Project: Polished Turd

[thor]

Well, after a few years of cruising here, I thought it would be fun to track all that I've done and all I will be doing to my 1972 Chevy Blazer CST. The name for this project came about along time ago when someone told me I was trying to polish a turd. Actually, I took no offense then and I still don't today. So, like many slurs, the name kinda stuck. I mean, the body panels have never hung true and the paint is well weathered, and more than likely she will stay that way. This is a rig meant for wheeling, camping, and just having fun. Besides, it's a theft deterant. Here's some pics as she stands today.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...s6-6-11003.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...s6-6-11001.jpg

I bought this rig back in '95 at the age of 20. It is a CST but many of the upgraded parts were already gone. It came with the 4" rancho lift springs up front and blocks in the rear and a different 33" tire on each corner. The battery was so bad I left it running while fueling up on the trip back home.

I drove it for a year as it was, enjoying the summer days with the top off, having water balloon wars (waaay more fun at speed) and playing a hide-and-seek game involving our rigs and CB's that we called Rabbit. Then I blew-up the tranny pump in the TH-350. The coolant lines running to the radiator were smashed - not sure if it was me or the PO. So I took this time to install a TH-700R4 for its lower first gear and OD. I bought this tranny from a co-worker who had it rebuilt with a 27 spline output to match an NP205 and with a serious shift kit. Nice, crisp shifts at speed!

In the driveway, we made a lift using 4x4's for posts and a beam, removed the tranny cover, and used an engine hoist. We bolted the new tranny to the engine, bolted the x-member, and began drilling the new holes back ~2" on the frame. Like many of you I got to experience hot shavings on skin. Ouch! Once in, I also installed an Art Carr shifter so I could bang thru the gears, and a Bowtie Overdrives linkage kit to hook-up to the new Edelbrock q-jet carb (they began remaking them - not sure if they still do or not).

I also did other things like replacing radiator hoses with those flexible metal ones, new thermostat and housing, Accel cap/rotor/wires, plugs, blah blah.

Jump ahead to a year ago and I was having fuel issues. More to the point, I wasn't getting any fuel and the filter was orange. So, I installed a new stock replacement fuel tank from LMC, sending unit, new fuel pump, and blew out the lines. Voila!

I also installed a soft top from Softopper. I really like the material. I do wish the style of the back had more of a front lean to it like the hard-tops. And like all soft-tops the fit around the doors is meh. But atleast I didn't have to try and refurb the used Kayline I bought from another member on here a year prior (love this board - great peeps!!!).

And that's where I am at today. I've lots of great ideas but I'll keep them to myself cause some/many prolly won't come to fruitition. I recently bought a house and got married and neither of those things are cheap. And I'm sure we'll be having kids soon too so all the things I do will have to be low buck. Sorry, no cool tools and awesome fabricating. All cheapie bolts-on here. But if ya like what ya see, let me know. In fact, this board is the most positive of any that I cruise. So thanks to all the great people on here!

[thor]

Hey, look who figured out how to post his pics.

[thor]

BTW - it still has the same 4" lift on it but I've since put some 35" BFG mud-terrains on 15x8 chrome modulars with 4" of backspacing. I have not trimmed the fenders and they do NOT rub on the street, BUT they DO rub when twisted-up. I will trim in the future but when I do it will prolly also involve bigger meats. I mean, those J**p guys don't even run tires this small.

[thor]

P.S. how do I change the wording of the hyperlink in my sig from "http...." to "Project: Polished Turd"? Thanks!

EDIT: Did some searching and found out how to make whatever you want to say become a hotlink...

{url=thewebpage}text{/url}

First, type these brackets [] instead of {} (when I typed it with the correct brackets it kept making a hyperlink, just what we want except for when I'm trying to 'splain thing)

Second, cut and paste the webpage you want to link to AND write whatever text you want to show. Voila!

i.e. {url=http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?p=4725275#post4725275}Project: Polished Turd{/url} , except you need to use [] brackets instead of {} brackets. Cool?

[47thriftmaster]

Nice, Should have plenty of fun in that and it doesn't look bad at all.

[thor]

Thanks man! It is fun. Pics might look alright but she sure is rough. Let's just say I covet many rigs on this forum.

[matthew79]

Sweet rig!! It looks tough as hell too!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[thor]

Originally Posted by matthew79

Sweet rig!! It looks tough as hell too!!
Posted via Mobile Device

it'll be even tougher when I swing the 1 tons under it. how's your build coming along? get some tires mounted on those wiiiiiide rallys?

[matthew79]

Originally Posted by thor

it'll be even tougher when I swing the 1 tons under it. how's your build coming along? get some tires mounted on those wiiiiiide rallys?

I'm just waiting on the body guy to finish up doing the body work and get some paint on it! I'm holding off on buying tires until I absolutely need to. I check craigslist daily looking for a good used set to save some cash, but I have yet to find anyone selling some 35x14.50x15 boggers. Go figure!

[thor]

Originally Posted by matthew79

I'm just waiting on the body guy to finish up doing the body work and get some paint on it! I'm holding off on buying tires until I absolutely need to. I check craigslist daily looking for a good used set to save some cash, but I have yet to find anyone selling some 35x14.50x15 boggers. Go figure!

yeah, tough to find boggers on CL. very rare. and when you do, they are usually atleast 50% worn. good luck!

[red71cheyenne]

Looks like a real good start or one to just continue to run! All the sheetmetal looks real straight. Keep us up to date on when you get started on the rebuild.

[thor]

Originally Posted by red71cheyenne

Looks like a real good start or one to just continue to run! All the sheetmetal looks real straight. Keep us up to date on when you get started on the rebuild.

Sadly there is not one straight panel on it. And it is apparent that it took a hit across the nose at one time. Front of frame is shifted towards the driver's side. I think that is why someone put in that awful tube grill. Gotta get that junkyard grill off the garage wall and install. Will find time though, amongst all the other tasks/honey-do's.

[thor]

Stabbed-in one of those posterboard dashes from LMC. Fit like crap. Chopped it up a lot to make it fit. Atleast I put new, shiny screws in place. And nothing would be done without a shout-out to the PO who lost/removed/ate the speed nuts. Oh well, my registration and proof of insurance paperwork sure are happy to not share space on the floor with the seatbelts. Pics...

[mcmlxix]

Any more updates? ...

[thor]

Originally Posted by mcmlxix

Any more updates? ...

My wife and I had a baby girl. We also decided that my wife would stay home with our baby girl til she starts school. So that cuts into the money. To make up some of the money, I've been grabbing all the OT I can get at work. There goes the time. So in total, I don't have a whole lot of either. But it's all worth it for my little girl. I only hope my wife and I are blessed with more kids.