My '87 SWB Project w/pics!!

[twoodson]

Finally making some progress on my truck. I am in the process of getting ready for paint. Currently I am installing an '87 25 gal blazer tank between the rear fram rails. I will be cleaning up the wiring under the hood. I decided to keep the TBI stock engine for reliability, however I almost went down the road of changing heads, cam, custom tuning, etc. I'd rather just keep it clean and simple and running good. You will see pics as it looked when I first bought in 2001, i was rear ended headed to work, in 2002 I lowered it and put 17" torque thrust wheels. I was rear ended again headed to my son's pre-school carnival, I had to change bumper this time.

[twoodson]

Here are some pics of the blazer tank install. I moved the filler to the driver side this evening. More pics

[twoodson]

Here are some Misc pics of the engine accessories. I will be running a serpentine belt set up from an '89 full full size blazer. I didn't want to run a lot of chrome on the engine so my powder coater talked me into a textured black he used on his race car. I wanted a custom/stock/simple/sinister look. So all the brackets that goes to the engine are powder coated in textured black. I had the stock pulleys including the idler pulleys ceramic coated in the polished look along with the headers. I will be using stainless bolts on the black items and black oxide bolts on the polished items. Radiator Supports are powder coated gloss black. I think it will look pretty slick. I have a Griffin radiator that I scored from Kenny's Rod and Kustom and the fuel filler that will be mounted in the bed floor & of course my favorite the Autometer dash set up. We gettin-r-dun..Enjoy

[twoodson]

Engine bay pics and other pics. I have new inner fenders, just gathering parts. the engine will be painted black. Will keep you guys and gals posted. Enjoy!!!

[N2TRUX]

Nice progress on your project. I am a bit concerned about your logic here. You have been rear ended twice now, and your putting your gas tank in the rear?

[twoodson]

Yeah I know right, I think it was because I just got it..lol

[twoodson]

Thanks Ken for the compliments, definitely makes me proud to hear that from you, I just hope when I'm done it gets to the magazine..

[Jonboy]

You need to bring that by the shop after you get it back together. I haven't seen you in ages. Glad to see you are still around, and still have the truck.

[72BlckButy]

What a great looking project, can't wait to see it all back together!

[JohnC]

Looks like a sweet project. Sounds like you have a good plan in mind of what you want to finish with. I really dig the TTII's on there. It's really hard to find something those wheels don't look good on. Did you do the gauges yourself? If so what did you do to mount the gauges to the bezel? I have seen it done several different ways, and like to get all the info and advice I can before I do it on mine.

[crawdadfox]

Great looking truck! Kind of strange how the bumpers fold up like that. I bought an 85 brand new and had the same thing happen less than 30 min. after i picked it up from the dealership!

[twoodson]

Jonboy I will definitely bring it by. I have to give you thanks for supplying me with the pins and bushings for the doors. Yeah I'm finally on a roll. I will stop by this week and holler at you.

72blckbuty, thanks for the comments, slowly but surely it's getting there.

johnc, yes i did the gauges myself, I posted a thread on here a while back, I basically used Swervin's method but used hot glue like ocbaud did. Do search on Autometer and you should find it.

Crawdadfox, yeah everytime you get something "new" it's like it's destined for something to go wrong. thanks for all the compliments guys and I will update as I go.

[ShowSS12]

I like those gauges which ones are they?

[swb85]

Man I can't wait to see this one done, excellent work!!!!

[jchav62]

Nice work! I can't wait to see it done either..

I'm not a big fan of aftermarket gauges, but I really like yours. They're awesome!

[SBTork]

Very cool project, your blazer tank install just sold me on doing it to my '82. Good work

[menace121978]

looking good! i'm still on the fence about doing the blazer tank mod...

[silvrbreez]

Gauges look to be Autometer Phantom series.

Great project man. I'm digging it.

[JohnC]

OK I remember your post about them now. I thought they looked familiar, but just didn't put the two together. I talked to ocbaud this last weekend at the Oklahoma Meet about his a little bit. They look really good!!

[tvblazer78]

Very nice man! Dash looks good!

[Wild83C10]

So did you make sure that your truck was level before you put a level on the tank? Not the best way to level the tank to the frame.

Otherwise a nice job!

[3r!c84]

was that a 3/4 drop? spindles,shackles and hanger?

[twoodson]

showss12, thanks for the compliments, they are the Autometer Phantom Series.

swb85, thanks, hopefully it won't be long, I luv the video of your truck, I wish mine was a 4 speed.. I envy yours

Jchav62, thank you so much for your compliments

SBTork, thanks yeah it took me a while to make at decision because Jeff who runs the 73-87.com site used a fuel cell which looks clean. but I had a TBI and needed an '87 Tank with the baffles or whatever in them. Jeff's is clean as heck and so is captkoas'

menace121978, take your time and think it over, it's a little work especially if you don't have all the "correct" tools a normal shop would have. I had a lot of busted knuckles and soreness..lol

silvrbreez you are correct, thanks for the compliments.

johnc, yep Eric was a lot of help, thanks for the compliments

tvblazer, thanks for the compliments. I just wish I could have snatched up the TT II's you had but someone beat me to it. What B.S. was the rears, that's what I want in the rear if I keep them.

Wild83c10, actually my truck has a rake drop I was wanting to make sure the tank was level from side to side, I have some grindin to do on the spare tire brace on the driver side and hopefully it will be ok. Thanks for that info, preciate it.

3r!c84, let me think it was a western chassis setup, I could actually go lower one more notch on the shackles in the rear. The front is 2.5 in drop spindles, 1 in drop belltech coil springs. yup so you are correct it was a 3.5/4 drop. I wanted to keep the rake look

[twoodson]

Okay gents, I scored a Blazer Fuel tank skid plate yesterday for $50 and the guy took it off the blazer and it was in good shape despite the road grime. I cleaned it up (no pic) and it is pretty heavy to. I will probably have it ceramic coated polished along with my shackles, hangers, and rear/front sway bar. The frame is going to me por-15 in a satin black as well as the rear end and I will have the leaf springs either powder coated satin black or use the por-15. The tank will be polished ceramic coated while the tank straps will be poser coated satin black; I switched the tank around so that the fuel filler would be closer to the driver's side, I still have to cut some of the filler off and weld it on. Here go some more pics. this was before I cleaned the skid plate.

[JohnC]

Cool score man! Can't wait to see it all after the tank, and rear is all painted. Sounds like it's going to look slick.