Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[smbrouss70]

Yep, just using the axle shafts and brakes from that rear end.

[smbrouss70]

I have ordered the ECE 4.5/6" drop for it as well as tires for my 17" slots and a drill guide so that I can re-drill my axles, drums, and front rotors to a 5x4.75 bolt pattern. If I actually get some time off of work once everything comes in, it will look quite a bit different.

And pics of the wheels that are going on it.

[Hart_Rod]

Nice!

[smbrouss70]

My buddy Chris got his new lift installed, so I took advantage of it. He tested the lift with his wife's little Toyota Venza, then Ratchet's Blazer went on there 2 nights in a row. He hasn't put his sweet 68 truck or Maggie on there yet.

The first night I drove the Blazer there and we finally got the filler vent line replaced and set the timing. It ended up taking me 2 hours to get from his house to mine (normally 40 minutes), because it ended up running worse after we "fixed" it.

The next night, I towed it over there (lesson learned from previous night ) so that we could drop the tank and have a look-see. The tank was completely covered in rust with crap floating around in the gas. Luckily, I had bought a Blazer gas tank for Oscar's truck a couple of years ago at CTC. A quick call to my wife Brandi and it was delivered to Chris' shop in less than an hour. Now that is service. After getting the new tank installed, which required a few modifications to the filler inlet on the tank, we ran it, checked the timing again, etc. Then it just died. Looking at the inline fuel filter before the carb, it was empty. We pondered what could of happened and came to the conclusion that we must have not put enough gas in it. After going to the station to get more gas, I opened the gas cap and it had so much pressure in there it literally covered me in gas. After relieving the pressure, it cranked right up and filled the filter again. We threw ideas at each other for probably more than an hour trying to explain this phenomenon, and the best we can come up with is that some rust or other trash is messing with the check valves in the fuel pump causing it to stop flowing to the carb and end up pressurizing the tank. I have another fuel pump... somewhere. When I find it I will install it and we'll see what happens, hopefully we are right because I am out of ideas after that.

Here's a few pics from last night's thrashing.

[darkhorse970]

Wow that tank was nasty, wasn't it! Were y'all able to flush the fuel lines out? Could the pressure be related to the cap not venting?

Chris's lift looks great!

[smbrouss70]

Yeah, the cap wasn't venting. Notice that I used a past tense there. But it still shouldn't have been building THAT much pressure. We did blow out the fuel lines, they weren't as bad as the tank.

[smbrouss70]

I did get the fuel pump replaced and got it running pretty good. It's not perfect but at least I can really drive it again. I think I need to rebuild the ole trusty Quadrajet after all of the junk flowing into it.

The Blazer goes under the knife this weekend. I've got the ECE 4.5/6" drop with disc brake conversion, all new balljoints, tie-rod ends, control arm shafts, pitman arm, idler arm, trailing arm bushings, rear drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, axles, etc. Basically after this weekend it will have all new suspension, brakes, and steering. Hopefully I can get it done and y'all will get a real update by Sunday night, because I have to go back out of town on Tuesday. I've been prepping for this weekend, and finally got the tires mounted on the wheels, so I'll throw in a pic of that to keep y'all happy.

[sierragrande71]

I have the same wheels on my gmc! Awesome choice

[smbrouss70]

Your truck and a green suburban on here were the only 2 trucks of this body style that I could find with these wheels before I bought them. So basically, your truck influenced my decision. Thanks!

[mtully79]

I learned the same lesson on the tank when I spit out at me! I took out the charcoal canister and added a vent cap to the nipple and have had zero issues with tank pressure/venting.

[smbrouss70]

I ran into a SNAFU, so the lowering is going to have to wait until I come home again. The drill guide isn't going to work as planned, plus the rear end that I was going to rob the 5-lug axles out of is completely welded inside. The spider gears, c-clips, axle shafts, and cross-pin are all welded together. Also, the rotors that came with the ECE kit have bosses on the back side right where I need to drill the smaller 5x4.75 bolt pattern.

I have ordered rotors from Boris (way2lo2) that are 1.25" thick and made for our trucks with the 5x4.75 bolt pattern already drilled. I am going to call Moser on Monday to get some replacement axles with the smaller bolt pattern as well.

Since I couldn't get it done this weekend, I figured I would do it digitally instead, because I can't wait to see it hunkered down with those wheels on it. I rolled some wheels in front of the existing wheels and did some digital magic to bring it down. I know my shading under the body is off on the color a little bit, and it is lower than the 4.5/6" drop will put it, but MAN it looks cool. I guess AFTER Cruisin' the Coast in October, I will do what I need to bring it down further while still keeping it a static drop.

[darkhorse970]

I love it!

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by darkhorse970

i love it!

+1

[sierragrande71]

Man that looks sharp!!! But I do have a question? Why did u go with the 5-4.75 bolt pattern and not the 5-5? Either way it looks bad a$$!

[smbrouss70]

I like making everything harder than it needs to be! No, really, my other truck is full of Camaro, Firebird, and Corvette suspension and brakes, so it is 5x4.75 all around. I want to be able to swap wheels and tires between them if I feel like it, so it made sense to make this one the same bolt pattern. It wasn't supposed to be this difficult though. I guess I should have gotten the extra rotors and axles before I tried to do this. Oh well, just a few more weeks of waiting.

[sierragrande71]

O I c, and makes sense. I'm building a '69 blazer into a 2wd and was wondering what those wheels would like on it and now I knw! Might have to find some replacement wheels for the gmc, lol!

[sierragrande71]

Are your wheels 17inch?

[smbrouss70]

You could just get another set. I wish they made them in a 18" size too. That would have been perfect for what I wanted.

[smbrouss70]

Yeah, they are 17x8 Front, 17x9 Rear, with 255/50-17 and 275/50-17 tires respectively.

[sierragrande71]

Yea I hear u on the bigger size. I actually do have another set but there 15x10's and 6lug and there also powder coated black there going on my other '71 4by blazer.

[sierragrande71]

here's what they look like.

[smbrouss70]

2 Blazers?! My wife said one had to go when I brought this one home.

[sierragrande71]

Yea my wife wasn't to thrilled when I dragged my current one home especially in the state that it's in!

[smbrouss70]

Finally, all of the parts are in, the Blazer is loaded up with the parts, I'm about to make a 100 mile drive in it to my dad's house so that we can lower it in the A/C. It's way too hot to work outside here.

The stages of loading it for it's trek to get lowered. Yep, no matter what, it is still a truck! I think I lowered the rear by 2 or 3 inches just putting parts in it.

Stage 1


Stage 2


Stage 3

[darkhorse970]

Cool! Wish I could be there to help.