Interested in this 71

[custom1970]

Thoughts on this truck I'm thinking about. Owner says he doesn't have time to finish it. Unfortunately he started the project backwards and did the body paint work first. Positives: was a very rust free truck, runs and drives, was a cst with AC, still has glove box decal. New tires.
Down sides: dash, door bottoms and front floor still need body and paint work, engine bay is horrible, zero AC parts left , frame needs to be blasted and painted, And can someone tell me about the 8 lugs 3/4 ton?
Thanks David

[custom1970]

More pics, and can anyone tell me what rear end this has?

[DeadheadNM]

The rear axle looks like a Dana 60 to me. Does the Blazer come w seats?

[hemi43]

Does the SPID match the B pillar tag?
What kind of $ does he want?

[custom1970]

He has the back bench, looking for the front buckets, so not good on those. Would that rear had come off a pickup? GM didn't make a 3/4 ton blazer? Did they? Any thoughts on the front axle?

[custom1970]

Yes numbers match, not sure about engine but probably not original. That doesn't bother me. He wants 32k but we're talking about that. I'm just not sure i can finish it for what i can get, a more complete one for . He has the top, but it's very rough. I was thinking it's worth closer to 20-23k?
I also don't know if the heavier axles is a plus or minus....

[DeadheadNM]

At a glance that front axle appears as a Dana 44. No 3/4t 71 K5's - those axles were added. FWIW, the driver door mirror holes seem to be in an incorrect location, at least for base "sport" mirrors.

Here's a recently sold orange 71 Blazer for price comparison: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...-k5-blazer-46/

[custom1970]

I don't think the driver's door is original. I saw that one on BAT, wish it had been closer to me. It was an amazing survivor. So the axles must of been replaced yrs ago, as there's no signs of any chassis work in yrs. Apparently it sat for like 20 yrs. Would you consider the 3/4 ton stuff good or bad?
The door tag has a 12/69 date and number doesn't seem right

[DeadheadNM]

That's not a Blazer door, likely harvested from a pickup.

Personally, the axles are a negative for me and raise the question of why and what else has been done to the Blazer (but that's only my opinion). I suppose the 3/4t axles may be a plus if the plan is to haul equipment off road.

[custom1970]

Don't plan on during a lot of hard off-roading. And I also thought the driver's door wasn't original and at best it needs a bottom as it has a fair size rust hole in it. And passenger door has a speaker hole in it. The heavy 3/4t axles do concern me, and i agree as to wondering why they were added....Also the 8 lug definitely limits your choice of wheels. Will probably pass, unless he were to really come down on his price, even then, it may be more of a project then i want to take on. I still don't understand why he didn't finish the door insides, windshield inside (which has some rust), or the dash, at the same time he did the body and paint....makes it much more difficult now! It's ashame because we don't get many rust free ones down here

[bambbrose]

A wise man once told me, "never buy someones unfinished project".

I have been bitten a few times by not following that advice. I would suggest heeding it here.

[bnorth]

Axles are a negative unless you are building a wheeler. I'd walk away

[custom1970]

Originally Posted by bambbrose

A wise man once told me, "never buy someones unfinished project".

I have been bitten a few times by not following that advice. I would suggest heeding it here.

Sounds like good advice. And It'd be very hard to finish this truck without messing the new paint up. Especially with the driver's door that probably should be replaced. Engine should be pulled and gone through... And that heavy running gear has to worse/harsher for a weekend driver.

I found another one I've been talking to the owner about, and this one is in much more finished condition. But, It was rusty before they restored it, and from i can tell there's a fair amount of bondo and he's wanting 50k or more. And there's no dash tag... I keep reminding him I'm still interested every couple of weeks. Does have a fresh engine and larger new front disc brakes. I'll post some pics of it later...

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by custom1970

Yes numbers match, not sure about engine but probably not original. That doesn't bother me. He wants 32k but we're talking about that. I'm just not sure i can finish it for what i can get, a more complete one for . He has the top, but it's very rough. I was thinking it's worth closer to 20-23k?
I also don't know if the heavier axles is a plus or minus....

Yeah, $32K is way too much! Tell him it isn't 2022 anymore and prices have come way down. $15K-$20K might be more realistic, but even at $20K there's too many things wrong/missing. If it was untouched, then maybe. IMHO

[custom1970]

Originally Posted by hemi43

Yeah, $32K is way too much! Tell him it isn't 2022 anymore and prices have come way down. $15K-$20K might be more realistic, but even at $20K there's too many things wrong/missing. If it was untouched, then maybe. IMHO

Agreed. The changed out axles is a huge problem the more i think about it. and does make me wonder why it was done. And what else was done to it.
Thanks for all the feedback back.