Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[Chulisohombre]

That looks awesome.

[Palf70Step]

Glad you got it in Steven. She looks good.

[GAc10boy]

Steven, you just keep making this blazer better. Thanks for sharing your thought process with us. This is most definitely my favorite blazer on the Internet. If you ever make it over to Georgia in it, I’d love to film it for a What’s In My Driveway segment.

So. Freaking. Cool.

- Robbie

WHITLOCK GARAGE - classic truck video content
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/whitlockgarage
Instagram: @whitlock_garage

Paw Paw '68 508 Dark Blue Custom C10
Teddy '68 GMC SWB Light Green LS Build

[smbrouss70]

Thanks guys! Robbie, I can see myself making a trip through your area in the future. I'll let you know.

[smbrouss70]

That's the plan! I should be able to wrap up the TKO install this weekend, next week, I'll be out of town for work, so as long as I can get it in for a new exhaust the week of C10's ITP, I should be golden.

[smbrouss70]

Getting closer! I'm in the process of finalizing my driveline angles. I tried to use the new fancy crossmember for the trans, but the bosses on the tailshaft, which are apparently for a torque arm, hit the square tube on the trans crossmember and was still too high. Oh well, back to the old trusty unknown application crossmember that's been in all of my old trucks. I have some washers in there right now to space the trans up, but I think a 1/2" aluminum plate that I will make up tonight will be just about perfect. Oh yeah, that crossmember bolted into the same holes on the frame that the 700 used AND my driveshaft fits PERFECT once I swapped the yoke that came with the trans!

[gringoloco]

Oh, hells yeah

[smbrouss70]

I can't thank Kevin (65streetcruiser) and my Dad enough for their help this weekend. We got the windshield gasket changed, brake lines changed, pinion shims changed, and all of the other little stuff that we all forget about...

This morning, my neighbors were woken up at 5:15 AM to melody of an uncorked All-American Small-Block Chevy, being rev'd up to get it up on the trailer to go to the exhaust shop. Yeah, I'm their favorite!

[smbrouss70]

Exhaust is done, but I left it over there because of the torrential rain, I'll pick it up first thing in the morning. When I say it is tight and he worked for the money he charged, believe me! There is "maybe" 1/8" clearance above and below the mufflers, but it doesn't touch even when aired out.

[Tom Vogel]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Exhaust is done, but I left it over there because of the torrential rain, I'll pick it up first thing in the morning. When I say it is tight and he worked for the money he charged, believe me! There is "maybe" 1/8" clearance above and below the mufflers, but it doesn't touch even when aired out.

That looks familiar... lol
Posted via Mobile Device

[Tom Vogel]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Exhaust is done, but I left it over there because of the torrential rain, I'll pick it up first thing in the morning. When I say it is tight and he worked for the money he charged, believe me! There is "maybe" 1/8" clearance above and below the mufflers, but it doesn't touch even when aired out.

That looks familiar... lol
Posted via Mobile Device

[lks dcvn]

What mufflers did you go with? Sounds awesome!

[Chulisohombre]

Damn that’s lookin good. Great exhaust guy did some magic.

[smbrouss70]

I got a request... Turn your volume ALL the way up if you want it to sound like real life!

Ratchet's Blazer with new exhaust - YouTube

[Palf70Step]

Sounds good Steven!

[Chulisohombre]

Sounds good. Nice lope in the cam.

[IronCanine]

Steven...she looks and sounds great. Just keeps getting better!

[smbrouss70]

Thanks Guys! I'm slowly getting it where I want it to be, the interior is the only thing left that I haven't completely redone, so I guess that's next!

[smbrouss70]

Just a quick update. Besides a little clutch chatter, the TKO was fantastic on this trip to C10's In The Park. Even though it's not why I made the swap, I checked and on an all Interstate stretch between fill-ups on the way home, I managed 21.7797137523335 MPG. Granted, that was a constant speed with it in 5th gear nearly the entire time, but that's still pretty damn amazing for a carbureted SBC with 3.73 rear gears!

The blazer was picked again to park on the square for the after party, but the adult fermented beverages were flowing too good. We didn't think it was a good idea to go down there in our state, especially since my DD that I used last year can't drive a stick. Now I have to teach him.

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

....................... since my DD that I used last year can't drive a stick. Now I have to teach him.

I know how, and I am cheap!



Glad ti ran good for ya Steven. See you Saturday.

[smbrouss70]

My old 700-R4 was finally taken apart to see if it was usable...

Let's just say that I am a Master of Destruction! I wish I had a cool story to go with these pictures.

[Palf70Step]

You can always make up one, we would believe you !

[smbrouss70]

I've finished with all of the shows that I was planning on for the year, so it's time to blow it apart again to make some mostly necessary upgrades. The Sniper setup is finally going to get installed this winter. I also purchased a rack & pinion kit from No Limit to correct my pretty sketchy steering issues. Finally, I've felt that the throw on the TKO was way too long with a 16" stick bolted to it, plus I was really having to reach too far over to get it into 5th gear. Sometimes I would actually turn the steering wheel a bit when I would lean over to get it into 5th. I finally decided to order a short throw shifter from Core shifters. I ordered it with the "E" stub option that should bring my throw from 7.5" front to rear, down to 4.4". Plus it has a 14° lean towards the driver, so it should bring the stick up close to me. I probably won't get the shifter until after Christmas, but I think I will hold off on the other upgrades, for now, so that I can immediately try out the new shifter when it comes in.

https://core-shifters.com/collection...eed-trans-swap

[smbrouss70]

They are Thrush Welded Mufflers, basically a Flowmaster knock-off.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-17659/overview/

[smbrouss70]

OK, I finally got the shifter in... about 2 months later than planned. I had to work, then had some stuff come up, and then I got lazy, then lost interest, then took a nap, etc. When I first tried to install the shifter, it wouldn't seat all the way down on the transmission. The stub was too long sticking out of the bottom. I made some measurements and found that it was 0.1345" longer than it should have been. I probably should have sent the shifter back to the Core Shifters, but I had already modified the top of the shifter stub to allow me to use my Lokar stick, which he argued with me about using a Hurst stick before I even bought it. I did contact him and let him know the issue I was having. He wanted me to get a measurement on the transmission itself. I tried to get what he was after but I couldn't duplicate my measurement, which to me means that they weren't good measurements. To get what he wanted "accurately", I would have had to gut my interior to remove the high hump or pull the transmission to be able to get an accurate measurement. I'm way too lazy to do all of that.

The measurement that I got for the difference between the 2 shifter stubs turns out is the exact thickness of 10 ga. cold rolled steel. I decided that I was going to make a shim to go between the tower and the plate that bots to the transmission out of 10 ga. sheetmetal, effectively raising the tower and therefore the stub enough to allow it to all bolt up. Turns out 10 ga. sheetmetal is less common than you think since it is just slightly thicker than 1/8". I could have bought a full sheet from my local metal place, but I only needed a 4" square, so I opted to order a 12" square online that way I didn't have a full 4' x 8' sheet that I had to store afterwards. I finally got around to getting off my butt to do it last night. I made the shim, got longer bolts from Lowe's which are fully threaded and no strength was listed on them, so they'll probably break when I bang through the gears real hard. I ordered some Grade 8 4-1/2" bolts last night that should be here by next weekend, so I'll seal and final assemble it then.

It has been more of a pain than it should have been with this shifter, but the end result is FREAKIN AWESOME! I took measurements before and after the shifter swap that are listed below. I essentially cut my front to rear throw in half, and moved it all over 3-9/16" to left (closer to me). I used to have to reach way over for 5th gear, but it is now easier to reach 5th, than 1st was with the original shifter. I was afraid that it was going to put the knob right next to my leg in 1st and 2nd, but it is far enough away for it to be comfortable. I couldn't have designed something that would have worked better.

Original TKO shifter specs:
7-1/2" of throw front to rear
2-11/16" of throw side-to-side
16-1/4" tall from shift boot ring
32-15/16" from passenger door panel

New Core Shifter
3-3/4" of throw front to rear
2-1/2" of throw side-to-side
17-3/8" tall from shift boot ring
36-1/2" from passenger door panel

Difference
3-3/4" less throw front to rear
3/16" less throw side-to-side
1-1/8" taller from shift boot ring
3-9/16" further left