Left for dead: 72 2wd blazer build

[hgs_notes]

Glad your nearing the debt free goal. Not something I will be able to brag about any time soon. In fact I will be adding substantially to my debt load next week, but it has to be done in order for me to move on to my next chapter in life.

As for your engine, I'm not the expert but I can't think of any reason it wouldn't work. They typically added more options for attaching stuff to the engines in the later years and you may need to block off things you won't use for the older style emissions of the blazer compared to the smog motor stuff of the late 70s and throttle body EFI that came later. When you say you want it to look stock does that mean back to factory fresh show room restoration style? That can be a headache to accomplish.

[jjzepplin]

Yeah the engine will be fine. Just use everything off your old engine. I think Jegs puts one on sale on ebay for $1299 free shipping. Can't beat it. Rebuild your carb and get a new HEI or points conversion to electronic if you want to keep it stock looking.

[1956cameo]

Thanks for the information guys! That's what I was thinking but wasn't sure. I guess I wanted someone else to reassure me of my assumptions.

hgs_notes, Sorry to hear about that. Hopefully it will be for the best and I wish you luck on your next chapter. I am not necessarily trying to go back to factory fresh, but I would like to use as many 1972 components as possible (except I do want an HEI the points have gone bad on my suburban 3-4 times in 7 years).

jjzepplin, Thanks for the information. I haven't seen the jegs prices on ebay but they sound like they might be even better than what is in the catalog. The deal I am thinking of getting is the brand new 350 engine long block with rebuilt 350 auto transmission, with torque converter, flywheel, and maybe a few other small items for $2,600 with free shipping. I will look on ebay and see if it is even cheaper on there.

[1956cameo]

So I have another technical question that I am hoping someone can help me with. While working underneath my blazer I noticed that one of the previous owners took out the transmission cross member. No problem I thought, I have a parts truck with one in it I will just take it out of there. So I unbolted the transmission cross member from the parts trucks frame. Unfortunately all I am able to do is slide the cross member forward or backwards about 1 foot. I am have no clue how to actually get it out from between the frame rails without cutting something up (which I refuse to do). Does anyone know how to take the cross member out without cutting something up? I see cross members for sale on the forum all of the time so I know it can be done.

[hgs_notes]

Big hammer. Bang away at one side. It will force the frame rails to spread and come out. But getting it back in the other frame isn't easy either. You can grind the corners down to help it slide in better. Maybe a bottle jack putting some outward pressure on the frame rails will help too.

[SeventyOne]

I had a similar problem when I tried to put my trans crossmember back in, the frame rails were too tight - too narrow.

I took a regular scissor jack from any car and a 4x4 piece of wood. use the jack on the inside of the frame rail, open it up using the 4x4 to span the distance and it will spread the rails with little effort.

[1956cameo]

Thanks for the information guys. I guess I have nothing to lose trying those strategies on the parts truck. Depending on how well that goes I can do the same thing during the installation. I really wish they wouldn't have removed the cross member. Pooching the frame out has me nervous. I guess if they got my old cross member out I can get the new one in.

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

Thanks for the information guys. I guess I have nothing to lose trying those strategies on the parts truck. Depending on how well that goes I can do the same thing during the installation. I really wish they wouldn't have removed the cross member. Pooching the frame out has me nervous. I guess if they got my old cross member out I can get the new one in.

I don t remember having that hard of time getting it out....i ll have to look tomorrow and see. Are we talking transfer case crossmember?

[1956cameo]

No. Just a standard 2wd cross member. My blazer was originally a 350 v8 truck with a turbo 350 automatic transmission; that is what I am planning on going back with. One detail though is that the parts truck was a 3/4 ton big block truck with a turbo 400 automatic transmission. Not sure if that makes a difference or not on the cross members?

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

No. Just a standard 2wd cross member. My blazer was originally a 350 v8 truck with a turbo 350 automatic transmission; that is what I am planning on going back with. One detail though is that the parts truck was a 3/4 ton big block truck with a turbo 400 automatic transmission. Not sure if that makes a difference or not on the cross members?

OK, that makes sense, i was thinking 4X4....good luck

[1956cameo]

Thanks! I might need it.

[SeventyOne]

I was thinking 4x4 too - no experience w/ 2wd...Good luck!

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Paint turned out great..love the color

[1956cameo]

SeventyOne, I might ask this question in the trucks section. More people on there are used to dealing with 2wd trucks than there are in the Blazer section.

Justin, Thanks! Now if I can keep from scratching it up during the reassembly process I will be set.

[jjzepplin]

I took a grinder and rounded the corners of my cross member a bit and that made it much easier to install. Keep in mind you may never remove it again though. The one I put in my 2wd is actually made from a 4wd member and is 3 pieces. The center section is removable. I did this because I'm cheap and it will make future clutch changes much easier.

[1956cameo]

jjzepplin, Okay. I might try to find a 4wd cross member if it comes in 3 pieces. Did you need to do any modifications to make it fit up properly to a 2wd set up?

[jjzepplin]

Yeah it's pretty modified. I used the two top braces as the side and then cut the center section out of the other piece and drilled some holes in it to mount to the sides. A little cutting reliefs and bending on the two sides. They still need the reliefs welded back up.

[smbrouss70]

Are we talking about the auto trans (@ the tailshaft) x-member or the manual (@ bellhousing) x-member?

[1956cameo]

jjzepplin, Okay. I might see about getting an aftermarket trans member if the transfer of the stock member doesn't work out.

smbrouss70, 350 Automatic Transmission (At the Tailshaft).

[Justin@EntropyRad]

just wrap it in masking film or paper to help reduce body damage

[1956cameo]

Thanks for the advice Justin. It will definitely be taped up once I start bolting everything back on.

[1956cameo]

Well, I don't have much progress to show but I figure that it is time I gave you guys something. First, I moved the blazer from my Dad's shop to my house about an hour away. The walls have closed in on the blazer since these photos were taken. A lot more parts in the garage right now along with a 1957 Chevy Truck that one of my neighbors gave me.







With my wife and I rounding 3rd on this debt free plan my interest in working on the Blazer has risen sharply. I have started making lists of parts needed to finish the truck, and I have also been picking up used parts from a few local sources. I also re wired, painted, and installed my tilt column that I bought off of the parts board a few years ago. The steering wheel is a $15 swap meet special.

[1956cameo]

The only other thing that I have to show for now is an authentic 1972 Texas license plate that says Blazer. I figure there can't be more than one more of these floating around! Right now I am not sure if I want to go ahead and use it on the Blazer or just put it on the wall with the rest of my collection. Currently my plate collection is around 1,000 plates. I have all the states a few times over, most of Canada, and a lot of Mexico. Old plates from the teens-forties, an almost complete collection of U.S. Bicentennial plates, and now I am trying to get a complete U.S. and Canada set of 1972 Plates.




The wall next to my Suburban.




The wall behind my Suburban. Not filled up yet.



The wall of old timers. Pre 1955.



Crates of plates that I haven't put up yet or am selling at swap meets.

[bk04z66]

Blazer looks good and that plate is awesome, I say run it!

[smbrouss70]

I would DEFINATELY run that plate if I was lucky enough to find that in a Louisiana plate. Can you run it in Texas if you don't have the matching plate? Can you have another one made, if you need to?