I was really glad to see you run across this thread again! I was looking at the 97 yesterday and saw something that gave me great relief. In one of your pics above, you show the driver side, and I noticed that the dash was flush with the inside of the door jam. I had measured the 97 and the Blazer, and noticed about a 3" difference. But then I remimbered that you cut off some of the 97 dash, at the window, so it recessed into the Blazers door jams, where the 97 dash flares out, therefor being flush with the Blazers jams.
I have a few questions, how do you get the dash out of the 97, w/o messing it up. I've looked( a little ) and have not seen an easy way to do this.
I saw a piece of pipe going across the bottom front of the dash, I think i will need to transplant that, so the dash will have something to sit on, my question is, whats holding it on at the windshield?
Transplanting the dash is my only real worry. If I can get past this, the rest should be no prob, as I can fab up anything I need. I thought that it would be cool to install the hvac in the Blazer the same way as it is in the 97. If cutting the dash moves the hvac equipment forward into the fire wall, I could cut out and box a relief into the fire wall to fit, and have just the accumalator sticking out.
My thoughts were, was to make a rough template of the 97 fire wall and transpose it on the Blazer, and just fill in the holes, or just cut out the fire wall completly, and replace it with a solid piece, and cut out the reliefs as needed, to keep it clean.
I think, as far as the lights go, most should wire up with the 97 wire harness, except for the tail lights.
I hate to be a bother, but any help would be much appreciated.
Michael