'72 Frame Up Rebuild

[MontanaPete1]

WOW! That is NICE!

[Tom Vogel]

Hey that IS nice!
What camera are you using for your pictures? what megapixalss and/or resizing aplication. Id sure like to post some pictures but cant see to resize them...my camera is a 7.5 megapixal. Anyway... looking good,... mine is about at the same stage as yours.

[scoyote]

Let's see some photos of your build!

These photos are taken with a combination of camera phones, Nikon megapixel digital and unknown cameras.

I use Photoshop to resize so I can upload.

[scoyote]

Well......now it can stand on it's own for the first time!
Cranked it over.......didn't start it yet.

Took it to the dyno guy (he's a hot rodder that builds his own stuff) and he's gonna hook it up to the computer and start it for the first time in the next day or two.

So....not really visible progress but we have all the electrical done, gauge cluster installed with the oil sending unit hooked up.

Need to change the kick down linkage is what the dyno guy told me today (he also owns a tranny shop and rebuilt my Jeep tranny a long time ago).

But....should be able to get the ECM tweaked and a new program installed for that 383 and get some miles on it before we try to dyno it.

But, as you can see we still have quite a few parts and pieces to get on it....but once it's running....I'll put the drivers seat in it.....and I'm driving it!

[Tom Vogel]

Man. you passed me up like I was standing still! How many people you got working on that?
As for pictures, I checked, and all I have is Photoshop Elements... I guess its what came bundled on the computer. I suppose Ill have to run out and purchase a full zoot version.

[scoyote]

I've got the truck down at MTO Suspension and Fabrication here in Fort Collins, CO. They do everything.....from tear down to restoration so I've got a guy working on that thing 2 or 3 times a week.

Of course I have to pay for it....but I can't take off work so it's how I gotta do it. Plus I'm not sure I have the knowledge or patience to do it myself.

I do all the minor stuff like weatherstripping, painting all the frame, brackets...parts and pieces.....so I am involved but when it comes to the "real" work.....I leave that to people that do it for a living while I stay at my "day job" and do what I know how to do ;-)

We started this in January so it's been going on for 8 months now and it's still got a ways to go.

Probably a two year project from start to finish, and that's with professionals working on it a couple times a week.

[scoyote]

I put some newer seats (2000 with built in shoulder harness) in my 1972 Blazer and then seem high to me but maybe the dash is lower....it's hard to tell.

When I get in my 2004 DuraMax with the same seats I'm pretty much looking at the same point in my windshield but for some reason it seems higher in the Blazer.

Would someone have time to measure from the floor pan (bottom of the seat bracket) to the top of the seat? Not the top of the back of the seat, but the top of the front of the seat.

I want to see exactly how much higher my butt is off the floor pan with those seats so I can get a true comparison.

I've been reading a lot since I put those seats in and it seems the most popular setup is a mid 90's bucket seat setup.....so I wonder how high those are off the floor pan?

I have more progress finally....we got the dual battery box installed, the dual electric fans installed, instrument cluster installed and working, TBI and ECM updated with a custom tune on it.

Basically it's running and drivable now...and almost time for the interior.

I'll get some pics and a report up tomorrow.

[Luba]

Nice build man! I can't imagine how much that labor is going to cost you. That thing is sweet.

[rburke65]

I used the FlowMaster 40s on my '65 Impala with a built 406 ci Chevy.....sounds pretty bad a$$.....it is pretty bad a$$. But you should like them. Nice build!

[ChadGiles70]

Looking real nice!

[scoyote]

The Flowmaster 40's are a little louder than I wanted. I'm having a crossover pipe installed to see if it takes the edge off of them.

Can someone give me the measurement from floor pan to the seat on the stock seats?

I'm trying to figure out how much higher these seats are from the stock ones.

[Tom Vogel]

Exactly 12" from the floor to the center front of the seat.

[scoyote]

You da man Charger Orange ;-)

Now...is that 12" from the floor pan or the little hump where the seats bolt down? And is that to the top of the seat in the center (top of the horizontal seat).

[scoyote]

OK, the seats that I have in there are 13" from the floor to the seat, so it's only one inch different if we are measuring from the same place.

Sure seems higher than one inch....but I haven't sat in it for a year either so that might be what it is.

I really don't like the look though...sigh.....

I picked those seats because they have the built in shoulder harness but they just look goofy ......but that might grow on me....we'll see.

In the meantime I'm looking for some other seats.

Drove it 4 miles today....first time I've driven it in over a year and it was GREAT!! Got it up to 55mph and was turning right at 2300 rpms so it should be just fine for what I intend to use it for right now.

Valves need to be adjusted and the front main seal is leaking so that stuff needs to be fixed....it's always something. It's a brand new rebuild with only 18 miles on it.

Grill should be going in tomorrow and back to the dyno to burn another chip, this one is running a little rich but I think I need to get the valves tightened up before I get another program burnt.

And I need to figure out a steering wheel. I'm thinking 14" diameter and something that will allow me to see the gauges....so I'm still looking.

Anyway, here are some progress pics.

Dual electric fans.....I LOVE electric fans. I have them on my Ford and my Jeep....make that low end idle a lot smoother and keeps it cool on the hottest days.

Pics of the seats and gauge cluster (with tilt steering wheel)......and the Blazer as it sits today.

[Big J]

I think the seats look good. What are you doing for a center console? Have ya tried the rti ramp yet?

[Tom Vogel]

Originally Posted by scoyote

You da man Charger Orange ;-)

Now...is that 12" from the floor pan or the little hump where the seats bolt down? And is that to the top of the seat in the center (top of the horizontal seat).

12" from the little hump to the very center front. Also... Im agreeing with you on the seats... OK, they just dont look like they belong. My buddy put some nice offroad seats (Corbeau Baja Ultras I beleive) in his and they look great and are darn comfortable. You could then attach your shoulder harness to the roll bar.

[scoyote]

Originally Posted by Big J

I think the seats look good. What are you doing for a center console? Have ya tried the rti ramp yet?

I'm missing one of the body bushings so I haven't tried the ramp yet....but I will!

Originally Posted by Tom Vogel

12" from the little hump to the very center front. Also... Im agreeing with you on the seats... OK, they just dont look like they belong. My buddy put some nice offroad seats (Corbeau Baja Ultras I beleive) in his and they look great and are darn comfortable. You could then attach your shoulder harness to the roll bar.

I'll take a look but the "offroad seats" that I looked at are solid mount so there is no option to slide forward or tilt to allow access to the back.

I'm trying to find some mid 90's seats to look at.

The seats I have installed are VERY comfortable....they just look goofy to me.

If you are measuring from the "hump" then my seats are the same distance from the floor because that hump is 1".

[Luba]

PRP makes sliders and I think even tilt bases for their seats. Which are really nice.

[TonyJohnson]

Looks great.

[scoyote]

OK...milestone time......

Took the Blazer on it's maiden voyage over the weekend.

Put 250 miles on it and I wish it was summer!

Ran great, only one little hiccup when a plug wire came off but other than that it's everything I have been waiting for and then some.

The FlowMaster 40's are still louder than I like but it sounds really cool when it's loping at idle....so not sure what to do there yet....

Running a little rich but I prefer that for break in I suppose....so I'll run it a little more and get it leaned out.

It made 285 horses at the wheels with 340 pounds of torque.

A long way from my DuraMax but I'm happy with it and it will get better as it loosens up.

Now....bumpers, winch, sliders, interior.....still lots to do but next summer is gonna take to long to get here....

Some photos I took of it all cleaned up.

I'm SO happy!!!!

[vtblazer]

NICE!

[lks dcvn]

Looks awesome - congrats on getting it done.

Now get out there an enjoy it!

[Chevyman63]

Looks great!!

[Tom Vogel]

You want your rings to seat in properly on the break in. Get it leaned out now. You arent running premix... that extra fuel isnt doing your cylinders and rings any good at all.

[scoyote]

I'll chat with the guy that built the motor and see what he thinks.

It's his warranty....I'm just doing what he says....