Blazer ressurection?

[Doug Krebs]

I've been having dumb idea's about making a nice blazer out of the 2 I have now. It wouldn't be for wheeling, but more of a daily driver. I have crazy stupid ideas for putting in a diesel for better fuel enconomy and a little better pulling power. I'm thinking about either a 4bt or a 6bt with an nv4500.

So, my girlfriend and I are planning a last minute trip to big bend. She wants to ride horses one day, etc... , but some of the cool stuff says you need a 4x4 with high clearance. Now i'm not sure how they rate there trails, the f150 could probably do it, but I think if I took the blazer on a road trip I'd see if I want to go through with all this mess of the diesel gayness.

So I have less than 2 weeks to get it ready if I decide to go. The engine, tranny, t-case, and rear axle are mechically fine. The thing I don't want to encounter in this trip are the things I've run into in the last couple trips with it. Such as the power steering falling off the motor or giving the last bump to kill the center pins by hopping a curb during the cibilo creek trip.

My list so far is:

Replace ball joints and worn out steering parts.
Check all bearings and u joints.
Change all fluids
Check all brackets on engine.
Check all center pins.

Things I'm doing for creature comfort's are:

Replacing the window seal
Fixing the AC
Adding insulation and a rubber mat

What other maintance items am I overlooking?

And yes I know i'm gay...

[robertf03]

isn't that a new block and tbi? keep it!!!!!!!!! (just for you krebs!!!!!!!)

[jerryg79]

have fun with big bend on spring break....that is there most packed time of year.

As for the trails, grayson has been there he may know something about them, but the guys from luis's shop went there and said it was ok.

Personally i would shoot myself if i had to ride in your blazer all the way too big bend.

as for all your ideas about diesel gayness...they are just that gayness, work on your buggy!

ps i love you!

[Doug Krebs]

Originally posted by Snatch Adams

As for the trails, grayson has been there he may know something about them, but the guys from luis's shop went there and said it was ok.

Personally i would shoot myself if i had to ride in your blazer all the way too big bend.

I'm not going on the trails to offroad, just see more of the cool **** Blair wants to see. Old mines and crap like that.

I'm going to make it alot nicer inside. Padding/insulation and a rubber mat to keep out the noise. AC so it will be nice and cool and I'm thinking about moving the exhaust around a little so it's not so loud.

P.S. How's the exhaust?

[fbronco86]

sound like alot of work

[BMFScout]

your bringing down the big bucks, rent a grand cheerookee from budget or whatever and cruise in style. I am betting it will be less then you think, not to mention the gas savings. Have you ran this idea past your girlfriend yet? ****, it might take you two weeks to get the A/c Fixed if you run into a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jerry's exhaust sounds like he is the president of his FFA!!!!!!!

[Doug Krebs]

Originally posted by fbronco86
sound like alot of work

No, it is alot of work...

Now give me some suggestions on what i've missed

[Mack84]

Originally posted by BMFScout
your bringing down the big bucks, rent a grand cheerookee from budget or whatever and cruise in style. I am betting it will be less then you think, not to mention the gas savings. Have you ran this idea past your girlfriend yet? ****, it might take you two weeks to get the A/c Fixed if you run into a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jerry's exhaust sounds like he is the president of his FFA!!!!!!!

thats something to be proud of bc kingwood ffa rocked

[AgDieseler]

Originally posted by Doug Krebs
Things I'm doing for creature comfort's are:

Replacing the window seal
Fixing the AC
Adding insulation and a rubber mat

This is never an area to skip! I was 100% happy with the way my truck was running many times, but the ghetto window motors and door locks always pissed me off.

Get good USA window motors from NAPA, and good jute padding for under the carpet. I double padded in areas like under the seats and center console. If you really want to drop the dollars, Dynamat everything. I would comprimise and just use dynamat on vertical surfaces. Jute tends not to stick without lots of adhesive. Definitely go for new weatherstripping. It's tedious, but easy to install. Those vent windows are a source of frustration since they wistle if they've even been open. I would get new rubber for that. Maybe that's what you mean by window seal.

Doing interior resto work is actually a lot of fun when you're not doing it in August. Enjoy!

[eight]

I have a friend that goes there often. If it was dry he never had a problem getting around in a full size van. Said you did have to be careful not to get hung up though. So the F-150 should be fine as I'd think you have enough skill. Now he has a diesel jimmy on 33s and a z71 on 33s and never has a problem even if it is wet. No lockers or limited slips in either. And the jimmy gets about 21 mpg. Goes there just for camping and backpacking and hiking and ****.

I went there only once for 3 days and it rained all 3 days.

[fbronco86]

i think renting the heep might be a good idea. but its alot of miles on a rent car they will prob charge extra for that.

[jerryg79]

Originally posted by fbronco86
i think renting the heep might be a good idea. but its alot of miles on a rent car they will prob charge extra for that.

You'll have a hard time finding a place that will rent you a car since you're under 25. I found a few, but since I was under 25 they wanted to charge like $200-300 extra. The only place I could find was enterprise up here at the airport, cause they have some "student rate" but even with that I doubt they have 4x4 jeeps, and even if they did, what you rent and what you actually get are two different things.

You could get someone over 25 to rent one for you, I'm sure al and mark or david would be more then happy to

[Graystroke]

The trails are nothing serious out there. All you would need at the very most is something w/ all wheel drive for the sand washes. Too bad you got rid of the Astro van! Your 2WD PU might be able to make it. Might put some AT's on the back. If you take the Blazer and break down out there...good luck. There is only two gas stations in the park, one in Rio Grand Village on the east side of the park, on the Mexican Border (only place for where campers can shower too) and the other is on the north end of the park between the north entrance and the turn off for the Basin. And yes, Spring Break is the most crowded part of the year and you can't make reservations either. First come, first serve for camping in the basin or for primitive camping permits in the desert.
It's a lot of fun. I went out there on my old GS, by myself, and had a blast. Met some other riders along the way. Not a bad idea to travel hrough the back country w/ another vehicle. If your **** breaks down along River Road, (~40 miles long) close to the border, don't expect it to be there when you return b/c the Mexicans will have found it by then and have stripped anything of value. I'm not joking about this etiher. Happens all the time. They come across on horse back. I'd definitely carry a gun, even though its against the law in a National Park.
I was packing the Glock in my tank bag the whole time
.

[Shaggy]

i havent been but back when my stepdad would go he would always take my suburban... he used to get excited and tell me about all the "wheeling" he did... i still cant wait to take him on one of our trips

[Doug Krebs]

Originally posted by Graystroke
The trails are nothing serious out there. All you would need at the very most is something w/ all wheel drive for the sand washes. Too bad you got rid of the Astro van! Your 2WD PU might be able to make it. Might put some AT's on the back. If you take the Blazer and break down out there...good luck. There is only two gas stations in the park, one in Rio Grand Village on the east side of the park, on the Mexican Border (only place for where campers can shower too) and the other is on the north end of the park between the north entrance and the turn off for the Basin. And yes, Spring Break is the most crowded part of the year and you can't make reservations either. First come, first serve for camping in the basin or for primitive camping permits in the desert.
It's a lot of fun. I went out there on my old GS, by myself, and had a blast. Met some other riders along the way. Not a bad idea to travel hrough the back country w/ another vehicle. If your **** breaks down along River Road, (~40 miles long) close to the border, don't expect it to be there when you return b/c the Mexicans will have found it by then and have stripped anything of value. I'm not joking about this etiher. Happens all the time. They come across on horse back. I'd definitely carry a gun, even though its against the law in a National Park.
I was packing the Glock in my tank bag the whole time
.

Do they check what's in your vehicle? I wouldn't mind taken the shotgun... How long are these trails? How scary are the mexicans when you camp at night out there? I'm bringing the CB, so that might help a little with communication if something does happen. I'm also going to be carrying a **** load of spare parts, water, hoses, belts, etc... Unless something broke that I couldn't fix (axle falls off and breaks in half) I doubt they'll be able to move it to far either. I doubt there is anything too valuable that they could get without having another vehicle.