Stink Ten Two. The second Blazer.

[HO455]

I picked up this 1988 Blazer a couple weeks ago it's pretty solid but has some issues to be corrected. Obviously it's an ex-Forest Service rig. Its an odd combination of options 2.8 V6 with a manual transmission, manual steering, manual windows, no AC but a rear window defroster. I'm not sure if the side mirrors are factory or aftermarket as I don't remember ever seeing any like them before.

The first thing to fix is the steering as it has a ton of slop in it. I ordered a Red Head box for it. Apparently most of the manual steering boxes on S10's are S10 only and such the core charge is more than the box was.

After removing the guard on the coupling I found the cause of most of the play.

[dagnabbitt]

Wow, I really like that, great truck. Post more pics if you can!

[special-K]

I love ex-municipal trucks. Even cooler with custom touches. I believe those mirrors are aftermarket. I'm wanting to buy something more trim for the Sonoma. It seems manual boxes wear sooner than power. I think it's that the P/S systems absorb more "road steer" between the box and steering wheel. But I do see the contributing culprit

[4793]

always good to see another Forest Service green vehicle out there, and your Blazer is nice and straight

I think the Forest Service tried to keep their trucks fairly bare bones with options suitable to where the truck was working. I imagine in the northwest rear defrost is more necessary than AC. My Forest Service truck came out of the southwest and is very basic but it does have AC- and, weirdly enough, the cassette deck radio

[HO455]

Apparently somehow I didn't save all of the post. Here's the other photos. And coupe more. The seats are 95 Camaro and the door panels have had the fabric replaced with GM pleather.

The rag joint was not made of the normal rubber fiber I'm used to seeing (Like the new one) but was made of a urethane looking material. It looked as one part had been broken for awhile as the edges looked kind of polished Needless to say it drives much better now.

I did contemplate converting to power steering but that would turn a 4 hour job to a 4 week job and I'd miss out on all the aerobic exercise.

[special-K]

yeah, stick with the Armstrong steering

[HO455]

The lil Blazer needed a change of tread so out with the Michelin Maypops and in with some Firestone Indy 500s. While up on the lift I got some photos to post.

Front suspension has 2002 spindles and lower control arms with UMI upper control arms.

The rear axle is also 2002 vintage with 3.42 gears bolted to a posi carrier.

[HO455]

I put the new Blazer to work today. Drove out to Orchards and picked up the lower end of new the engine for my 72 Firebird. I was thinking of starting a thread about it in the Alternative Tinkering section once I start doing more than gathering parts.

[HO455]

Got all the wagons together for a photo.