Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[smbrouss70]

Here are my 1st, 2nd, and 5th gear positions.

[smbrouss70]

And a couple of pics of the inside of the tower of the Core Shifter in case anybody cares.

[smbrouss70]

I also replaced my master cylinder lid with one that I found on instagram made by H&H Custom Rods. I think it ties in with my air cleaner very well, just need to match the sheen later.

[Palf70Step]

Very Nice!

[DeadheadNM]

Work looks great. I’ll bet the shifter is a pleasure to use.

[IronCanine]

Solid upgrades. Thanks for the pics. Would prefer audio of 2nd and 3rd though .

[smbrouss70]

Thanks Guys!

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Solid upgrades. Thanks for the pics. Would prefer audio of 2nd and 3rd though .

Just do like I do and make Vroom, Vroom noises for now. When I get the stronger bolts in and finish it up, I'll see if I can't borrow a go pro and give y'all a good driving experience while ripping through the gears.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Thanks Guys!


Just do like I do and make Vroom, Vroom noises for now. When I get the stronger bolts in and finish it up, I'll see if I can't borrow a go pro and give y'all a good driving experience while ripping through the gears.

That would be sweet. More than the vroom vroom...would like the SCREEEEEEEEECH, SCREEEEEECH, CHIRP

[gringoloco]

Only thing better than pics is vids

[smbrouss70]

I got the shifter all together yesterday and took it out to run some errands today. It's a little notchy, like it was when the transmission was new. I'm not sure if it's the shifter or the transmission. It could be that it just needs to wear in some more and I feel it more because I'm moving the stick less. I definitely need to relearn it because I tried to take off from a light in 3rd... 1st and 3rd are that close to each other! I need this quarantine BS to be over with so that I can take some road trips and get used to it now.

I don't want to record a video and make myself look like I don't know how to drive it. Plus, I need to figure out a way to mount the camera between the seats and have it actually stay there. Any ideas?

[gringoloco]

Tape it to your beer?

[smbrouss70]

You know I won't let that spill!

[smbrouss70]

I'm finally getting back to work on the Blazer. About a week after my last post, I got word that my Mom was going downhill pretty rapidly. She had been fighting Cancer for 6 1/2 years. Needless to say, I dropped my tools right where I was and spent ALL of my free time sitting next to her bed, saying all of the things that always seem to go left unsaid. It was rough watching her go down, and juggling work and everything else that life throws at you. She passed away peacefully 1 month and 1 day ago, the day after Mother's Day.

After she passed away and we had our little COVID-19 regulated burial (Don't get me started on that ), the A/C went out at my house, so we had to replace the whole thing. I guess I can't complain, I nursed 26 years out of the original unit for the house.

So here we are a month later, and I've finally gotten caught up with work. Now it's time to finish up the rack and pinion install so that I can drive it up to TN in a month for the Southeastern Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals on July 11th. Stay tuned for updates!

[DeadheadNM]

Sorry to hear about your mom Steve - hope she was comfortable and that you and your family are doing well.

[smbrouss70]

Thanks Pete. We kept her as comfortable as possible.

I just noticed that you are from Eau Claire, I'm flying up there for a wedding in August. I might have to come check out your toys.

[DeadheadNM]

You bet.

Absolutely! Please do let me know. It's a fun place up here. Lot's to do/see.

[LT7A]

I enjoyed reading about the evolution of your ride. I find that I am drawn to rigs that are not meant to be perfected. But make use of their inherent coolness, emphasize that, and upgrade from there. You don't know me at all so I don't really have a place to say much about your mom, other than I'm sorry for your loss, and I can't imagine losing mine. From an outside view, there's kind of a beauty that you had one last Mother's Day with her.

[smbrouss70]

Thanks! It means a lot when people recognize the Blazer for what is, a fun, cool, work-in-progress.

I appreciate the condolences for my Mom's passing.

[smbrouss70]

I haven't gotten much done on the Blazer for a while. I know everybody had a bad year, but with Mom passing away and work going crazy during all of the lockdown BS, I just haven't done any of the stuff I wanted to get done.

I did spend a couple of weekends cleaning up the shop to make room for a couple of additional vehicles that will be stored in there. I bought my Dad's 1967 GTO, and I'm going to be a caretaker for a friend's vehicle while he is off saving the world.

I figured while I had the shop cleared out enough, I might as well get the lift that I've been wanting. This weekend, a couple of friends and I installed my new BendPak HD-9XW 4-post lift. I should have bought this when I built the shop. It would have made transmission and suspension swaps so much easier.

Now that it is up and operational, I can finally get started installing the rack & pinion that I got from No Limit and cure my squirrelly steering.

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see you got that in. It should make things a tad easier.

[DeadheadNM]

Nice addition. How did the install go? Curious what minimum slab thickness is to place the lift - 9"?

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Nice addition. How did the install go? Curious what minimum slab thickness is to place the lift - 9"?

We put it together in one day and had it operational that night. It was fairly simple with a couple of friends and a tractor/engine hoist to handle the weight of certain pieces. There were a couple of times that the instructions weren't exactly clear, but it was easy enough to figure out what needed to be done.

Since it is a 4-post lift it is free standing and is only "recommended", not "required" to anchor it to the concrete. I bought the caster kit from BendPak which will allow me to move it around in my shop. If it was anchored, you would lose that ability.

According to their website, the minimum concrete thickness is 4.25" 3000PSI concrete that is cured at least 28 days. My concrete is 6" 5000 PSI in the shop and been cured for over 5 years.

[DeadheadNM]

Excellent! Thanks for the detailed info. I had no idea that casters were an option on a four post lift.

[gringoloco]

Man, that thing looks good from every angle. If I’m bottom bunk, we’re gonna need to address bed wetting (oil leaks)

[darkhorse970]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Man, that thing looks good from every angle. If I’m bottom bunk, we’re gonna need to address bed wetting (oil leaks)

Bottom bunk should be a preferred spot...but, you bring up a good point!