what to look for (rust)

[Hottrucks]

I'm going to look at a 71 Blazer and besides the common door spots and cab mounts where should I look??? All vech. have the common rust spots just woundering if theres any thing I should look for that might turn into a PIA to repair (Kinda like the inside header panel on pickups) one thing the guy said is there is a piece of plywood screwed down behind the rear seat???...

the blazer is a 4x4 auto hard top and soft with a spare set of 33's

Thanx
Jeff

[Thealien]

windshield frame peel the rubber gasket away a little

Kick panels

rocker boxes

look up in behind the door where the higher and lower floor and quarter panel all come together.

[lks dcvn]

Here are a few good pix to think about...

As noted:

Windshield frame
A pillar
B pillar
Kick Panels

**If the body does not have the torsion boxes [located behind the rockers on each side] in good condition - the body will move/collapse when you take off the top.

I will include a few pix of the torsion box in the next post so you can see what they should look like.

[lks dcvn]

What the torsion box should look like intact...

Mine are surface rusted - but were solid enough to work with - no patching needed on them -

[extd56]

Originally Posted by lks dcvn

What the torsion box should look like intact...

Mine are surface rusted - but were solid enough to work with - no patching needed on them -

After seeing the pictures of the rust on that Blazer most of the Blazers that I have seen out here in California must be mint. I see a little bit of rust and I run for my truck. Now I must go wash my hand before I drive my truck, don't want any remaining rust on my hands to get in my truck.

[Hottrucks]

sure rub it in!!!!!

[Hottrucks]

thanx..the guy said he bought it and ran it with the roof off last summer as a fun beach kinda truck...I'll ask him how it went back on..I would assume if it was a bear then the body must have twisted with the roof off....( shot boxs)

[Hottrucks]

I was typing at the same time you where.........lmao.....the last pics clear things up it looks like they are below the cab supports and make a box out of the floor...I think I get it...by the way nice work..

I'm thinking the same way the sell did I want to pop the top and tow the boat to the lake...not real far but I love TOPLESS "things"....

[lks dcvn]

If he took the top off already - then it is a moot point - since the shift already occurred.

If you are going to see it and there is plentiful rust...and the top was off.

Check the following things:

Door gaps and opening/closing issues [sticking/ lifting up on the door] - if the body shifted these could be impacted

Body Mounts all the way around - if they are solid then you might be in luck as these [if rotted] will also shift the body around with the top off

Bolts attached to windshield frame - see if they are tightened all the way [or even present] - sometimes [from my experience] when people put the top back on they do the easy stuff like the top/bedside bolts and leave the w/s frame ones out since they don't line up anymore.