project drivabeater

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

BudRacing wrote:

dusterbd13 wrote:

for a couple miles??? huh?

His 2.8 threw a rod shortly after he got it back in and running. I don't know what caused it. He may have a better explanation.

well, i had the A.I.R. system off for a long time...

but yeah, oil pump went bad, spent $400 replacing seals and stuff, lasted a week before it spun a rod bearing.

why it did it?....i have no idea. night i had it running it was running the best i've ever seen it. even my boss was surprised how well it ran.

before:

after:

sandblasted the brackets and repainted the black ones, blasted the manifolds (had 4 bolts broke off i had to fix), blasted the intake mani, etc.

new:
water pump, thermostat and hoses
oil pump
exhaust mani, valve cover, oil pan, and intake mani gaskets, and rear main seal
cap, rotor, plugs and wires
trans filter kit and OPT corvette servo
all new fluids
radiator cleaned up and blown out.
wiper switch
turn signal lever

...but don't worry...Project: Blazer Resurrection II - coming soon to a theater near you.

...and this time...the 2.8 stays in hell.

Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 186 Location: Statesboro, Ga

YES! BLAZER RESURRECTION FTW! It's in wayy too good of shape to let sit around and rot.

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

BudRacing wrote:

YES! BLAZER RESURRECTION FTW! It's in wayy too good of shape to let sit around and rot.

i agree, i still crank it up and clean from time to time.

project is still in the planning stages, i need to save up several more paychecks, waste a little on my truck, etc lol

main thing right now is i'm trying to decide what motor to put in...

carb 350, tbi 350, tpi 350, lt1, maybe a 383, etc

...kinda want to shoot for around 300 or so hp, nothing too fast, but an awesome cruiser.

...once i get some stuff figured out i'll make a project thread and go from there.

sorry for hijacking the thread.

Joined: 01 Jun 2008 Posts: 232 Location: Whitmore Lake, MI

Wow that is a clean Blazer.

Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 186 Location: Statesboro, Ga

I vote LT1.

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

This might be my favorite thread here! I love gen 1's and am a tightwad by nature so this thread is great! Major bonus points for the olds grill as well. I'm the proud owner of a 73 cutlass supreme 455 that I drive just about every week and an olds grill my be on the to do list for my small block gen 1 build now as well.

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

so i went to my first autocross today. had a blast with the truck. throughout the course of the day, i managed to shave 10 seconds off my time, which i dont think is too bad. i got classed in STS, with some other really neat stuff that really kicked my ass. namely WRX STI's. best time of the day for me was an 87.4, best in class was a 75 something. not too bad for my dirst time i think. and to make it even better, there was a guy there with a brand new skyline GTR. his best was an 88 something. so we know hes having a bad day getting beat by a novice in a truck.

anyway, theres a new truck punch list being developed now.
1. fix leaking brake line.
2. get electric fan working again.
3. swap to seats with more bolstering. i was flopping around more than flipper.
4. different tires. the ones on my truck now have absolutely no stick in them.
5. rebuild front suspension. already have lower moog problem solver bushings, will be calling Marcus at SC&C this week to order my howe lower ball joints, and UB machine is shipping my UCA's with teh truck ball joints this week.
6. rear shackle bushings are toast. they need to be changed.
7. flush the brake fluid. its really old, and has air in it nbow due to the leak.
8. install window weatherstripping (already purchased for $1 each). my DS window fell out during on of the turns. it was embarrising. its still rattling around in the door right now, and its cold.
9. strap battery in. i almost failed tech.
10. increase rear spring rate (using some parts store "coil over"s that i had left over from my dakota. they bolt to the shocks with muffler clamps, but they should work.
11. weld in the rear sway bar brackets. lot of flex with just bolts.

thats the short list. most of the stuff i either already have, or will be on its way shortly. now i just need the time.

and pictures of the autocross will be up as soon as theyre posted on the message board at the SCCA.

Michael

Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Posts: 109

Awesome! Sounds an awful lot like my autoX outing as far the improvement over the day and where you ended up in relation to the other times. Can't wait to see the pics!

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

dusterbd13 wrote:

so i went to my first autocross today. had a blast with the truck. throughout the course of the day, i managed to shave 10 seconds off my time, which i dont think is too bad. i got classed in STS, with some other really neat stuff that really kicked my ass. namely WRX STI's. best time of the day for me was an 87.4, best in class was a 75 something. not too bad for my dirst time i think. and to make it even better, there was a guy there with a brand new skyline GTR. his best was an 88 something. so we know hes having a bad day getting beat by a novice in a truck.

anyway, theres a new truck punch list being developed now.
1. fix leaking brake line.
2. get electric fan working again.
3. swap to seats with more bolstering. i was flopping around more than flipper.
4. different tires. the ones on my truck now have absolutely no stick in them.
5. rebuild front suspension. already have lower moog problem solver bushings, will be calling Marcus at SC&C this week to order my howe lower ball joints, and UB machine is shipping my UCA's with teh truck ball joints this week.
6. rear shackle bushings are toast. they need to be changed.
7. flush the brake fluid. its really old, and has air in it nbow due to the leak.
8. install window weatherstripping (already purchased for $1 each). my DS window fell out during on of the turns. it was embarrising. its still rattling around in the door right now, and its cold.
9. strap battery in. i almost failed tech.
10. increase rear spring rate (using some parts store "coil over"s that i had left over from my dakota. they bolt to the shocks with muffler clamps, but they should work.
11. weld in the rear sway bar brackets. lot of flex with just bolts.

thats the short list. most of the stuff i either already have, or will be on its way shortly. now i just need the time.

and pictures of the autocross will be up as soon as theyre posted on the message board at the SCCA.

Michael

my blazer did the same thing with the windows. theres a tiny little clip towards to top of the window that holds it in the track.

surprised you got in sts, its supposed to be for 4 seater cars. next time, run in FSP, the pax index is actually better than sts.

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

the trans is oficially toast. overdrive is gone, and its more metal than fliud. at least i had fun before it went.

five speed swap here i come!!

Michael

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

picked up a parts truck tonight. wife said i have one month to get it off our property. only paid 200 bucks for it.

supposedly it has a brand new clutch, and was running/driving great before it developed an electrical problem and the guy parked it. city told him monday he had seven days to get it gone. so we loaded up BART (mega-cab diesel ram, red, BART stands for big ass red truck by the way) and the race car trailer, and went to gastonia to get it. we were in the middle of crack-town. rough place. had to push it 100 yards to where the truck and trailer were due to it being too narrow to get the rig back there. and too muddy.

so well see if i can get it running and check out the tranny. ill post pictures tomorrow.

anyone need parts?? or the whole damn truck? make you a heck of a deal...

Michael

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

sucks about the trans man, but looks like ya already got it covered. lol

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

yeah, after only 2 hours from posting on craigslist, this guy called me. couldnt pass it down. already found a brand new radiator in the truck, new pads, and a new AC system.

next up, get it running to test the tranny.
Michael

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

my new 200 dollar parts truck. been driving it around all morning.

it had a K&N air filter (already in my black truck), brand new radiator, brand new AC lines and condensor, and a brand new clutch. guy parked it because it quit running on him. after adding gas, replacing the fuel pump fuse that FELL OUT, and charging the batter, it runs like a champ. gonna drive it some more and see if the trans is really good, and ten swap the trans to my truck. or i might sell the whole truck and find another trans. think i could get 900 buckes out of it after i clean it up some?

Michael

Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 31 Location: pittsburgh pa

drive it to pa and ill give to 900 bucks

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

come and get it and ill give it to you for 750.

it actually cleans up nice. if anyone caresm, ill take pictures and post them tomorrow.

Micahel

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

when last we left off, the grand total was 1217.16. since then, i sold the stock wheels and tires for 125. that brings total down to 1092.16. i also had a blown out transmission, and a 200 dollar parts truck. so with two truck, neither of which are road worthy, i have 1292.16 wrapped up in it. i did drive the parts truck around a good bit, until the electrical system released a lot of magic smoke on me. apparently when they installed the aftermarket security system, they didnt use any fuses, and it shorted. not worth fixing. so...

this morning i started stripping it for all its worth. so far for me i nabbed the 92 core support and brand new radiator hoses, aluminum radiator, new AC system parts, 92 air dam. tomorrow im pulling the axle and swapping it in the black truck (the new one has 3.42 gears, no pinion slop or wheel bearing play, unlike mine), yanking the tranny and all related stuff. we'll see if its really a fresh clutch like i was told. i also yanked all the accesory brackets and intake for the eventual 3.4 motor. ill grab the oil pan when i get the motor out.

supposedly a guy is coming tomorrow to buy the doors and fenders for 90 bucks. and another guy saturday for the motor and interior for 150. which means that ill have actually gotten paid for a tranny, etc. which is just cool.

anyway, i figured id share pictures of todays parts truck carnage.

started this morning with a complete truck, minus the hood my buddy haelped pull last night. too bulky for one guy.

brand new radiator (wanted to show proof)

interior after i nabbed all the nifty pewter trim

truck at the end of today

and heres the last picture i got before my camera died. i took the white doors (which were reall quite straight) and put them on the drivabeater. im thinking cop truck, complete with spotlights on the a-pillars and push bars on the front. paint the wheels black to go with the theme, and put something not police looking on the doors. dont feel like getting arrested for impersonating an officer. just the general theme of a black and white squad is what im after. so please, give me feedback on what i can do.

thanks for looking, and have a happy new year.

Michael

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

You could put a decepticons symbol on the doors and write on the bedsides "...to punish and enslave."

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

^ hahaha, i like it.

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

all wxcwpt the enslave part. i am in the south. ,ay get taken wrong, and i dont fell like getting my ass kicked.

Michael

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

budget update, now that ive stripped and sold more of the parts truck.
in the last few days, ive sold 361.00 worth of parts. brings the project total sown to 931.16

it has brand new front calipers, hoses, and rotors. theyre already in my parts bin for an eventual rear disc conversion, or just s[ares for the fronts on mine.

the trans is a world class t5, with a brand new clutch. unfortunately, it needs an inpuit bearing. way too much slop on the input shaft. anyone know how hard they are to swap?

and i also think i have an 8.5 inch rear in that truck. its got the small, square axle ends like the camaros. thats an 8.5, right?

lastly, how exact do i need to be on the clutch master cylender location on my truck? can i be off a hair or seven?

michael

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

technically all 10 bolts have the same housing ends, and the 7.5,7.625, 8.2 small car and 8.5" 10 bolt are identical, the easiest way to tell is by the shape of the pumpin itself, I'll see if I can find a picture for you. Chances are pretty slim though, that unless it's a custom axle or has been swapped out of a later model Blazer, it's a 7.5" ring gear.

For the CMC, what do you mean? Is the mounting location off, or is there a bent pedal? I guess I just don't understand the question.

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:37 am

i wasnt aware any 1rst gens got 8.5" stock either

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

greencactus3 wrote:

i wasnt aware any 1rst gens got 8.5" stock either

If memory serves, not even the SGT, Syclone or Typhoon had an 8.5" rear. Nothing until the second gen blazers and later model 4.3L 5-speed 4x4 Zsomethingorothers.

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

on the rear: everything on this truck had yellow junkyard crayon, so theres no telling the origonal application of the rear. ill see if i can get a picture later today, show you guys what i have.

on the CMC: i have no holes in the firewall to mount it, so i have to drill my own. thats what i was wonderingif it was an absolute necessity to be dead nuts on, or is a litle off ok?

Michael

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

Ok, I see what you mean. you're doing an automatic to manual swap. side to side you should have some play, 1/8" or so. Up and down you should have about the same, anything more than that and you'll either get binding or an incorrect pedal ratio which will alter the stiffness of the pedal as well as the total throw before engagement/disengagement. I'm sure someone could get you the proper centers from the edges of the firewall and if you have the right measurements, it should be close enough.

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

little more progress on stuff.
sold the bed. brings project total down to 901.16

finished stripping the truck. got the pedals, master and booster, CMC, and all teh fasteners. now i just have to haul off whats left. or ill give it to someone if they come get it this week.

traded the sawblade mags that were on the parts truck for a full set of Z28 wheels. im going to see if i can trade them for a set of 17X8 soft 8's

also started cleaning up parts for the 5 speed. figured out when i was draining the fluid that theres a bunch of metal in it, and im going to go through it before i put it in. dont wanna have to yank it back out. i also found out that the "new clutch" was warped and hot spotted pretty bad. so i'll order a new one. (yes, i said new. its not that often ill bbuy soimething spanking new for this truck, but for the pain in the ass factor, im willing. and a new zoom clutch is only 84 bucks from summit.)

lastly, heres a couple of pics of the rearend. its probably not an 8.5 after looking at it again. and i was all excited....

next up: finish the white door install, get rid of the parts truck, finish cleaning tranny parts, surface fluwheel, order clutch, and rebuild trans. now it gets expensive.

Michael

Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 135 Location: New Jersey

no that's a 7.5 lol

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

Yup, 7.5 or 7.625, there is no way to tell externally, at least not that I know of.

They can still handle 350hp or so with the right upgrades, and can handle 200-250 in factory form depending on how well they've been cared for. One of the weakest parts of these rear ends is actually the spider gears and carrier. Any decent clutch type LSD will take care of the spider gear issues and have a smooth enough engage that you won't have to worry about the carrier. If it is a 7.625 then you can put in any locker they make for it and not worry, the carrier was the biggest reason they bumped up to a slightly larger ring gear, that 1/8" makes a surprising difference. If you upgrade gears, get a brand new set, I don't trust used gear sets for 7.5/7.625 10-bolts, some people have gotten them and not had a problem, but new ones are cheap enough, I consider it cheap insurance. Bearings need to get replaced on your first re-build, but shouldn't need to be replaced after that, I've seen bearings with 100K miles that were in better than decent shape on a car that got the piss driven out of it daily. Stock axle shafts should be fine to 300hp, maybe 330 or there abouts, above that, you'll want to step up to what are called camaro shafts, they're just 31 spline axles, you can't actually use shafts from a camaro though, unless you want to get them cut and re-splined. I've seen guys grenade the housing at 350ft/lbs and I've seen them hold up to 450ft/lbs without flinching, it depends a lot on your application. With a manual transmission you almost have to get one of the beefy aluminum girdle covers, automatics get a lot more leniency. That's about all I can remember, if you have questions, feel free to ask, I've built four of these rear ends and destroyed two of them.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:13 pm

oh god. z28s and soft 8s.
we have too many of those lol

/me waits for greenflamer to get soft8s

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

so, a little progress.

parts started showing up. 141.13 at summit got me a zoom clutch (dunno why its in this box. all the zoom clutches ive ever seen were purple, too.) and poly leaf spring bushings. they were actually cheaper than the pair of rubber shackle bushings at my local parts store. now i can do the rear suspension.

also got my MOOG problem solver LCA bushings in. 53 even from Advance, but they had to order them.

i also spent 35 at NAPA to get the flywheel resurfaced.

lastly, i actually started on the trans swap. let me say this just once: I HATE under dash work.

the pedals went in tonight before a migrane took me out. now ive got to cut the holes in the firewall for the CMC, fix a lot of hacked up wiring i found (some nbare wires too. just scary), and reinstall the dash and cap. i know it looks bad, but this is project drivabeater, not project lets dump a lotta money and make it look really sweet. as long as its somewhat presentable, im happy. and for future reference, the steering column is MUCH different between 87 and 92. so ill be driving the pin out of the auto shifter on my tilt column, and putting it back in. anyone wanna buy a manual column? give you a hell of a deal.

also, i pulled apart the front of the trans to replace the input shaft bearings due to too much play. once NAPA gets them here, ill add those prices in.

total 1130.29

and still a long ways to go....

Michael

Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 179 Location: AZ

Making good progress though!

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

whats the part # on the leaf bushings?

and do they cover up to '02 trucks?

Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 145 Location: albemarle, nc

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=ENS-3-2129G

says 83-01 with 1.5 inch bushings. heres to hoping my belltechs ude the 1.5's!

and i dont see what would be so different on an 02.

Michael

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 564 Location: Warner Robins, Ga

yeah idk why but a lot of aftermarket parts only list up to '01 for s10's.

...drives me crazy trying to find parts. lol

i'm thinking about finding a set of zq8 leafs, running poly or high durometer rubber bushings, JTR 1" drop block, axle setback plate, and std cab driveshaft alignment kit.