1st Post 71 Blazer Project

[joedragrace]

The Michelangelo Update
I'm calling the Michelangelo update because all this work was completed on my back, on a creeper or the floor. A rotisserie would have been nice, but I plan on only doing this once. After cleaning the entire
underside with a wire wheel, surface prep disc, sanding sponges, and wiped down with lacquer thinner, the surface was primed with Raptor acid etch primer. The nozzle on the cans sprayed a flat fan pattern, so it was easy to rotate the can to get into the nooks and cranny's. This primer sprayed very easy with no runs or nozzle drips, upside-down.


Next was applying 4 bottles of black liner. Once again the liner laid down nice for spraying upside-down.




Finished connecting the fuel, vapor, brake lines, and e-brake cable. Just have a few more items to check off the list before placing the tub back on the frame for the last time. Yea!

 

[ashman]

Looks great!

 

[CK5]

The Michelangelo Update
I'm calling the Michelangelo update because all this work was completed on my back, on a creeper or the floor. A rotisserie would have been nice, but I plan on only doing this once. After cleaning the entire
underside with a wire wheel, surface prep disc, sanding sponges, and wiped down with lacquer thinner, the surface was primed with Raptor acid etch primer. The nozzle on the cans sprayed a flat fan pattern, so it was easy to rotate the can to get into the nooks and cranny's. This primer sprayed very easy with no runs or nozzle drips, upside-down.
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Next was applying 4 bottles of black liner. Once again the liner laid down nice for spraying upside-down.
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Finished connecting the fuel, vapor, brake lines, and e-brake cable. Just have a few more items to check off the list before placing the tub back on the frame for the last time. Yea!
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Nice!

 

[max 02]

Very clean! Wow nice job on that!

 

[joedragrace]

Looks great!

Nice!

Very clean! Wow nice job on that!

Thanks Guys! It's like starting with a clean slate once assembly begins. I'm just glad to be finished with the major rust repair. At times I got very discouraged, but was not going to give up. Thanks again!

 

[joedragrace]

Driving Update.
Drove the Blazer around our loop a couple of times yesterday. First time with V-8 power. We'll shoot some video next weekend. Here are some pictures of the finished steering, brake system, seats and shifter, and temporary electrical system. Nice to be able to move it around under it own power.
Steering and Brakes
Shifter w/ neutral safety switch and temporary electrical system.

Seats and steering wheel.


Fuel vapor lines and modified tank straps.

 

[19Tim69]

Your project is coming along nicely. The attention to detail that you are putting in is at the point where I hope you’re not going to be afraid to enjoy it lol

When I did the bottom side of my tub, I used camper jacks that lifted it 5 feet high...I imagine it wasn’t much easier that rolling around on a creeper...

 

[6872xtc]

Great to see you get that satisfaction! Nice job!

 

[max 02]

Beautiful!

 

[joedragrace]

Your project is coming along nicely. The attention to detail that you are putting in is at the point where I hope you’re not going to be afraid to enjoy it lol

When I did the bottom side of my tub, I used camper jacks that lifted it 5 feet high...I imagine it wasn’t much easier that rolling around on a creeper...

When we built the race several people said the same, (that looks to nice to race). We raced the dog &hit out of it, but is was easy to clean up. I will have no problem taking the Blazer out in the desert and having fun. While I was prepping the underside I think it helped that it was close to the floor, but when we got ready to spray it we raised it up high with the engine hoist. Worked out good!

 

[joedragrace]

Great to see you get that satisfaction! Nice job!

Thanks! This is the fun part of the project! Feels good.

 

[joedragrace]

Beautiful!

Thanks! Once again just having fun!

 

[joedragrace]

Had to drive around the loop. Again!

 

[6872xtc]

Darn kids do some crazy things!

 

[joedragrace]

Rebuilt K5 Blazer Initial Test Drive with Crash This last Saturday was quite busy around the house. Pool install and some more Blazer test drives. Our best friends Michael and his wife Elena were planning on taking video of the pool install, then video the Blazer. Well the crane and pool show up early because he needed to drive to Ruidoso to check on a new project. Luckily the guys doing the final prep on the hole just finishing up. When Michael & Elena
get here, the pool is about to be lifted off the trailer. Michael was rushing to start videoing. After the pool went in we started videoing the Blazer but the tracking on the drone would not follow us around the loop.
Had something to do with what resolution you are recording. Here are the two videos Michael edited with limited footage.
Rebuilt K5 Blazer Initial Test Drive With Crash - YouTube
Pool Installation - YouTube

 

[Greg72]

Drone footage of even 1/2 of a 1st Gen driving down the street is still pretty awesome!

-G

 

[joedragrace]

Thanks! I guess that's the important 1/2. Michael has a Skydio 2 that we'll use next time. If I record a ride with my GoPro and he video's we can add actual sound.

 

[ashman]

Nice of George of the Jungle to shoot some drone footage for ya.

 

[joedragrace]

Nice of George of the Jungle to shoot some drone footage for ya.

The first video attempt, Michael crashed the drone in the tree in our front yard, and we hadn't even started drinking. Yet!

 

[joedragrace]

Painless Wiring Harness 10206
Finished installing the Painless wiring harness. It was actually very easy to install, you just can't get in a hurry. The installation manual explains several times to lay everything out and take your time.

The harness came with most of the connectors already terminated. The brake light switch connector and a couple of others were the only ones I had to reuse with new terminals installed, supplied with the kit.



I mounted the MSD box behind the glove box where is still has good air flow and close to the main fuse on the other side of the fire wall.

I used their Power Braid to protect the tail light section of the harness, and clamped it tight against the frame.

The kit includes extra terminals if you want to add or reroute wires thru the bulkhead connector. I rerouted the neutral safety switch & backup light switch wires thru the bulkhead connector, over the firewall,
and down the topside of the transmission the eliminate wires crossing over from the frame to engine/transmission. That will help protect wires from exhaust heat and snagging on debris when driving off-road.

All I have left to wire is the front clip section. Every circuit works including all the gauges. One important note, anytime I terminated a ground or installed a switch/light socket/fan-wiper motor, I checked the
resistance back to the negative cable. Every termination measured less than .3 ohms.