Ratchet's Blazer - 1970 2wd with Original paint

[smbrouss70]

They are Billet Specialties plain valve covers, so yeah, Jeg's has them but I got them from Summit.

[Palf70Step]

Looking good. Kevin looks so intense, I don't think I have ever seen him that way.

[smbrouss70]

I got the transmission in and got it back on the road last weekend. So now I can finally finish the break-in of my engine, which should happen with the driving that I will do this weekend.

One of the things that has been bothering me since I bought the Blazer was the fact that the previous owner had mounted a trailer hitch directly to the back bumper and broken the bumper brackets. In his infinite wisdom, he welded the broken bumper brackets directly to the frame rails in the position that they were in at the time. I haven't been looking forward to trying to cut out the gorilla welds without messing up the frame rails. I already had a re-pop back bumper and I recently bought a set of NOS Blazer bumper brackets on eBay and finally got around to cutting out the old and bolting in the New... Old Stock!

Here's a Before and After of the rear bumper. Hopefully nobody accuses me of having a body lift on a lowered Blazer anymore.

[Palf70Step]

Looks good Steven! Wish I could make it this weekend with you guys

[smbrouss70]

I put about 230 miles on the Blazer yesterday and I believe I can call the "break-in" of the engine done. Now I can really see what this engine can do. It ran good all day, but it is a cold natured S.O.B., it has to be fully up to operating temp before I can put it in gear without it wanting to die. I have figured out that the 3.07 gears aren't enough for the "spirited" driving that I like to do. I have a complete 3.73 open diff axle that I could throw in there to see if I like the 3.73's. I will probably do that but I don't want my RPM's too high on the highway, so I may order some 3.42's depending on how I like the 3.73's or not.

I didn't take any pictures yesterday, but here are a couple that other people took during my 12 hours of fun yesterday, and a couple of my favorites from The Crazy Wheels of Breaux Bridge's Cruise-In.

[smbrouss70]

Today, I just wanted to go cruise around in the Blazer since I had so much fun yesterday. The wife and I went to visit some family in it and just drove with no place to go. Normally I try to get out of having to go to the grocery store, but today I volunteered, as long as we could take the Blazer. I guess it's just an old grocery getter now.

[Palf70Step]

[62 short step]

Yep, I had fun as well!

[Chulisohombre]

Always great to get them out. It's almost time to get mine out too.

[smbrouss70]

Valve covers are on FINALLY.

[Palf70Step]

[Chulisohombre]

That looks awesome

[lks dcvn]

Agree - looks very nice! Great truck.

[smbrouss70]

Thanks Guys!

I also put in a new Engineered Cooling Products radiator, which I promptly had powder-coated 20% gloss black to make it disappear. Then I hit the road and put 900 miles over 4 days to go to the Goodguys show in Ft. Worth this past weekend.

[lolife99]

One of my favorite trucks/blazers on this board!

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see the Ratchet ride, mobile again!

[62 short step]

Awesome!!

[smbrouss70]

Originally Posted by lolife99

One of my favorite trucks/blazers on this board!

Wow! That means a lot coming from you, I've admired your blazer for quite a while. I even asked N2billet about it this weekend, I can't wait to see it done.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Glad to see the Ratchet ride, mobile again!

Thanks Bill! It was good to ride again.

Originally Posted by 62 short step

Awesome!!

Thanks Jeremy! How's the new carb treating you?

[62 short step]

[Thanks Jeremy! How's the new carb treating you?[/QUOTE]


Its like a new motor, even though it is! Lol

[smbrouss70]

Last weekend I took the Blazer to Ruston, LA for one of our Louisiana Classic Truck Club meets. I put another 400 miles on it round trip. We had a low turnout, but had some fun anyway. It was at our buddy Will's shop which is HUGE, then we cruised to a restaurant for lunch and went back to Will's shop. That evening we headed to a Cruise-In at a McDonald's in Monroe. Sunday morning I drove home trying to beat the storm that was headed our way, but didn't quite make it. Once I got it home I parked it in the Garage where it was safe and got ready to go to work in TX for the week.

[smbrouss70]

Yesterday afternoon I got home from TX, jumped in the shower, and took Ratchet's Blazer to a cruise-in right here in Crowley. The Blazer was still dirty from driving home in the rain on Sunday. We had 15 - 20 cars show up, met some new people, and set up a screen with a projector and watched "American Graffiti". Then my buddy/photographer Jeff Eatley got bored and this happened!!! Notice the wording on the signs in the last 2 pictures!

[Advanced Design]

Looks like good times! Yes, those pic's are very cool. He is talented.

[Palf70Step]

Very Nice Steven!!

[Chulisohombre]

That's some awesome picture work. Makes it look very old school.

[smbrouss70]

I've had my new wheels for about 11 months now, but I was waiting to buy tires and narrow the rear end until after the engine was in. Then the transmission unlatched so I had to deal with that. Now I'm ready to start the work on the suspension to add the bags, narrowed control arms, narrowed rear, etc. Last night it was raining and nothing good was on TV, so I decided to play in photoshop a little. I think this is definitely the motivation that I need to get it all done!