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RobNoLimit
05-02-2014, 08:33 AM
This will be the last project built here at No Limit before we move, and it's kind of fitting for So Cal. I had one of these (74) blazers years ago and they're a blast at the beach. Top off, coolers, boards, firewood, yep, good times. I also remember the old square body C10 suspension, made even worse by the short wheelbase, bouncing down the 91 fwy. The harsh ride was made even worse with dropped spindles, cut springs and a flipped rear axle. The price you pay for bein' cool. This clean K model will be doin' it right this time. It is a pretty solid driver, 350/700, but the owner wants more, and he wants it right. We'll be putting a new chassis with a WideRide IFS and Fatbar 4-link. we'll also be adding some bigger brakes, and a new fuel system. The new drive line will consist of a new Turn Key LS3 and L470 trans. Here's some picts as the it's coming apart.

snopro
05-02-2014, 08:42 AM
this should be a very fitting build for your last one in cali. maybe a collector one day lol

FRENCHBLUE72
05-03-2014, 06:10 PM
Where you guys moving to?

RobNoLimit
05-04-2014, 08:59 AM
Early this summer we will be moving to Dandridge Tn. - just outside of Knoxville. It makes us feel a little better about our decision that Toyota is following our lead and pulling up stakes as well. I love Cali, but she no longer loves us back. Honestly we should have done this 20 yrs ago, but some relationships are hard to exit. :) The Blazer brings back great memories of a different California. When I sold my '74, one of the would be suitors asked about the top. I never had the hard shell, from time to time I would run a 'Bikini' top on it, I had a make shift board rack above the roll bar and windshield, so most of the time there was some shade from a stick or two. I had the Bikini top on it when it was for sale, and people would ask things like "How do you lock it?" and "What if it rains?" Growing up in Huntington Beach, and then Norco (Horsetown USA - ask Bret) we didn't lock things, I mean, what if your neighbor or friend needed something and you weren't home? And, if it rained, one of 8 days a year, you stayed inside and hung out with family and friends. A Blazer or Jeep was a fun vehicle back then, and this one will be even better than my old '74, but it will be locked up at night.
One of the drawbacks to almost any C10 is the front crossmember. When you drop a C10, the center of the front crossmember and/or the pivot shaft for the lower control arms will be the first things to hit the ground. And it's a hard hit. Next the headers will drag. Until recently, the last two or three years, all of the 'truck' headers hung below the chassis. But today, these are no longer problems. our new C10 pro-Tech chassis raise the front crossmember clearance and provide a flat sight line under the trucks. And over the last few years, we worked with the new guys at Headman Headers to make a C10-LSX header that fits in OE chassis, OE with our WideRide IFS, and in our custom chassis, and it doesn't hang down. This little red Blazer will sit right at 6" off the ground, OK maybe 5", and won't have any ground clearance problems, no tire rub problems, and full turn radius. Just as it should be.

low68
05-04-2014, 09:49 AM
This is going to be a cool build. I will be watching this one.

MSTSFabbed
05-07-2014, 07:29 AM
Dandridge! Heck yeah, I'm just north of Chattanooga! I'm gonna have to come make a visit once yall get all settled in.

The Blazers looking good!

RobNoLimit
05-14-2014, 07:24 AM
We are about to fit the new chassis, and moving the body around this looked like a fun pict. Johnny says this is almost low enough.

aggie91
05-14-2014, 08:20 AM
I really love those blazers with the full removeable top. I saw a post on another forum about your upcoming move. You are also going to share space with another builder?

Can't wait to see more on this one.

Arrowhead
05-15-2014, 09:49 AM
Cool build, subscribing! Had a '73 that I fixed up in high school 30 years ago with new body panels, rebuilt the engine, 4" lift, etc. Always missed that truck and thought of building another. Nowadays though I appreciate the low stance instead of climbing up high to get in and work on a tall 4x4 :)

CampbellshotrodsAZ
05-15-2014, 10:24 AM
What? Another business leaving California? You don't say? LOL.

Cool build, always loved these trucks.

Boatmark
05-15-2014, 01:29 PM
Cool project. Back in the late 70's / early 80's I knew a guy with one - dropped, green with blue based flames (sounds bad, looked great), chrome roll bars that doubled as a board rack . . . . . the perfect thing for cruising Ft. Lauderdale beach. Top? What top? We don't need no stinkin tops!

RobNoLimit
05-16-2014, 10:45 AM
Today we are test fitting the chassis. A cut is needed to clear the top of the chassis in the rear, we knew that would happen. Just a little sheet metal work to do. The rest of it fits perfect. Here's the coolest part. We pulled back the carpet to see the O-riginal paint. Yep, she was Baby-Poop-Brown. Just like my old one. I'm feeling very nostalgic now. :)

aggie91
05-19-2014, 08:26 AM
got to love the brick mason's hammer for doing sheetmetal work!

RobNoLimit
05-19-2014, 02:22 PM
HAHA, Yep! I have a set of three. Square head, round head, and domed head. - flat tail, round tail, and pointed tail. Not too good for finish work, (I have a set of Martin hammers for that), but great for floor pans, firewalls and wheel wells. More mass = less work. You mean you don't have one of these?:guilty:

So, the base chassis is out from a test fit, now we'll finish it up to a roller.

rustomatic
05-19-2014, 08:13 PM
That Blazer needs clear plexiglass floors for that chassis. I'd want to be able to see it all the time, maybe even with LED lights that came on in the dark. That thing should be clearcoated and on display all the time--it's beautiful work that invites a brief lecture at any place and time. Somebody must really like the 2WD Blazer...

bad86ss
05-19-2014, 09:38 PM
This is one cool ride!

RobNoLimit
05-20-2014, 02:36 PM
Prepping more parts. Here is the new Turn-Key LS3 package.

bmbrzmn101
05-20-2014, 07:56 PM
Fun looking project with a beauty of a frame. My wife and I were just discussing a blazer like this and how much fun they are. Hmmmmm.........Oh well, I already have too many projects.

Chris

low68
05-21-2014, 07:29 PM
Great looking frame. Motor should be nice too!

RobNoLimit
05-23-2014, 08:11 AM
As the motor goes in we do the finish of the fab work on the mounts. We are using one of our 'truss plate' style mounts, These add additional strength to the IFS crossmember and chassis, and can be used with SBC, BBC, and LSX motors. A modular design helps if there are changes later on. The truss plate fits into the crossmember and needs to be set close to the motor mount center (fine adjustment comes later) It's a long weld, but it looks cool when done. The upper section is in three parts, front plate, rear plate (3 degrees of motor tilt built in), and cross tube. Once bolted on to the truss, the tube can be moved front/back. The motor is then set in, trans bolted up, and then the cross tube is welded to the upper plates. (the upper truss mounts can now be un-bolted if needed) It works out very clean and strong.

RobNoLimit
05-23-2014, 08:15 AM
Here's a couple of shots with the motor/trans in place. Headers and exhaust is next. Last shot is of a side frame gusset at the rear of the frame. The shape and design is to solve multiple problems at once. Tie down point, rear frame slider, for those big speed bumps, and frame gusset.

Peter Mc Mahon
05-23-2014, 08:50 AM
Clean looking frame Rob, nice work.

RobNoLimit
05-23-2014, 03:58 PM
Lots of progress the last few days. The tank fab is almost done, headers fitted, and the exhaust fit is pretty much done! Even the driveshaft mock up is done. Ya buddy, my guys are kickin ass

RobNoLimit
05-23-2014, 04:05 PM
On the body side, lots of progress here too. New Vintage Air HCD is in under the dash. The ECU is mounted, and the new EFI throttle pedal is all set. Up front the condenser is in, and the inner fender mods have started. We're on a roll!
Have a great weekend, and many thanks to our service men and women.

aggie91
05-27-2014, 11:39 AM
Yea Rob I have one of the sq head flat tail hammers too. Its just not something you see around this kind of work everyday, but it does have its advangates.

You guys are rocking on this one. Chassis is looking good.

RobNoLimit
05-29-2014, 04:25 PM
Today is the day. Time to put the chassis under it. So, here's the last look at it. All ready to go, brakes plumbed, gears in - 3.70 true track, rear brakes on - 13" x 4 piston, rack in place. Lookin good.

RobNoLimit
05-29-2014, 04:31 PM
In the back we are using the fuel pump supplied from Turn-Key Engines, it's what they wanted us to use. So, we made a cool little mount for it and the pre-filter. We use a temporary strut bar to set ride height in place of the Shockwave. Now that it's all together, the tank placement makes more sense, tucked up out of the way and protected.

RobNoLimit
05-29-2014, 04:41 PM
So the chassis is in! Fits like a glove. Mike is setting it level to shim the body. The new electric-hydro is in place, and the steering lines up great. I love it when a plan comes together. (said with half a cigar and a crooked grin)

aggie91
05-30-2014, 06:40 AM
Very Nice looking chassis. What is your opinion on running flex hose from the MC to the Frame?

RobNoLimit
05-30-2014, 07:38 AM
Very Nice looking chassis. What is your opinion on running flex hose from the MC to the Frame?

We'll run hard lines to the prop and check valves on the firewall, then flex down to the chassis. I like this method for separation/flex. Even with the new chassis and urethane mounts, things will move a little bit.

19,69camaro
05-30-2014, 08:06 AM
Now that is the way to run brake and fuel lines!

low68
05-31-2014, 10:02 AM
That looks awesome. How close to the ground is the exhaust going to be when aired out?

I have also been meaning to ask you what is the purpose of the tubes welded on the back of the lower control arms? I have never seen any 67-72s that utilized them. Would it affect the structure of the control arm if I cut them flush with the tube?

RobNoLimit
06-02-2014, 11:10 AM
When aired out and on the bump stops, the chassis is 1" off the ground, at it's lowest points. Exhaust is above that.

RobNoLimit
06-02-2014, 11:17 AM
More progress, we're blazin' though this project! Motor and trans - in. ECU harness - in. Gauge controller - in. The motor fits in nice, a bit farther back than stock. It's about 5/8" at the back of the drivers cyl head. - close, but good clearance. Now we got some plumbing and wiring to do.

reubencanyon
06-02-2014, 05:51 PM
Looking good

RobNoLimit
06-03-2014, 02:56 PM
Today we assembled the front brakes. To get what we want we use an assortment of parts. We make the Billit hub, 5 x 5", rotor adapter and caliper mount. the rotor is a 14 x 1.1 spec 37, and the caliper is a superlite 4 x 1.75" from Wilwood. These are fitted to our spindle, which is close to a late Impalla, using A3 and A6 bearings. - and, the OE style seal, not the goofy leather deal. This set up provides monster braking and is fairly light weight. At 42 lbs, it's still lighter than the OE 11" gen-2 Camaro at 51 lbs. We send out the rotors and pads for cryo prior to the install, this adds performance and lifespan, well worth the cost.

RobNoLimit
06-18-2014, 04:03 PM
Now we have the front suspension assembled, and the brakes on. RideTech makes us custom 5" stroke Shockwaves for our WideRide IFS units. This yields over 8" of wheel travel. The side view pict shows the header fit, and the oil pan height, nice and safe.

RobNoLimit
06-18-2014, 04:10 PM
More and more parts going in. The new Dakota Digital gauges are in, along with the Vintage Air control panel. The wiring is almost done. To clear the raised wheel wells, the OE battery tray was raised 2". Under it we mounted a Flaming River remote battery kill solenoid, nice and hidden. The fuel reg and pre-filter will mount on the firewall next to the A/C plumbing.

RobNoLimit
06-18-2014, 04:15 PM
The brake lines are now finished and all of the valving is in place. I really like these electric-hydroboost units, lots of brakes, no P/S issues, good looks. From the top down she's starting to take shape. Can't wait for a drive in this one.

chet
06-19-2014, 06:27 AM
drool!

aggie91
06-23-2014, 07:15 AM
Very nice!

Blazer is going to be awesome!

rstone
07-08-2014, 11:15 AM
I see on Facebook this is done were are our updates and pictures????

RobNoLimit
07-08-2014, 11:43 AM
Oops, not 100% yet, but we are driving it. Had some ECU issues, but those are solved. We are finishing a few things up, and now the owner wants a cage built in it. I'll get some picts. I can't put into words how nice it drives. The new chassis has so mus less flex than the OE it's not even comparable. The doors fit, and close perfect every time. The front clip stays in place, no moving or shifting over bumps. There are NO rattles or squeaks when driving. - it hardly feels like a chevy! The Shockwave with triple adjustable cans is the way to go. So far so good. The exhaust was a bit loud, so we added a cross-over and a small exit baffle, and now it sounds great. So far so good.

rstone
07-09-2014, 11:13 AM
Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Say the videos you posted of Facebook. Looks killer

encasedmetal
07-10-2014, 09:39 AM
awesome project. stoked you're moving since you'll only be 1.5hr away from me then and I can just come and pick up my wideride ifs and fat bars I'll be ordering soon- instead of shipping them from cali. also means if you need a 63' to use for developing parts you can use mine. lol cheers

RobNoLimit
07-10-2014, 10:51 AM
The dash is all back together, mostly, and we're really happy with the look of the new VHX guages. And, everything works now, I mean everything! Just a few more finishing touches on the A/C and radio and we're done with the dash. Yes, it looks mild and stock-ish, thats what we were after. Our customer is very happy, and they will get a lot of enjoyment from the Blazer.

RobNoLimit
07-10-2014, 10:59 AM
Under the hood we decided to black out most of the aluminum panels. We found a powder that has a satin-textured finish that is a good match to the new OE engine covers. For the air intake, there is a block-off plate and a seporate air inlet behind the grill, to help keep the inlet air cool. Although not shown here, Mike pulled the fuel lines and covered them with black heat-shrink tubing, the look and fit in much better now. The wheels fit perfect, and we were able to run the same size and offset on all four corners, allowing for some tire life management rotating. - Always a plus. Only one real project left to do on this build, wait and see.

Tig
07-10-2014, 02:19 PM
That is an amazing Blazer.
Thanks for teasing us with the last bunch of pictures. Those wheels/tires/brakes looks killer.

Have you ever done any 4wd street builds?

Bozeforged
07-25-2014, 09:28 AM
Under the hood we decided to black out most of the aluminum panels. We found a powder that has a satin-textured finish that is a good match to the new OE engine covers. For the air intake, there is a block-off plate and a seporate air inlet behind the grill, to help keep the inlet air cool. Although not shown here, Mike pulled the fuel lines and covered them with black heat-shrink tubing, the look and fit in much better now. The wheels fit perfect, and we were able to run the same size and offset on all four corners, allowing for some tire life management rotating. - Always a plus. Only one real project left to do on this build, wait and see.

Looks great! Thanks for choosing Boze Wheels!

RobNoLimit
08-30-2014, 08:11 AM
She's almost done. We had some ECU issues, and the Blazer spent some time down at Turn Key Engines to sort out the new MEFI system. All good now, with lots of smooth reliable power. With one track night in the books we're really happy with it. We ran a 47.23 lap at AMP, at street tire pressure, 36psi, and with only minimal shock tuning time, and a street alignment. That's a fast lap for a real street car, 46 sec is the barrier for 'really fast' laps out there. But it's the driveability that makes it the most fun. The platform is ultra-solid, no door or quarter shake like in a stock Blazer, and the ride quality of the Shockwaves is wonderful. Just a few more things to clean up and we're done. Engine covers back on, and a trip over to the interior shop for new carpet and some nice padded roll bar covers. Hope you like it.

RobNoLimit
08-30-2014, 08:12 AM
The last is my favorite pict so far ** OK, so the picts loaded out of order. the first is my favorite. lol