soft top. I think it'll look great with the tan accent on the outside matching the top and interior accent colors of tan with the black on the inside.

I took a two-tone blazer picture (Not mine and not sure who's it it) and photo shopped it to give you an idea. I've included a picture of the door panels that I've already finished for the interior. I've restored all the emblems as well. The CST emblem lettering is stock yellow but I went with a tan to match the themes.
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Nice work so far. Not to bad, got free meat on the way to the body shop, didn't even have sit in the cold for a few hours. Better have a blocking truck for the way home.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Yeh, I had somebody following me but should have had them in front I guess. It turns out the guy that runs the body shop is severely allergic to deer hair. So, he stayed clear when I arrived. I had to make sure every piece of deer hair had been removed. I've never heard of anybody being allergic to deer before. Sure was strange....

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Im not allergic to deer hair, just allergic to cleaning dead deer off of someone else's truck. Maybe he has the same affliction

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Got my carpeting yesterday. Black with Saddle floor mats. I can't want to get it installed. Of course I've got to actually finish painting first. I think it'll look great with the black dash and black seats. Dash pad and visors are will be saddle brown as well.
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Very true :lol:

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

How are those src seats compared to the seats out of a gm?
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

I'm not completely sure but I believe the SRX seats are very similar to the seats out of the deluxe packages of the GM Yukon for example. They are not exactly the same but I think close. For example, some of the under seat wiring schematics I was able to find looked similar. It makes sense they might use some of the same parts.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

They look rather similar to each other. I've been looking at them online and it didn't look like the rear seats match the front buckets with safety belts built in. I like way they look.......... anymore pics?
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

I'll have to take some better pictures and post but I don't have the seats in at the moment. Here is one other picture I hadn't posted. You are correct the back seat only has a shoulder belt built in for the middle seat. I'm simply going to install lap only for the sides but I don't have people riding in the back much. The third seat (which I'm not going to install for now) has two seats also without build-in shoulder belts.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

The dash got painted a couple of days ago. She should have paint on in time for Christmas I'm hoping.
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

What a way to end the year. Got paint on yesterday and today. Navajo tan and stock Medium Red. The Navajo Tan is a Chevy color from 1955. The tan color will match the tan soft top.
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Also decided to go with real wood for dash and door panels.
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Got some of the trim on today.
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Really nice! That color combo looks sharp.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Started to clean up the grill. I think I'm going to paint the center black. I think it'll look really sharp with the color combination.

However, I've got to tackle this severe nick in the lower corner before going too far. I think I'll be able to fill this, sand it to contour, and then use some chrome paint to blend it. Hopefully this will allow me to repair and keep the stock grill at least...
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Lots of progress the last couple of weeks on the body as well. All the trim is now on. Rubber on the doors. New tilt steering column installed.

If you look closely, you'll notice the roll bar has been modified and moved back about 6 inches to make more room for the new seats.

Just need to finish painting the hood and tailgate and get them back on....
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

very very nice!!!!

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Nice resto job. I love those Blazers.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Way to go... Great choice of colors... quick build and back on the road. Very nice...

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Customized Glove Box Door was the accomplishment for the weekend. Also got the dash pad and Instrument Panel installed this past week.

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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Great looking blazer!Where did you get that steering wheel it looks great with all your custom wood accesories?

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Webfishr - looks beautiful. Great job. We ended up with the same wheel too.

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Thanks. I bought it a couple years ago but it looks like they are available here: http://www.classicparts.com/1947-91-...tinfo/32-472W/

Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Pictures from the last couple of days. Finished painting the grille and polishing. We got it installed, got the spare tire carrier back on, and backseat bolted in. Just have the bumpers, front seats, then I'll wire the stereo equipment. It's looking like a truck again....
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Re: 72 K5 CST Blazer Build
 

Lookin good

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Looks fantastic.

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Got the soft top installed. It fits like a glove and is a bit too tight so hopefully it'll warm up and stretch a bit more for an easier fit. Just about ready to call the body work done!
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