'77 Blazer Project

[cbgrant74]

Well, here it is - I finally took the first step in what certainly will be a very long process.  I drove out to my folks' last weekend and picked up their 1977 Chevy Blazer.




My folks bought it new in the fall of 1976.  It lived its entire life in New England (well, maybe a couple of trips to Pennsylvania), so it has more than its share of rust - plenty of those photos to come later.  It had 150,000+ miles on it when the speedometer cable gave out in the late '80s, and those weren't easy miles.  After we took it off the road in '91, it served for another 10 years as a farm truck, losing its top, tailgate, and back seat in the process.  Many, many loads of cordwood, rocks, gravel, cow manure, and just about anything else got tossed in and out of the back.  Then there was the stump-pulling, log-skidding, and other work better done by a tractor!  It finally was parked in the barn, where it sat collecting dust and sinking into the mud until last Saturday.

As for the top, tailgate, and back seat, they weren't as lucky:


They sat outside in the snow and rain - the pine needles, tree branches, and moss can attest to that!

So, with a new set of used tires on some cleaned up rims, I winched it onto the Uhaul trailer to see if I can bring it back to life.


The good news is that the frame and drivetrain are in good shape (the Ziebart rust-proofing kept the frame in like-new shape).  The engine should probably be rebuilt, and of course all of the hoses and other rubber parts are dry-rotted, but I consider these pretty minor compared to the body work that it needs.  Every panel is rusted through and badly dented (except the hood, which somehow survived without a scratch).  The door bottoms and rocker panels have been "fixed" once before, and now the fixes need fixing.

I've seen some of the work you guys do here, and it's pretty impressive.  I can hold my own with mechanical stuff, but I'm sure I'll be asking for a lot of advice on body work and sheet metal repairs.  Thanks in advance for your help!

- Charlie

[Irish_Alley]

Welcome from Maryland. Keep us updated

[Canadian 4X4]

Welcome!

[Grim 82]

Welcome from ND. It's always great to see another one of these trucks brought back to life, especially if the owner has history with it.

[Cody1018]

Welcome from Ohio! I agree with grim, always like seeing the process of these trucks as people are restoring them.

[VileZambonie]

It'll be a great project!

[campcrf]

cool man.... looking forward to follow your rebuild.... Really sweet that it is a "family blazer" too...

[fitz]

Welcome from Mass, What part are you from. I'm in Halifax.
I see the Banks emblem on the fender which made me think 6.2, but the Champion sticker says it's a gas motor.
The curiosity is killing me?

[cbgrant74]

Fitz, I'm in Wilmington, Mass., a little northwest of Boston.  As for the stickers - Banks Chevrolet was the dealer in Concord where my folks bought the Blazer.  The Champion and other "decals" were to make it look like a race truck (sponsors, you know), and to cover more than a few rust holes!  The motor is a 350.

Check this out - custom solid wood door handles!  Bet there aren't many trucks out there with that "factory option."



I started cleaning out some of the worst of the debris the other day.  Reckon any mice got in there while it was sitting in the barn?  (Look closely in the lower right corner of the photo.)



The engine compartment wasn't too bad, but then I pulled the passenger's side door panel off.  No kidding, it was full of foam, insulation, nuts, twigs, and other crap up to the level of the window crank.  I filled my 16-gallon shop vac and decided that was enough for one night!

[Grim 82]

Mice are almost as bad as rust. My pickup sat for 10 years, has been back on the road for a little over a year now, and there is still mice debris falling out of the hood panel, and the blower motor occasionally coughs up some old carpet, pheasant feathers, and millet seed. I see great potential with your project, good luck.

[fitz]

That Banks sticker got me, thought it was the company that makes the turbo kits for the 6.2 diesels.
Love that New England Dragway sticker.
Good luck with the project.

[cbgrant74]

The teardown is under way.  Finding lots of rust, but I fully expected that.



This offers an opportunity for a lesson in hillbilly body work.  (Most of this is my own handiwork from an earlier era, so no offense intended to any other hillbillies or rednecks out there!)

When patching rusty door bottoms, galvanized sheet metal is best.  Just be sure to leave holes in the bottom so water can run out.



If you don't have a welder, sheet metal screws will work fine.  Use silicone caulk to seal the seams (make sure it's the paintable type so the paint will stick).



For more complicated profiles, consider using aluminum.  It's much easier to bend, won't rust, and coordinates nicely with the color of duct tape.



Don't forget to use sound deadening material under the floors.  Tar paper is perfect, and since it's waterproof, it will seal up any small holes you might have left.



That's all for today's lesson, folks!

[Grim 82]

For more complicated profiles, consider using aluminum.  It's much easier to bend, won't rust, and coordinates nicely with the color of duct tape.

LOL that made my day

[Irish_Alley]

lol redneck all the way

[80stepsideguy]

Welcome from florida.Being a native new englander myself(was born and raised in rhode island till 2002) i can pretain to the rust issues it takes on these trucks.I had to completly scrap a majority of my stepside before i could actually get to a solid ground to work on.SO just take your time and i`m sure we can do our best to guide you into getting that beast back to its former glory...

thanks
pat