70 Blazer Frame Off

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by OLDYELLOW

Can't wait to see some more pictures

Hopefully get some next week. Nothing too interesting right now. Spent the weekend taking apart the ends of the Dana so I could get the ball joints pressed out. Just waiting on things right now. Radiator, gas tank, transmission and transfer case in the shop. A load of stuff getting black phosphated or zinc-ed. Frame, rims and a boat load of other stuff at the powder coater. Motor is supposed to get here on Tuesday...brake lines, fuel lines, springs, steering...all hopefully here next week too. If we're lucky and things time out right(mainly the frame getting back from powder coat), it could be a productive week with a few fun pics.

[IronCanine]

Frame's not going to be back from powder coat until next Tuesday. Motor came in today. We haven't gotten it out of the crate yet...but can't wait. Lots of other parts boxes stacking up, so a lot on deck. I was able to pick up the powder coated rims today and hopefully will get tires on tomorrow and ball joints pressed in the freshly painted spindles. Then we should be ready for the frame when it does arrive. In the meantime...here are a couple of pics. Got the clear zinc and black phosphate stuff back today. One of the best values of the build. Awesome result, reasonable cost and fast turn around. I would definitely recommend Kaer coatings...this stuff looks even better in real life....I wish I'd sent them every nut and bolt we took off. One of the problems we've had is getting the correct size captured washer paired with the appropriate diameter and length body bolt (when buying new bolts).

[Blown06]

Those parts look fantastic.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Blown06

Those parts look fantastic.

I think so too...and could not be happier. Just to drive it home, this is what they looked like when I was boxing them up to ship out there. I took these pics to get the quote. The upper pic is obviously the zinc stuff and the lower pic is the phosphate stuff.

[DeadheadNM]

Nice!! Isn't that a great way to go! I'm tempted to harvest nuts/bolts from salvage yards to have re-coated in advance for future builds. I so wish I'd have done the zinc coating

I'll def have some zinc pieces done. You'll be pleased with the action on the hood hinges.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Nice!! Isn't that a great way to go! I'm tempted to harvest nuts/bolts from salvage yards to have re-coated in advance for future builds. I so wish I'd have done the zinc coating

I'll def have some zinc pieces done. You'll be pleased with the action on the hood hinges.

Oh, it's all very nice. Thanks for putting me on them Pete. They were fast and great. The black phosphate stuff was top notch, but the things that were the coolest were the movables on the zinc stuff...like the ball bearings in the ash tray, the spring and hinges on the hood latch...and my gosh all the hatch hardware. It looks better than new...and I sent em gungy stuff as you saw.

[IronCanine]

Look what a little careful dissection revealed under the firewall grease pencil markings designating the model and just below the factory RED paint....I got a fever and the only prescription is more factory grease pencil marks.

[IronCanine]

On the driver's side too.

[IronCanine]

Parts arriving everyday...got some good stuff from Wes at Classic Heartbeat today, but the weekend won't be quite as busy since the frame return date got pushed back to next week. How about some firewall trauma repair pics in the meantime. That patch panel came from the same selfless 1970 GMC 1500 long bed that offered up our frame rail patch.

[IronCanine]

Graft completed.

[OLDYELLOW]

Parts and firewall look great! Can't wait to see picture of rims, tires and hubcaps together.

[IronCanine]

Oh the carnage.

[IronCanine]

Unwrapped the GM crate engine. It came with a massive amount of paperwork. A mind numbing single sheet...which was either poorly translated or produced on a device without spell check.

[OLDYELLOW]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Oh the carnage.

Why would there be such a big stack of bricks at a body shop?

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by OLDYELLOW

Why would there be such a big stack of bricks at a body shop?

You've never heard of block sanding?

[IronCanine]

...all together now: "AAAARGH!"

[Blown06]

When you locate a tubing stretcher, please let the rest of know. Lol

Just a little shop humor, i take it that those are "Kit" lines?

[DeadheadNM]

Some of the sheetmetal carnage above appears usable. Are the bumpers that bad? I could use an OEM bumpers to re-chrome...

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Blown06

When you locate a tubing stretcher, please let the rest of know. Lol

Just a little shop humor, i take it that those are "Kit" lines?

Yep. InLine Tube. From what I've gathered from the board, they either fit the first time or the third time after you send your originals in to be copied...or after you go to O'Reilly's and bend and cut. I'm still just at the stage where photos of short lines are exchanged electronically and then stared at before the inevitable."your application is wrong, something has been changed, here just try these, your shipping is 75 dollars."

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Some of the sheetmetal carnage above appears usable. Are the bumpers that bad? I could use an OEM bumpers to re-chrome...

Nope. Pretty decent actually. I can snap you some better pics if you'd like. A lot of that stuff is workable depending on the need. I wasn't going to post anything until the end though.

[Blown06]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Yep. InLine Tube. From what I've gathered from the board, they either fit the first time or the third time after you send your originals in to be copied...or after you go to O'Reilly's and bend and cut. I'm still just at the stage where photos of short lines are exchanged electronically and then stared at before the inevitable."your application is wrong, something has been changed, here just try these, your shipping is 75 dollars."

That is extremely frustrating, I have been thinking of doing my own lines when I get to that point. After reading several threads I'm pretty sure I will do it myself, I've laid miles of tubing at work so tackling my own brake lines shouldn't be that much more difficult.

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Nope. Pretty decent actually. I can snap you some better pics if you'd like. A lot of that stuff is workable depending on the need. I wasn't going to post anything until the end though.

No rush but please keep me in mind - I'd be interested in the bumpers. Need a rear for the K1500 and want a front for the K5 to use with a Hickey grill guard.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

No rush but please keep me in mind - I'd be interested in the bumpers. Need a rear for the K1500 and want a front for the K5 to use with a Hickey grill guard.

You got it.

[IronCanine]

Picked up almost all the powder coat stuff today. The weather has kept the frame from being completed...fingers crossed for tomorrow. Not nearly as productive a day as I'd hoped since I was off today. Intake on. Super nice OE valve covers from a 71 Arizona C-10. Got the U joints in the front axle shafts. Powder coat looked good, the ceramic coat on the exhaust manifolds looked outstanding. I'll try to snap some pics tomorrow.

[DeadheadNM]

Good deal. Are you going to paint the motor Chevy orange or keep as is? Tomorrow I can pick up my freshly powder coated 15 x 8 steel wheels for the GMC. Seeing your valve covers tempts me to inquire about the cost of orange powder coating a spare set that I have - may be overkill.