71 Blazer "Finishing Touches"

[VA72C10]

I hope to be working on it some this evening and maybe some tomorrow. As soon as I get over to the shop I'll get detailed pictures on the hitch. It says valley industries on there and i'll check when there whether it's bolted or welded...

[AZ 1971 Blazer]

thanks VA. i'm new to this site, just bought my 2nd Blazer/ Jimmy, my 4th older GM product. i will be posting pics soon and look forward to the responses! this site it really cool and i'm blown away by the knowledge and craftmanship on this site

[VA72C10]

here's the pics of the hitch with the capacity. It's a bolt on also.

[VA72C10]

I believe it was purchased through LMC but it might be found directly cheaper through Valley.

[VA72C10]

Well, bought my new truck tonight and played around with that some....but couldn't neglect this either....

Got the passenger side sanded...really won't need any filler except at the patch and that will be minimal.....

[VA72C10]

Well, trying to keep a balance of work, family, and two projects is hard. Got a couple hours of adjusting and sanding done tonight. The hood was the worst fitting piece on the truck...look above for the "closed" hood. Well out of whack. Thought it was the aftermarket hinges but after swapping in a nice used set I had there was no change.

[VA72C10]

So we started adjusting the hinges and just as we thought we'd adjusted the only ways that would work...I had a "eureka" moment. We loosened up the bolts on the rad support and shifted it over about 5/8". Not perfect but close enough where I can fine tune it now.....

[VA72C10]

Did a little more sanding on the driver's side then moved over to the passenger side. Got the hood and the pass side done all except the back quarter panel.





and we had a visitor tonight....the world traveling Bonnie.....

[VA72C10]

Finally, brought over a trashed gate to use as patches for mine...

[nuke1]

nice touches on the truck so far, got a love the visitors, wonder if she will ever visit the great white north, oh yeah, the land far and beyond. LOL. keep up the good work.

[VA72C10]

Thanks....talking it over with Jason (Pop's Chop Shop) he's shooting for July 1st to be done

[VA72C10]

Finished stage 1 of the sanding...now filler and then stage 2 before we seal and prime it....then one last sanding and PAINT!!!

Started off by finishing up sanding the last panel left from the other day...the driver's rear quarter....
Then moved on to working on removing the guts from my bad gate to go in the good one....just needed a little pb blaster, a little hammer, and a lot of effort

[VA72C10]

Then I loosened up the top and when Jason had time we lifted it off....I don't know if I'll ever have it on again until I sell it....


Got the rest of the gate hardware off


THen removed and sanded the gas filler cover



And finally the bed rails....



Might get filler done Sunday and then more sanding until that's complete.

[0331grunt]

Just checked out your build. Looks great! The family will love cruisin' in the topless blazer for sure!

[Slick67]

VA.......hatin you cause the headers look great. Can't wait to get mine. Blazer looks sweet!!!!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 0331grunt

Just checked out your build. Looks great! The family will love cruisin' in the topless blazer for sure!

Originally Posted by Slick67

VA.......hatin you cause the headers look great. Can't wait to get mine. Blazer looks sweet!!!!

Thanks guys. Been slacking on the updates but spending money like crazy.

Purchased the materials for my custom interior (recovering the front utility buckets and rear bench to match in a nice black vinyl and fabric combo, and matching door panels and rear cargo area panels.

Bought all the final paint supplies and the primer, sealer, paint, and clear.

Got a nice used factory tach dash to replace the white gauges and column mounted tach.

Getting ready to place a final order for carpet and misc parts for it.

Did some more sanding and little things like working on cleaning up the wiring, installing the brackets under the steering column, installing the rear bedside braces, cleaning and prepping final parts for paint, and sourceing some good tailgate parts out of my "stash"

Jason has been doing filler work. Has put two to three very light skim coats and sanded down between them. The Blazer is ridiculously straight so there's only been a few spots he's needed to do and a few were minor enough primer would probably have been adequate but while the filler was out he went ahead and gave them a quick skim.

Plan is to do a final 400 grit sand and then spray primer beginning of next week. Then it's block sanding and maybe one more coat of primer depending on how that goes. Afterwards it'll be sealer, paint, and clear. Should be in color in a few weeks

I hope to have pics of the seats next week as well. I will be painting the frames and backs gloss black. I'll get some more pictures as soon as some more progress is made....

[nuke1]

looking good!! keep it up and it will be pinted in no time!

[mcbassin]

Looks like another nice project you have! Can't wait to see this one done! Subscribed.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by nuke1

looking good!! keep it up and it will be pinted in no time!

Thanks...hoping to paint in a week....

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Looks like another nice project you have! Can't wait to see this one done! Subscribed.

Thanks! Shouldn't be long till it's done. Last body work is being finished tuesday hopefully then it's being sealed, primed, and painted.
Next will be interior and final assembly. And then a lot of cleaning because of all the body work dust

[VA72C10]

Body work was finished yesterday as planned...got the front and rear inner tubs coated with a couple coats of bedliner....came out looking great and should be nice and durable against the rocks the 33's decide to throw. Got the ground on the horn lengthened and installed, and made a final gameplan. Hope to have paint on this thing by the end of next week and an interior within a couple weeks after that!!!

[mcbassin]

Did you already say what color scheme you are going with?

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

......and made a final gameplan. Hope to have paint on this thing by the end of next week and an interior within a couple weeks after that!!!

Wooohoooo.....stay with the game plan Jonathan, no changing your mind!!!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Did you already say what color scheme you are going with?

It's going to be solid blue...the factory color that's already on the windshield, firewall, and firewall....with a white top. Interior is going to be black with blue....the seats will be black vinyl with black cloth on the main seating area. Also doing the same theme on the door panels. Black carpet.

Originally Posted by gcburdic

Wooohoooo.....stay with the game plan Jonathan, no changing your mind!!!

I actually have stuck with it on this one...the gameplan I was talking about was basically just the scheduling...

[70k52wd]

Looking good...do you ever sleep?

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 70k52wd

Looking good...do you ever sleep?

not much