2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating

[Advanced Design]

We plan to have a rolling chassis by the end of this week.

[Advanced Design]

While I should have stayed with the factory ac system, I do like the clean look you can have with Vintage Air so we ordered the sure fit system. They make a great product, though I didn’t like the look of the plate that goes over the existing holes.

To avoid using the plate, I filled the holes with 19 gauge by butt weld and metal finishing the shrink as best as possible. It probably would have been cleaner to replace the firewall on that side and maybe less work.

I still need to drill for the ac and heater connections, fill small bolt holes and support the evap case under the dash by welding elevator bolts to the firewall.

Yeah, I should have stayed with the perfectly good factory system.

[evan]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

While I should have stayed with the factory ac system, I do like the clean look you can have with Vintage Air so we ordered the sure fit system. They make a great product, though I didn’t like the look of the plate that goes over the existing holes.

To avoid using the plate, I filled the holes with 19 gauge by butt weld and metal finishing the shrink as best as possible. It probably would have been cleaner to replace the firewall on that side and maybe less work.

I still need to drill for the ac and heater connections, fill small bolt holes and support the evap case under the dash by welding elevator bolts to the firewall.

Yeah, I should have stayed with the perfectly good factory system.

Hi Doug,

Any chance you'd like to sell the firewall cover plate that came with the Vintage Air kit? I'm doing the same thing with welded studs inside for a smooth firewall. I'm doing the bodywork now and they're estimating January delivery for the kit. I called them direct but they don't offer a digital or paper template, the firewall cover it's self is the only method they have for locating the 1/4-20 mounting bolts.

[SCOTI]

Just read through this build thread. Nice stuff going on here. Looks like this will be a great cruiser based on that very solid starting point.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by evan

Hi Doug,

Any chance you'd like to sell the firewall cover plate that came with the Vintage Air kit? I'm doing the same thing with welded studs inside for a smooth firewall. I'm doing the bodywork now and they're estimating January delivery for the kit. I called them direct but they don't offer a digital or paper template, the firewall cover it's self is the only method they have for locating the 1/4-20 mounting bolts.

Evan, I am so sorry I hadn’t responded! That is how I located the mounting location on the firewall for the HVAC case as well. If you still need it let me know. Thank you!

And guys thanks for checking on me. I’ve been on other car and property projects…plus did some traveling and vacationing. Took too much time off from Blazer build. Helped my Grandson on rear diff for his 1998 Camaro.

Enjoying life and pursuing vehicles.

[SCOTI]

That's Life. Good to see you're still kickin'.

[mongocanfly]

Nice firewall work..!!

[youngrodder]

Doug

I stared with a VA sure fit for my Suburban but didn't care for out cluttered it looks coming out of the firewall. I modified my fittings to dump out of the side of the cab and I ran my hoses under the frame and up. It allowed me to really keep everything clean. I also modified my condenser brackets to avoid drilling thru the firewall to mount. I will say I'm not sure how your system is set up but don't be afraid to modify to taste.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Nice firewall work..!!

Thanks Greg, hopefully it will come out looking good!

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Doug

I stared with a VA sure fit for my Suburban but didn't care for out cluttered it looks coming out of the firewall. I modified my fittings to dump out of the side of the cab and I ran my hoses under the frame and up. It allowed me to really keep everything clean. I also modified my condenser brackets to avoid drilling thru the firewall to mount. I will say I'm not sure how your system is set up but don't be afraid to modify to taste.

Your Burb looks awesome and the firewall is so clean! That is the direction I’ve gone with the 48 Burb and will give more consideration on what I’m doing here with Garth. The fasteners will be mounted inside on the firewall is current plan.

Originally Posted by lolife99

n2billet and Roger at RPL Customs used a non-A/C heater box (camaro I think)
to hide the firewall fittings on this squarebody 2wd blazer.
Looks clean and factory at the same time.

Wow, that is well executed and looks really good! Gives me something to consider. Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by PowerdbyChevy79

This is really nice..

Yeah, a couple great ideas shared right there…..that is why I appreciate this forum so much!

[lolife99]

n2billet and Roger at RPL Customs used a non-A/C heater box (camaro I think)
to hide the firewall fittings on this squarebody 2wd blazer.
Looks clean and factory at the same time.

[PowerdbyChevy79]

Originally Posted by lolife99

n2billet and Roger at RPL Customs used a non-A/C heater box (camaro I think)
to hide the firewall fittings on this squarebody 2wd blazer.
Looks clean and factory at the same time.

This is really nice..

[mongocanfly]

Wow. The one Keith showed is really nice

[Advanced Design]

For the suspension components we started with a Bell Tech drop kit…I think it was called a 4 / 6…which included the usual….a flip kit for the rear, lower coil springs and drop spindles for the front.

The instructions, as hazy and copy degraded as they were, called for the rear springs to be re-arched 2” higher to offset too much drop from the flip kit. Instead, we opted for new springs with the additional 2 inches of arch from St. Louis spring company. The springs were ordered on Monday and they arrived at our shop on Wednesday. I am impressed with their speed of manufacture and the quality of the product.

While the Bell Tech instructions were difficult to see, a flip kit is pretty straight forward and the parts went together extremely well.

[Advanced Design]

About the time the Bell Tech package showed up, I stumbled across the C10 suspension components that Detroit Speed has developed and are producing. In my automotive hiatus, I missed what Kyle had been up to. Wow, talk about being like a kid looking at the Sears Christmas Wish book! For those of us old enough to remember, you know the feeling.

I looked at, studied, evaluated and dreamed about those parts. Bottom line, as cool as they are, I determined this build and intended purpose couldn’t justify the expense of the full DSE package.

However, low and behold I had ordered the wrong drop spindles from Bell Tech and I needed to send them back. And I wanted bigger front brakes than stock, which the DSE spindles would provide using factory Silverado calipers with the DSE rotors. And I needed drop spindles anyway, Holley was having 30% off sales, so…..

[lolife99]

So are the DSE spindles considered a drop spindle?
Or are they a 2019+ aftermarket drop spindle from another company?

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by lolife99

So are the DSE spindles considered a drop spindle?
Or are they a 2019+ aftermarket drop spindle from another company?

The Detroit Speed information states the spindles provide a 2.5” drop.

https://www.detroitspeed.com/product...parts/032090DS

[Advanced Design]

A few posts ago, I mentioned the original control arms were coated with a combination of tar and concrete. That changed my plans of rebuilding the factory control arms into just ordering new control arms.

I splurged and ordered the upper and lowers from RideTech. Wow are they nice!

Our goal was to have a roller by end of this week and we pretty well made it. The powder coat business was struggling with lack of help and they didn’t cover the threads for the upper control arm mounts. They coated them and we cleaned them up.

Front assembled nicely. RideTech parts were excellent and instructions were good.

Our front shop rollers using Garth’s wheels and new Walmart tires weren’t installed yet as the lug nuts we have wouldn’t work.

Still, a day in the shop with a sore old body beats any day I ever had in the office.

It was a good week.

[mongocanfly]

That's sure some disappointing instructions from belltech..even though it's not a technical deal to install,coming from them, you woulda thought they would be crystal clear
That's sure a good looking front setup.. and the brake upgrade....wow!!!!

[Corts60]

Very cool upgrades!

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

That's sure some disappointing instructions from belltech..even though it's not a technical deal to install,coming from them, you woulda thought they would be crystal clear
That's sure a good looking front setup.. and the brake upgrade....wow!!!!

Thanks Greg. And speaking of instructions being lacking, does anyone see an issue with installing the lower shock mount bolt? Bell Tech instructions, which I followed without thinking through (my bad) has the u-bolts and flip kit in place before mounting the shocks.

Originally Posted by Corts60

Very cool upgrades!

Thanks Corts. We hope they work well together.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Thanks Greg. And speaking of instructions being lacking, does anyone see an issue with installing the lower shock mount bolt? Bell Tech instructions, which I followed without thinking through (my bad) has the u-bolts and flip kit in place before mounting the shocks.



Thanks Corts. We hope they work well together.

You need a shock extension bracket.
Not only will it fix your bolt problem,… it will also stand the shock more vertical so it works better.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by lolife99

You need a shock extension bracket.
Not only will it fix your bolt problem,… it will also stand the shock more vertical so it works better.

Thank you Keith! I have them ordered.

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

That shock mount is a issue..I was gonna say move the mount, but what Keith showed would work just as good if not better

Due to my lack of experience on this series truck I was unaware of the issue and solution. I had in mind making a nut plate and welding it to the mount next to the leaf spring. Keith provides a better and simpler solution.

Originally Posted by Willowrun

Keith knows drops for sure!

And I sure appreciate the help!

[Advanced Design]

And I struggled a bit figuring out which way the Holley LS swap mounts installed. Their instructions were general in nature and had zero pictures. Again my struggle was due to my lack of experience (or just lack of clear thinking)……

So I called Holley help line. The rep there referred me to an outside website from someone doing a C10 swap using Holley mounts. That guy was selling a book on building a C10. Maybe I should buy it!

Anyway the mounts are in.

[Advanced Design]

So, I can’t say enough positive about Mrs. Advanced Design being an awesome build partner on this one.

I’ve mentioned previously she organizes the myriad of parts and is good with a wrench. She has a work area set up where she has been detailing all the small parts and fasteners we are using, paints all the small parts and quickly dives in to help tighten fasteners or what ever is needing done.

A fabulous partner really helps on a build!

[mongocanfly]

That shock mount is a issue..I was gonna say move the mount, but what Keith showed would work just as good if not better