Blazer Chalet / GMC Jimmy Casa Grande spotted

[chalet2506]

my 76 came with what I thought was the factor tire carrier up front. Its about a 2" piece of vertical square tube that has bottom supports that bolt to the bumper, then has a couple of "ears" on the top that go through the grill and bolt to the core support. There's a couple of wheel studs up top that the tire hang on and bolt to. It looks to me like the chalet up top with the Colorado plates has up front.

I never really liked the tire riding up there. I was running through some "obstacles" one night and hit the tire hard enough to bend the mounts. After I put the new grill in, it messed up the alignment for the holes so I started looking for a rear mounted carrier.

Point to this is that if somebody wants, I'd part with it cheap - like 12 pack of decent beer cheap. At the minimum, you could fix it with a BFH and a few good knocks.Iif somebody wanted to make it beefier, a couple of simple, heavier brackets fabbed up for the base and you'd be in business.

pic below is after run in with obstacles.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

.....'76 Chalet - last seen in Phoenix.. 2005, distinguishing features are little tires, Chevy logo scratch protectors around the door locks, missing rec vehicle "elec-plumbing-heating certified" oval plate by the back door, and tan colored rear step.....

Found the Phoenix Chalet, it just appeared on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chev...002QQitemZ120235759485QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

My mistake on the serial # and oval plate seeming to be missing - in the photo I took, the back door was slightly open so you can't see those. This dealer is basing his pricing and text description off the Raleigh NC classic car auction $17,000 Chalet, see my post #20 here: http://www.coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221315&highlight=blazer+chalet&page=2 I couldn't get those auctioneers to correct the production number or that the fridge is a 3-way, not a 2-way.

Somebody remade or repainted the back door decal, put bigger tires on it, and put covers on the dinette seats, which were splitting apart from old age. Otherwise, from what I remember, this one was in really good shape with exceptional original paint. Somebody might have repaired some of the scratches, it had one big one on the driver's side.....

 

[a77blazerchalet]

.....This dealer is basing his pricing and text description off the Raleigh NC classic car auction $17,000 Chalet.....

Wait, wait, wait....... the dealer isn't just copying the text description, it's the same Chalet. I just looked at the other pics I saved from the Raleigh auction's web site, it has the same Alaska DHK-432 license plates and grey cloth dinette seats.

 

[supersize75k5]

http://tucson.craigslist.org/car/615304011.html

 

[a77blazerchalet]

Thanks supersize75k5. I usually catch most of the Craigslist ads around the country but have missed some, so I won't turn down any additional help looking for these. There's also Craigslist ads for a rusty $950 one in Menomonie, WI, and a Jimmy Casa Grande in Perris CA. I'm surprised the one in Tucson is back, I thought he had sold it last year. He sent me the photo below, it's serial #762. Custom painted orange-to-yellow fade stripes on the camper replace the original vinyl stripes.

 

[Blue85]

That is about 100 Million X better than that jeep camper:

 

[chalet2506]

$4500 is not a bad price if its all been redone.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

...100 Million X better than that jeep camper....

"Detachable camper so you can leave it and go jeeping". Probably terrible to drive. On the other hand, Chalets would be more practical if the camper could be easily taken off...... This link still functions for one of those rare Jeep campers: http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/car/579996716.html

 

[speed_deed]

There is atleast 2 in wichita other then myne.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

...atleast 2 in wichita other then myne.

Any pics of yours http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201125&highlight=gmc+jimmy+casa+grande to share, and / or of the others nearby? And please let us know the serial number of yours, and the others if you can....

 

[blazin_blazer]

didn't i read somewhere that the chalet camper has posts that can be put down and has its own floor, so you can leave the camper part at camp and take the topless k5 into town, or trails?

 

[chalet2506]

no, its a PITA to remove and not recommended.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

Time to add another of my sightings in case there are any of you in that area, passing through, etc. I found this one in the Flickr photo sharing site, the photographer had no additional info on it, and the people who ran the show where it was parked haven't responded to my inquires yet. It was at the V-8 Club Flea Market & Show April 20. 2008 at the Fitchburg, MA airport. The most distinguishing feature is the three marker lights on the side of the camper. Might belong to one of the Early Ford V8 Club of New England members....

 

[kid-k5]

i go to the delaware beaches there is a guy that has one that he uses for surf fishing. its petty nice. then i was one coming home and was on for sale and stopped and looked at it. 1977 low miles 400ci the guy want like 7700. that was a year ago want to buy it did have the money at the time.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

....there is a guy that has one that he uses for surf fishing....

Fabulous, just the kind of help I'm looking for. No obligation on your part, of course, but I would be most grateful if you could get a photo of whichever one you find, and maybe the serial number by the back door. One that I know of that might be in Delaware is an all-tan GMC Jimmy Casa Grande with repainted plain red stripes on the camper, serial #1676. It's owned by a member of our Yahoo forum who called it his "beach hut". He hasn't answered any emails lately....

 

[buffblazer]

there use to be one in hollis oklahoma, southwest corner. tried to get the guy to sell it (been sitting in his backyard for the 6 years i lived there but was in perfect body condition. the old man smiled and said my plan is to travel the states with it. i looked at him then back and it and thought to myself you had better get to restoring it quick and hope you got a big retirement check because i dont see him still kicking in 2 or 3 more years and with the price of fuel i dont see how he could travel.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

.....use to be one in hollis oklahoma....

Thanks, PM sent. Nice to have any sort of leads, there really should be lots more out there just like this, it just takes more eyes to spot 'em....

 

[kid-k5]

yea the one that was for sale was all tan. i wish i had more about them when i looked at it. if i find it again i will try to find out all i can about it. but the one that i see on the beach is red with a 89-91 front clip or it has the camper on a 89-91 blazer. my dad said there is a tan one for sale at the inlet in delaware that is tan but it has nothing in the camper cap at all.

 

[77crewcab]

There is one right down the road from me. But it is located inside a gated apartment complex. I can't get in to get a serial number or ask if it is for sale, but I drive by it everyday and drool. I would love to have one.

 

[a77blazerchalet]

...but the one that i see on the beach is red with a 89-91 front clip...

Glad you mentioned that, I forgot about one that was (still is?) owned by a guy named Cooper who was/is in Milford DE - pic below, had it for sale in the old blazerchalet.com buy/sell pages before they were all deleted. Must be the same one, never did get a serial number for it.

...one right down the road..inside a gated apartment complex....I drive by it everyday and drool. I would love to have one.

Cool, any way of getting a digital photo of it from outside the fence and posting it here? In case you really want one, I keep a fairly updated list of ones for sale on the internet, PM me for the list. 18 of 'em in various conditions scattered around the country...