"Project S" - My boy Sam's '72 2wd Blazer -The Red Sled

[jeffg1010]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

The wall art is awesome! I've been wanting to do exactly that!

Thanks! It was pretty simple. It just took me 6 months to get it on the wall.
Posted via Mobile Device

[jeffg1010]

So, an update on the Blazer... I found a guy who needed a damaged single wall top out of his way. The windows are in even better shape than the ones I had, so once again, I got new parts!
Posted via Mobile Device

[babyblueoval]

Hey Jeff,
Nice score. I got 3 double wall tops with my Blazer but only one hatch and it's not in great shape. Have you come up with any extra hatches in your top quest?

[jeffg1010]

Nah, I have 4 tops(getting ready to cut one up), 1 mint hatch, 2 hatches are very rough, and 1 is 90% gone, haha. Once you get moved out here you can check out the rough ones If you want to see if you can salvage one. I know a good fiberglass guy could save them.
Posted via Mobile Device

[babyblueoval]

Yeah, I've gotta a friend here who says, hey, no problem, it's just fiberglass....lol He also says that about about metal. Not a bad friend to have for sure.

[k5hart]

Jeff looks like a good collection of parts your finding! Don't leave that Blazer hibernating too long. I just got mine back on the road and forgot how nice these things are. Hope all in well up there in the North!! Oh yeah .... very cool garage art.

[jeffg1010]

This is Sam! My picture is called 'Ocean Fire.' It Is a blazer. My dad thinks it should be red, but I think these colors are cool. It is blue, orange, green, and red. It is blue with orange flames a green lightning bolt on the hood and red windshield post. Were going to biuld it!

[jeffg1010]

So, we had a beautiful day here with temps reaching 70, so I brought my weatherstripping in the house, and used our shower (haha!) to clean 40 years of crap off of them. I'm sure my wife would love to see this pic. (you bet I cleaned it up after I was done.



Then I let them lay out in the sun for a half hour and I started cleaning the glass. I am using the glass out of the top I just scored because it is a bit better than what was in the top I had.



The gaskets are the original equipment. I guess having multiple tops is paying off in experience.

From what I can tell there is 4 ways to get windows/weatherstripping out of a Blazer hardtop.
1. Hammer - Which I have done. But don't hate... the window was already busted.
2. Cut the weatherstripping - Which I have also done. But since the original weatherstripping is so much better than aftermarket, I wouldn't recommend this method.
3. Start at the corner, work the weatherstripping out by pushing it inwards and continue around the window until it comes out in one piece. This typically requires 2 people, a lot of patience, and a lot of time. It is the best method (one that I haven't done YET-but I have one window that needs to come out of my main top that I plan on using this method for)
4. Cut the top up - And, yes... I've done this too! But, also... dont hate, the top was one of the worst I've ever seen. Beat up bad (missing sections, pieces, and it had a big hole in it-not to mention, it had been in the weather so long, you could stick your finger through the brittle fiberglass) I got it for $40 and I figured the windows were worth that.


So, anyways... back to the windows. I started by spraying them with a cleaner/degreaser and letting them soak. Then I wiped the god awful grime off and wiped it dry.



Then I sprayed it with commercial glass cleaner and scraped the whole window with the cleanest razor blade I had in my garage.



After finishing the clean up, I wanted to get the weather stripping re-installed (even though these wont be going on for a while) I just figured they could protect the glass from breakage. So, after getting the first one laid out, I realized this was gonna be a bit tougher than taking them off.



I figured the corner with the widest angle would be the best one to do last, So after getting the other 3 fitted, here is what I was left with...



After wrestling with it for a bit, I decided I would try to have the weatherstripping come up from the bottom of the glass rather than trying to stretch it over the top of the glass. This worked much better, because when you are pulling it up from the bottom you can "hook" the lip of the channel and work it on.

I also found a scraper in my garage with a hooked end. It proved very valuable in getting the edge of the channel started over the glass.



SO... here they are, ready for install...





Only trouble is, my plan is to spray the top with Al's Liner, so until that is done, these will go in the loft in my garage until they are ready to be installed.

[babyblueoval]

Luckily, my blazer came with a set of new oem window rubber for the top. Plus one of the other tops still has good glass and rubber in it so I'm double covered.

[jeffg1010]

Originally Posted by babyblueoval

Luckily, my blazer came with a set of new oem window rubber for the top. Plus one of the other tops still has good glass and rubber in it so I'm double covered.

Very cool. I think it never hurts to have an extra! That's gonna be pretty sweet having another 2wd Blazer here in town.

Hopefully I'll only use the top in the winter, but I still want it to look good. I haven't got it rigged up yet, but I've been holding on to this for a long time with hopes of having a "one man" top removal system.


Posted via Mobile Device

[babyblueoval]

yeah, I was thinking of one of the simpler versions where you back in the garage, raise the front of the top and slide a 2x4 under it, then raise the back and do the same, then just drive out from under. With air suspension it'd be even easier, air the truck up, lift the top on the supports, then air the truck out and drive out easily. To put it back on just back under it and reverse the order. Nowhere near as high tech as yours but simple and cheap.
Someone on here did it that way, some one also did it the way you're thinking. They both work.

[jeffg1010]

My biggest fear is the stress on the single anchor point in the ceiling. I will likely build a baseplate that'll distribute the weight between 2 trusses. I'd hate to have my top come crashing down to the floor. And I figure if I build it strong enough, I could use it to yank engines I am planning on building a rig to lift the top off of the Blazer, but once it is in the air, I will likely rest it on two suspended crossbars that'll take the tension off of the single lift point for the winch. (I've been mentally engineering it) -haha.

[babyblueoval]

Yeah, I briefly looked but cuoldn't find the thread where people were talking about roof lifts. The one I'm planning will have an anchor point on each corner so the weight will be divided by 4 so "shouldn't" be too bad but I was planning to reinforce each corner so it would be stronger anyway. How I do that will have to be determined when I know how much access I have in the new garage, whenever that happens.

[babyblueoval]

Well, I guess I was just being completely lazy cause here it is:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=297467

[babyblueoval]

And here's a really nice one for a hoist - you just need to modify you ceiling/attic.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=159221

[babyblueoval]

And finally, post #24

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=291482&page=8

[jeffg1010]

Originally Posted by babyblueoval

And here's a really nice one for a hoist - you just need to modify you ceiling/attic.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=159221

Thanks for the link. This is almost exactly what I had in mind. Im glad it is now here in the thread so I can reference it later.

[babyblueoval]

Originally Posted by jeffg1010

Thanks for the link. This is almost exactly what I had in mind. Im glad it is now here in the thread so I can reference it later.

Yeah, if you combine that one and this one with the safety anchors

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=291482&page=8

you get the best of both.

[jeffg1010]

So... I wasn't thinking wheels yet. But some are RIGHT in my path. What to do?!?!?

[babyblueoval]

LOL, I bought wheels for mine a couple years ago. Coys C5s. I loved them then and still do so I figured why not. Now I'm glad I did since prices have increased.

[jeffg1010]

I am still unsure which clip I want to use, but I came across some new parts for the '72 clip in case it wins. So... new parts day!!!


Posted via Mobile Device

[jeffg1010]

The battle of the which front clip to use continues. And today, the '68 clip took a commanding lead! I scored a 67-68 cowl hood (brand new- painted but never installled) on Craigslist CHEAP! I'm pretty pumped up right now.




Posted via Mobile Device

[babyblueoval]

Nice hood. Like the color too but porbably won't fit in with the theme....lol

[Rusbuilt]

That hood looks great!!

[jeffg1010]

I couldn't wait!


Posted via Mobile Device