How a C10 purchase turned into insanity and Blazer builds

[Oldfashioned]

Arizona tear down begins. I was super worried about what might be lurking behind what I believe was the original windshield. I was pleasantly surprised.

[Oldfashioned]

I had a crazy thought. My beautiful bride is always amazed at the transformations from as she sees it junk to something gorgeous, maybe if I get her involved she will understand why I do these things? I hadn’t done any builds at the house and I ask if she is willing to help? She actually comes out for a couple hours and helps remove the trash, seats and scrapes the floor. She is such a great wife. Not only goes along with my crazy plans but is now helping!

[Oldfashioned]

Floors look pretty good. Not rotted through anywhere. I don’t believe they are clean enough to just paint them. This was going to be a just a driver so I might bed liner them? Funny thing is that I see two random holes in passenger floor board. After looking at them I’m pretty sure I figured out what happened. I think it went something like this... Its 1979, Hank Jr on the radio, a couple guys riding down the road to go hunting and singing in the Ole Blazer. Passenger has a Schlitz in hand and a rifle in the other. Driver runs a little off the road singing at the top of his lungs family tradition. You know the part Why do you drink? Hank why do you roll smoke? The passenger panics and a double tap happens and blows out the RF tire? I know I sing that song that way, do others? Lol
So if I’m wrong on the sequence of events give me your rendition of what happened. Haha

[Oldfashioned]

Started going ham on it. Started pulling everything. At this point in my mind I’m thinking is this really going to be just a driver? I was going to leave the body on the frame but man we are just the body mount bolts from having it out and I need to replace the mounts...

[Oldfashioned]

Here is torsion boxes and more of the floor

[Oldfashioned]

So I always strap or chain down long term projects to the lift. People have laughed at me for being too cautious. Well they have also laughed from some of the sketchy things I have done too. I guess people just laugh at me in general? Maybe it’s the way I look? Anyways this is the first time it has become apparent why I do. I have now removed doors, tailgate, entire suspension, gas tank, bumpers, hood, fenders and I go to take off the radiator support. I have to cut one bolt that I can’t get free. This is the first bolt in the entire project that I have to cut and I’m irritated. I get it cut and the other loose. This is a special Saturday. One of my teenage sons is actually at home and is helping me thank god. We have the truck low to the ground and as we lift the radiator support off the entire truck tips to the rear. We look wide eyed at each other without saying anything and slowly set it back down which sets the truck right back down on the lift arms. Whewww disaster averted. We then stack weight on the front to try and balance it. So I make the decision that’s how she is gonna sit until the lift kit comes in and I can put axle back under it to roll it around safely. I need to roll it out to pressure wash anyways. I’ll do minor stuff in the mean time while waiting and tear into the CST.

[Oldfashioned]

So I start on CST or what the guys at work call the Rolling Tetanus shot. You know how I said earlier I have been spoiled by Florida and lack of rust and how I was irritated about the radiator support bolt I had to cut? Yeah I didn’t realize how good I had it. Roughly 83% of bolts on this one have to be cut.

[Oldfashioned]

The rot is so bad as I uncover it. The previous owner loved fiberglass...
In the last picture I haven’t seen a dash rot like that in a long time.

[Oldfashioned]

Just about everything is junk on this.

[Oldfashioned]

This roof is broken is cracked and pieces missing in multiple spots. The previous owner sanded through the gel coat into the fiberglass, tried his own hand at repairs, a/c taped the inside seams and painted it white? Guys, is this roof even worth saving or should I pull all the hardware and windows, cut it up and throw it out?

[Oldfashioned]

How about raising the bumper for a body lift like this? Some of my favorite work ever. I can’t believe he cut another frame to stack those pieces on top to raise the rear bumper. At least the pieces are still there in the front where I can repair the frame horns. And here my wife didn’t want another project. As this is unfolding I am thinking she was right. Shhhhh don’t ever tell her though.

[Oldfashioned]

That is custom spelled with a K
#Kustum
Looks like something Rufus would do...

[Oldfashioned]

Is it junk guys?
I’m waiting on someone to tell me to cut it up since I don’t really have room for it. But in my defense I have a whole lot of hoarder in my DNA and I can find a spot for it if you think it’s worth saving.

[Oldfashioned]

More bad of Tetanus...
Well it’s not all bad the Right bedside is save able.

[Oldfashioned]

Okay got the top off Arizona. Now it’s balanced enough to take off the radiator support. It never ceases to amaze me what people do or think. I really want to take people’s tools away daily. Am I the only one that feels this way? I’m not trying to be cocky and I have definitely learned from trial and error but wtf? Just because you can weld or you can cut some wires doesn’t mean you should. I’m thinking this is the frame to turn into 2wd since it has been butchered badly. Didn’t think it could be worse than tetanus’s frame and the homemade body lift but I was wrong.

[jaros44sr]

Thanks now I have family tradition stuck in my head...Thankfully, on this forum, I have yet to think some one should have his or her tools removed

Unbelievable talent across all the sections, with very helpfull people, consider me in to watch the progress. First thing I noticed was the fuel door, thought that would be worth saving, until I saw the hack job on the inside

I think the top may be worth saving, BTW, I've had a few "Oh, sh!t moments" myself

[Oldfashioned]

Arizona topless
Don’t get too excited lol

[Oldfashioned]

Started to really get into Tetanus and tear it apart. Not much would come apart. After fighting to get one bolt for 20 minutes, hammer and chisel style I lost it and started cutting. I cut the bed side off the bad bed side and I couldn’t believe how bad it was rotting from the inside out. I was hopeful I could save the cargo floor and the other bed side with patches but as it started to come apart it’s just not feasible since you can buy the panels relatively cheap.

[Oldfashioned]

Pictures of the carnage
Wife had to hold vise grips on some of the bed floor bolts so I could get them out. When I want a bolt to break it won’t, when I don’t want a bolt to break it does. I should have just cut everything off but I really was trying to have the ability to save anything I could.

[Oldfashioned]

I hate rust. I have swept this much up at least 10 times. It was enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket.

[Oldfashioned]

After getting the bed sides off and cargo floor off I cut the floor to so I could lift it off by myself. I will tackle stripping the cowl of everything and take that off in one piece. It’s looking like there really isn’t much sheetmetal worth saving when you factor in how long it will take versus cost of a new panel.

[Oldfashioned]

This was the only nasty surprise I found on the frame except the homemade body lift bumper raise pieces that I cut off. Both Blazers had hitches welded to the frame and I guess at some point this one had a repair done to the frame from carrying too much weight. I’ll have to tend to this and repair it. Felt like I made a lot of progress for a Sunday. The time change had me tricked on it being later than I thought. I will try and get some more things done each night this week with my new found extra hour of daylight. I’m waiting on parts at the best possible times as we leave next Saturday to the Keys for a week with the kids for Spring Break. Hopefully I come home to a lift kit and Dead End Garage conversion.

[Oldfashioned]

Can someone tell me the how I can get the pictures not to be upside down? Sorry I suck at this.