How to: Ruin a perfectly good Blazer...

[gringoloco]

My story starts with a pretty nice '72 Blazer- 4wd in a previous life. The first time it was converted, it was a simple bolt-in truck front crossmember, flipped rear axle. I then decided that wasn't good enough and proceeded to tear out all the suspension and convert it to trailing arms and bag it.

After driving it this way for a while, I decided I needed to c-notch the frame out back so I could drive it as low as I wanted without banging the frame- and lay a little lower when aired-out. I got one c-notch done before heading to Goodguy's Lonestar Nat's. While walking around the show, looking at all the sweet-ass rides my ol' lady made the suggestion "You should do something like this to your Blazer."

So when I got Back, I immediately scrapped the c-notch idea in favor of something a little more dramatic. After all, a suggestion is just as good as permission, right? Just so happened while we were there I was already picking up a Dropmember from Nathan Porter so it only made sense...

This is how it looked before, aired-out and aired-up.

[gringoloco]

The plan is to step notch it out back and keep the trailing arms. I know it won't lay out like this- the plans also call for a back seat so the notch will be cut down some. I have a passenger who likes to cruise with me sometimes. She can't be the only one with a comfy seat, so I have matching buckets for the front.

[droppedgmc]

it's gonna be shweet

[gringoloco]

First order of business was to tear out the tonneau cover out back and get rid of the rear suspension so I could have some space to work. I also did some measuring to see how low I could get with the bags in the stock location and still keep the back seat. I determined that to get where I wanted to be, I would need more than a 2" block and the floor needed to get out of the way.

Edit: Don't mind that rusty crossmember- it's just temp installed. It will get blasted and painted or powder coated like everything else...

[gringoloco]

The first one was easy. I ordered some 3/4"x2"x13" flat bar billet aluminum online and made 3/4" lowering blocks out of it. I just cut it in half and drilled holes for the u-bolts. The next step is make-or-break time. After a LOT of careful measuring and lay-out(purists should stop reading now), I took a circular saw with a metal cutting blade and made a big hole where the floor used to be. No turning back now...

[gringoloco]

With the floor out of the way and the 3" worth of block(2" + 3/4" + 1/4" ECE panhard bracket), I got a better idea of where the axle would end up. Problem with going this low with trailing arms is that the axle moves forward about an inch. This would not work for me so I drilled 10 more holes in the frame and moved the trailing arm crossmember back an inch. This was also a good time to install the ECE crossmember. It was the low point of the frame; now it's the tranny x-member, but that will be remedied when the Dropmember goes in. It also gave me a little more driveshaft clearance.

[gringoloco]

With the tires coming this far into the interior, stock tubs were not going to work. I got a set of 13" wide trailer fenders that I am using for tubs. They were the right width, but too tall- I wanted the top of the fenderwells to be just below the body line of the inner bedside. They needed to be about 5" shorter, so I took off 4" and used the next 1.25" as a mounting flange, They will bolt in just like the stock ones.

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Problem with going this low with trailing arms is that the axle moves forward about an inch. This would not work for me so I drilled 10 more holes in the frame and moved the trailing arm crossmember back an inch.

I wish I did that when I had the chance. Guess I'll have to do it when I get a DM
Looking good

[gringoloco]

The tubs worked out perfectly. You can see that they come just to the bottom of the body line and cover the tire very well. They will be closed in on either side with 16ga sheetmetal. You can also see how much of the inner bedside has to be trimmed...

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by droppedgmc

it's gonna be shweet

Thanks- I'm steadily chipping away at it...

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

I wish I did that when I had the chance. Guess I'll have to do it when I get a DM
Looking good

At least I didn't have rivets to deal with- moving yours will not be fun.

[72BlckButy]

That thing is coming together. It's going to be one sweet ride, not that it wasn't before.

Can't wait to see the end result.

[pcmcobra]

wow, taking an already sick a$$ blazer, and doing even more!
Sweet, can't wait to see the end result!

[jkade]

I am sure glad you are doing this, your are telling me everything I have been wondering.

[gringoloco]

Thanks for the motivation everyone. I knew you guys would understand. I've had no less than 3 people tell me I was ruining a perfectly good truck, hence the title of the thread.

jkade- I was gonna wait for you, but when the tub came off, I knew you would be a while

Small amount of progress today. After moving the rear suspension back an inch, I found that the ECE panhard bar was sitting back too far to fit inside the notch. I used a little trick I picked up from 67Fleet's build and slotted the mount so I could slide it forward about 3/4". This gave me just enough to get it in there; that combined with moving the notch a hair netted me the necessary clearance. I also got busy mocking up one of the notches and again taking a LOT of measurements. I made them 1/2" taller than what is needed with the bags fully compressed. I will use a button style bumpstop to keep the metal from clangin'. Next step is to tack them in

[jkade]

Yes I am going to be a while for sure. I am glad you are moving the suspension back a inch since it will make things look a lot better, this is what I am going to do also. I am going a little different route than you are, I am going to use a set of craftsman truck series arms on the rear of mine and mount the bags between the frame on the notch brace. I am wanting to have a 5" ride height from front to back with mine. What you are doing will yeild the same results though and it looks great in my opinion. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

[SCOTI]

Go man, go . . ...... .

[Rokcrln]

You know I am really sick of people taking vehicals that they own (and other people want) and doing what they want with them. What gives you the right to take a 4x4 blazer and screw it up by turning it into a 2wheel drive? Why could you not have found a rare 2wd and chopped it all to hell (like I am doing). Even worse yet is you are finding toime to work on yours while mine still sits in the yard colection dog urine. Your lucky you live so far away from me or I would give you a piece of my mind!!

Keep it up looking sweet!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[babyblueoval]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

You know I am really sick of people taking vehicals that they own (and other people want) and doing what they want with them. What gives you the right to take a 4x4 blazer and screw it up by turning it into a 2wheel drive? Why could you not have found a rare 2wd and chopped it all to hell (like I am doing). Even worse yet is you are finding toime to work on yours while mine still sits in the yard colection dog urine. Your lucky you live so far away from me or I would give you a piece of my mind!!

Keep it up looking sweet!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

I couldn't have said it better myself Kevin.

Chris,
It's gonna be awesome. I'm so ready to start on mine I can't stand it.
I was in Phoenix last week and got to see a few trucks at Nathan's place.
Serious motivation!!
Now if I can get the guy to ship me ALL of my C4 front suspension parts I'll have all that together and I can start mocking everything up. I'll be watching your build er rebuild cause I know you'll do am awesome job.

Jim

[PBFAB.COM]

I wouldn't "ruin it" any other way!

[Shane]

I think the title should read:

How to perfect a ruined blazer.

Nice work!

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by jkade

I am going a little different route than you are, I am going to use a set of craftsman truck series arms on the rear of mine and mount the bags between the frame on the notch brace. I am wanting to have a 5" ride height from front to back with mine. What you are doing will yeild the same results though and it looks great in my opinion. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

What's the difference in the Nascar arms? I was under the assumption that they were the same stamped pieces. I contemplated the under-bed bag mounts, but I couldn't go any lower and keep the seat plus you lose lift ratio. You could alwys use a sleeve bag I guess to get some lift back. My ride height should be around 6" or so. Front will be ~5, but I kinda like a little rake...

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Go man, go . . ...... .

I'm slow man, slow...

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

You know I am really sick of people taking vehicals that they own (and other people want) and doing what they want with them. What gives you the right to take a 4x4 blazer and screw it up by turning it into a 2wheel drive? Why could you not have found a rare 2wd and chopped it all to hell (like I am doing). Even worse yet is you are finding toime to work on yours while mine still sits in the yard colection dog urine. Your lucky you live so far away from me or I would give you a piece of my mind!!

Keep it up looking sweet!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

My sentiments exactly!

Originally Posted by babyblueoval

Chris,
It's gonna be awesome. I'm so ready to start on mine I can't stand it.
I was in Phoenix last week and got to see a few trucks at Nathan's place.
Serious motivation!!
Now if I can get the guy to ship me ALL of my C4 front suspension parts I'll have all that together and I can start mocking everything up. I'll be watching your build er rebuild cause I know you'll do am awesome job.

Jim

Sweet! Take some pictures for us! I figure if I ever want to lay the rear on the ground, I'll find a way to do an IRS and keep it all under the floor.

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

I wouldn't "ruin it" any other way!

Couldn't have done it without your help. Thanks for the props. What would you charge me to fly in and apply your 'ROBOWELDS' to my notches?

Originally Posted by Shane

I think the title should read:

How to perfect a ruined blazer.

Nice work!

Yes! That's what I was thinkin- I don't see this one ever goin' off-road again...

[N2TRUX]

Don't be skeered. It's only metal...

[jkade]

[QUOTE=gringoloco;2426884]What's the difference in the Nascar arms? I was under the assumption that they were the same stamped pieces. I contemplated the under-bed bag mounts, but I couldn't go any lower and keep the seat plus you lose lift ratio. You could alwys use a sleeve bag I guess to get some lift back. My ride height should be around 6" or so. Front will be ~5, but I kinda like a little rake...

Here are the truck arms






My bags are going to be mounted like these. I thought if you mounted them in front of the axel it wasn't as bad as over the axel?


I agree I usually like a little rake also but I am going to set this one up where she will be level.

Keep up the good work.

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by jkade

Here are the truck arms

Cool. Where did you score those?

Originally Posted by jkade

My bags are going to be mounted like these. I thought if you mounted them in front of the axel it wasn't as bad as over the axel?

Basically the same thing- it's still a 1:1 lift ratio. It's not necessarily bad- I actually thought about using this setup on my pickup- but I would definitely run a NON-convoluted style bag.

[Spray-Bomb]

Sweet !!!

Can't wait to see the "after" pics !!!!!!