Shorty street prerunner build

[NYCEGUY01]

Time for a new project.
I love my Blazer but the motor is a little to rowdy and the creature comforts and highway driving are limited.
This one will need to be a truck I can hop in and drive to Vegas in comfortably..

I have a couple parts trucks and have the major components all here so ... Why not...lol

My blazer has the old school Fabtech A-Arm front suspension and it works on and off road way better than expected. So Ill do the same on this new one as I bought an old show truck with the whole suspension on it.
Tryong to decide if Im gonna shorten this LWB chassis or use a SWB frame I have out back already.

I have a bunch of good cabs and body parts so Im good there as well.
Again, not sure if Im gonna go fleet side or try to find a nice stepside bed. I have a super nice fleetside bed already.

I picked up a running and driving 2500 Silverado a while back for the 6.0 and 4l80 so Ill go ahead and use that, seems like a perfect fit, just gotta figure out the A/C mounting and get that all connected,

Anyway, the 1st step has taken place, the donor chassis/suspension made it into the garage for some dissasembly or surgery..

Heres Step #1...

 

[sreidmx]

Subbed

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Ah, Fabtech stuff from when they weren’t just another 4x4 lift maker.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Those hoops are what I kind of based mine on. I just went bigger because they hold the truck up.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

I really thought about doing Beams but I have been super impressed how well the a-arms work and how simple it is on my Blazer.
It just works. On road and off...

The strange thing is that my Blazer, this setup, and my buddies truck all have the same suspension and all have Fox rebuild-able shocks.
Fabtech told me they never offered it with Fox's, just with no shocks or with their house brand ?
Im assuming some retailer packaged them that way for sale or we just happened across all 3 trucks that got them.. Kinda weird...

This weekend that chassis is getting stripped and tossed out, my shortbed frame is getting dragged into the shop.
I ordered all new ball joints and bushings along with 6 lug front rotors.
Gonna swap in a 3.73 4wd rear axle I have for matching 6 lugs out back.
Lastly Im installing an 87 Blazer tank with the proper EP381 in tank pump to feed the 6.0.

I've got next week off work so I may even get the 6.0 and 4l80 pulled from the Silverado donor and set on the frame.

Then just 1000 more hours of work to go and 4 times as much $$ as budgeted ...lol

 

[AJMBLAZER]

When I lived in San Diego 20 years ago there were shops that did stuff like that. You might be on to something.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

Well, I have a yard full of parts and the more I think about it I think I’m just gonna put this 6.0 and 4l80 and my blazer and spend some time cleaning it up and put a new a/c system in with a pallet of dynamat..
I kinda want to swap out the wheels and tires while I’m at it for a set of 37’s.

I listed a bunch of the parts on Facebook yesterday and if a few of the bigger parts sell I’ll prob swap this build for a blazer refresh instead. I keep thinking about starting yet another full build while I have 3 “almost done” here
already.

I know I want the 4l80 for sure but I’ve been back and fourth on leaving the built small block vs. the 6.0. I already have the correct mounts and exhaust parts to go either way. I drove the blazer for the 1st time in a few months and of course it broke down..lol just a bad battery it looks like though.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

Seeing as how Im gonna update this thing a bit.. I cant decide on the Body.
I currently have all old school front glass and hood and factory bedsides.
I also have this glass just waiting to be put to use...

Decisions..
Kinda like the old school look but the new glass is sexy...lol

If I go new glass Ill update the wheels and go to a 37 tire as well. I can only fit the 35's with the factory bedsides,
It currently barely rubs inside and outside at the moment...