S-10 Forum banner

Project: Blazed5Spd

27K views 236 replies 32 participants last post by  Mostizzle 
#1 ·
I hope I don't get flamed for posting a big backlog, but if I'm gona do a project thread I want to tell the history of the truck, to show how far it's come.

I bought the truck in march 2007 when I was a senior in high school, I bought it bone stock off a dealer lot (back in Boston where I'm originally from) it was a trade in it had about 64,000 miles and I bought it for $4500.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of it stock but this was the first "look" I had. 2" lift shackles, with stock size bfgoodrich radial t/a's, custom y-pipe back 2 1/2" exhaust. (Lou's custom exhaust ss signature series muffler). Street Scene Mirrors. East Coast Customs roll pan.



Used to have two 15" Boston Acoustic Subs


And the gayest interior lights ever, yup, proof this was high school.


Stock motor mounts always felt sloppy changing them was one of the first major wrenching jobs I did.


And tranny


Messing around with egr restrictors and blockoffs back in the day.


2" Lift springs in the front to even it out with the back.


I loved these tires, great tires. 31x10.50 Yoko Geolander Ats


Feeling like a boss, mini monster truck.


Still had my mass plates in cali for so long lol.


Rancho rs5000 shocks all around.


Brazilian/real euro taillights were all the rage on this forum back in the day.


Big day rolling 100k.


Working a summer job back in mass. I ended up making a 7.5 aluminum diff cover instead of 8.5 by accident, smh, dumbass. Custom Balljoint spacers, Flaming rivered the lower steering shaft.


I had to do so much research to figure out I could just use a jeep nv3500 kit and swap out the shaft, Hurst Short Throw.


Used a mustang shift stick boot adapter with some sliced lengthwise black tubing. Stock blazer boot.


I was so pumped about this mod, still in love with it.


Changing the rear diff fluid


Then one day... everything changed....


Picked up the cast 91-92 17x9.5 sawblades off craigslist for $200 Picked up 4 brand new falken 275 40 17's for a 100 a corner.
 
See less See more
21
#2 ·
Whoah! Plot twist!

Sub'd.
 
#3 ·
3" Djm drop springs with 3" djm drop blocks, belltech nitro drop shocks all around. JTR set back plates. 4 degree pinion angle shims, tranny spacer. Pulled a leaf.



And she's down






Perfect


Exhaust kept on shake rattle and rolling, so I had it cut and dumped before the axle.


Axle was hitting the frame so I notched it, still one of the most fear inducing mods I've ever done myself. But it bolted up great on both sides.


Quick ratio monte "Z" box and upper flaming river joint


Installing the upper flaming river u-joint.


We have clearance clarence.


Upgraded to the bigger rear sway bar from belltech.


New tank and pump for $200, still goin strong, knock on wood. Putting the tank back up by yourself is a BITCH. Get those bolts started, pussy.


Stock radiator queefed out.


Brand new oem replacement leather wheel for $80 shipped.
Tried to link the site but it looks like there not around anymore.http://shop.warehousesalvage.net/NE...VANNA-LEATHER-STEERING-WHEEL-220856061356.htm


Wrenched slipped digging out the power steering bracket, to trim a/c mount off.


Fiberglass hood mocked up the night I got it.


I got into a fender bender so the stock hood was toast but before I scrapped it I cut the hinges off to help mount my hood pins.


Front pin mounting


HHR E-Fan with top secret shroud angle, it's different now.


After almost 2 years I got really really sick of the sawblades, and they were heavy. Decided to change things up with some of the lightest corvette wheels, C5's little did I know these wheels are actually so thin that were prone to cracking with the oem runflats that's why they changed the design in later years.

 
#4 ·
One of my best point and shoot shots with the C5's, out in santa monica, note the GM mark of excellence placement, serendipitous.


Frame peekin' This is the spot where I've done 90% of my wrenching. Unfortunately I've never had a garage or a driveway that wasn't on a dangerous angle for jacking, so my work is relegated to the curbside.


Like I said stock hood was toast from an acky, fiberglass hood was just too ghetto fab, and I would always be worrying about theft. By the grace of god I found this hood. Carbon fiber Sonoma for $200, what I like about it is it blends in and just looks black a lot of the time (night&shade) and for a composite hood the fitment is wildly decent.




In the sun she shines doh


Parking space when I'm up at my aunt & uncles aka the wrenching location. Gota send a huge shout out to my uncle Dave for letting me use his tools ALOT.


Here we go with the bolt in abs delete you may have seen, it's still working great.


Being originally a new england truck my abs was so rotted out then when I would pull into a parking lot or go over bumps coming up to a stop light I would get the pile of rocks under the pedal sensation and the abs would click on for no reason. It was only a matter of time before it got me into an accident.


So I did this.


Sigh...and the battery relocation where it SHOULD go, inside of the rear axle suspension node not outside...


Tray mounted wired and grommeted 0 gauge ftw.


Stock size battery fit but I eventually downsized to something lighter power xs 680, cranks the motor over fine, I don't run a crazy stereo subs or extra lights.


I know I know, you never go full boy racer, but eff it, I wanted too. Stock sliders bolted right up...phew.


I totally dig it. And the buckles bolted right up.


I wish they didn't say anything on the seats, but I got a deal on them cuz I know a friend of a friend who works at NRG, (artcentermiata)
 
#5 ·
Ok here we go with the good stuff.


I was all ready to do qa1's then moon listed strong arms for sale in the suspension section, I pulled the trigger and never looked back. Single adjustables with 850 spring, this is how they come out of the box.


Putting the catch ring on without scratching anything was hectic.


All assembled.


When ridetech does the hq rear shocks they flip the orientation so you can reach the adjustment knobs.


Sexy Bitch.


The talked about upper spring perch material you have to trim for clearance.


In this pic it looks like its still close but the hole is actually far above the spring.
Yes I actually stuck an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel on it up into the spring pocket. Luckily by now I was a magician with that grinder.


Going back together.


Giving you a better idea of how it mounts.


Finito, with the shorty endlinks. Setup on half stiffness 12 clicks for break in period per ridetech instructions.
 
#9 ·
Man, serious changes to this shoebox... Nice project Dood. Subd.

After living in Marblehead for 20 years, sort of familiar with nasty Beantown winter weather. It's a total bonus you moved to Cali... no rust activity there.
Your truck might last a few more minutes without any rust. :haha:
 
#13 ·
Wow thanks for the support guys, I really appreciate it, this truck is the love of my life and I never plan on selling it. I will be trying to pop my head into your threads and show just as much support.

Mad Max: ya it's funny all the rust on my truck from new england is now like frozen in time, mummified. Every now and then when I get I frozen bolt I just curse those winters.

Svmcgover: Thanks, yes eventually it would be my dream to drop in an LS1 but still being a student the funds right now are a joke. Plus it's my daily so no time to take it out of commission. The way I see it I'm building up the rest of the truck first with suspension, brakes, and chassis stiffening, then I'll be able to handle v8 power properly when I eventually have the loot.

JustanSS: I'm so pissed I just found your project thread like 2 days ago! My first autocross event is set for the first week of feb.! I just have to buy a helmet. It's all good we are men so reading instructions is against our religion. I wish you had a better experience, Brett is the man.

Thanks Tyler, ya out of all the tires on the market they have the best pattern for daily street use, but still have a ton of beef for venturing, and I love how they look, they remind me of the old 4x4 tires that used to come stock on the c/k trucks I loved those tires as a kid.
 
#19 ·
Looks great with the C6 wheels, can't go wrong with them. If they still have the runflats on them I'd recommend swapping those out. The ride and traction will suck. It's good to see your still rockin' a 4.3. Like you I'd love an LS but it's really just out of the budget right now. At least yours is a 5 speed though.
 
#21 ·
Can everyone just link their projects threads in their sigs? It would be so much easier lol.

Being lowered sucks in a lot of ways Tyler I'm sure you know, BTW I've actually had some other big dudes tell me before they love the blazers and s10's cuz of all the head room, you wouldn't expect it in a mini truck. I remember reading in an old I think it was an edmunds review that they actually knocked it for the seats sitting so low.

Guilty as charged grill and bumper are rattle can specials.

Ya I hear all types of bad stuff about the oem runflats. I have eagle f1's on the back and conti's on the front, 255 40 18, 285 35 19, stick shift v6 was mandatory when I was originally looking to buy an s10 I was hell bent on finding a 5 speed v6 sbsc, but they are stupid rare. Then when I was searching one day online and I discovered they actually made 2dr blazers in 5spd I was like what?! The price was right and it was completely unmolested truck. I still have the window sticker which is cool too. Stick shift is just too much fun in these trucks when it rains they call me DK.

Thanks most you have brazilian tails too no?
 
#27 ·
Being lowered sucks in a lot of ways Tyler I'm sure you know, BTW I've actually had some other big dudes tell me before they love the blazers and s10's cuz of all the head room, you wouldn't expect it in a mini truck. I remember reading in an old I think it was an edmunds review that they actually knocked it for the seats sitting so low.?
The seats sitting so low is probably my favorite part of these trucks, though if you get one with electric seats that's not a problem for shorter individuals.

Those vette calipers look NICE.
 
#22 ·
Ok so heres just an update on backed up merch that I have waiting to go in.

My stock body body mounts are cracked and busted as hell but after weeks of wd40 spraying and pounding on them with my electric impact basically all the bolts are frozen. Now usually I'm quick to grab the breaker bar and have at it, but I worry since these bolts are a special size, that I only have one shot at getting them out the right way. I'm thinking about going to my friend at midas and asking him to put the air impact on them just to break them loose then tighten them back up for me so I can take it home and do them myself.


Aluminum dizzy cap and rotor that burned linked for $40 http://www.skipwhiteperformance.com/detail.aspx?Item=6671-BK
I haven't done a cap and rotor in probably over 30k and this was the price of a cap and rotor alone, I'm pretty sure I stripped the screw holes for my cap on my stock dizzy, I'm just worried I'm opening up a can of worms putting an aftermarket dizzy in.


These are future projects

LS1 Calipers that I media blasted I was gona paint them but they look so good I think I'm just gona high temp clear them. I know that I am going down in piston bore size by like one mill by doing this, but I'm going to run them with vette z51 rotors so I'll be going from 10" to 13.5" rotors. I also want to put my rear stock calipers on z51 rear rotors. Hopefully the hat offsets are similar enough that I only have to make a simple bracket for those too but well see, I don't think anyone's done that with the rears yet.


I really want to run a panhard bar but with the blazer rear tank the clearance is gona be tight as balls. But I'm still gona try. The first issue is that I could not find a panhard axle bracket for a 2.75" axle tube. So what I did was order a piece of 12" pipe off amazon that has a 3" outer diameter and a 2.75" Inner diameter. I then cut a piece to the length of the bracket mounting surface then I cut that in half to be mounted. As you can see the pipe fits the 3" panhard axle bracket perfect and the halves fit on the axle great aswell. I am going to order this bracket to attach to the inside of the frame rail, and run this speedway bar. If everything doesn't clear the tank (I will make it fit) then I hope I can recoup most of my money reselling a bolt in s10 panhard bar for guys that don't have rear tanks, but they would have a rear sway...fukc, oh well, we'll see.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271749909011?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Speedwa...pt=Race_Car_Parts&hash=item58bdc91b2f&vxp=mtr


So I've always stared at this plastic guard and thought it would be bitchin' if someone made a frame brace that bolted in where it goes. So I've started mocking one up in alias, I know the air pump is there so I'm gona have to change the brace pattern probably. But I have access to a 3 axis mill for metal. And I'm thinking about doing the flattened version out of 1/2" or 3/4" aluminum plate. I'm interested in peoples opinions, if you think it's even worth it, what material aluminum or metal and what thickness.


Bar Version


Flattened Version


Another brace area that I know on 2wd manual blazers there's room for I'm not sure on autos or pickups is a bar to tie the lower rear a-arm ears together. This I couldn't just mill. So unless I mill the bracket ends separately along with milling the bar turn pieces cutting the center bar to size then having someone weld all 5 pieces together for me not really I'm sure how to make it.


I already rp'd the bracket ends just out of pla to check for fitment around the frame ears.


And sure enough I had to make them 3/4" deeper for the ear material to sit inside. But when I slid them on the ear I also measured of the back faces to get my center bar width exact.


The only other way I've thought of making the a-arm bar is to mill it on the 5-axis out of a block of blue foam, then wrap it in carbon filament, epoxy, then vacuum bag it. O ya did I mention I got gifted a 12 mile roll of carbon filament? lulz topkek But I'd rather do it out of steel or aluminum.


I obviously got it payed forward with the filament, if anyone wants a length to experiment with just give me a holler how much you want you pay shipping. I can tell you the right kind of silcast epoxy hardener to get for it, it's like $20.
 
#25 ·
Ya I've thought about building it like that, and I might have to cuz I could mill the brackets then buy the bar and heims. But by having heims at the bar ends attached to brackets it still allows for up and down and front and back flex, its only stiffening on one axis, side to side, instead of a solid piece that would be stiffening on three axisesesess.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top