Converting 4x4 frame to a 2 wheel drive - 1979 Blazer

[FlatTireGarage]

Day O: this is my first attempt at posting to a forum, but here it goes.

17AUG, my wife and I drove up northeast of Atlanta to pick up this 1979 Blazer for $3000. Selling points were it came with a title, pretty good tires and a solid top... the rest I was willing to take a chance on.

After the exchange in a Wal Mart parking lot, we immediately went to a tire shop and got the tires balanced - feedback from the guy at the shop, the tires are fine but the rims weren't perfect and required some weights on the outside of the rim to bring it back to normal.

After grabbing a Johny Cash CD from Wal Mart for $5, we got on the road... made it thru Atlanta traffic without any issue.

---

After spending the weekend at Cruising the Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi... Decided i wanted to make it a 2 wheel drive!

[FlatTireGarage]

Day 1 (18OCT15, Sunday): this weekend the adventure started...

I was able to pick up a 4x4 Jimmy frame for $100 near Macon. (came with a tilt column that will be going in my '69 C20, the spare tire mount, and some other odds and ends)

Then i picked up 2 wheel drive C10 from a local junk yard for $500. (with registration that expired 5 months ago, I'm hoping the 12 bolt rear, front disk set up are all solid --- not to mention the wheels cleaned up and look like new)

Today's efforts focused on getting the front end, wheels and anything I wanted to keep of the C10. Plan is to scrap as much as possible and see how much of the $600 (from both trucks) I can get back...

*** Plan is to spend the fall swapping out the components and next summer swapping the '79 Blazer over to the clean, 2x4 frame.

[FlatTireGarage]

Day 1: 19OCT15, Final pics

[BaggedRanger]

I don't think the frame will work for you as the truck should be longer than the blazer..

However you can use the front crossmember and undo the rear shackles from the truck and transplant it onto your blazer.. Technically that is what my truck is in the process of getting done. I have a factory 2wd but the frame was wrecked and I found a donor 4wd frame to replace it. We had to drill some new holes but now the crossmember bolts right up.

[FlatTireGarage]

@ BaggedRanger thanks for being the first one to comment...

You are correct the lwb is 117" while the Blazer/Jimmy is 107".

I've attached a pic of the plan. I'm not going to touch the running/working 4x4 components on the running '79 Blazer, i'll be keeping that for a future project... plan is to build up what's left of a 4x4 frame from a '78 GMC Jimmy with 2wd components from the '77 Chevy C10 lwb (all 4 rear hangers, bump stop and rear end as well as the front cross members, control arms, spindles and power steering gear box)...

Lots of tips from the link below:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=168231&page=1

The convenience of working on a frame without a body has been nice, a definate sustain for my next projects.

[68Timber]

You are a blessed man. I've seen many an old neglected Blazer, but you don't hear of too many wives willing to spend their Saturday going out of town to look at one to possibly drag home. Congrats. Looking forward to seeing progress. And welcome to 67-72!

[BaggedRanger]

Originally Posted by FlatTireGarage

The convenience of working on a frame without a body has been nice, a definate sustain for my next projects.

I know what you mean.. Current pic of my 74 Blazer ..

[FlatTireGarage]

Absolutely... I'm digging what you're doing with the rear end!

[BaggedRanger]

Thanks.. It lays flat on the ground.. The new front crossmember while expensive is nice and gives me an extra 1 1/2" on each side of clearance..

[FlatTireGarage]

Great weekend

24OCT: Saturday I was able to get the '77 LWB body and bed off. After a quick wash, I put the wheels back and pushed her to where most of the work will be done.

25OCT: I switched over to the '78 Jimmy body removal, a little more difficult getting this one on the frame with both the front and rear housings already gone.

* It's nice to finally see the differance that everyone talkes about between the Blazer frame and the C10...

If anyone needs any measurements, now is the time!

This week I'll spend most of my time removing (grinding off) the rear hangers on both frames... I'm going to then mock up the new 2wd frame - after everything is fitted, I'll remove it all again and pressure wash, paint (KBS blue), reassemble and start working brake and fuel lines.

"Slow and Steady"

[FlatTireGarage]

30-31OCT: in an effort to clear out the back lot, this weeks focus was on removing anything that I may need in the future. Original plan was to just drop the frames from both the 4x4 frame and the 2wd C10 frame - but with the price of steel being down again, figured the .03 i'd get for a bracket wasn't worth the $20 i'd have to pay in 10 years when I need one.

So everything is sitting, waiting to get put in bins... this was my first time taking apart a late model truck. Was interesting to see the difference between the '78 Jimmy and the '77 C10. Same dash components would have a 1/4" screw on the Jimmy and 5/16" on the C10.

Was able to get all the wiring, pedal assemblies, power booster brackets, plastic duct/vent work, wiper transmissions, etc...

If I could get it off, and avoid laying in ants - it came off.

We are getting lots of rain this week - but hope to get off to the scrap yard this week. Once the "eye sore" is gone, I'll switch back to the real frame work. So far so good!

[68Timber]

I wondered how you were fairing in the weather. Nice progress.

[texastruckjunky]

I'm kinda doing the same thing only going the other way. 2wd to 4wd.

[FlatTireGarage]

I like it... I always thought the blazers were meant to be 2wd and the Suburbans 4wd... I'll have to keep my eyes open for one around here! Looks great...

[FlatTireGarage]

Still getting after it... biggest headache so far has been trying to remove the 'hangers' - been having to cut the heads off of the large steel rivets and drive the shaft thru... slow, loud, and dirty!

Old 2wd frame now looks pretty lonely, but the shorter blazer frame is starting to look pretty good!

[FlatTireGarage]

Well, the yard looks better... but with the price of scrap way down (again) my grand total for two bad cabs, some bumpers, tailgates... and 2500# of steel ==== $63.40!

[junksaver]

Have you made any progress on your project?

[phillipm]

Danggg! Those scrap prices are the lowest i've seen!