1972 Blazer "SPECIAL EDITION" factory 396?

[01chevduramax]

disclaimer:
I have searched. I have read "no blazer with a big block from the factory" many times on this site.

That said... I was driving to a job today, down a road I lived on for 7 years. Right across the street from a friends house lived an orange 1972 blazer 4wd. It was always in the garage. I never saw it out.
So there I am running behind as usual. What do I see parked in the driveway? I anchored the brakes, and backed up to the mailbox. The owner is already walking towards me. He knows what I'm up to. I ask to check out the Blazer. His first words are "I will never sell it". I'm thinking ya right he has a number in mind.
Then he starts telling me that this Blazer is one of 400 made. He says it was a dealer promotion that went out to each Chev dealer that sold X amount. It has a factory 396. I'm thinking NO I don't think so. We talked for a minute and he tells me that if he were starving to death he would sell it for $50,000. I asked to snap a couple pics. He says NO. I asked to see the SPID. He says NO. It was pretty weird.
Could there be ANY truth to what he said?? Was there any special dealer promo Blazers in 72? The 396 thing is 100% incorrect right? I thought maybe it was a highlander. But I didn't see any plaid!
The guy was really friendly, but wouldn't let me within 10 feet. I am thinking about getting a case of Coors and going back. It WILL be mine, OH YES! It will be mine.....

[71swb4x4]

There were 400 and none have shown up here with documentation? I am highly skeptical.

[72ironmike]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

There were 400 and none have shown up here with documentation? I am highly skeptical.

I second that notion ! But "the rest of the story" may prove interesting ?

[Blazerowner]

Anything is possible. If it's documented then it would be a serious collectible. Just remember a spid can be reproduced.

[truckster]

It may be I'm the only one in the world who thinks this way, but if I had something that rare, I would be eager to show it off. The whole thing about not getting within 10 feet sounds really suspicious.

And I have a 200mm lens on my Nikon. I can get within a few feet from really far away... I'm just sayin'.

[Blazerowner]

Some people are pretty protective of their cars. He doesn't seem to want to sell but it could be hype. I don't tell too many people what I have unless I know them well because I don't want something to come up missing. 50k is steep for any blazer considering you could buy two or three really nice ones for that price.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by truckster

It may be I'm the only one in the world who thinks this way, but if I had something that rare, I would be eager to show it off. The whole thing about not getting within 10 feet sounds really suspicious.

And I have a 200mm lens on my Nikon. I can get within a few feet from really far away... I'm just sayin'.

Originally Posted by Blazerowner

Some people are pretty protective of their cars. He doesn't seem to want to sell but it could be hype. I don't tell too many people what I have unless I know them well because I don't want something to come up missing.

Agree.

My dad was always very protective of our GTO. He would show it to only a select few and then tell them not to repeat what they saw.

I think he was legitimately scared that GM was going to come take it away (there was precedence, as he had lost the prior two vehicles in that way). He would have a cow if he knew what I was doing with that car now.

K

[GMC-YA68]

Idk, the fact he threw out the fact that he knew it was 1 of 400 makes me think it's possible. Or some con-artist threw a 396 in it and told him the same story, bailed and made some quick $$$. I hope it's true. Go have some beers and talk shop and "tame" him. I'd even paypal you some $$$ to feed him some extra booze to verify this ghost truck...

Good luck!

[01chevduramax]

I will definitely go back over there. I wish my truck was done, I know he'd like it. That would be enough to get my foot in the door for sure. I'll bring him a box of Coors, and some smoked salmon this weekend.

[72gmguy]

Could have been a "dealer promo" like the owner said but that doesn't mean it is factory or on the spid. Maybe some large dealers were transplanting big blocks in them to get rid of inventory. Weren't 72s sitting around on dealer lots back then? I thought that's where the feather decal packages originated, a way to move dead inventory before the new models came out.

[68panelman]

Subscribing to see if you get to the bottom of this "mystery" big block blazer

[jjzepplin]

My mystery Blazer is only worth $1500 unless I put more money into it in which case it will be worth less.
Subbed for info.

[Keith Seymore]

The word on the street here at GM Truck Engineering is that is was never done because the torque multiplication of the tcase in 4L would kill the axles.

Not to say it couldn't have been done downstream from "the factory" by some enterprising dealership, ala Yenko or Baldwin-Motion. But that makes it not "from the factory".

K

[72shorbox]

A lot can happen with a vehicle over 42 years. I have a friend who had a 70 blazer with a 454 that he installed in the mid 70's that looked factory, he was an ASE mechanic that worked at the Chevy dealer. It would be interesting to see where the motor is set in relation to the firewall. I doubt the factory would have a guy massaging the firewall with a hammer to fit that motor. Another friend bought a '72 K2500 GMC from the original owner (local truck) that the dealer installed a crate 427 in in 1972 because the 350 didn't have the power to pull his camper like the salesman said it would. Unfortunately the guy I know who purchased this truck from the original owner removed the big block and put a small block back in it(he took a lot of heat over that). Dealer installed very possibly, factory installed doubt it.

[01chevduramax]

I don't know how to approach the guy about this.
I know if somebody drove by my house, saw my shop open, and drove down my driveway to check out my truck, I would be very suspicious. Like reaching for the shotgun suspicious. I think once I knew the guy wasn't a meth head, and he lived just a mile or 2 away, AND loved the 67-72 chevs I would be cool with it. Pulling up in the FORD van was a mistake...

[mister.freeze]

Originally Posted by 72shorbox

A lot can happen with a vehicle over 42 years. I have a friend who had a 70 blazer with a 454 that he installed in the mid 70's that looked factory, he was an ASE mechanic that worked at the Chevy dealer. It would be interesting to see where the motor is set in relation to the firewall. I doubt the factory would have a guy massaging the firewall with a hammer to fit that motor. Another friend bought a '72 K2500 GMC from the original owner (local truck) that the dealer installed a crate 427 in in 1972 because the 350 didn't have the power to pull his camper like the salesman said it would. Unfortunately the guy I know who purchased this truck from the original owner removed the big block and put a small block back in it(he took a lot of heat over that). Dealer installed very possibly, factory installed doubt it.

Prior to my ownership, my 72 had a 454. It even had the 454 badging on the side. It was used to drag a sailboat from storage down a hill to a marina every spring and back up thw hill every fall. That's about all I know about it. The 350 when I bought it and the current stroker sit on the same crossmember. I can't fit an HEI distributor because of it.

[Blazer690]

Ford van!!! ya think???

[68panelman]

It's all about the approach...

[71swb4x4]

Bring him some pictures of your truck. Tell him about your plans.

[jayoldschool]

if somebody drove by my house, saw my shop open, and drove down my driveway to check out my truck, I would be very suspicious. Like reaching for the shotgun suspicious.

lol, take it as a compliment. People stop by my place all the time to talk/ask about my rides when I'm outside, or have the doors up. I'm happy to talk. Ease up on the trigger finger, you might just make a new friend

[truckster]

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

lol, take it as a compliment. People stop by my place all the time to talk/ask about my rides when I'm outside, or have the doors up. I'm happy to talk. Ease up on the trigger finger, you might just make a new friend

"I always figure you might as well approach life like everybody's your friend or nobody is..." from the movie Silverado.

I love talking about my rides. Maybe it's just the part of the country I live in.

[7D2N]

I would look at the motor mounts, I think the dealership would have BBC motor mounts if that was there plan.

[Classic Heartbeat]

I have a bridge for sale... WES

[1tuff71]

Could it have been a "COPO" truck ???? Some 60's and 70's cars came out of the factory with big blocks and wimpy 12 bolts. I suppose anything was possible back then. Whose to argue.

[01chevduramax]

I'm all for friends, and talking about trucks anytime. Just not usually strange people showing up out of the blue. I've got 3 little kids and a wife that I would like to keep safe. I wish I would have thought more about just pulling up like that. I was just so surprised to see it out.