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I need advice to BLAZE UP my 71

brandoneh

brandoneh

1/2 ton status
Joined
Aug 1, 2002
Posts
179
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0
Location
Lake Stevens, WA
I just turned 21 in october and got my DUI in november...what great luck! Anyways, i bought my 71 CST in the summer of '01, worked all summer bustin ass diggin ditches to get my truck for 2700. Picked up a 71 CST with superlift 6 inch with 35 mud terrains with hardly any tread left. Chicks dig the topless trucks, and I love to ride topless with the ladies and show up those damn honda's and mustangs. In spring of 2002 washington finally got a snow storm and my blazer being the big girl that she is found some black ice and decided to eat a Saturn SL2 for breakfast. The saturn was totalled and i managed to walk away with a crazy linkage, damanged door and some fender trouble. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Sh!t happens. 4,000 dollars later payin for that damn saturn i managed to take out my college fund and put it to something that really matters. I bought a 3 inch bodylift, and some TSL/Radials 38.5 x 15.5 late summer of 2002. Its a good lookin lift for that truck, but i'm suprised how small those tires look on the K5. /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

Things i need to fix, and hopefully you guys can help me out with some suggestions.

1. I have a rear winshield, but the hatch portion of the top is [censored] up. If there is anyway possible to find just the lift/hatch piece for the top? that would be the coolest. I dont want to buy a whole new top, junkyards dont have them, and I dont wanna steal from another K5 owner..because that'd be wrong! Suggestions please!

2. Fender flares? I went to Moses lake last summer and saw a first gen with some dope fender flares, but i have yet to see any offered online or from 4x4 shops. It seems they got a whole lotta for 73+ but whats up with the first gen?

3. I'm thinkin about putting wheel spacers on my truck. I read the article that Colorado posted and I think that puttin spacers on my truck would be a good thing. Anyone see some negatives on putting wheel spacers on?

4. Whats up with the cage doors? I haven't put on my door since the accident, and my 85 preludes' head cracked. Once again my blazer is my daily driver, and its not fun driving with no door in washington. I think they said its going to flood this weekend /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'm going to put a 67-72 pickup door on, anyone have suggestions or testimony's on cuttin the door so it fits? someone say saw-zall?

5. Front bumper brackets to compensate for the body lift?
/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
I'll think of more.....

Yah! ANy suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I can't wrench, i dont have any garage or tools, but i love my truck and I'll do my best to "Blaze" it up.

'71 K5 CST. 350. 6sus 3body 38.5 TSL radials. no door and wet!
 
Is this post a joke? If it's not, the best advice I can give you if you want to get help/advice is to tone it down a little.

In your first post you've told us: You drink & drive, You seem to not care or you make light of the fact that you totalled someones car & could have killed them, you have thoughts of doing a midnight auto, five finger discount from someone elses blazer, & you want people to answer your questions without even taking the time to look through any previous posts to see if it has been answered before.

So take a little time & read through some of the info here. Use the search function.
 
in addition to Mike's very valid concern, I am interested how you are going to fix this thing saying that you won't/can't wrench.

FYI: This is pretty much a DIY site. Some of these people don't even BUY parts because the FABRICATE what they need themselves. And the attitude that the idea, while wrong, of stealing parts from another rig crossed your mind worries me. Glad I am in Callie.
 
No, the post it not a joke. Don't be a jerk. I appreciate the suggestion of using the "search" option to find answers to my questions. I did do some searching, and my search came empty for many of my Q's. I dont drink and drive..and if you can honestly say you never left a bar with a couple in you...your a good man, but sh*t happens bro! I was merely stating a fact that money hard earned is going to the state rather to my BIg Fat K5. I do care for the fact that i crushed that saturn in my big ass truck, but losing control in a gigantic truck due to black ice is something i have no choice in...i'm not going to ponder the fact that someone could have been hurt because nothing happened. I dont have thoughts of stealing something of someone's blazer..it was merely a joke. If you can't take a joke in life and laugh it off, you might want to watch out for your hard top! LOL.

Back to the point of "BLAZIN"! I've seen those clear side markers lamps for 1 gen somewhere, anyone have any ideas where they were?
 
Brandon,

I can try to give you some help on your questions....

1. The hatch is available from at least one aftermarket source. I forget the name, but it was posted in this forum. Try a search using "hatch"...that might get you there. IIRC it was around $400, so it's not cheap. Occasionally, you'll find someone selling or giving away an old hardtop, so you can sometimes get lucky that way too. Odds are good, you're going to have to learn about fiberglass work, because they are almost ALWAYS cracked below the handle, and in the bottom corners.

2. Can't help you on that one. I know I've seen them on 1st Gens too, but I personally think they are ugly and spoil the nice look of the early Blazer. Take a look at my pics (link is in my .sig)....I'm running 38's with 6" of lift. I've still got some bodywork to clean up, but you don't HAVE to use flares to get the tires to work... /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

3. I've got them on the rear of mine, and they work fine. Are you running 1/2 ton axles? 6-Lug? The only bummer is that the spacers are something like $200....and that's kind of a lot of money to sink into 1/2 Ton axles....especially since you're already on 38's. Whether you want to or not, there is probably at least a 3/4-Ton swap in your future! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif

4. The early pickup doors can be cut to work, but there are some trim caps that you'll need to take from your Blazer to cover the cut areas....this is all 2nd-Hand info that I've read before, I haven't tried swapping in a truck door personally.

5. I have never seen anything available that "fixes the ugly" of having a bodylift and a bumper hanging WAY down below it. I made a cool setup for my 2" body lift (front and rear) and was considering making some "extra sets" to accomodate a 1", 2" or 3" body lift. It's still a few weeks out....but it might be a solution for you when you're ready.

New_Shackles.jpg
 
deleted

Nice job Greg, I guess I was a little too quick to assume it was someone trying to stir up trouble to prove a point that we are mean to the new guys. I was actually trying to be nice in my statements.
 
Yah man...your exactly right! I have the hatch its just the lower portion right at the corners has cracked off and busted. I dont have any friends in the fiber glassin buizz....guess i'll have to find some!

Yah i still got those 1/2 ton axles which is lamo! Is it not recommended to run 38's for too long with that weak of an axle? I dont wheel too much...mainly because i'm broke and i'm chasin tail on the weekends! If i do basic road drivin all the time will 1/2 ton axles do me good for a while or should i start savin pennies?
Also the custom greg bumper brackets would be sweet dude, at least for the front, it looks ridicolous the way it is now!

Its all 'bout the first generation! i'm soo blessed to own one!
 
Well...

If you're an "urban wheeler" the 1/2 Ton stuff will probably be OK. Just don't go for any NHRA-style burnouts! The prevailing wisdom around here is that 1/2 Ton can take you up to around 35-36" tires....once you get larger than that it's 3/4-Ton or 1-Ton axle time, but again that's mostly for wheelin'.
 
If the term "hatch" doesn't bring up what you wanted look for the term "lift gate."

Ditto on the doors, search for "truck door" or "reinforcement plate." You will need to transfer the reinforcement plate from your original damaged Blazer door to the truck door or you *will* tear up the door when the top's off.
 
Be careful if come down this way and try to take something off my rig, i sleep with a little .243 next to my bed... and my window open.
 
Bushwacker makes or at least used to make cut out fender flares for first gens. I picked mine up on the for sale board a few months ago, I don't know if they are still in production. Warn used to make fender flares, I think they had a first gen flare aswell.
 
For what its worth, if you check most any boat shop or canopy place they will usually be able to do glass work for you. my rear hatch was thrashed as well so I removed the top and bought a Soft top. much nicer, I rarely get wet in Oregon and its not much louder than the hard top.

As for the spacers... I have seen a few guys around here that fab them and will make a set for you, I seem to remember them being around either $100.00 each or $100.00 a pair (sorry I cant remember).

The 3/4 ton axles are pretty close to a straight bolt-in for us. There will be some minor changes that you will need to make or have done, but its nearly bolt-in and the strength difference between the stock 12-bolt and the 3/4 ton 14-bolt is apparently well worth the investment. (around 150.00 at Upullit) I havent switched yet either, too many things that are actually broken to fix before fixing something not broken.

I have to agree with Greg on the fender flares. GM has never made as beautiful a fender as the front of a 1st gen. plus, all the flares I have seen require drilling a bunch of holes in the fender to screw them on... No thanks, with all the water in the air here in the PNW rust is a big enough problem without adding holes

I have a 71 pickup door on the driver side on my K5, it was there when I got the blazer... I have had no problems with it so far. I do know that I have a set of 71 pickup doors in my garage waiting for paint and door handles... I measured the lips on the passenger blazer door and the swazall did the rest.

As for no garage and no tools... that might be a problem for you. With anything 30+ years old (myself included) it is going to need some pretty routine maintenance and things are just simply going to "go bad". I know that since I cant get my K5 in the garage its a serious pain in the arse to work on it...

-Ryan /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
Here are the measurements that GM used to cut the doors
fe47a53b.jpg


I can e-mail you full sized pic's if you want. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

fe47a4e8.jpg
 
I would greatly appreciate that email with some big pics of that door conversion! I'm gonna try to tackle that project this weekend at my buddies house.
Quick question....is it easy to service the transfer case? mine is leaking slowly but surely and i'm worried! Gaskets and seal kits from major auto part stores or no?

RIght on! i'm off to the tom likus show tonight in seattle!

Blazer Bud Bitches Beer and Brandon! /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
My hatch is in bad shape too. Mothertruckers has new hatches for $385. I don't think the glass, seals or hardware is included. As far as the flares, I've seen a few sets of bushwacker's for sale on this board and on e-bay. They are the same as the truck flares but the company doesn't make them anymore.GMCPaul is working on getting some repo blazer doors made.http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=43437&highlight=indiana

Good luck...
 
YES brandon, you will need to get new seals. When I swapped my engine I replaced all my seals, even though the only one leaking was the rear T-case seal. It is ALWAYS a good idea to change that stuff when you can, there is just no reason not to when they are (or could be) 30+ years old. I have a huge oil puddle in the driveway where I park my Blazer, but thank God, its not getting any bigger now. I also went through 3 different master brake cylinders until they finally sold me one that DIDN'T leak. the second one they sold me, all leaked out the rear seal in 1 week.
 
Right on...thanks for the info!
WHy did they discontinue the production of 67-72 pickup fender flares? Are they that ugly?! I agree with Greg that the 1st gen should be flare-less, to keep that classic look goin on. I've seen some 73+ flare's that look bad ass and make the truck look killer. My main concern is to prevent the po-po's from pulling me over, and up here north of seattle cops just love pulling vehicles over for stupid reasons. My tires dont stick out too much, and I probably shouldn't worry about too badly but there's always that moment when you busted for stupid sh*t. I'm goin to go to my parents house soon and post a pic of the busted up beast!

THanks for the Help
-B
 
I'm sure that they were discontinued because they just weren't selling enough to justify the cost of production. Anyway, there is a guy on my street with a j**p & his tires stick out. He put on some mud flaps that he removes when he is going out wheeling. If your tires stick out - you've got a good chance of getting pulled over in Washington. Mud flaps will may save you some hasseling.

Where in WA are you at? If your looking for good parts, there is a store in Snohomish - PickupsNW. They carry just about everything that LMC & Chevy Duty carry, but no shipping charges if you pick it up. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
BouncyTruck! i live in bothell too....in these apartments next to gold gym on bothell everett hiway! this PickupsNW place you mention...is that next to Olypic 4x4 in snohomish?

I work at this cell phone place called Advanced Wireless Solutions in canyon park next to paradise bay and QFC. (i get to watch tanning ladies all day) /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif So feel free to drop by sometime, i'd love to check out the truck!
 
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