The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - "Project S" - My boy Sam's '72 2wd Blazer -The Red Sled

jeffg1010 · 05-02-2012, 10:19 PM

So, I guess I'll start with the hatch. The existing one on the Blazer was ROUGH... busted up, no lift supports. So, I bought a parts Blazer around Christmas and I kept the top. The hatch was mint. No cracks, no chips, good handle and working mechanisms. I even "had" the key to it, but over the past 5 months, I have misplaced it. (I got time)

So, this past week I started tearing it apart to fix it up.

Cleaned up the locking mechanisms, knocked off the old paint with a wire wheel and painted them with hammered texture black. They seem to work good.

I polished the handle. It is pitted, but it'll do until finances get better. I cleaned off the internal mechanism with about a can of Brakleen to get 40 years of hardened grease off of it. I will likely just make a new gasket for it.

But, until I get the hatch painted, they are all bagged up and ready for re-install.

Also stripped off the rock hard weather stripping. In the process of removing the internals from the hatch, I discovered it was once a thriving home for a colony of bees. haha! But, even after spending a great deal of time cleaning the crap out of the hatch, it still sounds like its half full of junk. Any suggestions?!?

Moving on to the rear seat. It is in GREAT shape. Although I am not sure if I will keep it. I really want shoulder belts in the back like my Burb. We'll see. But tonight I got the arm rests removed. Tomorrow I hope to remove all of the mounting brackets. I will strip them repaint them and that is all I will do to the seat. It doesn't need recovered although it doesn't match the front buckets... But, I am a LONG way from needing upholstery.

Started cleaning up the ashtrays too in an effort to salvage them. I figured I couldn't hurt them, they were looking like junk, so I hit one with a wire wheel.... MAYBE I'll keep 'em. After all... it's only a driver. hehe.

And the armrests are another amazing thing. Totally salvageable. I even will be keeping the all original pads. No cracks at all. They were covered in something disgusting, but simple green ate it off. I scrubbed them and detailed them with some vinyl protectant and I am shocked at how they look. Of course I don't have an "after" photo yet.

This is the inspiration fridge in my garage.

05-02-2012, 10:19 PM	#4
jeffg1010 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Mooresville, NC Posts: 2,675	Re: "Project S" - My boy Sam's '72 2wd Blazer -The Red Sled So, I guess I'll start with the hatch. The existing one on the Blazer was ROUGH... busted up, no lift supports. So, I bought a parts Blazer around Christmas and I kept the top. The hatch was mint. No cracks, no chips, good handle and working mechanisms. I even "had" the key to it, but over the past 5 months, I have misplaced it. (I got time) So, this past week I started tearing it apart to fix it up. Cleaned up the locking mechanisms, knocked off the old paint with a wire wheel and painted them with hammered texture black. They seem to work good. I polished the handle. It is pitted, but it'll do until finances get better. I cleaned off the internal mechanism with about a can of Brakleen to get 40 years of hardened grease off of it. I will likely just make a new gasket for it. But, until I get the hatch painted, they are all bagged up and ready for re-install. Also stripped off the rock hard weather stripping. In the process of removing the internals from the hatch, I discovered it was once a thriving home for a colony of bees. haha! But, even after spending a great deal of time cleaning the crap out of the hatch, it still sounds like its half full of junk. Any suggestions?!? Moving on to the rear seat. It is in GREAT shape. Although I am not sure if I will keep it. I really want shoulder belts in the back like my Burb. We'll see. But tonight I got the arm rests removed. Tomorrow I hope to remove all of the mounting brackets. I will strip them repaint them and that is all I will do to the seat. It doesn't need recovered although it doesn't match the front buckets... But, I am a LONG way from needing upholstery. Started cleaning up the ashtrays too in an effort to salvage them. I figured I couldn't hurt them, they were looking like junk, so I hit one with a wire wheel.... MAYBE I'll keep 'em. After all... it's only a driver. hehe. And the armrests are another amazing thing. Totally salvageable. I even will be keeping the all original pads. No cracks at all. They were covered in something disgusting, but simple green ate it off. I scrubbed them and detailed them with some vinyl protectant and I am shocked at how they look. Of course I don't have an "after" photo yet. This is the inspiration fridge in my garage. __________________ Jeff 1972 Blazer CST 2wd- My son Sam's Project "S" Project "S" 1970 Suburban - SOLD "One Bad Burb" Photobucket Album 1986 C30 Crewcab - 63K original miles, original paint Members I have met: mikey531, gcburdic, bashed, burbman69, TonyPieras, Blazester, GCncsuHD, custombuilt67-72, tsnow678, highrpm, PanelDeland, tanman722001, 47thriftmaster, babyblueoval, 68stepbed, JesseWebb, Andy4639, xs-style, TobyArnot, BigOrange, frednoah, brn_agn, k5hart, Graham57a, bhelton, AJohn6, SilverC10, 69CST, '71 Flame, RaceAGMC, Liz, Josh, MattPSU, 68corvair, Chevy350V8, mdeal, ccrorymc, mrhurt73, dmxxpert, Custom68, 84GMC, BionicABs1, BigBlockBurris, Ebfabman, ATP...