Eason's '77 Blazer Build- (rust repair floors)

[Eason]

Well it's about time I started a build thread of my own after looking at so many others for advice. It may take me awhile to get up to date on everything that I've done so bear with me. Also, I'm learning as I go with this project, I've never attempted anything like this before so don't hesitate to offer any advice or tell me what I'm doing wrong!

I picked up this '77 Blazer Cheyenne almost a year ago from a neighbor of a good friend of mine in Louisiana. It's got a stock 350, SM465 and NP 205, not sure of what axles or gearing. The guy I bought it from had it for about 2 years and supposedly bought it from the original owner with 84,XXX original miles.

The previous owner purchased it all stock and then added the lift, wheels, 35x12.5 Super Swamper TSL radial tires, off road lights, hideous homemade bumpers, warn m12000 winch, and new Edlebrock 1406 carb before parking it and letting it sit in his back yard for about a year.

Here it is when I was looking at purchasing it:










It was barely running when I looked at it and I figured it was some kind of fuel issue. I pulled the fuel line going into the carb and had my buddy turn it over a few times and the gas in the lines was the nastiest orange/brown color I had ever seen. I decided to buy it since I thought it was a minor issue and I had already fallen in love with it!

Here it is after I got it home and gave it a little TLC:






Lot more to come after this!

 

[Eason]

I guess I should have stated my plans for this thing in my earlier post. I don't intend to build some monster trail rig or do a complete restoration either. I intend to use this mainly as a hunting/recreational vehicle, but would like to replace/upgrade/repair items as time and funds allow.

After getting it home, I tinkered with it for awhile and did some research on this site. I dropped the fuel tank and drained the old gas out of the tank and lines. I noticed that the fuel filter sock on the end of the sending unit was torn so I replaced it while I was in there and filled it with fresh gas. It ran much better, but would backfire through the carb and exhaust on deceleration. It would idle fine and drive normal until you really started giving it some pedal then it would spit and spudder.

After a month or so of this I gave up and drove it to my mechanic, turns out it was a bunch of varnish build up in the carb. While I had it there, I replaced the rusty old muffler and tailpipe (I blew the muffler out with a backfire at some point!) and had them give everything a once over.

 

[max 02]

Nice looking 77...do me a favor and keep the chrome trim on the sides!

Every one seems to want to take it off...Good luck with it!

 

[Deuling]

Nice looking 77...do me a favor and keep the chrome trim on the sides!

Every one seems to want to take it off...Good luck with it!

X2!!!!

 

[82355]

Keep the SM465, and get different wheels and I will love you.

Martin

 

[max 02]

Keep the SM465, and get different wheels and I will love you.

Martin

That too! Lol!

 

[Eason]

Chrome trim and SM465 is definitely staying! Wheels and bumpers are high on my wish list!

After just getting it running good, I was on my way to the deer lease (about 15 miles) and my brake pedal went all the way to the floor! Talk about a pucker factor! Luckily this happened as I was turning off the pavement and into my lease so I was able to avoid a catastrophe. A brake light on the dash came on and after pumping the brake some I had a little brake but not enough to drive it on the road.

After much research on this site I replaced the master cylinder and bled the lines and this fixed my problem. Then I replaced the platinum spark plugs the p/o had put in with A/C delco plugs and wires.

Basically other than a few minor things (license plate light, wiring up off road lights, fixing glovebox latch, replacing 12v power outlet) I haven't done anything else in the last few months until recently Ive started getting it ready for bed liner on the inside.

 

[78SWB]

Keep the SM465, and get different wheels and I will love you.

Martin

I second this!

Nice rig

 

[y5mgisi]

Nice looking truck!

 

[magik235]

Nice looking truck!

 

[Eason]

I really wanted to bed-line the inside of this thing ever since I got it almost a year ago. I guess I was scared of what I might find under the 35 year old carpet so i never got around to it until now.

After removing the seats, console, and then the carpet and insulation, my fears were confirmed:
















The rear bed floors were pretty bad, but not completely rotted out. Same goes for the floor pans. Passenger side was worse than driver's side.

 

[Eason]

These pics really make it look worse, alot of the insulation is left in the floor and most of the rust is surface rust. I plan on cutting out all of the rust though and replacing it with new metal.


I need to replace the rockers on both sides too...




I hope to have it sandblasted after I cut the bad stuff out, but what should I put down?

Self Etching primer? Por-15? Rustbullet?

I'm new at this and am starting to feel a little over my head!

 

[Eason]

Well i got my replacement parts in and am trying to get started. Do I need to brace my door frames before I cut out the rockers? I guess I need to remove the doors, hood and fenders? How hard is this going to be to get them back on in the correct position? How should I mark the current position of everything?

I've started drilling out the spot welds on the rockers, but I'm going to send back some of the parts I ordered and make my own replacement patch panels.

 

[Greg72]

If you are new to rust repair, I'd start with the rear floor area first.... it will be a good confidence builder, and there's less going on structurally than the rocker/front floor areas...

Lots of threads around here deal with footwell rust repair. Pop open a cold one and start reading and you'll have most of what you need to get started.

Post lots of pics as you go. Everyone here like photos and you are more likely to get help by showing clear images of the things you are confused about.


-G

 

[Eason]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely take your advice and start on the rear area first. I've looked at so many threads on here, but I'm new at all of this so I don't want to screw anything up or cause myself extra work that could have been prevented.

 

[Greg72]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely take your advice and start on the rear area first. I've looked at so many threads on here, but I'm new at all of this so I don't want to screw anything up or cause myself extra work that could have been prevented.

You'll get the experience you need just AFTER you make the mistakes.... FACT!

Good decisions come from the experience of making bad decisions, you will learn better ways to work as you practice and do a few things "the hard way". No amount of forum reading will prepare you for everything.... you won't have the context to fully understand everything you are reading until you get started on your own project. I'm amazed when I go back and re-read people's comments on my build. Sometimes the advice was really GOOD, but I just wasn't far enough along to really appreciate what they were saying.

Trust me.... once you make your first few cuts and remove some metal you will have a whole new understanding and appreciation for the things you see and read in the threads here on CK5. Everything will start to make a lot more sense.


-G

 

[mmadblazer76]

I'll be watching.... esh rusty floors on mine too!

 

[1Psycho]

Same, good luck man!

 

[Eason]

Well this has gone a lot slower than I had anticipated. Between not having time to work on this project to rusted or stripped bolts I have not made as much progress as I had hoped.

I have removed all of the bad rear floor sections, and got my replacement panels cut to fit. I still need to do some minor trimming to get them to fit perfect and then weld them in.



Also I had to make some patches for the inner wheel wells where they were starting to rust. This is my first time to weld on a vehicle so, be easy with the remarks!



I have also been jumping around a little while I am honing my welding skills and have removed some other items that need replacing.





I am currently waiting on some supplies from Eastwood to come in before I proceed any further with the rear floors. I have learned a ton so far, but could still use any advice or maybe some encouragement!