73-87 Firsts & Lasts Thread

[special-K]

Originally Posted by hopped up

whats a 3+3?
Posted via Mobile Device

That's the original name for a crew cab.

[ghettoluxury]

Originally Posted by hopped up

whats a 3+3?
Posted via Mobile Device

It is a crew cab with 2 bench seats. 3 people in front + 3 people in the back.

[GM72K10]

Originally Posted by hopped up

whats a 3+3?
Posted via Mobile Device

Crew Cab or 4 door

[Walts_restoration]

over on ck5 there had been a 90-91 vss cluster with factory tach. So Im thinking they never stopped making them.

[USSkoval]

Originally Posted by ray_mcavoy

I know that 1977 was a year with quite a few changes and some unique features. Such as:

- Yellow/gold (instead of black) accent stripes on the aluminum body moldings (only other year to have this was the 75 Gentlemen Jim).
- Changeover year to GM corporate blue engines (not truck specific).

- Last year for mechanical oil gauge (78-up are electric).
- Last year for field-wound wiper motor (78-up are permanent magnet motors).

- First year to offer a one-ton (K30) 4-wheel drive.
- First year for optionally available power windows and locks (resulting in a new design inner door structure and door panel).
- First year for optionally available inside hood release.
- First year for optionally available delay wipers (and it was a 1-year only setup because the 78-up permanent magnet motors have different wiring and the dash switch hole was changed a bit).
- First year for the optional ZY5 "exterior decor package".
- First year (I think) for the PA6 white spoke "styled wheels".
- First year (I think) for shoulder belts as standard equipment (they were optional in earlier year trucks).

It was also last year for wood grain interior trim.

I believe it was also first year for inside hood release.

Originally Posted by ghettoluxury

74 was the last year for amber turnsignals, the deep grille, and the first year for rain gutters to be standard

75 was the last year for mechanical oil pressure gauge it was '77

78 was the first year for full front headlight bezels and the vin plate in the dash new bezels came in '79

81 was the first year for turnsignals in the bumper and 82 was the last year for this

83 was the last year for the dimmer switch on the floor

84 was the first year for wiper/dimmer switch on the column

86 was the last year for the square body to have the c/k body code

87 was the first year for the r/v body code

91 was the only year for the 4l80e/np205

Originally Posted by Walts_restoration

over on ck5 there had been a 90-91 vss cluster with factory tach. So Im thinking they never stopped making them.

That cluster was modified for use with an earlier tach.

[USSkoval]

Oh, and no K30's had a big block before '80 or '81. Does anyone know which is correct? I know '79 was still small block only.

[ghettoluxury]

My bad, my stepper is a 79 should have remembered that. The last truck I had with mechanic gauge was a 75 then the 79 so thats where I had the brain fart.

[ghettoluxury]

75 was the last year for the full removable top on the Blazers.

76 was the first year for the Blazer Chalet

77 was the first year for a factory convertable top on the Blazers

[evowerks]

Originally Posted by redsled87

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
What was the first year for 454 4wds?
73 from the little bit of research I just did.
.

A 454 wasn’t offered in a 4x4 in 1973 according to the my original sales brochure.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by USSkoval

It was also last year for wood grain interior trim.

I believe it was also first year for inside hood release.

I forgot about the hood release. I thought wood grain went to later years though

[USSkoval]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I forgot about the hood release. I thought wood grain went to later years though

You're right, the wood grain came back for the '89-'91 Suburbans.

[DREAMER1]

Originally Posted by ghettoluxury

75 was the last year for the full removable top on the Blazers.

76 was the first year for the Blazer Chalet

77 was the first year for a factory convertable top on the Blazers

I'm not a Blazer guy, but I'd still like to kno...what's Chalet? A series? And what do you mean by convertible? Is that the one with the canvas top with snaps?
Posted via Mobile Device

[special-K]

Originally Posted by evowerks

A 454 wasn’t offered in a 4x4 in 1973 according to the my original sales brochure.

The first year was 1981.

Originally Posted by DREAMER1

I'm not a Blazer guy, but I'd still like to kno...what's Chalet? A series? And what do you mean by convertible? Is that the one with the canvas top with snaps?
Posted via Mobile Device

Answer: Same thing as a Jimmy Casa Grande...heh heh.

[gGMC DOG]

http://blazerchalet.com/

[Greenlee]

Someone mentioned the 700r4 coming out in 81'. I don't remember seeing them until about 84' and I remember that they were horrible! My dad bought a new 85' Sierra Classic and the transmission went out literally 5 or 6 times in less than two years. He finally got frustrated and had a TH350 swapped in. It wasn't until 87' that they were reliable.

I'm not sure what the difference was in 87', but I have had a transmission shop tell me they won't use cores older than 87'.

Nice thread by the way!
Posted via Mobile Device

[N2TRUX]

My 82 C/K Blazer had a 700r4 so 81 might be correct on the first year. Yes, the early 700's were crap, weak case and all.

[77blazerchalet]

And to the best of my knowledge, '77 was the last year for the Chalet / Casa Grande, except I still haven't been able to nail down whether the #1595 Chalet in this old thread that's on a '78 is an orphaned '77 camper unit on a non-original Blazer, or if it is a one-off from the factory where they put together one that was painted and striped uniquely like that. It doesn't match other '77s but it looks like it could have been the last one out the door, done up to show what a '78 model might look like......

[Dooley]

The 454 was offered in the K30 pickups in 1982.
My 1977 K10 Suburban absolutely had a mechanical oil pressure gage.

[gchemist]

Cars had 700R4s in 81, trucks received them in 82.
82-84 700R4 had 27 input splines. Vettes, Camaro and stout engine trucks stripped the input splines. In 85, GM started to use 30 input splines. Any 85 and later 700R4 can be upgraded with good parts to last. The custom 700R4 in my truck is from an 85 Camaro.