89 S10 Blazer

[Motoracer838]

I love where your going with this, I had given thought to a C5 with a Blazer skin several years ago ( even have the parts ) but with as long as it took me to put Frankenstine back together the last time I cut it up ( and my current health issues ) I can't see going that big these days... Keep the updates coming.

Joe

[Jaymzz]

Thank you. Health issues suck!
It's funny in the last year and a half how much this Blazer has been through. It brought great joy driving it shortly with the lt4 and six speed so can only imagine what it will be like this time around driving it.

[Jaymzz]

Not sure if I am going to be able to go out in the shop tomorrow so here is what I got done today. Doing both fenders at the same time so progress feels slow but visually it is starting to transform. :D
So I plan for this to be under 3000 lbs and have a target of 2500 lbs. I have a couple people telling me instead of using 1 3/4 0.120 wall to use 1 3/4 0.095 instead. The 0.095 will save some money on tube but want to be safe. Can anyone chime in what would be best?

Wife wanted a selfie. I don't put my face on the internet much so here was a selfie at 5 am this morning for her. lol




Still a very long ways to go but the design of the front of the fenders has been bothering me all week. I did a ton of different designs this morning trying to figure out how I wanted them to look. My original plan was to have it curved in the front the same angle as the wheel lip but it didn't go with the body style once I had it all mocked up. I still have a lot of metal to weld in and then a lot of metal shaping before mud but it gives somewhat of a visual what it is going to look like. I know what it will look like when done in my head.

[cornfedbill]

We built a roll bar for Sandhills Open Road Challenge. They require 1-3/4 X 0.090" wall DOM. Big Bend Open Road Challenge requires 1-3/4 X 0.120". This is for cars over 2700 pounds.

This is from SORC rules:

Under 1500 lbs. ERW, CREW 1.50” O.D. X .120 wall or DOM 1.50” O.D. X .090 wall
1500 to 2700 lbs. ERW, CREW 1.75” O.D. X .120 wall or DOM 1.50” O.D. X .090 wall
2700 lbs. & over ERW, CREW 1.75” O.D. X .120 wall or DOM 1.75” O.D. X .090 wall

SCCA General Competition rules are similar to SORC.

If I would feel safe with 1-3/4" X 0.095" as long as it is DOM tubing, not cold rolled and welded. We never tested our roll bar. I don't plan on it. But based on the various sanctioning body rules, we were compliant, which I would consider safe.

[SRD art]

This really is a cool project, I've thought often about a really wide body S10 project but haven't had the guts to chop one up.

Considering my background in drag racing I used 1 3/4 .120 wall DOM on Pumkinator, mostly because smaller dia. tubing looked too small visually, but I'm a designer sort and visuals are as important as engineering to me. Looking back I didn't consider the extra weight though. With some chassis bracing and a boxed frame, although the engine bay was stripped of any extras, the car still weighed 3550 while a complete factory stock wagon usually weighs around 3400 ish. Smaller tubing would've dropped some weight.

My son and I are both building S10s now to go along with our G-bodies, his is a pickup and mine a Blazer getting converted to a Jimmy look. We've found that decent S10 info is hard to find on the internet or often tough to feel the resources are reliable but I've seen a couple seemingly reliable resources say a typical V8 S10 weighs in around 3100 ish. Since you have such a light weight goal in mind why not use the many race groups legal smaller tube chromoly to have the strength and lighter weight?

Lemme know if you decide to shop around for a rendering to see the design on paper over just in your head, I'd love to give you a bid sometime.

Here's a couple pics of our projects for inspiration-





My son's S10 project-



My Blazer project and build thread-

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...zer?highlight=

[Jaymzz]

Thank you. I think 120 wall would be heavier and a little more expensive but then wouldn't have to worry about bending any rules in case it is heavier than planned. I did think about chromoly but still learning and want to start on something a little easier first. It was a little tough cutting up a rust free 2wd 2 door Blazer at first and have gotten a little slack about it but I already had it and I like to work with what I have, that and also have a very strong addiction to Blazers especially s10's. lol
Nice renderings! I have thought about having one drawn up for me but kind of like the surprises I will add as times go on. If there was a rendering I feel I would have to build it to match. lol

[Jaymzz]

So great news! Talked with Rick Dobbertin today and ordering front and rear C5 adapters Friday. He has everything I need in stock so getting excited, plus he is a lot of fun to talk with about cars. Now to start saving up for the tube...Also working on a deal for an old smaller frame rack that I can use to build jigs off of for a nice level playground for chassis modification and building.

[SRD art]

Thumbs up!

[Jaymzz]

Ordered my Corvette suspension adapters yesterday from Dobbertin! Very excited to get them in a week or two because that is one step closer to starting on my chassis.
Today worked on the fenders some more. After a bunch of measuring I either need to move my door hinges out or buy some aftermarket hinges so I have the correct door to fender clearance when opening the door. I knew I was going to have to do something but kind of been putting it off and working on the front of the fender all the while sneaking peaks at the back trying to get ideas. After posting this I am going to start looking into hotrod hinges and either get an idea or order them. Years ago I started working at night and weekends at a custom hotrod shop to learn fabrication and get out of the collision industry. I was there about three weeks and couldn't go in one night because other plans. The next day showed up to go to work about five in the afternoon and a bunch of cops were there. The guy teaching me that I had know for a couple years got shot and killed while working and the owner of the shop also was shot and killed. Ended up being the wife of the owners boyfriend and my friend was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were shot when I was supposed to be there the night before. Ever since then been kind of shy of going into hotrod shops and learning from them. I am learning as I go, so if anyone see's something that could be done easier or better please let me know.

Here is what I did today. Still a lot of work to go but the shape is coming together! Where that circle is I am thinking about putting a three inch tube there for brake cooling. Thoughts? I was thinking the air would be coming off of the filler and that would be a good location. But not sure....

[Jaymzz]

So didn't have a bunch of time to work on the Blazer today, but do think I figured out a new door hinge idea. I looked into hotrod hinges last night and would rather spend $450 on tube or something else needed. After doing some house chores I started looking at a K5 Blazer I have for parts and decided to use the hinges from it and extend my A pillar out about six inches. This will give me bolt on hinges and be free just some time.

While you have the fender off, can you take a couple pics of the firewall/lower A-pillar area? I'm starting to reconstruct mine
and can't remember exactly where stuff went.

Thanks!

Jay

Here is a picture for you. Need anymore let me know but it is pretty cut apart lol

[SRD art]

Wow, crazy story!

Suicide hinges would keep the door away from hitting the fender. ;)

Food for thought- design wise you don't want to butt a circle up against hard lines like that, it makes a funky transition the eye/ brain subconsiously has a hard time looking at and interpreting and tends to not visually flow so well. Even moving it 1/2" back and upward would give it better visual dynamics. Better yet, since the S10 naturally has hard blocky lines, why not do a scoop that plays off those body lines and internally transitions from square-ish opening to the round ducting?

Here's a visual of something like that to get your thought gears turning....

[Jaymzz]

Agreed! I didn't cut it out yet because where I drew that circle is messing with me and don't like it. Thank you for the idea I really like it and already have an idea to build it in my head. Now I kind of want a drawing lol

[cornfedbill]

Wow, crazy story!

Suicide hinges would keep the door away from hitting the fender. ;)

Food for thought- design wise you don't want to butt a circle up against hard lines like that, it makes a funky transition the eye/ brain subconsiously has a hard time looking at and interpreting and tends to not visually flow so well. Even moving it 1/2" back and upward would give it better visual dynamics. Better yet, since the S10 naturally has hard blocky lines, why not do a scoop that plays off those body lines and internally transitions from square-ish opening to the round ducting?

Here's a visual of something like that to get your thought gears turning....

Nice work Ben! The lines are much easier to see.

I like where you are going with this Jayme.

[Z06killinSBF]

Hell yea man! This is one of my favorite builds on the board right now. Looking awesome

[Jaymzz]

Thank you! It is nice to see it start taking shape. :D

[Jaymzz]

Not getting any actual work done this weekend. Was supposed to help a friend move so didn't bring any tools home to work on the Blazer. He has the stomach flu and in turn I got my old laptop out and started learning Bend-tech and trying to figure out how to design my chassis on it. They say it is easy to learn! I beg do differ!!! After about 9 hours of messing with it and realizing that I have to start over is frustrating but I will get it. Could have had most if not all of it drawn up on paper by now but trying to get into modern times. So hopefully sometime in the near future I will have some plans for my chassis in the digital age hopefully. If not paper it will be and a lot of cardboard or conduit.

[Jaymzz]

Been a week! My health took a very bad turn for the worse this week or rather has been but caught up with me this week. :( Seems my spine doesn't like me anymore from my arthritis and is collapsing. Over the last eight years I have lost six inches in height and now at an even six foot tall. Was wondering why I wasn't hitting my head on stuff as much. lol So the company I work for is looking for a different position for me and will either end up in training or repair support and loose way over half my pay but gets me off the floor banging on cars. I am very sad about this because my passion in life is cars. My Blazer financially is going to slow down but do plan on working on it when I can with what I have and it will get done.
From my health declining I have decided to build a 2x4 1/8 wall frame at work before I am transferred. Going to order the metal next week and plan on in the next few weeks having my Blazer a roller again. :D

I got my Dobbertin adapters Tuesday and have been excited to bolt the front together to see if my math was correct on the width of the fenders. It was!!!


Here is with all the front suspension bolted together and the crossmember rough measured where it will be.

[JayinMI]

Thanks for the pics. I got the parts together, but they don't fit quite right. I put new door bushings in (after I welded everything up ) and the front part (that you took the pic of) seems to tilt out, or the rocker panel sticks out about a quarter inch at the front of the door. Now, the thing is that the door that's on it seems to have been tweaked at some point, so I don't know if that has something to do with it. When things slow down at work a little, I plan to swap one of my other doors on and see if it fits better. If not, I think I'll have to cut a "v" shape in it to push the rocker in at the front. It's right up against the body mount, so it can't go in anymore. I'll get it tho.

Sorry to hear about your health. My gf's dad is one of those "work through the pain" guys, and worked for GM for 30+ years, 84 hrs a week. When he finally retired, he needed knee replacement, shoulder replacement and his spine had also compressed and he had nerve problems because of it. And he "only" lost about 2" of height. It's cool that your company is willing to work with you to find you a position. Not all would.

Hope things work out, and enjoying the build!

Jay

[Z06killinSBF]

Sorry to hear about your health, but keep at it we all rebound eventually. Luckily metal fab is fairly inexpensive compared.

[Jaymzz]

Here is what I got done this weekend. I did learn a lot about hinge locations and still need to do the other side and then a huge amount of sheetmetal work.

My first attempt and was so proud of it until this morning when I checked the door clearance to the fender and realized I was way off. Part of learning and won't do that again. lol


Moved the hinges forward about 4 inches and now everything clears and reinforced the hell out of the door and pillar. Plan is to sheetmetal the A pillar and that will lock everything in for strength and longevity hopefully.