70 Blazer Frame Off

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Leaf springs are the OE replacements from General Springs. RedHead steering box (obviously)...vacillated, but couldn't bring myself to paint it all black. Their paint job seemed good enough. Loosely test fit the dual piston black Willwood D52s without pads to check wheel clearance following Mike's (72K5CSTDarkOlive) revelation. It seemed to clear, but I wasn't confident. I didn't want to goof them so they couldn't be returned. I'll do a more definitive fit soon. I went ahead and picked up some stock calipers from AutoZone today just in case. Gas tank and radiator are supposed to be ready on Saturday...still haven't got an ETA on transmission and TC.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I used 3 washers on each stud (created about 1/4" in space) to see if using a spacer would give me enough clearance and it did.

[OLDYELLOW]

Frame turned out nice. If the rest of the truck turns out that good you will have a sharp ride!

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by OLDYELLOW

Frame turned out nice. If the rest of the truck turns out that good you will have a sharp ride!

Thanks. I'm happy so far...excited and hopeful for the progress to come. I'd also like it if she'd start putting up less of a fight.

[IronCanine]

Not a lot to report...waiting on InLine Tube to get it figured out. Also waiting on the transfer case and transmission. Eric started some body work. Specifically the firewall and windshield frame. Got the drip rail "eyelet"/drain grafted back in on the driver's side of the windshield.

Wanted to post a pic...so here's an exhaust manifold that we ceramic coated. They came out great. I had them ceramic coat the heat riser tin as well...but they did it the same cast gray as the manifold instead of silver...so it's still at the powder coater for the re-shoot.

[IronCanine]

Eric got the motor painted and we got some limited assembly done with the requisite speed bumps. I know I copped out and got the repro spark plug wire heat shields...but this GM crate doesn't have a tapped hole for the passenger side rear shield as it does for the other three shields. There is a hole, but it is forward relative to the other three and wouldn't work for these shields. What am I missing (besides the hole)? I guess we're going to have to drill and tap. Thanks for any advice.

[IronCanine]

It's also kind of surprising how hard it is to find basic 350 stuff at any of the local box stores. Waiting on correct exhaust manifold bolts....had to order them like most everything else. (PS...didn't paint the grommet Pete, because I've got to get a new one anyway)

[Rack Man]

LOL...I know, we all hope that it won't happen to us...but that place seems to piss a lot of people off...

For my solution I had to send detailed pics to them and they custom made them for me...that was after 3 attempts of course...Good luck Man!

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Rack Man

LOL...I know, we all hope that it won't happen to us...but that place seems to piss a lot of people off...

For my solution I had to send detailed pics to them and they custom made them for me...that was after 3 attempts of course...Good luck Man!

Thanks...I'll take it.

[IronCanine]

A little color on the firewall...can't wait to write on this.

[DeadheadNM]

Nice! Is that a tach harness firewall grommet hole I see?

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Nice! Is that a tach harness firewall grommet hole I see?

It is now.

[IronCanine]

...

[OLDYELLOW]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

...

That sticker is sharp. Where did you get and how much?

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by OLDYELLOW

That sticker is sharp. Where did you get and how much?

Had it reproduced utilizing some persistent (read: patient) local graphic art talent using mostly a lot of original pics that member Steve Hafner had collected...and you don't won't to know the second part.

[DeadheadNM]

Strong work on the decal!!

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Strong work on the decal!!

Thanks Pete...was gonna wait til the build's end to post a pic of it, but I just couldn't wait.

[IronCanine]

Got the motor, transmission and transfer case in today. SMI did a great job on the carb resto. Old neck on the new tank. Made a new square U-bolt so we could refurb and re-use original tank straps. It sure is fun to be putting things together.

[IronCanine]

Don't like the finish on the transmission...of course was gonna leave it raw, didn't come back completely clean from the rebuild. Hopefully some more clean up will do the trick. A lot of thought and discussion on the transfer case color. Looked at everybody's take on here. I ran across a very original 72 with a clean original TC. It looked red oxide. I generally like the look of the Chrysler red and didn't like the flat red oxide when we first sprayed it. The gloss clear on top did the trick for me though.

[IronCanine]

couple more

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Got the motor, transmission and transfer case in today. SMI did a great job on the carb resto. Old neck on the new tank. Made a new square U-bolt so we could refurb and re-use original tank straps. It sure is fun to be putting things together.

Where did you get the gas tank?

[DeadheadNM]

Turned the corner - all downhill from here! Great job - glad the SMI build turned out good

[1rippen6]

subscribed

[IronCanine]

How about some random "waiting for Santa Claus" pics. A pic of the refurbed gas tank straps and a couple more of the motor with a few new bits on.

[IronCanine]

...and a few random transfer case pics for good measure. "Pain of the Week" goes to the valve cover grommets. Ordered a couple from Truck Shop that were non-starters (non-finishers is probably a more appropriate term). The breather side was the worst. Don't you guys love extended periods of wasted effort? Believe it or not...bought two off the Help! rack at AutoZone today that popped right in (and accepted with minimal fuss the breather and PCV). I guess since it's officially Christmas Day...now is the right time to pay AutoZone a compliment...not optimistic about the 26th and beyond.

[OLDYELLOW]

Looks like your about ready to put the body back on the frame!