Original 1971 blazer copper paint?

[crisco]

My 71 blazer used to be copper. The dash and doors still are but I thought a while back it would be cool to do the outside in bedliner.


It turned out bad of course since I was pretty clueless about prep and used duplicolor.

I am thinking about doing both my 87 burban now and then the 71 blazer after in the same color.

Does anyone have any pictures of a clean first gen blazer in the factory color?

Here is an old pic of the dash with paint in decent shape.
Does anyone know the color codes, the best way to duplicate it, if it can be done in single stage etc?

[rsavage]

How do you get bedliner off?

[Firebirdjones]

Any reputable paint shop can duplicate a color.
All you need is a body part with the original color on it. Like your dash vent or glove box door for instance, something that has been out of the sun.
They can pick a shade that closely matches and work with it from there tinting it to match.
If you have a paint code it's a little easier. I've found when restoring classic cars the codes aren't always exact anymore, as some paint companies are using different formulas for mixing and they come out a shade off. So it really helps to have a piece with original paint on it.

You can do it in single stage if you wish or base/clear. That's up to you.

You put bedliner on the outside on purpose? I don't know how you would get that off short of media blasting or acid dipping?

[crisco]

I put bedliner on the outside because its mainly a trail truck, but I want it to look better.
It's the spray can Duplicolor bedliner, not like Rhino lining or anything. Not thick at all so I am HOPING it comes off easy.

[cleszkie]

I put the roll-on style bedliner from Herculiner on the inside of my tub years ago. I removed it all with a paint stripper that is used on epoxy paints that I got from Home Depot. Brushed it on and the bedliner bubbled up just like paint. I then scraped the crap off with a metal spackle blade.

[crisco]

Originally Posted by cleszkie

I put the roll-on style bedliner from Herculiner on the inside of my tub years ago. I removed it all with a paint stripper that is used on epoxy paints that I got from Home Depot. Brushed it on and the bedliner bubbled up just like paint. I then scraped the crap off with a metal spackle blade.

I did the same thing to the inside, with herculiner.
I am mostly happy with that, I wish the texture wasn't so sharp though.

What did you do inside after you got the herculiner off?

[YBNORML]

Here are some pics of mine. It is a 72-2wd. The exterior has had one repaint (factory color)and the interior is original paint.

[crisco]

WOW! Your blazer is NICE!
I'm jealous.

When you had the exterior re-painted, how did they match the paint?
Your interior looks EXACTLY like mine color wise, so I'm curious now if I should have a color match done on the factory paint code or have my glove box door color scanned.

[YBNORML]

Thanks man! Unfortunately I can't answer that question. It was repainted 2 owners ago. A friend of mine brought it up from North Dakota in 2002. I purchased it from him in 2008. All I have done to the trucks is lower it, add rims and replace the motor and drivetrain.
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[butler57]

as far as I know the color was 462 and it was calledlassic Bronze

[butler57]

make that "Classic Bronze"

[YBNORML]

According to the on my truck it is called Medium Bronze. But chances are they are the same color, we all know how GM loves to change the names of their colors
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[Firebirdjones]

I've seen alot of strange names on those glove box stickers so I don't put too much faith in that. Mine is completely wrong on my blazer, typo maybe, or a monday truck

Paint codes can't always be followed to the letter either, as I mentioned they have different formulas and paint charts to follow now than they had 40 years ago. They may get you to the same color or close, but are sometimes a shade off. I have quite a few original paint muscle cars here, and when I need to do touchup, even the factory paint codes didn't get close enough. You would have to find an old paint shop that's been around with an experienced counter person to know what I'm talking about. I get this all the time when doing work on classic cars.

I can show you pics of our 70 formy with original paint, I had to touch up the nose and I sprayed a set of dog dish steel wheels.

The wheels were done with current paint mixing charts, and they are about 2 shades too dark.
I went back and had more paint mixed to spray the nose, and had the car there. The guy (whom I've dealt with for years) got out the old books, and mixed the paint according to those charts, color came out perfect and matched the 40 year old paint to a "T".
You would have to find a very good paint shop that's been around a while with an experienced counter person to know what I'm talking about.

More than likely if your paint code doesn't come close to matching your dash, you'll have to take a part off and have it color matched. That's probably the best method.

[stomper]

My '72 SPID lists 'Med Bronze". It's probably 90% original paint.

[ntd]

cool truck, that color is pretty cool. mine is medium blue. needs new paint bad.
do you drive with the top off alot ?
I took my top off and sold it.!!! lol
then I ran a couple pieces of tubing from the rollcage to the top of the windshield and bolted them in using the bolt holes for the brackets to the topper. minimizes body flex because of the top being off.

[bigbadchev72]

Originally Posted by ntd

cool truck, that color is pretty cool. mine is medium blue. needs new paint bad.
do you drive with the top off alot ?
I took my top off and sold it.!!! lol
then I ran a couple pieces of tubing from the rollcage to the top of the windshield and bolted them in using the bolt holes for the brackets to the topper. minimizes body flex because of the top being off.

Thats also a great way to break your windshield. The windshield frame is meant to flex.

[ntd]

do you have a suggestion to help with the body flex ? I really don't want to replace the windshield. with the top off full time, the doors can be a little bit of a pain in the butt to open and close smoothly.
also how did you do your disc brake conversion in the back ? and your 465 tranny, that is the 5-speed ? how much longer is it than the 4-speed ? and did it bolt right up to the transfer case ?

[crisco]

I run topless all the time and yeah, if the truck isn't on level ground the doors are a pain.
I don't have the coin yet for a cage, so I was thinking of something simple to see if it helps.
Right behind the front seats, where the floorpan has the shelf rise to the bed, I was going to use some 1 3/4 tubing and some 1/4 plates, bolt the plates to the vertical surface, weld the tube to it, run them parallel on the side of the seat up towards the firewall, then another plate thru bolted to the floor.
Like the rocker boxes below but tubing above.

Then later I could tie my cage into them.

I agree on not bolting anything to the windshield frame though, I watch the gap between the frame and my doors when I wheel and it moves ALOT.

Anyone know where to get another frame?
I can't BELIEVE no one is making repop metal to fix that rust spot on these trucks. Mine is so bad I can't even bolt the top on to it anymore.

[ntd]

what rust spot are you talking about ?

[bigbadchev72]

Probably talking about the windshield frame, gonna have to watch the classifeds, ck5.com is another place to watch for them as well.

Diy4x.com has the stacked cage plates for cheaper than you could buy and make them. I have them on my cage. They have a hole in one plate and a dowel in the other, one is slightly bigger than the other so it is less likely to rip or stress the sheetmetal floor.

As far as body flew goes, body bushings, shims and torsion boxes all need to be in place and will help alot. I am not running any torsion boxes in my blazer, but the cage has stiffened the body alot.

Edit: I am running 3/4 ton running gear in my jimmy and blazer, they are both running diy4x 14bolt disc conversion brackets. The 465 is factory optioned L-1-2-3, not a 5 speed.

[ntd]

ok thanks,
one dumb question.... I hear people talking about torsion boxes, what are those ?

[bigbadchev72]

Also called rocker boxes, they are the big box looking thing under the doors, it is structural to the body when the top is off, keeps the windshield frame and firewall from wanting to pull backwards towards the body and helps to eliminate body flex.

[crisco]

Yup, the rust spot I was referring to was the top of the windshield frame.
My point was it's surprising no one has stepped up to make a patch panel for the upper inside of the frame. That's the main place I have seen rust on them, and where mine is bad.
I don't have any rust around the glass, just inside the cab. Who knows, maybe if I dug around the gasket I would flip my lid and buy a whole windshield frame.

Has anyone tried to just form their own? With Nutserts for the top?
I am beyond show truck or original with mine, so I would be ok with something close, workable, and un-noticable to a non first gen chevy guy. Something I could still bolt this goofy double wall top I have hanging over my head in the garage to.