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2WD Blazer:

vandelay industries

vandelay industries

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Posts
903
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Location
east coast
Please discuss, in great detail, the following:

1) Discuss how less popular (i don't like the term "rare,") the 2WD blazer is, compared to 4x4 version.

2) Did the 2WD come with 5x5 bolt pattern?

3) Suggest tips on locating one to buy.



(and here i am getting on blackandgold's case for jumping around.............)
 
They are uncommon. I rarely see them for sale but they do exist. Why do you want one?
 
Alright, i just want to put big tires on the rear of a vehicle without going through tubbing. Is this so wrong? Does this make me a bad person?

https://ck5.com/forums/threads/k5-blazer-2wd-to-4wd.264044/

Scroll to post #17, not the whole thread.

May have to install ladder bars, but that's fairly straightforward, no need to cut the frame.

Ok, so i've just put it on the table. Let the hate rain on in...........
 
vandelay industries said:
Alright, i just want to put big tires on the rear of a vehicle without going through tubbing. Is this so wrong? Does this make me a bad person?

https://ck5.com/forums/threads/k5-blazer-2wd-to-4wd.264044/

Scroll to post #17, not the whole thread.

May have to install ladder bars, but that's fairly straightforward, no need to cut the frame.

Ok, so i've just put it on the table. Let the hate rain on in...........
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I see nothing wrong with a 2wd blazer, it's just as good as a short bed 2wd.
 
You're in the wrong area to get hate mail on this. I think we all just love the trucks no matter what they are.
I have had a 2wd build in my head for years. They just aren't around. I'd slam it and throw a big fat tarbo on an ls.
Do it to it.
 
My next project will probably be a 2wd/C5 first gen/round body weather I can find one or just build it. I love the idea of a full vert street cruiser with the bones and style of a truck. I guess I'd make do with a round eye/square body as well.
If you aren't keeping it original you don't have to "find" a 2wd. Just ifs a normal k5 there may already be dimples/markings or holes for the front suspension on the frame but I know the cross members are different.
 
obijuank5 said:
You're in the wrong area to get hate mail on this. I think we all just love the trucks no matter what they are.
I have had a 2wd build in my head for years. They just aren't around. I'd slam it and throw a big fat tarbo on an ls.
Do it to it.
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That’s 100% for me too. Just a fan burnout street cruiser. Power tour type setup. Freeway gears. Go down to the lone star roundup. All the trips that a crawler on 40s would have to be towed to go do.

[QUOTE="SpeedlabDan, post: 3960982,]
I guess I'd make do with a round eye/square body as well.
If you aren't keeping it original you don't have to "find" a 2wd. Just ifs a normal k5 there may already be dimples/markings or holes for the front suspension on the frame but I know the cross members are different.[/QUOTE]
I was wondering about that too. Or even doing a spring under mono leaf on a 4wd. Pull the front shaft and use the axle as a dead tube. Idk if that’s even work but there’s gotta be ways.
 
1975 K5 2WD Blazer.jpg 1975 K5 2WD Blazer.jpg I had a 1975 2wd K5 years ago...bought it for $150 ,it had a 250 six and a three speed Tremec transmission factory..was pretty rotted on the floors and rear wheel arches,rockers,but I replaced them all..

I think it was priced so low because it wasn't a 4x4,not so much because it had rot--it wasn't extensive,just had holes in the places mentioned,and some dork patched the floor with aluminum roof flashing,which only made it worse due to electrolosis..

The clutch was just about done when I bought it too--I made a scary 70 mile trip to my parents house one frigid night in it when it was only 5 degrees out,I smelled it burning all the way,and I had to crawl up some steep inclines in first gear on the interstate in the breakdown lane to get it home,where I could fix the clutch..
One rear spring had a broken main leaf too,I just clamped a thick hunk of steel across it to get it home..

Mine did have the 5 on 5 bolt pattern just like a 2wd pickup or van..
I recall I put '76 Lincoln Continental steel rims on it ,they were the same bolt pattern..center hole was about .010 too small,but they went on ,getting them off later was a chore and a half!..

Back then a 2wd Blazer was not a hot item--in fact,most got scrapped because they weren't a 4x4,up here most folks want 4wd and the 2wd versions just didn't sell as well..

I liked the truck a lot though--it was a great summer cruiser,it rode a lot better than a 4x4 and got better mpg,and I liked it being a manual transmission,after having issues with automatics in the 4x4 Blazers I had around the same time..

I put a Saginaw 4 speed from a '74 Vega in it that a friend gave me,and that made the truck even better--it had a fairly low first gear and would launch off the line very quickly..

After 2-3 years,the 250 six stripped the fiber cam gear,and rather than fix it,I put a 307 I had in it ,from a '71 K10 Suburban I parted out..
That made it much more enjoyable,it had a lot more guts and better acceleration..the six was a one barrel early integral head design,and it was always surging at cruising speeds,I tried fooling with the APT screw in the carb and deleted the EGR and it ran much better,but never felt 100% right..

I had photos of it,but they are on a hard drive in a now dead computer--I posted them here a few times,maybe I can dig thru my old posts and find it..

After seeing what these 2wd Blazers are selling for now,I wish I still had mine.
I sold it for $450 after owning it about 5 years..:(..but I had two other first generation K5's and a few other Chevy 4x4 trucks,I had to thin the herd..It wasn't too great in snow,even with studded snow tires and weight in the back..

EDIT..found the photo of it..^
 
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I did pretty much what you have in mind with a 2wd short bed. I did look for a 2wd blazer but found a short box first. Put 3/4 ton 2wd stuff on the frame so I could run a low geared 14b without spending and real money. I have lots of 14b and 8 lug rims kicking around. Swapped the 8 lug stuff on the front and added a line lock. Put a cage in it and used it as a dirt road slayer. Does nasty burnouts. Bed sides only with a fuel cell. With the heavy duty suspension parts I can slide down into the ditch and just stay in the throttle without worrying about breaking stuff. Right now it has a set of Hakapelita studded snows on it, really eats up a dirt road. It is where all my leftover parts have ended up. Its a savage, totally useless and totally fun.
 
HankScorpio said:
I did pretty much what you have in mind with a 2wd short bed. I did look for a 2wd blazer but found a short box first. Put 3/4 ton 2wd stuff on the frame so I could run a low geared 14b without spending and real money. I have lots of 14b and 8 lug rims kicking around. Swapped the 8 lug stuff on the front and added a line lock. Put a cage in it and used it as a dirt road slayer. Does nasty burnouts. Bed sides only with a fuel cell. With the heavy duty suspension parts I can slide down into the ditch and just stay in the throttle without worrying about breaking stuff. Right now it has a set of Hakapelita studded snows on it, really eats up a dirt road. It is where all my leftover parts have ended up. Its a savage, totally useless and totally fun.
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Wtf holding out on us.
Scribbles said:
Pics? Build thread? Sounds fun!
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That’s what I’m saying.
 
Why not just find a 4x4 burb and swap the 2wd suspension in?
 
Not sure its that simple to create a 2wd K5 --the 2wd pickups use different rear spring hangers than a 4x4 (the ones closest to the front of the truck),I assume Blazers do too,so you'd have to source 2wd ones and install them---and the front suspension from a 2wd will probably bolt up to a 4x4 frame ,but you'll probably have to drill every hole,and de-rivet all the old spring perches ,the front sway bar off a 2wd pickup might bolt up in place of the 4x4 one...

A 1/2 ton 2wd has different spindles and wheel bearings,ball joints,compared to a 3/4 ton,so if you want to run a 14 bolt rear,you'll need a 3/4 ton 2wd front suspension setup to get 8 lugs...

Might be easier to plop a K5 tub on a 2wd shortbed pickup chassis..:thinking:
 
Finding anything 1/2 ton 2wd nowadays is getting harder. I would totally DD a 2wd Blazer that had a diesel or some other combo for better fuel mileage. I do not need one to be a Hot Rod, which is another issue of mine.........
 
kgblazerfive said:
Finding anything 1/2 ton 2wd nowadays is getting harder. I would totally DD a 2wd Blazer that had a diesel or some other combo for better fuel mileage. I do not need one to be a Hot Rod, which is another issue of mine.........
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diesel4me said:
Not sure its that simple to create a 2wd K5 --the 2wd pickups use different rear spring hangers than a 4x4 (the ones closest to the front of the truck),I assume Blazers do too,so you'd have to source 2wd ones and install them---and the front suspension from a 2wd will probably bolt up to a 4x4 frame ,but you'll probably have to drill every hole,and de-rivet all the old spring perches ,the front sway bar off a 2wd pickup might bolt up in place of the 4x4 one...

A 1/2 ton 2wd has different spindles and wheel bearings,ball joints,compared to a 3/4 ton,so if you want to run a 14 bolt rear,you'll need a 3/4 ton 2wd front suspension setup to get 8 lugs...

Might be easier to plop a K5 tub on a 2wd shortbed pickup chassis..:thinking:
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As some one who has done the swap both ways , it’s not a big deal.
 
My first vehicle was a 79 2wd K5 that had a 73-74 front end on it. The 2wd K5s were built until 1982. All of them have a 5 on 5 bolt pattern. Mine had 2.5" drop spindles in front and i removed the overload leaf from the rear. I forgot what size tires I had, but by the end, it had 15x10 chevy rally wheels on the back.

I miss that truck and sure wish I could see what it looks like today. I started tearing it apart before I really knew what I was doing and got in over my head. Ended up selling it as a roller for only like $750. The tub and frame was totally rust free

And good luck finding one. In person, I have only ever seen 3 others.

It seems like they are mostly out on the west side of the country
 
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