New project. 1973 2WD Blazer

[imsuchaman55]

So I had a friend that started converting this 73 blazer from 4x4 to 2wd, but is tired of looking at it and needed it out of the way. It has a TBI engine with 700R4 on the back of it, but he wants the engine, so I got the trans and the rest of the truck from him.

It is a little rough around the edges, but Im excited to do a full frame off on this. I like that it is an A/C cab truck, so everyone riding along can stay comfy. Plans include
-6.0, 4L80
-all new interior with late model seats ( have a baby due in a few weeks and like the idea of the late model seats with the car seat mounts built in, and integrated seat belts)
-around 5 inch drop
-Old school wheels with the old school fatty look (50 series)

I dont think we will move as fast as the last project we did in my sig, but should be able to make plenty of progress with lots of pictures

Here she is

























I need to replace both doors since someone had the genius idea to cut speaker holes, and huge open holes on the underside of the doors (one of the pictures you can see the ground)

On the fence about doing the 91 suburban swap. I like the look of them, but then it takes away the fact that its a 73, it will look like an 80s blazer with a full convertible conversion, so Im thinking I will keep the 73 front grouping.

So for now I am working on getting the front grouping off, engine and trans out, and gutting everything off of it to see how extensive the rust is. Once I get it all stripped down I think i will get the tub media blasted. After the wire wheeling on the 68 GMC we built, I would rather pay someone to do it.

The interior is missing a majority of its parts, so I will most likely be replacing it with all new stuff. Dash, door skins, carpet, etc. Also planning on converting the doors to power windows and locks, so might get newer doors with all this stuff in them and cut the top window frames off to work with my roof.

The back seat is original and seems to be in good shape, think I might try to find someone that wants it to help offset the cost of everything else. The front is an aftermarket seat and is trashed.

Im on the fence about colors also. Looking for any input. I think I will do the entire interior in black as thats what most of the late model seats come in that will match what I order. But for the body Im not set on anything. I would like to make the top White. Was thinking blue/white?? Or even a orange??

Also have my feelers out for a complete 6.0/ 4L80E with not a ton of miles. They are hard to find but am sure I will get one reasonably.

Thats about it for now. Will be posting more pictures as I go along

[67cheby]

Leave the round headlight front end !

[imsuchaman55]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

Leave the round headlight front end !

haha, Yea I think thats what Im going to do. Was just looking through your build for inspiration and ideas! I dont want it to look like every other 2wd blazer with the conversion. Would much rather go for the retro slammed look

[imsuchaman55]

Got some progress on the blazer this weekend. Pulled the front grouping off, engine/ trans out, and some of the dash













Next up is to get the rest of the truck stripped to get the cab media blasted

[68Timber]

Sounds like a plan! Love blue/white on a round eye. I've got three kids and have had a K5 most of the time, they accommodate a family pretty well. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

[gclark1]

How quickly you can forget how much work one of these is until you see one just getting started. You have big plans that sound like fun. You mention orange and white...here is a picture of a Blazer that I think looks amazing in those colors. Good luck with the build!

[imsuchaman55]

Thank you guys! I know I have a long road ahead of me, so Im just trying to take little steps at a time so its not over whelming. I have a full C-4 front and rear suspension setup that Im kicking the idea around about installing. I will most likely install it, but wanted to wait until I was installing it before I started posting about doing it. I am also thinking about doing some sort of custom dash, this one is mangled up pretty bad, and with the PCM controlled gauges, It might be easier to do something more custom, plus Im not a big fan of the turned cluster in the square bodies. I would much rather prefer it being straight like the rest of the dash.

[Low Elco]

Lovin' some Safari top! This oughta be good!

[imsuchaman55]

Got some more progress done on the blazer today. Top off, body off frame. Now its time to send the tub off to the media blaster.















I decided on Red with White top, and grey interior. The photos below are exactly what I want it to look like







The C-4 Front and rear suspension will be here next week sometime, so I will fit it onto this frame and be getting rid of the crossmember and 12 bolt rear on the frame now.

I have been trying to find a good 6.0/4l80 with low miles but have had no luck around here, so I might go with a cammed 5.3/ 4l60.

Lots more pics to come as progress goes...

[67cheby]

nice work, gonna be nice to have it all media blasted clean and ready to go !

[imsuchaman55]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

nice work, gonna be nice to have it all media blasted clean and ready to go !

Yea I Hope So, Its Expensive, But After Wire Wheeling The Entire Truck We Did Last Year, Its Worth The Money. PlusThey Will Epoxy Primer It As Soon As Blasting Is Finished To Avoid Rust. Im On The Fence About Replacing The Stock A/C Setup Or Putting Vintage Air In To Clean Up The Firewall. If Its Close In Cost To Replace The Stock Stuff, I Might Go The Vintage Air Route. More Updates Coming Soon!
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[gharris79]

Great build.. I love the look of those seats. Any idea what they are from?

[DrppdBlazr]

gonna be a sweet blazer

[motornut]

nice save
nice colour choices too

[imsuchaman55]

qUOTE=gharris79;6043018]Great build.. I love the look of those seats. Any idea what they are from?[/QUOTE]

I Think They Are From 01-06 Chevy Tahoe. I Plan On Using The 07-Up Seats From A Tahoe/ Suburban. Use Second Row For Front Seats( They Fold Foward For Better BackSeat Access) And Third Row For Back Seat.
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My Main Focus Now Is To Get The C-4 Chassis Work Done, Hopefully Allowing Me To Save Some $$ Until Its Time For Media Blasting And Body Work. Want To Get As Much Fab Work Done Before The Expensive Stuff Comes Into play
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[68Timber]

Wow. And this is going slower than your last build?

[imsuchaman55]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

Wow. And this is going slower than your last build?

Haha Yes ThiS Will Be Much Slower Than The Last One. I Have To Fund This One Myself, So Definately Going To Takea while
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[imsuchaman55]

Not much of an update yet. Been trying to get a gameplan on how Im going to attack this. The cab is heading to the media blaster next week, and I will be rolling the frame into the shop in the next few days to pull measurements on wheelbase location. Then Its time to graft in the C-4 corvette from and rear suspension.

Ive been looking everywhere for a 5.3 & 4L60E for this, so that I can have it ready when the cab comes back to start with part mockup and wiring, but they are getting hard to find. They either want way too much money or have a million miles on them. The prices Ive been getting after calling around are close to a regular LS engine. I guess the popularity of these is causing salvage yards to get greedy. Oh well, Ill just have to keep waiting until one pops up.

Ill post more pictures once I have some progress

[imsuchaman55]

Got a little update. Picked up an LS1 and 4L60e this past weekend for the blazer, and had the C-4 corvette front and rear suspension delivered a few weeks ago. I think its finally time to get the cab media blasted and start jammin on this thing. I didnt get a picture of the suspension parts, but heres a picture of the LS1 that will be going in there.



Ive been dragging my feet on getting this started, but I think its time to start flooding this post with lots of update pictures, hopefully sooner than later!