What is the difference?

[Ridgeclimber]

This may sound stupid but what is the difference between a blazer and a jimmy? Are they all a k5, or is that just a GMC. Why I am asking is, I am restoring my 1968 short box step side c10. I am not even finished this project and I am already thinking I need to look for a Blazer. I like the front ends of the 1967 and 1968 slope noised trucks. Did Chevy make a 1967 or 1968 2 wheel drive blazer? if so is it called a c5?

[givengold]

All 4wd should be k5. 2wd would be c5. Blazer began in '69, Jimmy's in '70.

[truckster]

I believe GM called all Blazers and Jimmys K5, even the 2wd versions (mine is titled as a K10, weird). The first year of production for any Blazer/Jimmy was 1969, so there were no 67 or 68 Jimmys or Blazers. The front end swap is not uncommon - you just need to replace all of the parts you would with any 69-72 truck.

[skorpioskorpio]

Actually, I think the "K5" designation is a Chevy thing at least as far as emblems and such. 70-72 Jimmys don't have a K5 emblem anywhere on them Nor do they have any C or K emblems, just "GMC" and "GMC Jimmy" and trim level and engine emblems. Chassis designation is however a C or a K just like pickups are but again I don't think anything other than the Chevy fender emblems say K5 or specifically "Blazer/K5".

As said earlier Blazers were made from 1969-72 and Jimmys stated a year later, pretty sure the first model year of both were only available as 4wd. So there are no original 1969 2wd Blazers or 1970 Jimmys, though 4wd to 2wd conversions are not uncommon, mine is, or will be. GMCs require less effort to convert to a 67-68 hood as the fenders for all year GMCs are the same (except no marker lights in a 67) where Chevy fenders changed with the hood and are about an inch and a half shorter. GMC just filled the gap of the longer fenders with a grill cap that sits in front of the shorter blunt nose hood.

As I understand the story, GM was ill prepared for the sudden outdoorsy craze of the late 60's early 70's and had even rejected the concept of a unique Jeep/Bronco/Scout type vehicle thinking the market was too small for yet another player. Then that market took off and they had nothing and no time to develop anything.

The Blazer/Jimmy is the result of a quick hacked together solution and if you've taken one completely apart that becomes obvious. There is very few truly unique parts and a lot of the ones that are not very well thought out. The windshield frame is pretty unfinished in the upper corners, the "cab" to "bed" transition is pre bolted together and welded afterwards, doors are quite literally pickup OR Suburban doors that have been hacked off with a grinder then tweaked to make them Blazer doors, tops are a real head scratcher, made out of a fiberglass like material but heavier than they would have been in steel, and you'd think it was because they were overbuilt but they can hardy hold up their own weight, most are sagging in the middle and all are full of pop rivets that look like shoddy repairs and not anything a factory would put out.

All that said, Jimmys and Blazers are awesome versatile vehicles, they’re a factory fabbed custom, a hacked together afterthought that would be mimicked by Chrysler and even Ford a few years later. It’s kind of a strange irony that the Blazer was a means of making a Bronco like vehicle from mostly on hand parts and later on Ford hacked together their new Bronco using the same model (as did Dodge/Plymouth).

[Badmothertucker]

How can one tell difference between 69' and 70'? Chevy K-5 that is

[skorpioskorpio]

Originally Posted by Badmothertucker

How can one tell difference between 69' and 70'? Chevy K-5 that is

In what sense? A 69 and 70 look pretty much the same though I think there is a slight paint detail in the grill that is different, however after 40 years they probably both look the same by now.