Vroom With a View - 1972 Chevy K5 Blazer

It takes just the right kind of vehicle to look as good or better with the top off. When it comes to the first generation Blazers, you can do no wrong. When choosing to build a custom Blazer, we certainly enjoy them on the ground and this '72 from Chicken House Chop Shop doesn't disappoint. With the ability to go top on or top off, this K5 plays its duality well.

Getting the truck down on the ground is thanks to a custom air suspension system. Ride Tech control arms plus a pair of Belltech drop spindles keep the front wheel moving true. To get those last couple inches of daylight out from under the frame, the front crossmember has been sectioned. The 12-bolt rear axle rides on a parallel four-link system. Firestone 'bags all around get air reserves from dual Viair compressors. The system runs 3/8-inch airline and valves to each corner. Four-wheel disc brakes are sitting behind the open panes of the 20-inch Torque Thrust wheels. Straying from the carburetor madness, there is a 2002 GM LM7 5.3L V-8 motor-vating this ride. EFI conversions are the way to go, to be sure. Although completely stock, there are ceramic-coated headers breathing out a Magnaflow stainless exhaust. The matching 4L60E donor transmission is still hanging from the back of the engine.

Body modifications were kept to a minimum with the majority of the modified sheetmetal coming in under the hood. The firewall has been uncluttered by removing the heater and blower box, and the stock inner fenders were tossed in favor of trailer fender replacements. A custom-mixed PPG basecoat was created and it covers the core support, inner fenders, firewall, complete exterior, and all the metal interior panels. A few items on the engine were painted along with the door panel inserts for added effect. Eddie Bauer leather was chosen to cover the original Blazer front seats with the rear seat being a 3rd row take out from a newer SUV. A custom set of side panels covers the rear inner walls and was leather wrapped to match. The minimalist theme continues with the stereo. You won't find an over the top ear splitter in this old Chevy. Instead, an Alpine head unit was slipped into the dash and it plays through a pair of speakers in the front kick panels and another pair in the side panels for the rear passengers' enjoyment. As if the open air wasn't enjoyment enough.

Jory Muckleroy tells us that he is a self-confessed kid still. With his early years filled by his hands on building car models, his progression into larger models was a normal one. It certainly is one transition that many of us understand well. Jory spent the better part of two years laying out this Blazer and its modifications and his only negative thought about the truck was his distaste for the hours of sanding that went into the body to get it straight and smooth. All his efforts paid off with topless cruising in style.

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