You Chose a Blazer/Jimmy - WHY?

[hotrodhomi]

Originally Posted by desertrat

Blazers were imbedded in me at a young age!

This was rare Las Vegas snow!
(I am the little guy)

'61 Bel Air in front?

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Well I bought mine to match my 72 truck I needed something to drive and had bought an 87 v-6 swb truck very nice . My wife always knew I wanted a blazer and after she had eyeballed one for a week she comes home and says if I tell ya something will ya not go and buy it. I said sure and we went and bought it the next day and put the 87 up for sale..

[vtblazer]

Defintely made the right call!
(good wifey too )

You've done a lot with yours, it's looking great!

[CDA 455]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

What made you want one?

Easy for me...three kids and a topless ride.

I wanted a convertible and I had to be able to accommodate the entire family.

Also, I like the 1st. Gen Blazer better than the later models.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Thanks kurt it has a lot more to go but at least it looks better.

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by hotrodhomi

'61 Bel Air in front?

Close, I believe it is a Biscayne.(sorry for the late reply, my scanner wasn't working)

and here is another picture of my Dad's old Blazer to make up for the Biscayne picture

[skidder111]

Found my '72 in a farmer's pasture thru a friend of a friend. It was sunk up to the axles. It had been sitting for 14 years. The land owner told me to take it because it was going to the crusher with a bunch of F#rd junk it was sitting with. I couldn't let that happen. Paid $1 for it, but when I got it home, I realized I paid too much. No motor, not one straight panel, rear end shot, plenty of cancer, bent frame, etc But 12 years later it's finally ready for paint.

[glimmertwin01]

NICE
I always wanted one ever since I first remember seeing one..the bug hit me in the 70s when i was a wee Lad... there were 2 in my town a blue 71 and a dark green 72.. closest I could get to owning one was a AMT Boondocker model I did exactly like the blue one...

any how fast forward 30 yrs... I bought a 67 K20 and well its going no where, I always loved the body style. I am single and NO kids... (arent you all jeaolus?) and ever since I saw the first ones back in the day I always wanted one. I had a toss up going..I always thought this vintage truck as a panel 4x4 would be unique, but after getting the 67 and it just began to be a pain to find some stuff for and the cab was solid but rumpled bad.... I live in WNY in the rust belt... Old 69-72 K/5 are almost non existent.

In august I was browsing Craigslist for a parts donor and stubled into the 70 k/5 i called the dude since i figured it had to be junk.... and he might be wiling to drop in price to get it out of his dad s property.... I was just looking for parts.
I went and saw it OK i do live in the rot capital of the world but this thing was solid..... typical Blazer rot and no rocker boxes (they were torched off at some point). the original motor was not there but it had been converted from a 307 3 on the tree to a 350 2v with a rebuilt turbo 350 with a NP208.....

Long and short I bought it anyways... ive been taking it apart and the guy who owned it before the PO really had the right idea fixing stuff on it but i dont think he had the funds or the resto panels werent available... Im trying to put it back the way its supposed to be, except I am going to put in a nice 350 4v 4 bolt i acquired from a 72 c30. and im going for the SM 465 NP 205.... since this will be my first "im doing as much as I can by myself" project . I am going to shootit "hide all" white. I have a nice hard top but most likely it will not go back on it... after seeing the old school half tops I WANT ONE!!!! anyhow here is a picture of the green manalishi.... wish me luck and a small but bottomless bank account
Oh I forgot how cool they are a REAL truck made of real steel and a convertible!
Now i have to figure out how to insert a picture form my lap top

[glimmertwin01]

here are some pics

[bama51]

When I was a kid in growing up in Northeast Alabama, there was a really nice 72 4x4, black with a bikini top that a friend of mine owned. I drooled over that truck for years, then he sold it. I always like the thought of having a 4x4 with removable top! Then I bought an 84 K5. I was almost there! 4x4, removeable top (sort of), but I still wasn't happy. The driveability wasn't great for the 4x4, and once I had it painted, I didn't want to take it off-road.
I was at a car show in Fort Payne, AL and I saw a 72 k5 factory 2wd and I was intrigued. I talked to the guy about it and he let me drive it and I was totally hooked. 72 truck good looks, completely removeable top, drives like a car!
I would still like to have a big 4x4 someday, but I love how my 2wd drives and cruises, plus I like the lowered cruiser look. That's my story!

[BIGBLU 72]

Family Tradition made me want one! my father had a 72 CST blazer when i was real little and kicked himself for selling it til he past away,so when a 72 jimmy came up for sell i just had to have it! it was my first car and i spent 3 years getting it ready to drive to school for my senior year of high school! girls dig big topless truck thats all i can say

[glimmertwin01]

heheheh

[cparman]

I have thought that the Blazers looked cool for a long time. When I sold my 67 Chevelle, I was already looking for a 2WD. gave up, and bought my 69 SWB C-10. Just not enought room in my PU , and found my 2wd. A lowered 2WD has a cool factor of 10+. Legroom for an old fat man, and after I made a set of seat risers, it is perfect for me. I am forming a plan as to how I want it to be when finished. I think I bought a great place to start, and intend to drive it alot when finished. I have driven it to work every day this week, top off, stereo on, listening for a new noise and going after it when I get to my shop, or home. This old girl is comming off the frame next year, and I want it to be as nice as my last car

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by cparman

I have thought that the Blazers looked cool for a long time. When I sold my 67 Chevelle, I was already looking for a 2WD. gave up, and bought my 69 SWB C-10. Just not enought room in my PU , and found my 2wd. A lowered 2WD has a cool factor of 10+. Legroom for an old fat man, and after I made a set of seat risers, it is perfect for me. I am forming a plan as to how I want it to be when finished. I think I bought a great place to start, and intend to drive it alot when finished. I have driven it to work every day this week, top off, stereo on, listening for a new noise and going after it when I get to my shop, or home. This old girl is comming off the frame next year, and I want it to be as nice as my last car

Sorry, I couldn't give up a big block Chevelle for any blazer, I want to figure a way to have them both

What horsepower was the big block? That thing is really cherry. We couldn't get traction in HS unless you put an L series tire on it with ladder bars. Just smoked the Tiger Paws

[70k52wd]

My love for the 67-72 started when I was a kid. WAAAY back in the late 60's I saw a black 67 or 68 short stepside p/u and thought that was a cool truck. I always wanted to do one with chrome stacks coming up behind the cab, flames, Big cragars in the back, skinnys up front...Then I found Blazers. I will admit to owning several Bronco's of the same era before I got my first Blazer in '85. But I have not strayed since...What I'm trying to say is...Full top off, no window frames, Classic lines, endless possibilities to customize. I feel very fortunate to have the one I have now. They are truly VERY special trucks, and only a hand full of us know the Blazer experience

[cparman]

Oh, and Jaro, my wife said I drove it like I was stupid? WELL HELLO ! Yes it would spin the wheels at any speed. I was on the way to my shop one day and one of my customers waved. I took that as an ok to mat it. 45 MPH spinng the tires and sliding sideways. My wife was with me another time and I did that. She said STOP the D&*( car and let me out or stop doing that---- --- --- I stoped doing that.

[LUV2XCLR8]

More?

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by cparman

Oh, and Jaro, my wife said I drove it like I was stupid? WELL HELLO ! Yes it would spin the wheels at any speed. I was on the way to my shop one day and one of my customers waved. I took that as an ok to mat it. 45 MPH spinng the tires and sliding sideways. My wife was with me another time and I did that. She said STOP the D&*( car and let me out or stop doing that---- --- --- I stoped doing that.

Hello, what else is HP for...gotta admit, banging gears at WOT will get your attention

[juicer25]

I love old chevy's and I always wanted a project. Two of my friends have blazers, and cruising with the top off is so much fun! I found my own project a couple years ago, and have been having a blast finding parts and puting money into it. Now that I have a family they really enjoy cruising in the "Beast"

[1970cstblazer]

I inherited my Blazer in 1987 with 54k miles on it. My dad bought it brand new in March of '70. It has always been the most reliable vehicle I have owned, but the worst ruster that I have ever seen..

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by 1970cstblazer

I inherited my Blazer in 1987 with 54k miles on it. My dad bought it brand new in March of '70. It has always been the most reliable vehicle I have owned, but the worst ruster that I have ever seen..

Great way to own a K5, cool story.

By reading your sig line, how far along is your resto?

[1970cstblazer]

Teardown and parts acquisition stage. This spring I will dedicate a lot more time to it.

[mudman316]

Had a 70 when i was 17 and wish i had not gotten rid of it eversince. now i got to go get one i just bought. can't wait. yeeee haaaaaaaaa

[jasons]

The first vehicle I bought when I was 16 in 1988 was a 68 Chevy pickup soon followed by a 70 Chevy pickup. Soon after I saw a 72 Blazer at a car show and knew that I would have to have one. I didn't even realize at the time that the top was removable.

After college I started looking and everyone I found was either rusted/beat up too much or was overpriced, at least in my opinion at the time. Five or six years ago I found a 70 Blazer on a used lot that was in decent condition once you looked past everything that had been cobbled together that was easy to change. I traded a 69 Ford 4x4 that I had about $200 into along with $1000 cash and have been loving it ever since.

I'm in the process of collecting parts to restore it in the next year or two.

Here is a picture I took last week while putting it and my helper to work.

[Twisted78SS]

Like so many others, it started along time ago. For me, it was back in my high school days of the late 70's I was running around in a 70 SS Camaro while a friend had a 70 Blazer. Always loved that thing, and have been on the hunt for one on and off several times. Now that I have a clear cut idea of what I want one to be, its on the road to becoming a reality. Project50th