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Scrap the blazer idea and build a LUV?

2INSANE

2INSANE

6.2/6.5 Diesel Specialist/Builder
GMOTM Winner
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
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Location
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For about 2 years I've had this little thought in my mind...

Why build a super wide rig when a narrower one would be better...???

I mean... Most trails are getting to the point where it's ideal to have a more narrower rig, right? There's not enough full size rigs anymore to keep the trails wide enough to go on them...

Yea my blazer is cool and can do some amazing things but it's limited.

What if... I scrap the blazer idea and build a LUV?

Still a Chevy:thumb:

Light weight from the get go:thumb:

Narrow:thumb:

Not many have built a LUV:thumb:

Would love to make those Jeeps and Tacos look bad:thumb:

What do you guys think? What are my options with building a LUV?

Motor, Trans, t case, axles, coolness, frame supports, etc?

I would like to keep it street legal if possible...

Ok let's here the feedback:D
 
Wanna know the key to building a kick ass rig.................keep it a long time.

The luv has disadvantages too, all rigs do. Just have to pick what you like and change stuff
 
Okay I was on my phone when I posted that but now I am on the computer.

Soo heres the deal.

Blazer big, heavy, slow, lots of body. Mostly street legal.

If the luv you are talking about is anything like what we had talked about, its not going to see the road in Utah, and if it does its gonna get pulled over a bunch.

Besides it seems like you more like the explorations and small rockcrawling, not the kind of crawling that requires the narrower body and stuff.

The Blazer is perfect for that. Hard core crawling, yes it will do it but you have to be careful and you have to be gentle.

Remember I wheeled a full bodied blazer for a long time and before that a zuk, most of the guys I went wheeling with had Cherokees TJs and Toyotas. Every single one had advantages over others in certain areas.

If you wanna get your blazer more crawl ready, drop in down link it and run 40s or bigger. Mini boatsides, some side armor and cage it to the frame to help with rigidity.


Hmmmm oddly enough enough if you were gonna build a luv I would say keep it low, link it, run 40s or bigger, mini boatsides and some other body armor and a cage to the frame to help with rigidity.

I don't know man its really all the same. It really really is, the blazer could be built into an insane crawler that with care could stay looking nice.

A luv truck really needs most of the same mods. IMHO a toyota does too.

But remember I am to a point where I really really hate leaf springs. I think they are a necessary evil, where a whole lot of guys on here just don't understand what I am talking about, but there are a whole lot that do.

They do have their place and I ran them ( and replaced them often) with good success for quite a while.

So basic point, its not really what you build its how you build it.
 
NorCal_Chris said:
buy a luv body and stick it on the shortened blazer frame.


I wheeled with a guy a few years ago with this exact setup for this exact reason.


here is some inspiration for ya

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/chevy/993842-whole-lotta-luv.html
Click to expand...


That's pretty freaking sweet! Maybe a little more work then I would want. Just a tad...

blazinzuk said:
Okay I was on my phone when I posted that but now I am on the computer.

Soo heres the deal.

Blazer big, heavy, slow, lots of body. Mostly street legal.

If the luv you are talking about is anything like what we had talked about, its not going to see the road in Utah, and if it does its gonna get pulled over a bunch.

Besides it seems like you more like the explorations and small rockcrawling, not the kind of crawling that requires the narrower body and stuff.

The Blazer is perfect for that. Hard core crawling, yes it will do it but you have to be careful and you have to be gentle.

Remember I wheeled a full bodied blazer for a long time and before that a zuk, most of the guys I went wheeling with had Cherokees TJs and Toyotas. Every single one had advantages over others in certain areas.

If you wanna get your blazer more crawl ready, drop in down link it and run 40s or bigger. Mini boatsides, some side armor and cage it to the frame to help with rigidity.


Hmmmm oddly enough enough if you were gonna build a luv I would say keep it low, link it, run 40s or bigger, mini boatsides and some other body armor and a cage to the frame to help with rigidity.

I don't know man its really all the same. It really really is, the blazer could be built into an insane crawler that with care could stay looking nice.

A luv truck really needs most of the same mods. IMHO a toyota does too.

But remember I am to a point where I really really hate leaf springs. I think they are a necessary evil, where a whole lot of guys on here just don't understand what I am talking about, but there are a whole lot that do.

They do have their place and I ran them ( and replaced them often) with good success for quite a while.

So basic point, its not really what you build its how you build it.
Click to expand...

So what Eric is really saying is... He wants to build a LUV for me :D:bow::haha:
 
Why not an S-10 body on your frame? Maybe an extended cab with a tube bed. That would be small, and personally, I find the Luv to fit in with Corvairs, hideous turds that only way to improve them is melt them down and store Zima light or some other form of knockoff light beer in them. But thats just my thinkings on it, I personally love your blazer, thing is bees knees.
 
IDK... 40" might be too big for me... With it being so narrow, do you think we can get away with 37" tires or even 35"? Flat belly?

I really really really LUV this...

00f7c98e.jpg


941b1534.jpg


4e330a6e.jpg


8ddf6b54.jpg


17a506b6.jpg
 
Absolutely, use toy axles instead of full size axles, all the goodies in those and they are strong, That would would keep it narrow, run 37s with those keep it low though so boatsides are still needed, flat belly with whatever t case you wanna use.

I would run a 5.3 motor with a 4l60 and an atlas, or a cheaper option a 4.3 and a 700 with a 241 case decent axle gears and it will be close to being enough crawl ration.

A luv pretty much needs everything replaced so its a start and you go where you want too.

You know I slant more towards rocks and the more hardcore stuff though so thats where most of my ideas come from
 
blazinzuk said:
Absolutely, use toy axles instead of full size axles, all the goodies in those and they are strong, That would would keep it narrow, run 37s with those keep it low though so boatsides are still needed, flat belly with whatever t case you wanna use.

I would run a 5.3 motor with a 4l60 and an atlas, or a cheaper option a 4.3 and a 700 with a 241 case decent axle gears and it will be close to being enough crawl ration.

A luv pretty much needs everything replaced so its a start and you go where you want too.

You know I slant more towards rocks and the more hardcore stuff though so thats where most of my ideas come from
Click to expand...

I would feel kinda low by putting Taco axles and stuff in a LUV... Not very familiar with the S-10 trucks. Do they offer good motors and solid axles? Yea I figured we would need to do a lot of work, to make it work. Frame work especially. I'll continue doing more research and look around for a cleaner LUV to start with. Keep ya posted Eric. Any more ideas?
 
the 4.3 from the s10's is a great engine. the rear axle is a solid modern ten bolt. the front of any s10 is IFS, and weak junk. lots of sfa swapped s10's are bullet proof wheelers though.
 
So if your gonna build a luv, get rid of all your brand loyalties ALL OF THEM and use the parts that will work best.

A vortec 4.3 would be awesome but I think a 5.3 would work good too and give you way more power than you needed. Super charged 3.8 would be cool too.

I would use whatever version of the 700 the engine needed.

T cases I would do some sort of a doubler with the 4.3 I might consider adapting toy cases to the 700, double em up and then use 4.7s in the back case. I would cyro the shafts though. Don't want em breaking. A 231-231 or 231-241 or even a 231-300 would be alright too.

Atlas would be awesome but I dislike for a do it all kind of rig like you want. A 3.8 atlas would probably be alright.

A stak would be cool but you gotta spend the money on fixing the popping out problem right away. Atlas 4 speed is so expensive. So I think a doubler would be best

For 37s in a smaller rig you simply can't do better than mini truck Toyota axles. Can get e lockers in em, high steer, awesome axle shafts, they are about the right width, they make EVERYTHING for them. I bet there are more parts out there for mini truck axles than just about any other axle other than a Dana 60.

You could also use Dana 44s out of an old FSJ. They would work well too.

If you found a high pinion center section for a 60 that hadn't been tubed this one might be a decent ( depending on motor) for a rear high pinion 60.

The luv frames are not super strong but a ground up type a build that a luv requires makes that no big deal.

Then the most important thing, you gotta find those stepside beds they used on them and the toyotas :D.

You can go a million ways on something like this because you are basically replacing everything
 
So what are we looking at as far as frame? Total reconstruction? Reenforce stock frame?

Are those motors you guys mentioned GM or Import?
 
On a budget of $10,000... 5 months... Can it be bought, built and ready for BB13? Turning the Blazer back to stock and using its goodies? I'm just thinking out loud...
 
If you are thinking of using Toyota axles, why not just use Toyota motor trans and t-cases as well? I hate to say it, but those toyota parts are pretty damn good. I have a friend with a toyota truggy with 22re/5spd/dual toyota cases with crawler gears and 1-ton gm axles on 39.5" boggers. I have another friend with a TJ thats running all toyota drivetrain on 38" swampers. Both rigs do pretty dang good
 
muddermilitia said:
If you are thinking of using Toyota axles, why not just use Toyota motor trans and t-cases as well? I hate to say it, but those toyota parts are pretty damn good. I have a friend with a toyota truggy with 22re/5spd/dual toyota cases with crawler gears and 1-ton gm axles on 39.5" boggers. I have another friend with a TJ thats running all toyota drivetrain on 38" swampers. Both rigs do pretty dang good
Click to expand...

Yea from the looks of it, a possible donor rig will be needed. What yal think? A v6, drivetrain, rear from a 94 toy and older toy solid axle for front? Keeping legality in mind...
 
I just thought Chris might want a bit more power than the 22re can do.

He is talking about keeping it low and depending on frame its harder to flat belly a toyota setup. It may take major floor mods.

Which isn't a really big deal. But depends on how far up you can push the motor.
 
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