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Project Blue Bitch

64K views 903 replies 79 participants last post by  redwood 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, this has been an ongoing project for a long time. Since i first registered on the forum.
I thought it was about time i start a project thread, seeing as how things are speeding up on it.


Ill post all my finished projects first, then post the in progress ones.























 
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#3 · (Edited)
92 to 88 Cluster Swap

I went to the Pick N Pull and got a Cluster out of a 88 Blazer with a tach built in. I had a good idea how to get it to work, but I needed a few more things to get it to work. I didnt want to have to convert my truck to a cable system, so I had to custom fit an electric speedometer into the cluster.


I had to get a circuit ribbon from a truck to get my idea to work.


Here is the 91 electric 'L' speedometer I had to pull to get my plan to work.


The cut-out I made from the circuit rubbon.


I attached the ribbon to the speedometer.


The speedometer installed into the 88 cluster.


Here you can see I had to custom wire the electric speedometer onto the 88 circuit ribbon.


I got the cluster in my truck, I think it looks awesome!

Here is a breakdown of the wiring job I did to make this work.

'92
1 Grey 12v (+) Gauge Lights
2 Pink blk 12v (+) Gauges: Volt, Fuel, Temp, Idiot Lights: Check Gauges, Battery, Upshift, Ebrake
3 Brown (-) Battery Light
4 Tan blk (-) Upshift
5 Tan wht (-) Ebrake
6 Green (D) Temp Gauge Input
7 2x Purple (+) Right Turn
8 Dark Purple (D) Fuel Gauge Input
9 Light Tan (D) Oil Gauge Input
10 ABS (not used)
11 Dark Green wht (-) Service Engine Soon
12 Pink blk (+) Gauges: Oil, Speed, Idiot Lights: ABS, Service Engine Soon, DRL
13 Light Green blk (-) DRL
14 Gray blk (D) Speed
15 Yellow (+) Seat Belt
16 White (+) High Beam
17 Black (-) Gauges: Oil, Speed, Gauge Lights, Idiot Lights: Left Turn, High Beams, Seat Belt
18 2x Light Blue (+) Left Turn


'88
1 (D) Fuel
2 (D) Oil
3 (+) Oil, Volt, Temp
4 (D) Temp
5 (+) Right Turn
6 (+) High Beam
7 (-) Battery
8 (-) EBrake
9 (-) Check Gauges
10 (-) Upshift
11 (-) Service Engine Soon
12 (+) Idiot Lights: Battery, Ebrake, Check Gauges, Upshift, Service Engine Soon
13 Not Used
14 (+) Gauge Lights
15 (+) Seat Belt
16 (-) Fuel, Oil, Volt, Temp, Idiot Lights: Right Turn, High Beam, Seat Belt, Left Turn
17 (+) Left Turn
18 (+) Fuel

Conversion:
88 - 92

01 - 08
02 - 09
03 - 02
04 - 06
05 - 07
06 - 16
07 - 03
08 - 05
09 - Couldnt Figure It Out
10 - 04
11 - 11
12 - 12
13 - 14 (i used the empty slot and soldered a wire to the speedometer input)
14 - 01
15 - 15
16 - 17
17 - 18
18 - 03 (spliced)
 
#431 ·
I am doing this in a couple of days. I've had this idea for a long time and not had a truck to do it to so props to you! I hate the digital cluster and its quirks and I don't want an aftermarket tach because there's no point of one in a stock truck.
 
#4 ·
Blacked Out Cluster

Well, after installing the 88 blazer cluster, I thought it looked a bit plain... So I took it all apart and painted it black.


I removed all the gauges and painted all the blue parts black.


I then painted the cluster backing black. I started sanding it a bit to see if I could get the smooth glassy look, but I realized it was ALOT of work, and I didnt have enough time, so I had to stop. Looks bad if you are looking for it, if not, you dont really notice it.


I hooked the cluster up to my computer (after doing the LED Swap on it) to see how it looked. That was with low shutter speed so it looks brighter than it actually is.


This is how it actually looks. The 4 side gauges werent bright enough, so I had to install some LED's onto the plastic edges to illuminate them better.


Installed into my truck. She's a dirty girl, i know :haha:
 
#6 ·
LED Swap

Well, I guess I should have posted this before the Blacked Out Cluster... Oh Well...

I wanted LED's in my cluster to give it that really unique custom look.


Here's the custom LED sockets I made. 3 LED's inter-twined with a resistor sticking out the bottom :)


Here is a better shot of the
LED socket.


Installed into the truck. As you can see, the blue and orange looked terrible (e-brake light) so I pulled out a few of the LED's and put the regular bulbs back in.


Here is another shot of the cluster in. I didnt like the blue background for the gauges, hence why I painted it all black :D
 
#7 ·
Driving Lights

Next thing I needed was more light. So I picked up a pair of driving lights from Pick N Pull.


My $3 driving lights I pulled from a Pontiac Minivan


I used my dremel tool to cut out holes in my bumper so I could fit the lights into them and have them flush-mounted.


Here is a shot of the lights 'tacked' in to place.


Another shot of the lights in the valance.


Got them installed into the truck. I used the side marker lights harness. I wish I remember which wire I tapped into for the power... Oh well. I had to run a new ground wire from the horn area to the lights.


Here is another shot of the lights. The passenger side one was a little higher aimed than the driver side one, but it wasnt out enough for me to justify taking it apart and redoing it.


Ground shot of the lights. They were pretty bright. I liked them while I had them.
 
#8 ·
Projector Driving Lights

Like I said, I liked my regular driving lights when I had them. They just werent bright enough though... So I found a set of projector driving lights at Pick N Pull. 3$ each :D


They were pretty dirty. I took em apart and cleaned em up real good.


I had to fab up some brackets at work. Took me an hour at lunch to make these from a piece of 90* bracketing.


Another shot of my brackets. The welding isnt that great, but it works.


Here are the lights installed onto the truck. I had to build extenders for the brackets to get them centered into the holes from the other driving lights.


I had to wait till night to take a picture of the lights. The fence is angled, thats why the projector looks like it angles up on the right side.
 
#9 ·
Projector Headlights

Well, I had ordered a set of projector headlights from ebay from Roku Creation


I took pictures of everything every step of the way. Ive not really had great luck on ebay before... so I thought it best to take pictures.


Well, it paid off that I took pictures. The light assembly on the right was broken. The bulb piece slid off because the the part that holds the light onto the casing wasnt tacked onto the bulb piece. There are pictures of it :p just wait.


After traveling so far, the bulb finally managed to get wedged into the top corner of the housing, but not before scratching up a bunch of the chrome.


Here is the picture of the bulb piece. There are no signs of any kind of tacking or attaching the ring bracket onto it.


Here is the ring bracket. Notice on the 4 tabs that there is also no signs of tacking or attaching.


This is the other bulb. This one is attached. So I figured it was a mistake right from the factory.


Pictures of the chrome chips.


Darker, less exposure, pictures of the chrome chips.


On Valentines Day, the new set of projectors set up. I talked to the seller on ebay, and he sent me a new pair without hesitation. He was very quick to take care of this matter. I highly recommend Roku Creation on ebay. His projectors were the cheapest priced (by about 6$) for the glass lense lights.


Here is a shot of the projectors installed. They look pretty sweet. I still havent hooked up the 'city light' (the little blue light at the bottom)


Here is a picture of the lights on. These things are pretty freaking bright.


Yep. I like em alot :)


High beams. Like I said... Bright.


Light output and cut on low beam.


Light output on high beam. Compare the window with the light on in the 2 pictures... my camera adjusted the exposure automatically.
 
#10 ·
Fender Flares

I picked up a set of fender flares for $2 each at pick n pull


Got them home and cleaned them up.


I had to install them right away, crappy thing is is that there was a blizzard going on at the same time hahaa, so I couldnt take pictures right away.


Another shot of the fender flares installed. Makes my truck look alot better! the front looks lower too :D
 
#11 ·
Big Three

Well, I was running a big sound system back home. I went to a competition back in Kelowna, and ended up hitting 140.2 on my second try. Sweet :)
1x JBL BPX500.1, 2x 12" Kicker L5 DVC @ 4ohms total, Kenwood Xcelon Head Unit. I was running 4Ga wire for everything minus my alternator (was using the stock crap wire still)


So here was the crap i was using before. I upgraded to a bigger battery because mine kept dying and wouldnt hold a charge if I didnt drive it for 3 days.


A back shot of the battery and cables.


The new upgraded wires :D I used 1-0 Gauge wire for the upgrade. I wont have any problems anymore with anything I decide to run.



I used good terminals on all the wires. It even looks alot better than the smaller wires. Its overkill, I know, but I dont care :p I like it.


Alternator Hookup


Block Ground

I may decide to relocate my battery some time, but Im not sure where to yet...
 
#12 ·
Blazer Seats

I found some good condition full power black leather Blazer seats at Pick N Pull for like... $20 each. I couldnt resist.


They look pretty beat up, but thats just dirt and mud from the dudes who crawled inside the Blazer with muddy shoes when they took the dash out.


This is pretty much the only damage to the seats. Just on the driver side from getting in and out of the vehicle all the time.


Im sorry I didnt take any pictures of how I wired up the seats. When I install my doors, I may rip up the carpet and take some. Its nothing really hard... It took me about an hour to remove my old seats, wire the new seats up and install them.
 
#13 ·
DRAC Hot-Swap Mod

Well, I changed my tires to a smaller tire, then I had to change them back because we sold the car I stole them off hahaa!

In the meantime, while I was running the smaller tires, I had to change my DRAC settings to get the right speed to show up on my speedometer.


First I removed the DRAC module (located piggy-backing the computer on the passenger side behind the dash.) As you can see, I had soldered and resoldered trying to get the right combination.


What I eneded up doing was getting an old computer modem, taking the pins off it, and soldering them into the holes. I used the same black jumpers off the modem to jump the pins on the DRAC module.



Another shot of my work. Its not perfectly lined up, I know, but it works great :D
 
#14 ·
Shaved Antenna

Well, I had started this project about a year ago... I just hadnt had any opportunity to use a welder or anything. Now I do, but Im not ready to mess around with the paint on my truck just yet...


I had to remove the wiper cowl to get to these 2 screws that hold the antenna base on.


Here you can see the 2 screws better. The top part of the antenna just screwed off, I had to use a pair of vice grips to get the large flat piece off though.


Now Ive got a hole in my fender hahaa!


I wish the paint on my whole truck was like the paint under the flat washer thing that held the antenna on hahaa!
 
#15 · (Edited)
Static Drop

The best I could do for this one was a before and right after picture. I dont know why I didnt take any pictures of this while I was doing it... Oh well...

Installed So Far: 2" Belltech Drop Spindles


Before


After

I have yet to buy and install drop springs, drop leaf packs and blocks. Im lookin for a 4/4 drop I think... My front sits pretty low for only a 2" drop already... If anyone has any blocks or drop leaf packs for sale around the Calgary area, shoot me a PM, im interested in getting a set.
 
#16 ·
Blazer Rear Bumper

Well, I was in need of a rear bumper, so I pulled one off a Blazer (was the best looking bumper and easiest to take off in the WHOLE YARD)



Freshly Installed. I still have yet to make the mounting brackets for it though... Right now its only being held on with 1 bolt per side. It works, but I cant stand on it or anything. I cant pull it up or down, I made damn sure the bolts were on as tight as I could get them!

If anyone has any pictures of Blazer rear bumper to s10 frame mounts they could throw up for me, that would be awesome!
 
#17 ·
Sun Roof

Well, my GF found a perfect sunroof in a Blazer (I dont know why Im getting all these parts from Blazers hahaa! Oh well...) So I pulled it out :)


Some assembly required. I took it all apart and cleaned everything up real good.


"Where does this thing go??" hahaa, just taking it apart, cleaning it. That stupid foam stuff in the roof was a pain in the ass to get out!


All cleaned and assembled.


Open shot. This thing is going to look great in my truck!

Im just waiting for a warm couple of days and maybe a weekend so I can go to work choppin my roof up :D hahaa!
 
#18 · (Edited)
Power Doors

Well, I went to Pick N Pull on Sunday, and found some awesome full-power (power windows, power mirrors, power locks) out of a (you guessed it) Blazer! These doors were the best condition doors I could find that had full power, so I had to go with them.


Sittin in the room, after a good scrub down at work to get the mud off (it was a freaking mud pit there on Sunday!)


Yay for power mirrors!


This is a really cool symbol, too bad I cant use it on anything... Might throw it on my tool box.


Only a slight problem hahaa, these doors were from a 4 door Blazer, and my truck is only 2 door. So I have 2 extra window switches on the switch panel hahaa! might try to figure out something cool with the side windows, or I might just grab a 2 door switch panel...


Wire Harness. What a mess hahaa! Actually, its not too bad. Ive got it all figured out now, I just need a power mirror switch now.


I ended up pulling the harness out because I needed to be sure about the power locks, also I had an 'extra' wire hanging out hahaa, it wasnt so extra after all... turned out that one of the wires snapped off, and the one I grabbed looked close enough to fool my eyes into thinking it was for the power mirrors, when in fact, it was the door lock solenoid wire hahaa! grey and dirty tan look close in crap lighting :p


So I fixed the craked wires and rebuilt the harness. It wasnt too bad, minus the crap glue stuff off that crappy tape GM uses... I hate that stuff :p


Another shot of the rebuilt harness.

So yea, on to the wiring :D this is what Ive got figured out!


Legend: DS = Driver Side
PS = Passenger Side
DS: A = Driver Side: Plug A on PED

Power Windows

DS Switch
DS Rear Motor
DS: A - Purple
DS: B - Dark Green
PS Rear Motor
DS: C - Purple White Stripe
DS: D - Light Green
Power/Ground
DS: E - Black - Ground
DS: F - Pink - +12v
DS Front Motor
DS: G - Brown
DS: H - Dark Blue
PS Front Motor
DS: J - Tan
DS: K - Dark Blue White Stripe

PS Switch
PS: A - Pink - +12v
PS: B = DS: J - Tan
PS Front Motor
PS: C - Dark Blue
PS: D - Brown
PS: E = DS: K - Dark Blue White Stripe

DS Motor
DS: A = DS: H - Dark Blue
DS: B = DS: G - Brown

PS Motor
PS: A = PS: D - Brown
PS: B = PS: C - Dark Blue

Power Locks

DS
Lock Switch
DS: A - Orange Black
DS: B - Not Used
DS: C - Black - Ground
DS: D - Lt Blue
DS: E - Not Used

DS Lock Solenoid
DS: A - Tan
DS: B - Grey

PS Lock Switch
PS: A - Orange Black
PS: B - Not Used
PS: C - Black - Ground
PS: D - Lt Blue
PS: E - Not Used

PS Lock Solenoid
PS: A - Tan
PS: B - Grey




So yea, I have yet to run power through this harness and test the individual functions with my test light. Im going to hook the harness up to a power box I made, and use a test light with the switches to figure out what does what. Ill use my test light so I dont end up drawing too much current and popping the fuse on my power box. Ill post more when I get it figured out.
 
#20 ·
pretty sweet dude i wish i could wire some of those things. i recently had a bulb behind my gas light go off so i want to pull it apart and replace all of them with led's but i cant afford to screw it uplol.
 
#23 ·
yea, the LED's are one of my favorite interior mods so far.

I want to start working on a few paint renders of my truck so I can finally decide on a paint job for her. right now, im thinking about corvette colors: blue and silver, with a black pinstripe that fans out at the front, like in my sig.
 
#25 ·
hahaa, no, not yet :p That place is like my weekend vacation spot. I enjoy going there. you never know what you will find.

And i like the small mods too, they give my truck character. i cannot wait to lower her more, that will be a major turning point in looks for her.
 
#26 ·
Well, I have now confirmed that the windows will work.

I hooked the harness up to my power box (computer power supply) and used my LED test light (for polarity's sake) and everything works the way it is supposed to! Im Stoked! This is so simple!

Just need to make a Molex plug for this now so i can go install that into the truck and get the truck prepped for the new doors. I need to drill some holes in the cab for the rubber tubing and wires to go into though. thats my only setback right now. I think i am going to remove the stupid vents by the foot area at the bottom, and cover them up with something for now. they piss me off... especially mine! the passenger one is fine, but mine is busted. it doesnt open all the way, nor does it close all the way.


So now I just have to figure out a way to get the locks to work. Im wondering if I should just attach the wires from the switches together, then to the solenoids... not 100% though, cause the switch wire is like.. 16 or 18ga, and the solenoid wire is like... 14ga...
 
#28 ·
yea, i enjoy the electrical because it really makes me think. its a challenge to me, and when i am looking at it, and all of a sudden something clicks, and i figure it out, i feel really good :)

so far I havent come across an electrical thing that, given enough time, i havent been able to solve. i ripped apart my old 83 camaro and started the re-wire on that. then it got sold, but not before i fixed a bunch of bugs in it. :)

and yea, i love the pick n pull here, they have definately seen a fair % of my paychecks hahaa!
 
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