1972 Blazer - 'Bullet' Project

[BLUE THUNDER]

Did alot of things to the house and yard this weekend too. Not much on the Blazer. House looks good, well, at least the outside does. Now I can put the stereo in the Blazer and maybe the two rear tires. The bullet is looking good.

[lks dcvn]

Got the door latch last night [from 1949GMC - who was nice enough to mail me what I needed for FREE - you rock Ray!] and then it started to rain so I had to head inside.

Now that I have the Impala SS and the 69 Blazer back from storage - they have run of the garage - so I am out in the elements. See why I wanted to get the major welding work done on the body...

I want to get the driver door ready [paint-wise] to go on the inside before I hang it - so I have some work to do first...

I have a ton of little odds and ends to do on this thing - including checking out the rust in the bed/wheel tubs [I keep putting it off].

[lks dcvn]

OK - got something done (finally)

I got that clean blazer tub, but there were no bolts that came with it to assemble a truck while it waits it's turn in the project rotation so I ordered a box o bolts from Randy [teeitup] and they showed up last night.

I figured I would clean them up a bit so I grabbed the bolts, a gallon or so of simple green and a spare bucket that I had.

Bolts went in and then they were covered with roughly a gallon [I had two partial jugs] of SG and I will let them sit until the weekend and see how the bolts turn out.

I also got the hood cleaned up today. It has some surface rust that was more annoying that damaging - it was rough to the touch, but one swipe of the strip disk and it was smooth as can be.

I used the HF strip disk on the top and then painted it with the rust paint [which I forgot to get pix of when I got done] - duh.

There is some minor damage on the hood, but not enough to stop me from using it. I will see if I can hammer it out to reduce filler consumption.

[lks dcvn]

Got some more done today after work, but only got one pic.

I started the process of removing the rear wheel wells - let me tell you - that sucks...

I tried to loosen two of them and then remembered that somebody said just to sacrifice the bolts and to tighten them until the bolt snapped so you can just take them out that way...well it worked for the most part.

I have 3-4 bolts per side left that I will need to use a cut off wheel with, but that shouldn't take that long to do.

I surveyed the rust on the inside and there is a spot near the gas tank filler tube in the bed that might need some more time to resolve. The inner bedside is weak there and I might be able to get the wheel well out, clean the metal and then just add a larger bead of seam sealer, but I won't know until I can get in there and see.

I also would like to talk to the genius at GM that made the torsion box cover one of the bolts on each side [rear middle bolt] from the underside...could not get at it to tighten it off...guess it will get cut off as well.

I did snap a picture of the hood now that it is coated though...looks a hell of a lot better than it did earlier this week [Before and After Shots] This pic is with one coat on the whole thing (that stuff really lays out thick). The way it was sitting yesterday I couldn't get to a few spots so I rotated it a bit to get those missed spots today.

I will likely add one more coat to the whole thing since it will see the elements the most.

Some minor body work to do on it - and then it will be bolted on the truck.

Total time to get to this point on the hood:

~30 mins to strip it
~2 mins cleaning it up
~2 mins wax and grease remover
~5 mins drying time
~20 mins painting with rust sealant

About an hour to clean up the hood yesterday and then another 20 mins or so to finish a few spots today

I am looking forward to seeing how the body work will be over the top of this stuff - might go well - might not - we will see. 220 grit, body work, another layer of rust sealant, etc.

[VA72C10]

keep up the good work

[OldCreek]

Take all of your clean bolts and then push them through a piece of cardboard. Then, you can hit the heads with a little black spray paint and make them look new.

[BLUE THUNDER]

looking good Tom.

[lks dcvn]

Got more done yesterday.

Removed both rear wheel tubs - had to grind a few bolts down and then push them through to get them out.

I then stripped the floor down to metal and then coated it with rust sealant.

I left a few spots that I will need to weld in new metal though - so that explains the unpainted spots.

[lks dcvn]

More passenger side and rusty floor pix.

A few small holes to patch up near each wheel opening, but nothing major [thankfully].

[lks dcvn]

last pics of the work from yesterday.

Floor is now coated with one layer - heading out today to clean up the wheel tubs and get those coated as well.

Added a few of the wheel tubs that I did today as well. I swapped to a different passenger side one since it was a bit cleaner for body work - so just clean up and paint for that one instead of body work.

I am done for the weekend.

I need to get sealant from the body shop supply store this week - I have plenty of seams to get working on as well.

[weaverterrence]

Looking forward to the next update.

[lks dcvn]

Well - I did buy a new exhaust for the blazer on Friday, but it hasn't shipped out yet - but I will get pix when it shows up.

The current exhaust is rusted out and gone at half the muffler [as in the mufflers have no backs on them] so it sounds like crap when you run it.

I need to resolve a few minor issues as well:

Brakes are still not up to par - need to look into that.
I will likely buy a stud gun and try to pull out the dents in the rear driver side 1/4
Seam Seal the tub where needed - still needs to warm up a bit
Reinstall the wheel tubs - and seam seal them
Swap over different rims/tires [sitting in my garage already]
etc.

I still haven't got the 220 run in my garage so I can use the compressor I got and start doing body/paint work - so that is the major hurdle right now - waiting...

I also secured a shop to use and store a few cars near my work so I can move some stuff out of the way and keep plugging away on this stuff through the year.

I have already decided that I will be building either a 36x56x14 or 30x60x12 in the coming years. Not sure how soon, but it is on the list of things to do.

[lks dcvn]

The exhaust kit showed up yesterday while I was at work - so that will be ready when the time comes to install it.

It is going to rain this weekend - so not sure how much I will get done again [I need to move 2 days of weather worth West of me to get the crappy weather to fall on any day besides the weekends.

This is the third weekend with crappy weather and the work days were perfect -

[VA72C10]

Looking good!

[VA72C10]

any updates (ie. has the weather cooperated with your schedule )

[BLUE THUNDER]

Hey Tom, what's new? looking foward to seeing more pics of your progress. Can't wait dude.

[72BlckButy]

Guy's, I'm going to check in for Tom since he will probably out for some time. Tom has been confronted with a life changing event that most of us will never comprehend. I will direct you to another thread he recently posted for more information.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=401525

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers... and extend your friendship during this time.

Nate

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

Your making great progress! Looks like the back half of the blazer is in pretty decent shape.

Originally Posted by VA72C10

any updates (ie. has the weather cooperated with your schedule )

Originally Posted by BLUE THUNDER

Hey Tom, what's new? looking foward to seeing more pics of your progress. Can't wait dude.

[VA72C10]

Tom, when you read this please forgive me for momentarily forgetting which build was yours. Of course I understand why you haven't been updating. I just hope that you're beginning a healing process and that your life will return to some semblance of normalcy soon.

[Jtrux]

Man, i'm really sorry to hear about this.

[1956cameo]

I am extremely sorry to hear about this. I know we have some distance between us but if there is ANYTHING that I can possibly help you with just let me know. We are here to support you in any way we can.

[lks dcvn]

Just wanted to let you all know that I was alive...and doing well.

So last year I sold everything out of my yard that I wasn't going to get to anytime soon...which was the best decision I could have ever made. I kept my 69 Blazer that doesn't need much attention - get it, turn the key, and go. In fact, I drove that Blazer as much as I could last year...

I still have this 72 Blazer in my garage wondering where I have been for the past year. I don't think it cared.

I intend to finish this 72 Blazer at some point...just need to get my tail out there and start tinkering again.

I stood out in the garage over the weekend and just stared at it...reflecting on how many hours I put into it, how many new curse words I learned along the way, and how happy I thought I would be when it was done.

There is some bodywork to finish up, a windshield frame to replace, and I am sure a host of other odds and ends that have yet to surface.

I hope everybody has been doing well - thanks for the messages.

C'mon spring - I want to drive my trucks!

[Chevyman63]

Hey Tom, it's good to hear you're doing ok. I went through the same experience as you, so if you ever want to talk, get ahold of me.

It's great to see you back on the board!

[VA72C10]

Glad to see you back posting!!!

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by lks dcvn

Just wanted to let you all know that I was alive...and doing well.

So last year I sold everything out of my yard that I wasn't going to get to anytime soon...which was the best decision I could have ever made. I kept my 69 Blazer that doesn't need much attention - get it, turn the key, and go. In fact, I drove that Blazer as much as I could last year...

I still have this 72 Blazer in my garage wondering where I have been for the past year. I don't think it cared.

I intend to finish this 72 Blazer at some point...just need to get my tail out there and start tinkering again.

I stood out in the garage over the weekend and just stared at it...reflecting on how many hours I put into it, how many new curse words I learned along the way, and how happy I thought I would be when it was done.

There is some bodywork to finish up, a windshield frame to replace, and I am sure a host of other odds and ends that have yet to surface.

I hope everybody has been doing well - thanks for the messages.

C'mon spring - I want to drive my trucks!

Originally Posted by Chevyman63

Hey Tom, it's good to hear you're doing ok. I went through the same experience as you, so if you ever want to talk, get ahold of me.

It's great to see you back on the board!

Good to see BOTH of you gentlemen back on the boards, I cannot comprehend what it must be like, but my prayers are with you's guys

Keeping my hands busy, tends to occupy my mind!

OK, where's the pics

[1956cameo]

Great to see you back!!!