This K5 Blazer was made to pay homage to its roots, but with added reliability, ease of use, and some modern touches, all the while being subtle in appearance. A 2.5 inch Skyjacker lift and 33×10.5 inch tires on the factory rally style rims gives the truck extra height over the factory 29 inch tires and suspension without being over the top. The same was done for the paint, its original color was GM’s cardinal red, but the owner wanted something that popped a little more, which is where the truck’s custom red paint came in. The engine was upgraded in size and power but stayed original in appearance, even right down to the factory air cleaner which was modified to fit the EFI system underneath. The finished product is stunning and grabbed the attention of Four Wheeler magazine, who chose it for a main feature in the December 2021 issue – and it even graces the cover!

350ci Summit Racing 300hp
4.11 Gears
OEM Radio with Bluetooth
Holley Sniper EFI
Front and Rear LSDs
2.5in Skyjacker Lift Kit
Over Sized 32gal Tank
Custom Paint
33×10.5in Tires

During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, the four wheeling trend was becoming hugely popular in America and car makers were catching on. The K5 Blazer was a perfect example of a full-size truck born into this market. A four wheel drive V8 truck with a removable hardtop made for a perfect four wheeling and outdoor adventure vehicle that could be used on a daily basis. With nearly twenty four thousand sold in 1981, the public clearly saw the fun having potential of this full sized convertible truck. This particular truck spent its life in south eastern part of the country, which kept it rust free and in good condition overall. With such a good starting point to work with, attention could be focused on all the details that make this truck as unique as it is. Chevy’s early 80’s 305ci V8 was anything but a power house, so the first order of business was to ditch the 305ci for a 350ci crate motor with mild performance upgrades to give the truck 300 horsepower but appearing nearly identical to the 305 it replaced.

Once that was accomplished, the fuel system got overhauled with an extra large 32 gallon tank and a Holley Sniper EFI fuel injection system for added ease of use and tune-ability. After that, both axles were upgraded to 4.11 gearing and limited slip differentials. Switching over to the inside of the truck, the factory radio was kept but upgraded to have Bluetooth capabilities. This Blazer is a Silverado package which gives the owner most of the options available at the time so the interior was refreshed and reupholstered to factory appearance with the addition of several small touches. First was adding 21st century speakers to the newly updated radio and adding several new speaker locations including one in each front kick panel and one in each A pillar cover, tripling the amount of speakers over the factory setup. Lastly a security box center console with cup holders was painted to match the rest of the interior. Overall the truck looks nearly stock, but hides many of its upgrades and 21st century features in plain sight for many to ask whether or not they are original.