Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives K5 Blazers

I’ll keep that in mind for sure. Thanks.

I really just want the ability to run 35’s. I’ll have to look at what lift and wheel configuration will get me there.

That’s my favorite body style, but the square body is a close second. That’s a nice rig.

Love it!

Why are all the car companies turning their good SUV's into cars?

I had a '72 Blazer with a 350 V8 4 bbl. carb and 4 spd. transmission, it was a great truck. Last year of that body style, I don't like the later ones a buddy had a '73 and it was a POS. The car companies have turned their 4WD's into cars because so many are driven by "sidewalk 4wheelers" and soccer moms who require the cushy amenities.

Because 4x4's cost more too make,
are harder too assemble,
weigh more, so.....
slower acceleration and,
less MPG.

And,

The dipshits that buy the vast majority of them "need" them, to drive on
the highway when there might be a little snow, thats plowed and salted/cindered.
They never realize that they are driving a reconfigured minivan,
That's not as good of a people/cargo mover as a minivan.

yeah, but.... the minivan don't have that cool '4X4' sticker on the side.

The 4x4 has been replaced by 'AWD' and the frame drags the ground when you get into a bumpy parking lot.

Had a 72 and you described it perfectly. Couldn't hold a good downshift to the current 4Runner TRD Pro. As Sam says, "These are the good old days."

Had a 70, 71, and 89. Loved them. Wish I had room for another project. If I did I'd get a 73-75 model.



The reason you get a K5 is the same reason you get an old muscle car. Nostalgia. Nothing made in the 60s-80s is as functional as you can get today, but sometimes it's about style.

I would be inclined to disagree about not being as functional.

With rock crawling being an exception, nobody that builds a hard core 4x4 builds
something that is like a 4-runner. And your examples are a special version.


The Blazers were all designed to be off road vehicles, it's why they weren't popular like today's
"suv's".

Now as for comfort, drivability, ride, modern convience, little routine maintance.........
modern is the cats are.

But for tough cast iron, heavy duty springs, strong solid front axle, hook a heavy trailer, or tree,
to it and pull it through the mud and do it daily?

I would choose a Blazer, Bronco, or Ramcharger.

Rose colored glasses taint the view. I have acquaintances that use today’s trucks hard. They beat on them for 150,000 to 200,000. On the highway and construction jobs and for the most part they hold up.

The K5 was a sharp looking vehicle. It also was a tin can that would mame or kill you quickly in a serious accident. As would most of the others mentioned.

Friends had Bronco’s. Which was another tin can. They would crush your heart with the steering wheel in a head on, take off you head when it rolled and the engine had the capability to come into the front seat and take off your legs. The windshield folded up like the proverbial $2. Barlow, and you could almost hear them rust while you bounced down the road. Yet some think it is better than what is being made today?

Maybe it DID have a hole in the tank!!! LOL!!

Mom sure liked hers, until it rusted to nothing. That took about five years.

From what the word on the street is, 1999 and back a few years are the sh~tts , big blocks, great styling and air bags. Lots of winners out there.

I have a '71 K5 sitting out back that hasn't run for several years. It has a good motor and transmission but needs rear ring and pinion. I'd like to get it running again but it needs quite a bit of rust repair and I'm struggling with the decision to throw a bunch of money at it.

Just don't see them much anymore. I had a 87 or 88 in highschool. Navy blue with navy blue top. Ran 33in tires on it easily.

Perfect inside and out with fresh paint and no rust when I bought it in '92 with original motor @ 180k miles. 27 years and two motors later, it's a little tired

For sale? Old man had one just like it growing up, love to have it back

My wife would love to see it go away I promised her I'd sell it rather than restore it when I bought this '72 K10. That was eight years ago and I can't seem to part with it - I'm telling her now it will be a retirement project. I do have a guy here locally that's been trying to talk me out of it for several years.