When Chuck and Judy Lewis of Waddell, Arizona, purchased their used '84 Chevy Blazer at the local dealership, they had no idea that their run-of-the-mill Blazer would blossom into a monster. Looking for an excuse to go out on the town, explore local backcountry trails, and meet new people, Chuck and Judy thought it would be perfect if they had a conversation piece - enter one '84 Blazer.
Knowing that the key to garnering attention from people is driving something a little different, Chuck decided to raise the Blazer 8 inches using Dunbar springs, front and rear. This amount of lift allowed the Lewis' to mount huge 17/40-15 LT Monster Mudders on 15x12-inch Ultra Custom Wheels. With the Blazer now standing much taller, Chuck saw that people were beginning to take notice.
Following the formula for attention to a tee, Chuck decided that his Bow Tie needed horsepower in order to turn even more heads. Choosing to massage the original 454ci Chevy V-8, Chuck bored the block 0.060 over to create the awesome 468ci masterpiece that now powers the big SUV. The internal parts are from some of the finest names in aftermarket engine performance: items that include Carillo rods, titanium valves, roller rockers, and a custom-milled steel crankshaft. However, the fun didn't stop there. The main ingredient to the mixture was the awesome 871 Mooneyham blower and the dual 850-cfm double-pumper Holleys with a Nitrous Oxide System fogger setup. Can you say massive amounts of horsepower?
With all this power on hand, the stock axle gears were just screaming to be replaced. In following the out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new thinking, a Detroit Locker and 4.88 gears replaced the previous occupants. Next, Chuck concentrated his focus on the transmission by contacting Performance Transmission in Glendale, Arizona. The company installed a complete custom-built B&M transmission and a torque converter. The voice of this monster is a 3-inch after-cat custom exhaust system from Belangers of Phoenix.
With the easy chores already addressed, Chuck and Judy began the most labor-intensive and time-consuming part of the entire vehicle buildup - the appearance. Beginning with the paint, Chuck and Judy called upon Deano's Body Works in nearby Tempe, Arizona. Using House of Kolor paints, the Hot Pink pearl, Passion Purple, Black Purple pearl, and Goldmine pearl colors were applied to every exterior paintable surface found on the Blazer. The crew at Deano's took special precautions to ensure that the custom fiberglass hood, the shaved door handles, and the tailgate would be addressed. Exhibiting perfection down to the last drop, Deano's even marble-ized the doorjambs and tailgate jamb. To complement the multi-colored paint scheme, a variety of chromed and billet accessories grace the truck; from the chromed differential covers to the billet grille and the steering wheel.
The interior also turns some heads. With one swift call from Chuck Booth Upholstery of Phoenix, the interior was gutted, layered with Dyna-Mat sound-deadening material, and redone from scratch. Choosing to follow the exterior paint theme, the same colors were used on the tweed seats and the carpet, while custom-shaped pop-outs on the doors and the ceiling were also placed throughout the interior. For the finishing touches, an assortment of billet accessories have their home on the dashboard.
Knowing that no truck project is ever complete without the sound system, Chuck and Judy choose Audio 2000 in Tucson, Arizona, to install the latest JVC voice-activated sound system, which consists of four 12-inch Punch subwoofers and a plethora of other speakers and amplifiers, all of which lead to only one thing - the fact that this truck is loud.
After five years in the making, the Lewis' have definitely become known in their town. As a matter of fact, it's the whole idea of not knowing anyone but knowing everyone. At the end of the day, when the truck is cleaned and ready for fun, it's a great feeling to know that when Bad Company is around, everyone flocks to it like sheep. We'd say that the Lewis' have a definite mission accomplished on their hands.
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| SPECIFICATIONS |
| Vehicle : | ’84 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4 |
| Owner : | Chuck and Judy Lewis |
| Engine : | 468ci Chevrolet V-8 |
| Transmission : | B&M transmission and torque converter |
| Axles/differentials : | Corporate; Detroit Locker |
| Suspension : | Custom 8-inch Dunbar springs, front and rear |
| Wheels : | 15x12 Ultra Custom |
| Tires : | 17/40-15 LT Monster Mudders |