Opinions!! Can't Decide What To Do.......

[Huskerboy2]

I'm getting back to my '72 Blazer frame off restoration after a long break. It's great to be back on this board......great people and an incredible resource for working on these old trucks.

I'm a die hard fan of stock trucks and I'm going all stock on this build, right down to the white steelies and NOS caps. I bought this Blazer about 17 years ago from the original owner's family after he passed away: 80,000 miles, 350, 4 spd., power steering and brakes, air conditioning, single wall top, etc. It's a base model, but does have a few options. Pretty solid truck overall.

I'm going to add a few factory options that it didn't come with, like tilt (I have a restored factory 4 speed tilt I've been saving), tach dash, chrome trim deluxe door panels and am/fm radio. I do have an aftermarket Smittybuilt roll bar and I am toying with the idea of putting a 2" or 4" lift on it.

The big question is, do I keep the 4 spd.? I toyed with the idea of converting this to a TH350 auto and over the years I hoarded all the parts to be able to do it. Tranny, t-case, tilt column, etc. Maybe I'm just getting old, but from a driveability standpoint, the auto sounds good to me.

What do you guys think? I know it's been asked a thousand times on here. I like the idea of keeping the truck what it always was, but I like the idea of an auto and I have all the parts to do it.

Thanks guys.

[truckster]

I was a "stir it yourself" kind of guy, but I really like having an auto in my Blazer. I just put it in gear and drive. And if I need to downshift manually, I can.

[craneboy72]

Keep the 4 speed does not get better than that like the steelies as well

[D.PASSMORE]

I like the 4sp in my Blazer. All rebuilt OE or NOS stuff that I've picked up. I drive it like a hod rod though. Passengers are always amazed how well it performs while going through the gears. My wife would rather drive it than her 2016 Toyota 4 Runner TRD PRO. Your call on the swap, nothing the matter with a auto.

[burton'sblazer]

Got granny low for your first gear, I assume? If so, you really drive a 3spd now anyway. Only real difference is you lose the option for super lower gearing with the 350 hydromatic. If you take it offroad, the low gear is usefull but just for a Saturday afternoon icecream crusier the auto is the way to go. My $0.02.

[DeadheadNM]

There was a recent car jacking attempt here in ABQ. The crook abandoned the vehicle because he didn't know how to operate a manual tranny. I never thought of a manual tranny as an anti-theft device! Anyway, no wrong way to go. Start a build thread so we can follow along.

[cleszkie]

The auto is definitely the way to go for easy cruising, no doubt.

I swapped out my auto for a 4 speed because I frequently tow a loaded car hauler through some pretty long and steep mountain passes in southern California, and the auto wouldn't hold up long under that kind of abuse. The 4 speed is a truck tranny, and shifts like one! But it is like a honey badger - throw anything at it and it just don't care

[Huskerboy2]

Thanks for the feedback guys, keep it coming. I'm leaning toward going automatic. It would be an easy conversion to do on a frame off resto and I've got all the parts for it. I've already got a 4 spd. '85 Jeep CJ and a 2000 Grand Cherokee trail rig, so I've got stick shift and off road covered.

This is sort of the look I'm going for on the Blazer. I believe this was RackMan's resto on his pickup from a few years back.

What do you all think about color? My truck was originally 523 Dark Blue. I like that color, but I also like the 1969 Lemans Blue on this truck. It's period correct and close to the original color, but I think it pops a little more. My interior is black and in perfect shape. Blue or parchment would be my preferred interior colors, but my black interior is just too nice to switch.

Going to make the following additions to the factory equipment as well. I've already got all of these parts:

1. Leaning toward the auto conversion
2. Tow hooks
3. Replacing the basic door panels with deluxe panels with the chrome trim. Already have a perfect set dyed and ready to go.
4. Gas tank skid plate
5. Debating on trim. I definitely want the white lettering on the tailgate. Was thinking about adding the black lower trim, taillight bezels, upper/lower tailgate molding, etc. Now I'm thinking of keeping it clean.
6. AM/FM radio
7. Chrome t-case shifter instead of black
8. Chrome vent windows instead of the black
9. I may go with the wider steelies. I've got a set of each. My truck came with the full wheel covers, but I'm going with hub caps.
10. Smittybuilt roll bar
11. Tachometer (already have the dash rebuilt and ready to go)
12. Tilt column (already have both an auto and a factory 4 spd. tilt column rebuilt, repainted, etc.)
13. Possible 4" suspension lift. This would be easy to do as well during a frame off resto.

Anyway, this is what I'm thinking. Still looking for thoughts on auto vs. 4 spd., exterior color, yes or no on molding, etc.

Thanks all.

[Mike C]

Personally, I think the manual much more utilitarian. More low range gearing with less axle gearing. That means lower RPM on the highway which makes it a better cruiser. Even with the same axle gearing, the converter slip in the auto increases engine speed nearly 10% on the road.

I prefer the bullet proof reliability of the 4 speed as well. At least in my truck, the original clutch made it 252,000 miles. That's when the timing chain broke on the original motor. Clutch was in the rivets but still working!

[Willowrun]

I have Blazers with both. I love driving manual transmission vehicles. That said, the appeal of driving the SM465 equipped Blazer for any amount of time wears off quickly. A benefit to the manual is nobody else wants to drive it.

Regarding what color, my opinion is to stick with what it came with.

[Chad22873]

4spd all the way. That's what's in my blazer and I have a 71 K20 also with a 4 spd. It's really hard to go wrong with them. 523 Dark blue is a great color. That's my vote.