No longer a Blazer Chalet owner

[77blazerchalet]

I'm cautious, and hate going below a certain pure cash reserve amount to pay for emergencies like my crazy high insurance deductible, or an exploded engine in my daily driver car, etc. Since restricted weekend access to the ol' camper really was putting the skids on doing serious work to it, combined with skidding income in my mutual funds, an offer of $8500 for it was too good to pass up.

I haven't lost interest in these, I'll keep looking on a near-daily basis for Chalets & GMC Jimmy Casa Grandes on the internet, and still welcome all sightings of 'em from you guys. Mine is going to an especially appreciative home in Indiana, to be kept indoors out of the rain, and away from road salt. Most likely I'll be able to announce something on behalf of the new owner that could be a real surprise to you all, but he's not ready for that yet. Has to do with recycling perfectly good old trucks.....

Future plans call for a more practical 4door SUV like a Nissan Xterra maybe. Who knows, I could find a rarer Casa Grande much later on just to own for sheer collectibleness.

So if you see this one rolling to Lebanon Indiana in the next few days.... yep, that was mine.

[N2TRUX]

It's a sad day indeed. You have been the bearer of the Chalet torch for so long now. Your going to miss it.

[77blazerchalet]

Reality is what it is. I was so close to buying a home in Phoenix during the big housing boom on a couple of different occasions, but was outbid each time. Now the irony is that I could buy two homes for the price of one, but the decision to semi-retire two years ago reduced the cash reserves.

A big back yard would have made working on the thing so much easier, as opposed to only hours at a time on weekends at my parents' HOA-controlled neighborhood, with its fierce restrictions about working on vehicles in driveways.

Not to worry too much, I'll continue to be a Chalet nut, just without an actual Chalet for a while.....

[tvblazer78]

Goog luck with the new find and hope it all works out.
Posted via Mobile Device

[79gmcclassic]

big mistake!

[77blazerchalet]

Originally Posted by 79gmcclassic

big mistake!

You may be right. Finding just about any variety of 33 year old vehicle in virtually rust free shape with shiny metalflake paint is like winning some small lottery. As dusty and full of pine needles at it was, I saw a jewel when I first looked at it 4 years ago. It sure shined up good. But I've also seen family members and former co-workers in a world of hurt simply because they couldn't raise $5 grand in cash for whatever emergency, so paranoia drove me toward the cash option. Hated to choose that...

[79gmcclassic]

im sorry to not know this but whats paranoia?

[77blazerchalet]

Originally Posted by 79gmcclassic

im sorry to not know this but whats paranoia?

Irrational fear, probably too strong of words there. I'm a pay-as-you-go guy, not one to put any huge amounts on credit cards that I can't pay off by the next month. For example, just today I bought over $300 worth of tires for my car, and tomorrow I'll have new fuel pumps put in it to replace the 10-year old units that are on their last legs. $492, parts & labor. I'll pay off the entire credit card bill next month.

I'm semi-retired, living off dwindling savings. I can fix my car with greater confidence, knowing that if I break a leg, or if the engine blows in the car next week, I can also pay off those bills, too.

[tvblazer78]

Originally Posted by 77blazerchalet

Irrational fear, probably too strong of words there. I'm a pay-as-you-go guy, not one to put any huge amounts on credit cards that I can't pay off by the next month. For example, just today I bought over $300 worth of tires for my car, and tomorrow I'll have new fuel pumps put in it to replace the 10-year old units that are on their last legs. $492, parts & labor. I'll pay off the entire credit card bill next month.

I'm semi-retired, living off dwindling savings. I can fix my car with greater confidence, knowing that if I break a leg, or if the engine blows in the car next week, I can also pay off those bills, too.

Thats smart, not many of us do that..

[Hulk Will Smash]

So that's what that is... There's a Chalet that lives about three quarters of a mile down the street from me. I'll try and grab a picture next time I think of it.

[77blazerchalet]

Originally Posted by Hulk Will Smash

..There's a Chalet that lives about three quarters of a mile down the street from me. I'll try and grab a picture..

Always grateful for such sightings - somebody told me about one in Huntington Beach elsewhere, but I can't remember where, apart from it was gone later. One of our Yahoo forum members in Huntington Beach owns #0706 GMC Casa Grande in the photo below.

We designate these by the serial number plate on the back - photo link here

[Hulk Will Smash]

Right on. i don't think that's it. I think it was very similar paint to yours. It's down on like Orange right between Lake and Main (not that it means much, to you but maybe the other HB guy). It was there yesterday when I drove by. I'll cruise by this weekend.

[77blazerchalet]

Originally Posted by Hulk Will Smash

..down on like Orange right between Lake and Main..

I do love the internet, for providing me with eyes all around the world. The GoogleStreetViewMobile was of no help since it just showed the black SUV in the driveway, but when I borrowed Bill Gates' bing.com helicopter for just a few moments, there it is.

Such views can be as much as three years out of date, so it has been there for a while. Can't tell what the lower color combo is, it would be either chocolate metalic brown & tan or a more bronze & tan color.

In case the owner wonders what you are up to, you could print out this page from Hemmings Motor News (I think it will let you do that), which has a story of them and a photo of my former Chalet at the top of the page.



Many thanks for your efforts!

[Hulk Will Smash]

Hopefully not too much hassle from the guy when I pull up in my 87 dually. I should be properly identified as a square body freak! I'll try to run by there tomorrow or Sunday.

[Hulk Will Smash]

Haven't had a chance to get the serial number... Too much time at work lately(better than not enough these days, I guess).

Anyhow, here's a crumby photo. As I'd mentioned. It's rough. It's solid red oxide primer on the other side. Enjoy.

[77blazerchalet]

Originally Posted by Hulk Will Smash

Haven't had a chance to get the serial number...here's a crumby photo...

Many thanks! I'm fairly certain this is not one on my mega-list, but I'll have to check through the notes about stickers in the rear window. I try to put in tell-tale details when I find photos, so sometimes I can spot an altered one just from some small prior detail. No hurry, and I appreciate the efforts!