Small 1999 Chevy Blazer LS Build
 

Well this will definitely be a very slow build for now, just started working a lot so not much time and still getting more financially stable so the mods will slowly roll in for now, big plans though hopefully! :icon_drool: Got a lot of ideas for things I'd like to do from Rexmburns and Steinbruchsoldat on here, so definitely open to suggestions!

Since I got the truck 2 weeks or so ago I have:
-Removed front valence/fascia
-Replaced BOTH motor mounts (they were totally gone..)
-Cranked Tbars about 1" to stiffen up the suspension and level out a bit
-Floor mats


Few plans I have:
-Recovery Gear and organized camping gear
-Monstaliner rockers, fenders, and bumpers (possibly the rims as well depending on when I do it, etc.)
-Roof Rack
-Lights
-Lift (Either shackles and tbar crank or RC 2.5" lift
-Larger A/T tires (maybe 30"-31", What do you guys think? Looking for no rub and minimal to zero trimming with the 2.5" lift)
-Cragar Soft 8 wheels
-Maybe a 2" PA Body lift (after I need new tires after the new ones I plan to get)
-Custom stereo and speakers/subs

Definitely looking for suggestions for things, not one to have tunnel vision on a project, and any all suggestions are welcome. :D


Here's a beginning photo the day I brought her home. :D
Attachment 31843

And then with the Valence gone and some mud, just a little though... :icon_wink: Ended up losing the bead on the passenger side wheel so I threw the spare on and had it reset at Discount tire the next day.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1363237134
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1363237134
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1363237134

with the 2.5" lift, you should be able to fit 31's with out a problem.

Thanks! Hopefully going to hit a few pick-a-part and pick N pull places this weekend to see if I can't find a few items on my list. :icon_razz:

Glad to see you got your build thread up and started!! Looks like you had a little fun as well! The only flaw I see in your plan and its not really even a flaw is that you can't put bedliner on the wheels. I have read several discusions about it on the net and the ones who have tried have not been able to get a good balance on the wheels afterwards. If anything just paint them with regular paint and they will still look nice or go with the soft 8s or rockcrawlwers like I have:)

One comment I would chip in regarding your build is it looks like you took the front skid plate off too. Even the cheap plastic one will protect your engine bay quite a bit. I would put that back on, or if it was missing when you got it I would suggest finding a set of the aluminum or carbon fibre ones. Having that skid plate will actually affect your fuel mileage and engine cooling too. With it gone it disrupts the air flow and creates high pressure coming in from the bottom of the engine bay rather than drawing air through the radiator. The same high pressure/turbulence also hurts your fuel economy by making your Blazer even less aerodynamic than it was before.

Other than that it looks like you have some great plans. I look forward to seeing how your build goes.

Yeah I've been busy with work and it's been raining a lot here so I didn't have time to do much. And thanks for the suggestion on the wheel paint, I really in the end plan to go with cragars or rockcrawlers like you've got so I'm not too worried about whether I paint the wheels or not.


It came with the skid plate but that little access door would fly around and not stay closed so I was working on fixing that, really want to build a more custom one that looks better though.


Thanks for the input guys! :icon_lol:

Been a bit MIA lately. Work has been a real time kill and instead of investing the little time and money I have into the fun upgrades and mods I've been crammed underneath my truck replacing the Idler Arms and BOTH lower ball joints. Idler Arm was last weekend and took a total of about 6 hours with all of the runs to autoparts stores and both ball joints took 17 hours total, 11 for the driver side and 5 and a half for the passenger. Now a $50 alignment and I'll be moving on to something new.

After I finished the ball joints today though I drove down the street to make sure everything was back in place and get some lunch and as I came to a stop my ABS lamp came on AND my brakes felt a bit choppy, like the ABS was confused and engaging slowly. I'm thinking Rotors may just not be sitting right or something wrong with my sensor, it only did the choppy stop the first two times I pressed the pedal and the brakes work fine. Any suggestions or comments? Hoping this will be a quick fix and I can save some money on it.

While I was doing the lower joints I noticed the play in the uppers were diminishing, hoping for more life left in them but they'll probably be following soon along with the Pitman Arm. Pretty much doing the same as Rexmburns, just add Ball Joints and a lot of labor hours. :icon_doh: :icon_doh: :icon_doh:

well atleast the hard ones are done, and check the abs sensor, i had a issue before and it got a glob of grease on it, cleaned it and work fine

Check your abs sensors at the wheels. It's common for them to be damaged or just dirty after moving things around in there!

Yeah there was quite a bit of gunk under there so I'll definitely try that, thanks. Not on my top priority list this weekend since I spent 17 hours under there already... :icon_warped:


Decided I'd reward myself for the weekend of hard work too!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1364169627
Quick hike to the top of the 600 foot cliff at Canyon Lake near where I live. :icon_smile: Oh and by the way I'm a photographer, this was shot by myself. :icon_mrgreen:

Canyon lake in texas? I built a time share condo, right on Canyon Lake, when we had our construction company. Looks like the same green water. if it is the same one (in texas), beautiful place.

No I live out in Arizona! It's not as beautiful as many might think, but that may be just because I've lived here my whole life!

Went camping this weekend with my family. The blazer kicked some a** on my freshly rebuilt transmission and bald front tires! Though the driver front did need changed for the drive home after it took a nail.. :icon_frown: 31"s hopefully on her by the end of July though. Here's a few videos of the drive in and some pics!

Ready to be unloaded!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1372562912

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1372562912

The first words of the State Farm commercial.. :icon_clapclap:
http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/De...79af8.mp4.html

More later when they finish uploading!

Well it's been awhile and boy is this going to be an update! I'll talk a bunch and then post a bunch of pictures after! :icon_user: I've sat here resizing and uploading images for about an hour and a half now and have finally given up on the ones that are too big so just gonna have to deal with it... :icon_slap:

So I finally had the money to purchase the Rough Country 2.5" lift as well as new tie rods to help with my sloppy steering. Got that installed in a few days without too much issue.

Soon after took her in for an alignment and $60 later they told me they could only kind of align it because of a separating tire, but couldn't send me home because everything was loose! So they said as soon as I threw new tires on and brought it back in soon they would correct it without charging me since it was planned to be 2 weeks in the future!

Over the course of those two weeks I refilled my front differential with new Oil as well as did an oil change with some Pennzoil Premium High Mileage and a Bosch oil Filter. I definitely needed that as I put in almost twice as much oil as what came out.. :icon_no: I still have a slow oil leak and also noticed that my windshield washer fluid has a drip somewhere as well..

Things got even more exciting when tires and wheels got here! Went and had them mounted and balanced with high pressure valve stems and a great deal on road hazard at Big O Tires! They also informed me that my General Grabbers are rated to be aired down to 5 psi without damaging the sidewall, according to Baja rating the tire at #1..? Won't be testing my luck with quite that low of air pressure!

With new wheels and tires on I went back for me alignment and they tried to charge me for it!! I finally got them to back out of charging me since I'll have to come back for another alignment sometime this year when I replace my steering gear box.. I still have slightly sloppy steering but it's much better with stiffer suspension and new upper ball joints!


NOW!! Onto pictures!! :icon_surprised::icon_lol::icon_saywhat::icon_clap clap::icon_drool::icon_mrgreen::D:icon_lurk5:


https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

The lift completely on just missing tires!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

Only 1 serious injury in the process!!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

I couldn't put this on until the lift was successfully installed!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

New Liquids!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

Drum roll?
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

Before the alignment so ignore that camber!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

Perfect amount outside the fenders!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

And how she sits now after a bath!!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1375072927

I really like that color combo with those wheels!!

blazer looks good perfect amount of backspacing on the wheels too

One of the picks looks like the camber is off

Somewhere in there he mentioned to ignore the camber because he hasn't had it aligned yet :icon_beerchug:


Truck looks fantastic, that's exactly what I want to do for mine (lift,tires/rims) :icon_headbang:

Well it's been awhile since I've updated here, been super busy with school and two jobs...

Anyways, I’ll give a quick rundown of what’s been going on and then post photos in the next post.

So soon after I got the Blazer I had to have the tranny rebuilt. A Neighbor/friend did it for a cheaper price and put all performance parts in it and guaranteed a warranty for a year but said he’d always be more than happy to check it out if I ever have issues. $1100 set back was a little unfortunate but whatever.

Jump forward a few months and you’ll find a blown engine with the front two bearings spun and shrapnel strewn throughout the engine. I decided to save the time and money that I had neither of and just swap in a freshly rebuilt 4.3 that I paid $300 for. I used a friends shop and swapped it in after about 45 hours of work by myself. Along with it came all new everything in the engine bay. I also pulled the new engine apart to check everything out and reseal the rear main, timing cover, and every other seal and gasket outside. New radiator, new hoses, new belts, etc etc. Anyways, $1200 and a ton of labor and frustration I had a nearly new Blazer with some neat modifications.

Jump forward to a few days ago and you’ll find a new fuel pump. My truck was showing signs of a hesitation and a bogging down and stalling issue, I finally decided I’d try the fuel pump after about $150 in other parts and sensors with no luck. Threw in the new pump and hey looky there, Gauge works and the Blazer has never ran so great before!!

I’ve also done routine maintenance and other non exciting things with the Blazer but some mods include blacked out emblems on the rear, Tinted the rear tails and turn signals, I also threw a light mist on the headlights to make them blend a little better with the black grille. I was experiencing a cancer like chipping of my clear coat on my hood that had now spread to my front fenders so I sanded my hood down and put on a few coats of spray on bed liner from Home Depot, It turned out great and I really like it, can’t wait to put some sort of bed liner on the trim and frame rails! Anyways, I also built a custom roof rack out of conduit and had a friend help me weld it together. I mounted 4 cheap 6” round lights from Harbor Freight up there and ran them through a fuse block I put in the center console and to a switch on the dash. I then added two more Hella Lights to the bumper and want to build a switch panel similar to Rexmburns’, maybe not in the same spot though. I have two more lights that are Amber Fogs that I want to mount under the bumper on another switch but we’ll see. My sun roof is broken and flaps open on the freeway so I need to fix that before it starts leaking, another $100 I don’t want to spend..

My next major surgery though is going to have to be some new leaf springs because mine are so flat that they’re beginning to bend the wrong way after the overload spring. So about $350 more and I’ll have her brand new.

Okay from now on I will try to keep this up to date! New Years Resolution of mine! ;)

Okay here's pictures! No real order, just some events I could find on my phone and stuff since most pictures are on my old phone.

Here's the rear floor, still needs carpeting.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

Here's just after the blown engine before the swap.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

The shredded bearing material on the oil pump filter..
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

Here's the new engine(Green), Tranny that came out of that truck too, my old engine, and my transmission that I put back in.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

After some freshening up. :icon_mrgreen:
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

And near the end of the swap once it was set back in the bay.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

Little collage of different angles of the pulling of my engine!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

Here's the Bedlining process of the hood.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

And back on the truck before a fresh wash!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

And after the wash. Here's about how it sits today, except I've got two Hellas on the bumper now which is the next picture down in the dark.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

And my most recent project, the Fuel Pump, this was the only picture I got of the process since most of it was done in the dark.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388510506

I'll grab a few more photos of my rack, the way the lights are mounted, and a few other things. NOW I will keep this up to date!

Looks nice!!

Looks great. I wanted to make a table too but with rollers for my rifle durin buck season

Thanks! I'll throw up a few more updates I'm working on today when I get some things finished up! I also ordered carpet 10 minutes ago!

Check out Rex's floor, his has a drawer. If I had a shop with as many things laying around as he does I'd go crazy. :icon_mrgreen:

Well I got the wiring ran for my two Hellas and built my switch panel too. I'm going to carpet the sheet metal when I get it in next week. Hopefully I'll get some switches tomorrow and get them totally wired and lit. I'll also run the wiring for my other two lights that I got for free as well!

Here's the engine bay. The red shows where the wiring runs. From the battery I've got it run around in through the firewall near where the gas pedal comes out. I've got a few holes drilled there for my posi lock diff cable, and then wiring ran through another hole for lights. Anyways, I've got it wrapped in the new smurf tubing. I'm using 14 gauge wire and all power is running off one strand of positive to my extra fuse block. The grounds are all tied together and grounded on the body.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388560057
And a view from the floor inside through the firewall and under the center console.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388560057
Here's the fuse block I've got in the center console with the wiring tap spliced off the live positive.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388560057

I took a small piece of sheetmetal and traced the CD holder slot thingy and cut it out.
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1388560057
Then used some toggle bolts to hold it in place! Stury enough and will look good after carpet and switches too.
http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/...ps75ajkbk3.jpg

Should I get round switches or a toggle style? Any suggestions are appreciated!

Happy New Years by the way! Hope everyone had a safe night!:icon_dance-tap::icon_banana::icon_steer::icon_dance-disco::icon_woot:

Toggle style since you don't have to worry about it smashing your knee

I ended up picking up some round rocker ones! They look great and will look even better after carpeting! I'm gonna finish wiring my other lights and then I'll post pictures!

What color is the rocker switches. Cause I'm taking out the coin holder with 2 green rockers out of my pickup and a toogle for my hellas

Black with a small red led when they're flipped on! I'll try to get some pictures up soon!

That'll look real nice. I have rockers that I have no clue what I'll wire them to yet

Here's the mostly finished product. Still needs carpet and I'm going to rewire the first switch that does the roof lights. It'll instead be the third rocker on my new panel so they're all together. Here's a video of them all lit up. Took my brother out to the mountain to light it up a little, video doesn't do justice though!

Goes from factory to lows to Factory highs, outside amber fogs, inside Oval Hellas, then the Roof lights.


Here's head on in the daylight.
Attachment 31462

Side shot.
Attachment 31463

Looking down on the Switch Panel. I drilled pilot holes for another 3 switches when I find something else to turn on. ;)
Attachment 31464

Different Angle
Attachment 31465

The wiring before I wrapped it in smurf tubing from the center console through the firewall.
Attachment 31466

Here's a shot from inside the center console looking up at the back of the panel. Used 3 toggle bolts to hold it in. Works great! Can't wait for carpet!
Attachment 31467

And here's the first switch that currently does the roof lights. I'm going to pull the dash and splice there so I can use my other switch. I'll probably use this switch for interior LEDS when I get around to it.
http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/...pspl2qulap.jpg

If you do run LEDs to the I terior I b really interested in how you did it cause one crapped out and I didn't like the way I rigged them

Great looking build you've got going on! I also LOVED the pictures from where you'd gone camping. Be interested in knowing where it is as I plan to do some SERIOUS camping all over the country this year. Have trips planned for my birth state in upstate New York (Adirondack Mtns), Northern Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Texas (home state), Minnesota, New Mexico. All will be done in Lil' Stinker (see thread in Builds).

So I bedlined my rockers and over the fenders like Rexmburns! Turned out great! I love it! Can't wait to spray the inside of the fenders and I'd love to hit the frame as well after I get around to doing a body lift!

I used a cheap texture spray gun from Harbor Freight and I went with Iron Armor Truck Bed Coating. So far so good, it was a little difficult spraying some tight corners so I touched up with a regular Spray can of the same stuff. I also used the spray can to do inside the doors, let me know if anyone would like any other pictures! I'm on vacation but I can snap more at the end of the week!

Other than that I haven't done much! Except a full front end rebuild on all ball joints, tie rods, idler, all stiffened up now!

Here's the pictures everyone loves. ;)


Primer
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

First coat
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

Final texture
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

Inside the doors
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

Here's a couple other shots I've got of the Blazer too.

Little flexation!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

Caught the girlfriend driving home after we got pizza and wings. ;P
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

And to finish it off, here's one of my kick ass senior photos I did two weeks ago! Unfortunately this was the day before I did bedliner, but a great final shot of the stock paint job!
https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394980882

I'm mostly camping around Chevelon Canyon Lake on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona! It's South and a little East of Flagstaff here! Definitely post up some pictures of all your camping!

Also, here's one more shot I found, the only one of the whole truck I ended up taking in the daylight.. Hahaha. I didn't spray the chrome because I'm not sure how it would stick and stay there so I didn't waste the time, plus I kind of like the little offset from the black front end and the Black bed liner too. Eventually I'm building a big boy bumper so I'll bedline that instead. ;)

https://blazerforum.com/forum/attach...ine=1394981315

Bedliner looks awesome!! I love where your truck is headed.

awesome build, keeps getting better and better. definitely gonna have to make my rear floor like yours. keep up the good work.

looks great man keep on with the good work

Thanks guys! I'm super happy with how things have gone so far, besides my blown motor and tranny and all the other issues I've had! Haha. But it is what it is. Not sure what I'd like to do next but I'd like to devise a way to mount my shovel, axe, and hopefully a HiLift soon, on the rack. I also want LED lights rather than these halogens. I've gotta stick to smaller mods though because I've got four years of college to start and pay for in the Fall so money has to be a little tighter!:icon_no:

Hey man your trucks a beauty! Your truck is exactly what im looking for in mine!

Thanks guys!

I roughed up the visible frame and flap disk'ed the rust spots away and then shot the whole thing with a couple of Iron Armour Rubberized Undercoating out of a rattle can that I had picked up with my gallon of bed liner! It turned out great and really gets rid of the "Sore thumb" look that the ugly frame was giving my fresh bed liner! I'll post up some pictures tomorrow hopefully!