I got one!
 

Every once in a while I get the itch to buy a vehicle I don't need. I usually pay too much, drive them too little, then sell them when I get bored. For the last couple years I've been fighting the urge for a vintage convertible truck. Something like a Scout, or a Bronco, or a Blazer.

Well, recently an ad popped up for a 2WD Blazer on my local Craigslist, and I went to check it out. I probably don't need to tell you what happened when I drove it. It's in my garage now, and my wife is no longer speaking to me.

Can anyone help me decode the VIN? I don't completely trust the previous owner's information, although he claims he got it from the original owner.

I'm sure I'll have more questions soon. I don't have any major plans for it, I just want to have fun driving it this summer and take care of whatever pops up.

Re: I got one!
 

First off...:welcome2: to the boards from NC....NICE blazer!!!!

I looked through the LMC catalog to decode, but not sure if I'm right

C=Chevy
S=6 cylinder
1=1/2 ton
8=Blazer
1=1971
S=Assembly plant=St. Louis
656310=Vehicle # typically started w/6xxxxx=56,310 blazer produced

Re: I got one!
 

NICE Blazer!!! great score.

Re: I got one!
 

I was told when I purchased mine that a "C" in the front of vin means it's a factory 2wd and a "K" would be a 4x4.

I hope the wife doesn't stay mad too long...but if you ask me, it's worth it...haha! Great looking ride and welcome to the board! I understand all too well about paying too much and driving too little...I'm hoping this summer will be different.

Re: I got one!
 

Welcome from a fellow WNYer. Thank God you bought that Blazer (pretty fast too) as it was driving me nuts wanting to go after it. Looks real nice. The first "S" in the VIN indicates it was a 6 cylinder - and i believe it was advertised as having the original 250. Take your wife to some cruises and shows and buy her dinner = always works for me. Congrats!

Re: I got one!
 

great looking truck

Re: I got one!
 

4x4 would just have an extra letter "K" between the make "C" and engine size "S", so 2wd CS 4x4 CKS. Welcome and nice score on the blazer.

Re: I got one!
 

Welcome aboard from Florida! Nice Blazer.

Re: I got one!
 

looks nice!!! the wife will get over it. We need more pictures..

Re: I got one!
 

Ditto!

BTW, your garage is nicer than my kitchen...lol

Re: I got one!
 

Looks like a nice rig! Very simple...

Re: I got one!
 

Thanks for all the kind words. I've been reading this forum for the last month or so, and I'm happy to finally be participating. I am blown away by some of the build threads. I have never worked on cars, but I'm hoping that is going to change with this truck. In my dreams I find a mechanic that helps me with small jobs on the car, teaching me the right way to do things. Not sure if that exists in the real world. If you guys know anyone in WNY that fits the bill, let me know. I would be more than happy to pay the going rate.

I really appreciate the help with the VIN information. It looks like everything under the hood is original, so I'm guessing it is the 250. It has a three speed on the column, and I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't owned a manual transmission in 18 years, so learning to shift has been a bit challenging.

The truck is a little rough around the edges and could definitely use some work, but I think it is fundamentally solid. Kind of like my marriage right now. I'd like to say that my wife will eventually get over it, but the woman remembers EVERYTHING wrong I've ever done, even stuff from before we were dating.

More pics -- of the truck, not my wife -- to follow.

Re: I got one!
 

Some more pictures are attached. I take back what I said about the truck being fundamentally sound. It looks good from 10 feet away, but there are tons of hidden problems and I think it is rotting from the inside out. Just like my marriage.

Re: I got one!
 

Two more pictures, passenger seat and rear bench seat.

Re: I got one!
 

Welcome from SLC! Awesome blazer. I love the fact that it still has the inline 6. Keep the pics coming.

Re: I got one!
 

Welcome and congrats on a cool Blazer! Do you have anymore pics of the rear rubber mat? I have not seen an original one intact.

Re: I got one!
 

Welcome from Atlanta GA. That thing looks awesome. Very nice.

Re: I got one!
 

You did NOTHING wrong!
Does your wife get in trouble when she buys shoe's? Does she ask your permission when she does?

Just tell her it's a BIG pair of shoe's...she'll prob. understand then.

Nice Blazer

Re: I got one!
 

Nice Blazer! Looks pretty clean.

Re: I got one!
 

Looks like a nice truck. Take your wife for a ride in the country on a sunny day - she'll come around.

Re: I got one!
 

Show her some pics of basket case, rust buckets. She should be happy you bought something that drove home under its own power!
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Re: I got one!
 

@1972CST: More pics of the rear mat are attached. There is actually a long split, and a few divots, but it's otherwise intact. If you can believe it, the speaker-box in the pictures is attached to the stock AM radio...?

@tubbedII: There is something wrong with how clean I keep my garage. It's actually really dirty in these pictures, the tile floor hasn't been pressure washed in a few weeks...

@BobbyK: We bought a new house just to fit all her shoes.

@rsavage: Hey, you're just down the road a ways from me! Glad I could help you out by purchasing this truck, but like I said it's actually pretty rough. I'm sending you a PM, I'd like to pick your brain a little if you don't mind.

@mustardjimmy71: The good news is she's talking to me again. The bad news is I can't repeat what she's saying on a wholesome website like this forum.

One more question, how do I figure out what carburetor I have? Is there a number on it somewhere? I'd like to buy a rebuild kit and have a go at it, it idle's kind of rough and when I'm driving at speed then step on the gas it's kind of flat, or hesitates, or something. Unfortunately, I haven't owned a car with a carburetor since 1989, and that was a '79 Caprice Classic.

Re: I got one!
 

Man... that is one clean Blazer. You got real lucky on that one.

Re: I got one!
 

Thanks, Tom. It's kind of weird, but parts of it are really clean and original, and other parts look like the previous owners just grabbed the first thing they could find and slapped it on the truck.

For example, the steering wheel. Picture attached, I didn't realize I actually purchased an Impala!

Also, there's a hole in the front driver's side mat where your heel fits with your foot on the pedal. I'm not sure, but I don't think the exhaust is correct. And it's leaking something about halfway back, I've got to get under there and figure out what's going on. I can't have oil all over my showroom tile floor!

Re: I got one!
 

That's pretty cool, you have a marker to tell you were to put your foot for gas:lol: Really thats not bad, at least the steering wheel matches the truck, as for the leak it looks to be the tranny. Better get on that, that garage is way to clean.