Blazer Crew Chief

[NOBLNG]

I wasn’t going to do  build thread on this one but then I figured this truck section could use some more traffic. This kit has some scale issues with the engine and trans which I may just ignore. The kit tires are nice, but way too small in my mind, and the optional chrome rims are mismatched with six lugs on the fronts and five on the rears. The differentials are also out of scale...as in Puny! So some wheel and axle upgrades are on the list. I think the worst part of this kit is the  poor interface between the interior tub/floorpan and the firewall and body sides, so I would like to improve that a bit.

As always, comments or criticisms welcome.

Stock kit tires with too much lift for them.

Wheels and tires from the Revell Jeep Rubicon kit.

Wheels and tires from the MPC Mount’n Goat Jeep Commando kit.

HUGE gap all around the interior tub/floor pan and the firewall/body sides! ?

Edited April 29, 2022 by NOBLNG

[slusher]

I very interested in watching you build on this blazer...

[bill lanfear]

I used a plastic spoon for the firewall, it works really well!

[NOBLNG]

2 hours ago, bill lanfear said:

I used a plastic spoon for the firewall, it works really well!

 

 

Thanks Bill. I did come across your thread and a few others while researching this kit. I’m not sure how involved I want to get with correcting the issues. Your spoon fix is a definite possibility.

Edit: Nice job on the weathering. I bought a 1980 Blazer to put my Willys cab and box on and the engine bay looked just like your model.?

Edited December 30, 2020 by NOBLNG

[maxwell48098]

I've used the "plastic spoon" fix for at least 15 years when that new engine wouldn't fit against the firewall.  My wife thought I was nuts for stealing spoons from box in the kitchen, but good, cheap fixes last forwever.

 

A.J.

[NOBLNG]

Ok, this one’s back on the bench. I’m not going to get too carried away correcting body tub issues. I will however upgrade the entire drivetrain. More to follow after I dig through my parts.?

Edited April 29, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Steve H]

Hi Greg! Great to see you dig out the Blazer. Definitely looking forward to seeing your take on this kit, and I’m going to soak up some of your 4X4 knowledge. I knew I had seen someone on this forum fix the firewall “hole”, it was Bill and his spoon fix!  Happy hunting in the parts bin! Maybe Mark, you and I will entice some others to join the Blazer build bonanza. 
 

Cheers, Steve

[NOBLNG]

I believe I have settled on this for the final stance. These are the six lug wheels and tires from the Revell Jeep Rubicon (which should have been 5 lug?). The Dana 44 front diff was available in the early Blazers, and the Corporate 14 bolt rear is a popular upgrade from the GM 12 bolt rear in the 1:1 world. It was available as a 8 lug full floating diff in 1 tons in either single or dually versions. It was also available as a six lug semi-floating  rear on 3/4 ton trucks and Suburbans.

Edit: The semi-floating 14-bolt rear is a completely different unit from the full-floater and not nearly as bullet proof. It is still a big up-grade from the 12-bolt units though.

These tires will require no lift and I can easily swap out the puny diffs for ones that I have cast. My resin pieces are pretty close to proper 1/25 scale. The rear one sits a little cock-eyed in the spring perches so I will have to tweek the mount slightly.

Edited July 30, 2022 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

4 minutes ago, Steve H said:

Hi Greg! Great to see you dig out the Blazer. Definitely looking forward to seeing your take on this kit, and I’m going to soak up some of your 4X4 knowledge. I knew I had seen someone on this forum fix the firewall “hole”, it was Bill and his spoon fix!  Happy hunting in the parts bin! Maybe Mark, you and I will entice some others to join the Blazer build bonanza. 
 

Cheers, Steve

That would be nice! more the merrier! ?

[Steve H]

Oh ya… those look nice.

[Zippi]

The Wheels & tires looks good and give it a nice stance.  Got a color in mind yet?

['70 Grande]

Boy, I really like that spoon-patch firewall fix...gonna hafta try that in the future! Your cast diffs are awesome, too! I'm going to learn alot watching your build, (and Steve's, too)!

[NOBLNG]

On 4/21/2022 at 6:34 PM, Steve H said:

Oh ya… those look nice.

Thanks!?

On 4/22/2022 at 5:58 AM, Zippi said:

The Wheels & tires looks good and give it a nice stance.  Got a color in mind yet?

Thanks. That is always a conundrum for me.? At the moment I’m thinking yellow or bronze with a black top….but that may change a few times yet.?

On 4/22/2022 at 7:36 AM, '70 Grande said:

Boy, I really like that spoon-patch firewall fix...gonna hafta try that in the future! Your cast diffs are awesome, too! I'm going to learn alot watching your build, (and Steve's, too)!

Thanks. I couldn’t get the spoon trick to work because the spoons I have would hit the interior tub, so I just used a flat piece set in behind the kit firewall.

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

I was going to use a small block casting that I have, but it looks too small in the engine bay. So I stole the 427 out of the Yenko Camaro kit, cut the 4 speed off, and added a resin TH400 and NP205 transfer case. This will be a nice beefy no nonsense powertrain upgrade for this nice old truck.? That’s all for now, thanks for looking!

Oops, the pic above is with the 454 & TH400 from the ‘70 Monte Carlo….but I still want to build that one one day.

Edited April 27, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Steve H]

11 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I was going to use a small block casting that I have, but it looks puny in the engine bay. So I stole the 427 out of the Yenko Camaro kit, cut the 4 speed off, and added a resin TH400 and NP205 transfer case. This will be a nice beefy no nonsense powertrain upgrade for this nice old truck.? That’s all for now, thanks for looking!

Oops, the pic above is with the 454 & TH400 from the ‘70 Monte Carlo….but I still want to build that one one day.

The big block looks good nestled in there Greg. I’m debating between a 409, and a 396 for mine, probably mated to the kit trans.  Bronze with a black top sounds like it would make good looking combo ?. Nice fix on the firewall, mine looks similar but flush.

Cheers, Steve

[NOBLNG]

On 4/24/2022 at 8:21 PM, Steve H said:

The big block looks good nestled in there Greg. I’m debating between a 409, and a 396 for mine, probably mated to the kit trans.  Bronze with a black top sounds like it would make good looking combo ?. Nice fix on the firewall, mine looks similar but flush.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks Steve. One thing to watch with an engine swap in this kit is that the frame rails are very narrow which doesn’t leave a lot of room for exhaust. And you’ve got the t/c to get around.? The kit I stole the motor from only came with headers which won’t fit?…..so I have to steal the manifolds from the Monte Carlo. Luckily the headers will work on the Monte when I get around to it.?
Edit: I am needing to raise the engine .100”  in order to get clearance for the manifolds. There should still be plenty of clearance under the hood for a carb and air cleaner. I’ve also filed a lot of material off the bottom of the transmission tunnel to gain some  extra clearances.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

I decided not to use the Rubicon rims because I can’t  add locking hubs to them due to the small bolt circle. I have castings of the 8 lug GMC plow truck rims that I will use…again.? I can add the hubs to these rims and they fit the tires nicely. I don’t have any inner rims  for them so I made some from 1/2” copper pipe.? I hope I can get the inners and outers bonded together well enough with CA or maybe epoxy? I have managed to get the axle tubes cut to proper width and mocked up. Next up is some brakes and possibly some steering components and then exhaust.? That’s it for now.?

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

I did a little work on the wheels today. I glued my copper inner rims onto the resin outers. I’m not a fan of solid wheel backs unless the outer rims are solid as well.?

 
I added the resin hubs that I’ve cast to the wheel rims.

Made some disc brake facsimiles from aluminum washers and styrene bits.

And I sandblasted the tires to get rid of the sheen.

Edited May 9, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Mike C.]

Lookin good!

[slusher]

Very nice improvements too your blazer. You was right about the wheels and tires being undersized…

[NOBLNG]

Not too much progress. I did manage to get the engine and trans mounting locations finalized and the exhaust manifolds on. That allowed me to bend up some exhaust pipes from .100” evergreen and fab up a set of mufflers.? It’s pretty tight on the side where the front driveshaft goes, but I think I have a straight shot at it now.? I did give it a 1” body lift just to help clearances a bit.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Steve H]

Nicely done Greg. As you said, the exhaust manifolds are a tight fit with a big block. 

[slusher]

Looks like you did a great job.  So you used .100 for you pipe.?

[NOBLNG]

18 minutes ago, slusher said:

Looks like you did a great job.  So you used .100 for you pipe.?

Yes. I started out using 3/32” (.093”) tubing with some soft wire shoved inside. I was getting annoyed with it so I switched to .100” solid, which would be 2-1/2” in 1:1 scale. You can see by the black soot marks on it that I was heating it with a candle, bending it and then quenching it in a bowl of ice water.?

[NOBLNG]

I did a little work on the heater system today. This kit definitely has some scale issues with certain parts.? So I fabbed an entirely new heater box for inside the cab. I modified the fan/coil box under the hood by adding some depth to it since the heater core is mounted in there. I also shortened the width about 1/16th to make sure I don’t hit the valve cover with it, and I drilled some holes for the heater hoses. I pulled some wire out of a usb cable which should suffice for hoses. I also filled the shifter holes in the floor since it is no longer a manual trans and I think the t/c shifter may need re-locating slightly. Thanks for lookin’.

 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by NOBLNG
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