71 Blazer "Finishing Touches"

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Great progress! Man, I love that rear bumper! It looks perfect! +1 without the hitch.
I'm sure the new owner will want to tow their boat with this so, they can have a new one installed.

Thanks...I like it better without also but if the next person wants one they can either do a hidden hitch with a flip up plate or a lower hitch.

Originally Posted by 67chevy1series

dude if it wasnt for paint it would be done nice work

A little wet sanding and buffing and it'll be done!

Got some more done tonight...

First a question...do you like the emblem on the glovebox door or not?


I did a few small things with the glovebox also...swapped out a std latch for a latch keyed with the truck ignition. And added the bumper to the arm that holds it open.

Here's a random pic of the tailgate down showing the hardware I had cleaned, prepped, and painted.


And the latch (need to find one more bolt)


Engine bay (still have a lot of work on the inners for them to fit right even though they look done) and it needs a GOOD cleaning


WHat's this???

[VA72C10]

Seats are just sitting there until I get the carpet of course. Forgot to mention I put all new bulbs and new clear deluxe sidemarkers with new gaskets. Also worked on the locks...will have to work on the passenger door (repop door) to get the lock to fit (too small to fit the notches)

Here's some more pictures of the seats.








Starting to look ready to drive...





covered the bench to keep the dust down....

[VA72C10]

I'm tempted to bolt the seats down and cruise it....I might just do that to a car show next weekend....hopefully will have the carpet and door panels installed by then and the final wetsand and buff done!

On the home stretch!

[gcburdic]

Are the inner fender giving you a fit because they are reprops??

Seats look nice in there....what are you waiting for....cruise this bad boy....carpet is just a minor detail at this point

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by gcburdic

Are the inner fender giving you a fit because they are reprops??

Seats look nice in there....what are you waiting for....cruise this bad boy....carpet is just a minor detail at this point

yes, they are tri plus, but the PO put on aftermarket fenders also that weren't tri-plus and I think that is the problem.

Aftermarket + Aftermarket = NO FIT

It's just a bump in the road...really should have mocked up the inners but live and learn....

No cruising in this thing for me...I might get some dirt on the undercarriage

Got to keep it perfect (once the dust is cleaned off) so that I can get top $ when I sell it

I will most likely to take it to one local cruise in and one show in the upcoming couple weeks (as long as the weather is nice with 0% chance of rain as I won't be putting the top on yet...

[Redneck72]

This thing is looking great. Between your build and JRBeck64's Build for his son I don't know what I want to run with when the time comes. I am so confused. or Decisions Decisions.....LoL

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by Redneck72

This thing is looking great. Between your build and JRBeck64's Build for his son I don't know what I want to run with when the time comes. I am so confused. or Decisions Decisions.....LoL

Thanks...build one of each

We have Prayer Meeting and Bible study wed nights so no work tonight..actually took the family by to check out the truck and drop off the glass, vent windows, and some of the weatherstrip. Should be getting more of the weatherstrip and parts in by the weekend and just got a confirmation on the carpet for Friday!

I went by earlier today to meet the custom upholstry guy as he was doing the final fit on the door panels and rear side panels. They are looking good. While he was working I made up the wires for the tach. Got them all hooked up and hooked up the rest of the wiring. Fired up the truck and all the gauges seem to work....except maybe the fuel gauge...not sure if it's really low or the gauge is reading that so I'll have to double check that. I am going over tomorrow night and my brother in law is going to help for a few hours so we should make some decent progress on the final details.


Question....what do you guys think about the emblem on the glovebox door? Also, I am going to do a black steering wheel now (bought from Sharpie). I have a perfect black dash pad. Should I put that on and sell the blue dash? The blue dash doesn't match the visors or paint of course. Also thinking of having the upholstry guy cover the sunvisors in the black vinyl the seats were done in. Any suggestions/comments? Thanks!

[67chevy1series]

definatly keep the glove box emblem looks sharp

[gcburdic]

I like the glove box emblem too.....also, I like going with the black dash pad and matching the sunvisors to the seat upholstry....I love spending others money

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 67chevy1series

definatly keep the glove box emblem looks sharp

Originally Posted by gcburdic

I like the glove box emblem too.....also, I like going with the black dash pad and matching the sunvisors to the seat upholstry....I love spending others money

Thanks guys. I'm going to put the emblem on and I gave the visors to the upholstry guy already

Still up in the air on the dash pad (depends on how easy it is to get this one off )

[Redneck72]

My only hesitation to using black on the dash pad is the heat factor in the south. Under the southern sun black dashes can get extremely hot. Just my $.02. I definitely agree with Emblem on the glovebox. It looks sharp.

Paul

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by Redneck72

My only hesitation to using black on the dash pad is the heat factor in the south. Under the southern sun black dashes can get extremely hot. Just my $.02. I definitely agree with Emblem on the glovebox. It looks sharp.

Paul

I agree. And the dash pad is perfect that's on there so I'm going to leave it.
Definitely will be putting the emblem on..want to wet sand it first of course. Got all the weatherstrip and the emblems in today.


Waiting for the emblems also after the paint is wetsanded. Most of the weatherstrip goes on the top itself. My brother in law washed it for me tonight. The previous owner did a good job painting this and it's in great shape like the rest of the blazer



Here's the tach dash all installed....

Starting to really look like a completed truck...

[VA72C10]

Decided I didn't like the column cover in the blue so I painted it black with the washer bottle bracket and then painted up the parking light brackets just because



Used the clear lenses and a pet peeve of mine is seeing the orange bulbs behind or white bulbs used. You can see the bulbs in the above picture. The solution is to get a bulb that looks chrome when off and blinks orange....and the end result...


So...carpet is arriving tomorrow hopefully so I had to get the carpet strips ready...they were a little grungy but cleaned up GREAT with some wadding chrome polish. Also used them on my ashtray which also came out great (not pictured)



Got the parking lights done so I decided to throw them on the bumper...then since they were in the bumper...put the bumper brackets on and mounted the bumper. It will have to come off when the grille arrives but it was nice to see it on and I got the brackets all adjusted so it's just a couple bolts to finish it up...

[VA72C10]

Got the carpet inthe mail today. Looks good. Got matching floor mats also. No chance to work on it as we had a viewing to go to for Linda's Great Grandmother....passed this week at the age of 102! Have to help my cousin and aunt move tomorrow morning and then we're going to the church picnic in the afternoon.

However, I am meeting the upholsterer tomorrow evening and he is supposed to be putting in the carpet and door/rear panels and bringing the recovered sunvisors!!!! Can't wait to see it all come together.

Then after Church Sunday I am going over and Jason's going to help me do the final alignment of the doors and front end. Hopefully it'll get wet sanded early next week and then the final parts will arive and it'll be 100% ready to go to the car show next Saturday. The last thing we're going to do is an oil change and safety check. Jason is not only a great fabricator, welder, and mechanic...but a certified state inspector also. I don't have to get it inspected because of the Antique plates but he's going to give it a good once over anyways....

[VA72C10]

Laid out the carpet to let it sit out unrolled this morning after getting back from helping my aunt/cousin move. When I got back from the picnic went by my brother in laws for some plumbing work and tile work tool drop off/instructions...then headed to the shop around 9:40

Long story short...I got both locks installed and working nicely (ignition, glovebox, and door locks all keyed the same)
And I got the passenger rear window channel installed with weathersrip (track isn't screwed in until window goes in)

Got the driver's door completely done other than the three upper screws for the vent window (Have to find them) Everything works as it should and best of all....no scratches in the paint

Going to bed now so I can get up in time for Church. Pictures tomorrow night and by then there should be a lot more done

[LEEVON]

Starting to really look like a completed truck...


If you want to save that steering wheel instead of getting a repop send it to me and I'll work some magic on it.

[VA72C10]

Thanks, after today I'm hoping it'll look 100% done.....

I already bought a nice original in black from Sharpie but I'll send you this one when I take it off if you want to save it and resell it for just shipping cost...

[VA72C10]

Got the passenger glass door all together. Going back over later to do more work. Upholstry guy is supposed to come over later now also...but it's getting really late...

[mjensen]

That is one nice looking Blazer! Great job!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by mjensen

That is one nice looking Blazer! Great job!

Thanks!

Well...the upholstry guy bailed on me again...didn't get the panels done and didn't even come by to do the carpet as promised (since Friday each day)

Oh well. Got the front end ALMOST 100% adjusted...still need to tweak the hood a bit. Got the hood to cowl seal in, and started on other weatherstrip...until I remembered I had no adhesive

Sorry I've been slacking on the pictures but not a lot of difference to show and I've been rushing so no time to stop and take pictures.

I hope I can get the upholstry guy by tomorrow evening because after that I'm out of town for a couple of days...

Here have been the "tools" the last few days (mainly the tape )



New door latch mechanism installed...


blazer specific rear channel weatherstrip installed

[VA72C10]

Here's the driver's door finished up...

[VA72C10]

Here's how it looked in the sun today....

[VA72C10]

need to take some new pictures as we did adjust the driver's door to get it to line up with the body and fender perfectly. I'll try to get some good pics tomorrow and hopefully the interior will be in...

[hgs_notes]

Looking good. Seems like there is more work to do after the paint is on than it takes to get to the paint stage. One question, what are planning for the tailgate letters?

[VA72C10]

Going to leave them plain. Next owner can decide if they want to paint inside the letters or put the chrome stickers in. Personally I like the subtle look where they are in the gate but not overly noticeable...