GRIZZ’s ‘79 - 2WD BLAZER Challenge over in London, England. “~It’s not a Project~”

[Grizz1963]

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THE ARRIVAL.


Saturday Sally and I needed to get to some shops to pick up and return stuff.

Of course using her car......

When we got to the shopping centre, I called Barry, the seller to see if the Galaxy was still there.

Yup, it was there and for sale.

I had not expected it to sell in a hurry, as he clear.y was not too bothered by it sitting on his driveway, and as shown, the advertisement was lacking in the artistic department.

So we agreed that he would sell it to me, and clear out the stuff still littering the inside (not clean it, just remove grand kids toys and other items)

Headed to Sheppey.



Got there, cuppa tea, chat, he is a fisherman, and furniture restorer.

Formerly and still has one, a keen falconer.



Paperwork done, cash counted and then insured the car outside on the sidewalk by phone.

Chose Esure, priced at £240.00 per year, comprehensive with Sally as a named driver.



Off to the filling station as it was on reserve.




Went to visit mate Darren at Unit Engineering, and his buddy Ross who knows the car were both there, approving nods and noises.
Cuppa tea, chat, and a look at Darrens newest build, then headed homeward, via a car wash, as the car was DIRTY.



Nice instrument cluster.



Much better.





And once back home, a key ring.




So..... First Impressions?

A really comfortable drive.
High seating position.
Sufficient power coupled with Auto box.
Decent handling on the motorway and in twisty bits.
Braking very good, seller commented brakes need work.
Some bits, like rear window winder and seat adjuster need refitting.
Front door cards both need replacing or tidying up.
Lowering 30-45mm
Bigger wheels for sure, despite 16” tyres on it being new.
Needs a second set of keys cut.
Needs a very good clean inside.
Front Upholstery needs a shampoo.


Needs a few Grizzifying touches...... to be decided and in open forum for ideas.


More later.

[Grizz1963]

Saw these 18” VW wheels as well online last night, for sale at £175.00
Add in tyres and fitting and it’s a fair chunk.....

But I do like them too.

Not that common



Woke this morning and fed the cat at 05.30 then snoozed, OK, not really, laid reading forums.

Later Sally made a cuppa and then I had to go look at the car, you know, just to see if it was still there.



Yup, still there, and made me smile, exactly like Prozac and my C10 did and continues to do.



Pretty tidy car I thought.

Took a walk around, getting more of a feel for its failings, and it has some.

Loved these “fixes” as terrible as they are.
Mirrors locked in position out front too.

No idea why all the gloopy bathroom silicone but plan is to dismantle and investigate, unless I can find exact replacements very cheaply.

Passenger side.



Drivers side.



Sally brought her big machine from the loft too last night.

This girl has been absolutely amazing and a star through all of this, challenging me as to the need for a new car, but also ferrying me over to fetch the Galaxy yesterday, then climbing in today helping me with cleaning it etc.

The seats and armrests out front are kinda grubby and need a valet or scrubbing.



Door panels need some refitting and hopefully it will look better after I sort them.

Right now.......

Rubbish.



Passenger side even worse.



Was chatting to Dennis in St Louis, his son married Hanna yesterday and it seems it was a very large, very successful day.

Never seen the man looking so smart, remember, he does not even go to this level for a funeral.




Also chatting with Andy in Tulsa Oklahoma about how good and bad the car is.
The 16” tyres are almost new too, another bonus.

Adds to the feeling that this is a decent buy.

[Grizz1963]

A few random pics.

Newer model, seems it may be quick.

And no, not my plan with this car.







And certainly how I would like this one lowered and the wheels to look.
These are Ford 17” wheels from what I understand, could be wrong though.

The darker blue paint makes it difficult to play visual games though.

[Grizz1963]

Continuing the clean up and getting to know the Galaxy carried on, on Sunday afternoon.

While Sally cleaned her car, I took a pic of the Berlingo and Galaxy together. Not easy to see the difference in size between them.

Once again, she just is not shy when it comes to getting busy and helping with any jobs that need doing.



Treasures and junk in equal measure came out.

Playstation2 DVD’s screens, controllers, asthma pumps, junk to be dumped.



Bits to be rescued, and refitted.



Next up, remove the HEAVY rear seats in order to clean out the rear, I am one seat short that I forgot at the sellers on the day.
Will collect it some time.





Shark vacuum cleaner made quick work after brushing out the bulk.



Job done.



Space.



Command station.



So trying to pay the road tax online, a problem became apparent

The car had been put into a different tax category for the previous owner.

Poop.

Called the DVLA helpline and told to go to post office in person and do a written change of Tax Class.

Once done, it was pay the £325.00 road tax and we were in business......




More later.

[Grizz1963]

Part of my “Phased Return” to work after that Cardiac event in early October has been working from home, doing a lot of legal online training and other tasks.

Harley has enjoyed my time at home too.

And summer is gone, but winter sunspots still abound if you know where to look.



Today my “Lunch Break” was spent quickly using Sally’s Vax wet carpet and upholstery cleaner to attack the front seats of the Galaxy as they would have given a forensic examiner the horrors, a combination of what looked like incontinence meets McDonalds coffee meets cold weather fishing lunch breaks covered the front seats.

Sadly I did not take any pics before as I was in such a hurry to get done and back to my desk.

The sucked up, after the job water was grey, murky and quite gross.

After the big clean I was very pleased.







A few people have asked about stickers.

I had planned to add a “Not a Project” Chevy Blazer sticker as a nod to this...... http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/...y-blazer-paint
but decided against it for now, till I have an idea where to stick it, if I even do.

Rear end.



Up close.......



And then

Last pic for the day.

Inside and outside now cleaned up.

Looking at the wheel arches, 16” wheels in place, but still very tall, so really does need a hit with the lowering stick at some point.



also taxed and on the road, so hopefully use it over the weekend, just because we can.

watching Guy Martins Worlds Fastest Tractor.

Later

[Grizz1963]

Some random stuff.

Good start to the day.



Saw this reimagining of one of my favourite cars of all time.

Renault.....



Christmas tree up yet?



Parcel delivered from Russia, sent by Vladimir, opened after work.



Cool caps for my shelf.



A really interesting bakelite switch that will hopefully get explained by Vladimir.



And lastly, Helicopter badge.

[Grizz1963]

Posted a question on a FB owners group.

Funny how there always has to be one.......

Chose not to even reply because he just would not understand


But good news regardless as long as one can get them fitted without losing fingers or eyes.





Looks like stuff is happening here.

[Grizz1963]

After digging around for rubber flooring I found what I wanted.

So bought the 5mm smooth stuff.


On the way home I also got some rubbing compound....

Headlights are dull and need some attention over the weekend.

[Grizz1963]

Headlights.

Not as bad as some, maybe still too much like hard work

Hope they come up a treat.

[Grizz1963]

Next up purchase planned ASAP.

Went out shopping today in the Galaxy for food, firewood and to fill tank.

Had three missed mobile phone calls.

Realised that this car has no telecommunications equipment

So I need to find and buy a cheap/affordable Double DIN radio with Bluetooth for the car so that I can speak hands free.

Advertised 25 miles from here.

Am I over paying at £60.00



Needs one rear door speaker to be replaced too as it crackles badly.

[Grizz1963]

Took a day annual leave yesterday as we lose it if we don’t use it.

Spent part of the morning wrapping, packing away the rear seats of the Galaxy,.

Then moved all of Prozacs “Vanness” stuff over into it, followed by putting the spare wheels, trim etc stored in the garage, back into the Berlingo, ready for sale.




Eventually left and went shopping, getting a massive two arm lift bag pine offcuts from a shed factory for £5.00 which looked small in the empty rear of the car.

Followed by food shopping and a search for 2000 wet and dry paper at two places to use on the dull headlights.no luck.

Did watch this Ford Fiesta get reversed in by its elderly driver, relying on the proximity sensors.......

Yup, 1.2 meters was where he stopped from the bollards.

Technology has so screwed us up.



Eventually made it home, dealt with some work related matters, cuppa tea and a sandwich before heading out to deal with the Galaxy headlights.


Before:




So halfway through light no 1



One done, one waiting.







Both done.

Transformation



Testing




Passenger side “blue light” is dead, so needs replacing.

But this just shows that a small investment of time and effort can deliver big results.

[Grizz1963]

Been chatting to the seller of these wheels.





Lives 10 minutes from Middlesborough.

So logistics of getting the £220.00 wheels down here to Kent comes into play.

3 of the Tyres are almost dead, one is dead.

And they are 235 35 19’s

Just wonder how they would drive in the real world.

I know they will look good.

[Grizz1963]

Flashback..... 2009 Retro Rides Gathering

10 years ago.

This 1963 Ford Taunus Transit was a great car.

Pity I sold it.



Yesterday was the “Start of the festive season” in Chatham.

Sally and I had gone to get some stuff bought, not planning to get caught up in this silliness, but of course I had to grab a few pics too.

Random for sure.

Leaders of the parade. I find this sort of thing absolutely cringeworthy, but hey.... someone won’t



Horses were beautiful






The weirdest combination of characters



From Chatham, over to Maidstone in the Galaxy to see mate Kevin for a cuppa, plan was to help switch his T6 summer wheels to the winter wheels.

I wanted to try his wheels on the Galaxy too, but rain put an end to that plan.

Later on we went to get a few bits at Morrison’s.....

Seriously, why have a police security camera van parked at the front entrance.

I seriously do not get this.

Must cost money.

A lot.





Then we headed home, unloaded the rear.



Leaving only the roll of 5mm rubber to unroll.





I suspect it will take a bit of time to settle out and flatten.



Still contemplating whether I cut it to the floors shape, or just cut a few lines to have it go flat, but tuck up the sides.

[Grizz1963]

Still want to find wheels that appeal to me, and are affordable and a comfortable drive.

It will happen, I am sure.

A few random Google images, some from 2014.












Love bits from them all.

Lowering and wheels.

[Grizz1963]

Got some plates from a friend in NY this week.

Cool addition is the knowledge of where they originate from.

I like stories associated with plates.


your welcome, buddy! The PPC plate is from a 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse that we just loved (before kids), the trailer plate is from my dads old utility trailer, the NH plates are from a well used chevy pick up that we used at Camp in NH for many years, and I don't know where teh BW9 plate is from!

[Grizz1963]

C10 Resto Parts Chaser Evolutions


After a bit of searching on FB, Google, Gumtree and a couple Mercedes Benz forums, I have found the wheels that I like.

May not be to anyone else, or everyone else’s taste, but that’s cool too.

My ride, my way and all that.

Tires are Hmmmmmm....??

But will be fine for a few moments or days or miles.



Wheels need a clean up and mild refurb.

For the function they will be performing, ie going round and round......

Perfect.

I give you my Mercedes Benz ADHARAZ Wheels 17” in staggered size.

Hoping that they will fit and look the way I want them to.

Seller has a Transit van and agreed to deliver them 3 miles from home at around 8.30 pm onward tonight for £100.00 or $130.00

Even with a refurb I feel that they will be what I want, at a price that works for my head.













Hopefully get to them over the weekend.

[Grizz1963]

Collected wheels 3 miles from home.

Seller was only 45 minutes late.

But that was kinda predictable after speaking to her m on the phone earlier

Still, wheels in the back of the Galaxy and headed home.

Will unpack at the weekend and see what I really bought



8.5J rears will be interesting to say the least.

Happy for now.

Bedtime

[Grizz1963]

Done.



Mickey who wanted The Berlingo a year ago when I got the Blazer was chuffed that his son now owns it.

Immediately moved it onto his drive and put his daily VW Tiguan on the sidewalk.

Happy guy.



Last time we will see it looking like this.




Next up Mickey, who is recovering from cancer surgery two weeks ago will be removing all the stickers we put on three years ago.

.

[Grizz1963]

As you know by now, the centre bore differs significantly between Mercedes Benz and Ford.

66.6 vs 57.1

Ordered some ally items for £8.50 delivered this morning



Long day at work.

Wet in London.

Got home by 6pm. Sally got here the same time as I had texted her an ETA.

So dumped the suit and tie, and on with my garage clothes.

Unpacked the wheels out by the kitchen door.



Checked for damage, and laid out.



Followed by a big scrubbing brush, hosepipe and Cif/Jif/Handy Andy Amonia based cleaning agent.

In the mean time, Sally got dinner started and more importantly, she put out an old sheet in the lounge for me to lay the wheels down on to dry.

Cleaning wheels and tyres



Once laid out for a bit to get the most of the water off, inspect again and then lay out for a pic, said pic taken and all the wheels checked.

Then store upright.

In my opinion the tyres are all beyond function as road tyres, but perfect for mocking up.

Rears 8.5J wheels shod with 245/40ZR17” rubber
Front 7.5J wheels come with 225/45ZR17” rubber.

I am contemplating narrower rears, possibly 235 on the 8.5J wheels, or less if it is doable. Increasing sidewall ratio.
Fronts are good with the 225/45 rubber.

Dead tyres.




Clean up Done.




Very pleased..... still.

[Grizz1963]

Old Skool Photoshop.

Wheel placed next to existing wheel



And yes.........

Could be:

[Grizz1963]

Right Retro Riders and other knowledgeable folks.

Tire time in the USA and Tyre time in many other parts of the world.

After work I quickly got the jack out, used the rattle gun, and removed the original 7J 215/55 16” wheel and tire.

Then mocked up the Mercedes Benz 8.5J 245/40 17” wheel and tyre to see how much poked out the side.

I did not lower the car on the jack as I just needed to see how wide the wheel looks.



From the rear.



From the front.



Then actually tucked it against the hub properly and took a pic from the top.



Last pic.



Now I am no police officer, or enforcement person.

But to me, despite a bit of wheel sticking out from under then wheel arch, I would like to believe that this would be tolerated

Educate me differently.

Or show me small plastic arch extensions to bond on.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@welshpug" source="/post/2554315/thread" timestamp="1575059332"]i don't recall what offset the 7" wheels should be on this platform so I went with 50

https://www.willtheyfit.com/index.ph...8-5&offset2=36

The Mercedes wheels are ET36 for the 8.5 and 34 for the 7.5, a 234 45 will work ok on an 8" wide wheel and be nigh on identical to the diameter of the original wheel, just a bit extra poke there as you have seen.

I would get them bolted on and weight on them as they might tuck in at the top as the suspension moves up.


Edit, I found a set like yours on ebay, ET59


https://www.willtheyfit.com/index.ph...8-5&offset2=36

That explains the poke ! an extra 42mm of wheel on the outside but the inner face sits nigh on in the same place within a mm or 3.[/quote]


THIS..........





LOOKS LIKE PRETTY DECENT NEWS.

[Grizz1963]

.


ASHES TO ASHES


DUST TO DUST


MICKEY’s GONE AND MADE MY HEART


GO BANG AND BUST.



ULTIMATELY NOT MY CAR ANYMORE.........



But came home and saw this on the drive.




Followed by this a bit later.



And the other side later.





We knew the car had been repainted along the passenger side rear quarter and door before when it belonged to the 84 year old who gave up driving.

Looking closely, you can see the stickers had now pulled away some of the paint.

Loads of glue has stayed behind too.

Guess winter and in temperatures around 5’C is not ideal.

I am guessing Mickey will clean it all off, and then do a DIY paint job down the side as I am out of stickers.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@mondeogrd" source="/post/2554364/thread" timestamp="1575072967"]Had a Mk1 Ph1 2.3 Gal and absolutely loved it. Bought with 96k on it and set about putting another 80k taking the family all over the UK and into France.

Only issue i had was a relay under the drivers dash that went twice, hazy memory it was relay 30 and was a pita to change!

On PCD, i know my Ph1 was VAG PCD as i bought replacement steels from the local VW dealers at half the Fraud price, but have this memory from Galaxy Forums that the Ph2 changed to Ford PCD. Waiting patiently to see if i was fed duff gen!
All the best,
Geoff.[/quote]

Hopefully this one is VW 5 x 112





Challenge though.......






But I am working on it.

Thanks to our Resident engineer @johnnybravo being awake, like me at stupid-0-Clock and educamating me on stuff.


Lets see who pics up what the final hurdle is on these wheels.

Virtual beer up for grabs.

[Grizz1963]

So back to the largest and also hopefully last hurdle, bar new tyres for this change to the Galaxy.

By now we know 14 x 1.5 lug bolts will not work on 12 x 1.5 holes in the Mercedes Benz Wheels.


So at Stupid-0-Clock @Johnnybravo and I were chatting about options, Harley of course being her usual self, security and QC.



Deep holes....



13mm at the rear.



Front view.

60 degree chamfer down the bottom.

Base depth 25mm plus whatever comes up to the surface.



So with JB’s advice this was where I took my search.

Studs sunk into the Galaxy hubs @14mm with a 12mm shaft.

Set with an Allen key and Loctite



And at a silly affordable cost.......



From the top, holding the wheels in place, will be these open ended nuts.





Again, sensible pricing.



So the debate is lug bolts through drilled wheels or lug nuts onto new studs from the hubs.??

Happy to hear opinions based in real experience and science.


Today included collection of the 5th seat back in Sheppey, and a visit to Darren at the shop and a chat about his laser cut sign business.