Bloverlanding in a Blazer

[SuperBuickGuy]

why don't I get more done... well

nice to know 20' means 20'3"... smh
but then onto important things... fixing the paintball gun

needs more powah

removed exhaust, started draining more difficult fluids

chopped brake line

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'll never understand why people leave those stamped sheet metal covers on their 4x4..... even if they climb nothing taller then a Nordstrom's parking curb, the protection and strength can actually help them out... but no... don't get it




new pads (this is a van rear end)... allows me to reaim the rear at the t-case.

 

[bobs77vet]

very nice, i think i would need to retire to accomplish what you do so quickly

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

very nice, i think i would need to retire to accomplish what you do so quickly

I installed this, today

 

[mfain]

Very nice!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

lots of parts arriving.
I want an emergency brake so I bought Cadillac calipers

installed



most of the parts for the front is now here.... I have lots of spares from the '40 build so, thankfully, I won't be waiting for what I forgot


waiting on 6" softride rears.... bright side is I can pretty much disassemble the motor/trans and put the truck at a reasonable work height now... and that is next - engine out along with the front disassembly. while this doesn't have rust, the inner fenders are not in good shape - so I'll take advantage of having great access and change those now.


did a strength test on the vent tube.... surprisingly, it doesn't have much strength

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

and it's made it....yay?


with a 4L80e, that I'm probably not going to use

good thing I bought insurance

a lot of the accessories, I'm not going to use, mostly because it's 24 volt but also having the turbo in the middle makes putting an intercooler on it difficult. Mind you, I have enough parts to build a motor plus accessories and stuff for 2 others. This isn't a big deal. One thing for certain, I am going to figure out how the PCM works and replaces it with a rasberryPi... I bandaided my 94 suburban motor (e.g. the rheostat to fool the sensor that it's not being overboosted)
in other news, 2wd steering box and arm are here

 

[bobs77vet]

nice gates!!!!!!!!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

the point of the gates was so the pooches could come entertain me....

Time to get it on a stand and evaluate - there was freight damage.... to bring y'all up to speed

yep, got the pan

trans is fine, though.... still not sure I'm going to use it... my heart - manual. Plus, 5 speeds is better then 4 when using a diesel.
my shop lab approves

as does my loaner bloodhound. In case you're curious, she's 8 months old and nearly 100 lbs...

I honestly don't know how they did this...

there's a witness mark on the a/c pump (top of the motor)... so maybe something heavy fell on it? I don't know

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

time to clean the front diff

new gears, locker

and clean the rear

testing the new U-bolts.... I think I bought too long ones, but won't know before I get the springs

test fit the cover.... both aren't perfect - so you need to be really careful running bolts in...

why I use offset tie rod ends.... no clearance for steering if you don't


most of these pictures are for future reference











seriously considering a canvas sliding top

 

[bobs77vet]

i like the idea of canvas sliding top or even a boat style button down top. they may leak at speed though. I wonder if they still make after market sunroofs so you get the gasket and locking mechanism all at once

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

more stripping parts

and draining fluids... and yes, I drilled a hole in the pan...

story time with SBG.... transmission coolers... add them. If it already has one, change the hoses the moment they get hard

for those who don't know, I lost a transmission because an old line let loose
axles are cleaner


and shiny baubles arrived

still trying to figure out why the serpentine belt is loose... more damage from the freight company? dunno, thankfully I paid for insurance this time. I think they stacked something on top - which might have moved the a/c pump? I honestly don't know


and knew about this

and this

mental note, bring wasp killer next time... I didn't look too closely at this side because there were 2, large mud dauber nests

ah well, it could be far, far worse

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

ordered a different panhard bar mount... I looked at these - neat idea but way too complex for something I want to last 100k miles
how annoying, I'm going to have to look for the pictures on my travelling computer... sometimes things don't upload and other times the camera just simply doesn't take the picture... I probably took 20 pictures of the system because it's very complex but solves a problem that the SEMA trucks have... that is, they want variable height but be able to drive it whatever height...
this is the back of that system

basically they replace the shackle with a part that expands but still works as a shackle... quite complex and fun engineering.... but I also don't hate the SEMA trucks. wouldn't own one but admire the tech and problem solving (which is the same as low riders trying to make hydraulics work and still have a suspension).... not my cup of tea but impressive no matter the style.

this is what I'm copying

except pumpkin is on the other side


hog out the holes for larger bolts

install ubolts

test fit successful

next up for the rear is going to be traction bars, but first I want to finish the front.... in that vein, waiting for parts...
and work on the 4 post lift... 6 hour assembly - must be because there are no instructions.... smh.

 

[bobs77vet]

does the track change if you raise the height or is just the body raising on a fixed chassis frame? i am not sure i said that very smoothly

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

does the track change if you raise the height or is just the body raising on a fixed chassis frame? i am not sure i said that very smoothly

the track remains the same.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Springs... think they're from a F350 van... whatever, they're a good first start because I already have them

got another top with sliding windows for it... cheap cheap


and got the bracket today for the panhard the shifts it forward... waiting for the steering box before I put this together, but that should be here tomorrow...

for those counting, I already bought a steering box... it's the wrong one, not sure what it fits but not this.... goes on the inside of the frame rail...

 

[bobs77vet]

i see it now the fixed chassis is raising off the rigid axles, i like it, i guess lots of custom brake hoses are going to me made. did you get one of those hose making kits?

 

[bobs77vet]

As i think about this more I am almost 100% sure the next time I need high pressure hoses and I have to buy them, I am just going to buy the kit to make them. It seems my success rate at getting hoses that fit properly even though they say they are OEM specs is really poor.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

As i think about this more I am almost 100% sure the next time I need high pressure hoses and I have to buy them, I am just going to buy the kit to make them. It seems my success rate at getting hoses that fit properly even though they say they are OEM specs is really poor.

trust but verify. I order by type and fitting....the biggest fail I have anymore is the line is too long...

 

[bobs77vet]

thats exactly what i mean the hoses are never the right sizes and they are never inexpensive to begin with