Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[Advanced Design]

"It cost how much?" exclaimed the surprised wife. Wheels look good! Will all this be done before HRPT?

[smbrouss70]

Unfortunately, I had to wait to order everything until I got some stuff sold so the wheels and control arms won't be delivered until after HRPT. I just found out today that work is going to interfere with HRPT, so I will only be able to attend the first two stops before I have to go home and go back to work.

The new engine & A/C should be in before then though.

Are you doing the HRPT again, Doug?

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Unfortunately, I had to wait to order everything until I got some stuff sold so the wheels and control arms won't be delivered until after HRPT. I just found out today that work is going to interfere with HRPT, so I will only be able to attend the first two stops before I have to go home and go back to work.

The new engine & A/C should be in before then though.

Are you doing the HRPT again, Doug?

Too bad you only have time for two stops. Sadly we won't make it this year. Too many other vacation commitments. So, though not as much fun, we'll go to some closer GG events and street machine nationals. Shoot, the covers are still on the Burb and 56...gotta get them out.

[smbrouss70]

I got a little progress done over the weekend. My painter buddy, Kevin (65streetcruiser) stayed at the house this weekend so that we could attend a boucherie (a Cajun party where you slaughter a pig and cook every last part of it while consuming mass quantities of alcohol), so I had him bring his paint gun and we sprayed the valve covers and water neck. the rest of the engine will be painted with a brush since the POR15 paint flows out enough to get rid of brush marks. After we got those painted we had to start catching up with the people who had been at the boucherie all day..

[GAc10boy]

Has to be my favorite blazer on the planet! Love the Gassers.

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by GAc10boy

Has to be my favorite blazer on the planet! Love the Gassers.

WOW! That's one hell of a compliment! Thanks! Although, if you saw it in person, you would realize that it's just a cool little beater that I'm trying to make just a little cooler without messing up too much of the originality of it. Which I have come to find out is the hardest part! There are definitely some much nicer Blazers out there, but I do appreciate the sentiment!

[gringoloco]

Came across this pic which reminded me of your plans for this beast. Watching and waiting. Gonna be killer

[smbrouss70]

I found that truck on the Street Machinery swap meet page on facebook this morning, it's for sale if you are looking...

The wheels came in already, but I need to get tires mounted before I measure how much of the axle gets chopped off. Still waiting on my PB controls arms too. The pictures don't do these wheels any justice, the dish on the wheel centers is way more dramatic than they look in pics.

[C10_ustacould]

Where did you get your valve covers? I plan to keep the 68 look on mine, oil fill tube and all, and a set of these would look killer.

[smbrouss70]

I bought them from Delmo a few years ago, I'm finally getting around to using them. I'm not sure if he still does them or not, you may want to hit him up.

[C10_ustacould]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

I bought them from Delmo a few years ago, I'm finally getting around to using them. I'm not sure if he still does them or not, you may want to hit him up.

Thanks, I think Keith Stephens does them too but I'd have to source my own v/c. We'll see if it becomes a priority or not.

[smbrouss70]

Delmo supplied mine, but originals are all over ebay if you have to supply some.

BTW, even though it is not correct for a 1970, I too will be using an oil fill tube machined into a Performer RPM Q-Jet intake. I like the classic look and the functionality of them.

[smbrouss70]

Well, it's been 1 year and 9 months since I started rebuilding the new engine for Ratchet's Blazer, but yesterday I finally stabbed it in place. Now I just have to get it running and tuned so that I can hit the road with it for 10 days of Hot Rodding bliss on the 30th of September. CTC 2016 or bust!

By the way, if anybody is looking for a decent solution to running an upper radiator hose around a GM Serpentine setup's alternator, I was looking at my Dad's 67 GTO and bought an upper hose for it and it seems to work pretty good.

[darkhorse970]

I'm glad to see this killer ride about to be back on the road!

[Advanced Design]

Steven, engine looks really good! I really like the valve covers.

[gringoloco]

Looking good! Nothing like fresh Chevy engine orange, though it looks a little red in pics. You didn't use hemi orange, did you!?

Edit: I stumbled across the SEM paint I had mixed to match parchment. No codes on it, but they labeled it 'oyster white'.

[Chulisohombre]

Looking great. I need to do a engine at some point. Mines starting to burn oil and foul plugs.

[smbrouss70]

Engine works! Still have to finish the exhaust, button up cooling system and power steering systems, tune it, and wash it before I leave Friday afternoon. What sucks is I thought I was going to be working out of the office this week and be able to tinker on it every night, but I have to go to TX in the morning and won't be back until Thursday night. I've got a lot of work to do Friday morning!

Steven's 350 start up. - YouTube

Steven's 350 first start-2 - YouTube

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Looking good! Nothing like fresh Chevy engine orange, though it looks a little red in pics. You didn't use hemi orange, did you!?

Edit: I stumbled across the SEM paint I had mixed to match parchment. No codes on it, but they labeled it 'oyster white'.

The orange is POR Engine enamel in Chevy Orange. Trust me, it is REALLY orange in person!

Thanks for the parchment paint info!

[Advanced Design]

Congrat's on the start! Sounds good...nice smile.

I missed it, where are you headed with the Blazer?

[smbrouss70]

Going to Natchitoches, LA for a car show on Saturday, then a week of Cruisin' the Coast in MS.

[gringoloco]

So, are you gonna make it? Pics or it didn't happen!

[smbrouss70]

I'm still in TX working. I busted my @ss to finish up a day early so I would have more time on the Blazer, but they just created more work for me since I was getting it all done so fast...

I should get home tomorrow night, then I guess I will pull an all-nighter.

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

I'm still in TX working. I busted my @ss to finish up a day early so I would have more time on the Blazer, but they just created more work for me since I was getting it all done so fast...

I should get home tomorrow night, then I guess I will pull an all-nighter.

Yeah, ya gotta be careful with that over-performance; you may set a new standard, then you're stuck with it

Time to stock up on energy drinks. Are the wheels going on now?

[smbrouss70]

No, the wheels are going to wait for winter when there are no shows, cruises, etc. to go to. I still need to find somebody to narrow the rear end before I can mount the back wheels. The wheels, bags, and accuair should all go on at the same time.