This is my first build thread, although it is debatable that I am actually building anything.

The project: mom's 1998 Blazer LS 4x4 4.3 2 dr with 95k on it. She hates it when I get ideas for her Blazer.

The Blazer was bought August 2008 for a steal with only 76k on the clock, 1 previous owner and a like new interior. As you can see from the pics, that previous owner liked the color red. And silver pinstriping around ALL the windows. And any chevy sticker ever made. It was hit from behind over a year later and that's when we got the red painted to match the rest of the car.

To catch up: one of the first mods done to the car was sunroof -- a mom approved addition. This was probably the most expensive non-needed, non-repair mod done to the car.

It looks so much better in all black!! After the paint I decided on a black/silver/chrome look for the truck. Tow hooks were spray bombed with some Rustoleum aluminum paint. A black vanity plate with chrome/mirror bowtie was stuck on the front.

I also added the clear front turn signal lenses and get some very euro-y chrome/clear taillights.

I almost forgot. I traded the zr2-ish wheels that came with it for the s10 wheels to make 'em stick out a little -- so much better that way imo. Also, I got $150 for the factory wheels on craigslist and only paid $60 for the 2wd wheels at a swap meet. But then again I must have paid $100 for those damn plastic lug nut covers.

Also, the spare tire was mounted on the rear gate like usual but wow you cannot see out the back with that there. I scored an inside tire mount from a blazer in the junkyard!

So, the frame rails look awful the way they peak out all rusted from under the rockers. This past summer I got some underbody paint in black -- a gallon of off-brand por15 for about $100 that's done 2 coats on the floorpans and frame of my 03 Monte SS and 2 coats on just the frame rails of the blazer (for some reason the frame rails had surface rust but the floor pans looked like they had rolled right off the showroom?) and there's still some left! That stuff is amazing.

I took this opportunity to also paint all 4 calipers red (thanks to the Monte) and I added a smiley face to the rear diff cover. This was not mom-approved...but it looks so cheerful!

Also over the summer I decided LEDs in the interior would update the look. No pics of that (sorry), but I only did the front floor courtesy lamps, the dome and the rear cargo light. Was gonna do the map lights but I am not sure how or if those bulbs come out -- anyone know?

Also, I got bored with a vinyl bow tie I had lying around. I've seen a couple threads on painted interiors. Ideally I would like to paint a lot of the dash surround a silvery color, but that might turn out a little tuner-like. Anyone have an opinion?

I got bored this fall and started removing all the stickers and pinstriping from the previous owner. Holy crap, hardest thing I have ever done. There were 3 or 4 layers of the tape around every single window, it took forever to remove. I did decide to leave the stripe line that goes along the molding and up and over the lip/edge of the hood near the grill. I kind of like it.

One of my favorite things about cars is detailing them! With a black blazer, I love using Turtle Wax Black Box wax -- look at that mirror shine!!

Also, there's a pic of my baby the Monte Carlo, which is my daily driver. I love chrome wheels, but I can't seem to find any I like for the blazer. I'm mad that KMC wheels don't come in 15s

Got off all the stripe tape and then I scored those NIB DeeZee brushed aluminum running boards at a winter swap meet. I had similar ones in all black that I had pried off a blazer in the junkyard (this is a budget project), but mom liked the shiny ones. As did I of course. I do not like the chrome door edge guard running the height of the door, but that's what the mom wanted and it is her vehicle after all...

I removed the tape except for the lower line of it, which you can see along the fender and above the bumper in the pic, and I'm happy with it. But, wow that racing splash has got to go!

Has anyone removed their lovely factory chevy decal? I know how to do it, but I'm just wondering if there was a big difference between paint color underneath or even if it ever took off the paint in the removal process? I'm worried I would get it all off and it would look worse with big chunks of paint missing or something...

Mom could have killed me this Christmas when I decked out the blazer in antlers and a red nose. I think the blazer really pulls off the look!! My mom works at a school as secretary and dubbed her car Rudolph the red nosed blazer lol

The Blazer's been a good little money pit so far. As much money as I haven't put in to the little things I've done to it, omg, the repairs! The blazer has an all new exhaust from y-pipe to tailpipe and my want for a dual or at least a flowmaster was ix-nayed. Damn parents.

Also, it has all new fuel lines from under the hood to the gas tank (why couldn't it have just been a leaky tank...!!). And over the summer I was using it to help move my sister and her boyfriend -- drove to their apartment, loaded it to the gills, put it in gear and drove off. Came up on the first stop sign and the brake pedal held and then fell to the floor -- all new brake lines.

The latest is a dreadful power steering leak that seems to be coming from everywhere! And a slight hesitation before it warms up on the road.

Not very many ideas left for it. I'm thinking of painting the roof rack rails aluminum (I have a problem with aluminum colored paint if you can't tell) and maybe some halo projectors and led signals...of the ebay variety because why start with expensive mods now, right? I'm also thinking a hitch, bull bar and maybe a winch, cause those are fun...

 

Truck's looking nice so far!

 

Your moms got a awesome blazer , love the mom not approved smiley . I should paint one on my moms blazer .

 

Just wondering where in PA you are at?

 

I'm about 10 miles south of Pittsburgh, PA

 

I live south of Pittsburgh too in belle Vernon

Love the blazer

 

It's been a while since I've done much to the Blazer.

It spent about a month on jack stands in the garage as my dad and I dragged out some much needed body work. We patched the holes on both sides in front of the wheels. It was weird though, it seemed like there should've been a lot more rust, but most of the bubbles were pockets of water instead. Which is probably how the other areas became rusted. Also, no worries, I will not be quitting my day job to be a body'woman'

I also bought a new mechanism for the passenger front seat...the recliner handle broke off on mine (cheap potmetal...grr), so I got an unbroken one. I was told it was an easy fix...remove the seat from car, take off seat cover, take off broken mechanism, replace with unbroken one. Anyone have any experience with this? I really don't want to be the person who irreparably damages an otherwise perfectly good seat...

 

So, I know opinions are mixed on this, but I finally got my hands on a NIB rear spoiler from craigslist. I like it, I think it balances out the back of the car...I plan on getting a vinyl Blazer decal made for it to spice it up a little.

IDK why the pic isn't uploading...will work on it later.