1979 Chevrolet Blazer - Blazito

Let's start under the hood. The stock '79 motor wasn't going to cut it on a build like this. John chose to swap in a solid Chevy 350ci small-block motor. First, because of its reliability, and second, because of the generous amount of modifications and aftermarket parts you can get for this powerplant. Built with a forged crank, Holley carb, MagnaFlow exhaust, and camel-hump heads, the motor is pushing over 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Custom-motor builder Jim Patelli out of Romoland, California, took care of the American muscle.

Keeping the truck cool up front is a C&R Nascar EX radiator with a built-in heat exchanger. In front of that is a small tranny cooler that is doing the trick for now but is in line for replacement soon.

Once we removed the Trailer Products front fiberglass clip, we revealed beautiful symmetry of high-quality fabrication all done by BMS. BMS is also responsible for the suspension creation aside from the rear trailing arms. The upper control arms are what is known as J-arms because of their shape. They allow fluid travel movement and clearance for large shocks. The front suspension pushes 20 inches of travel using billet upper J-arms and lower center-mounted control arms made of 4130 chrome-moly.

Here is something you don't see every day. John had his brake reservoirs hidden in a small compartment just behind the hood. This way he can easily access them without having to remove the entire front clip. Genius.

The steering was custom-built by Blitzkrieg Motorsports (BMS) out of Anaheim, California, and is a swinger-style system all built out of chrome-moly for superior strength. Connected to the swinger arms is a Howe hydraulic assist.

Here is a good shot of how the motor was mounted. A support brace was made to run across the top of the motor that is completely removable. Without this option, you would never be able to service the motor. We have seen builders forget about this step, so take note.

The front-end track width measures 86 inches. Here you can see how the steering is tied into the suspension. Keeping the suspension moving properly are 2.5-inch Fox coilovers and 3-inch Fox bypass shocks. Also installed on each side are Fox hydraulic bumpstops.

Stopping this beast are Outlaw disc brakes at all four corners. Haven't heard of Outlaw Disc Brakes? Well, the company specializes in high-end race braking, and its brakes don't come on the cheap. John tells us they are worth every penny.

No, that is not the front end of a '79 Chevy Blazer. Admiring the look of the new Chevy trucks, the Blazito is now dressed with '05 Chevy headlights and front grille. The swap would also allow the truck to run the newer-style Trailer Products front clip. Vision X Lighting provided six of its HID lights, delivering more than enough night vision. Outrunning your lights is a problem with high-speed off-roading, but with six of these bad boys up front, John shouldn't have to worry. The Atlas Gray paint was laid down by Ron Genders Paint out of San Juan Capistrano, California.

Looking for a tire that would hold up to miles of tough prerunning, John called his friends at Nitto Tire and got a set of their race-designed Dune Grappler Desert Terrain tires. The chances of you getting your hands on these puppies are slim to none. They are made for race teams only. Inside the tires are the all-new American Racing beadlock race wheels. These are not DOT-approved, so you probably won't see them driving down the road. That blue you are seeing is the CNC front hub.

This shot really shows you how much thought was put into the truck. The guys at BMS really know their stuff. As you can see, the truck is not a complete tube chassis - there is still some frame left. Here you can see the custom-made 40-gallon fuel cell and where dual Optima batteries were hidden. The subfloor was raised 6 inches to add clearance for the suspension. You can also see where the frame was cut and channeled, allowing the axlehousing enough room to swing 26 inches.

A TubeWorks rearend is such a beautiful thing. When you see one, you know two things for sure. One, the owner of this truck has a few dollars to spare, and two, the truck is going to be fast. The rearend is stuffed with full-floating axles, 4.56 gears, and a fully locked spool. No slipping to be found.

Check out the trick way BMS mounted the rear trailing arms and shocks. Everything is tucked up and out of the way. In the rear are sets of Fox 2.5-inch coilovers, Fox 3-inch bypass shocks, and Fox hydraulic bumpstops.

The rear trailing arms are fabricated by JD Fabrication out of Escondido, California. Words cannot explain how comfortable our ride was through one of the toughest courses in the desert. There is something to be said for being able to have a drink while off-roading at high speeds.

Getting into the cabin shows us what is keeping the occupants safe. The rear cabin was built to store one fullsize spare tire. Under the tire are hidden compartments leading to the dual batteries and fuel tank. You can also see where the gas-filler line runs from stock location into the tank. Nice touch.

There is a lot going on under the truck that pictures really cannot show you. Here you can see how the suspension is tied into the frame and how thoroughly everything is supported. Out back is a pair of MagnaFlow mufflers, giving the undercarriage a bit of chrome bling.

A truck loaded with three Sparco race seats means business. The Sparco Evo seats and Crow padded five-point harnesses were comfortable and kept us secure.

Climbing into the third seat was a good location to see the custom dash and center console also built by BMS. Behind the Sparco race steering wheel are Auto Meter gauges, a Racer X Motorsports intercom system, a Lowrance GPS, a Motorola radio system, and an Art Carr shifter. All wiring was completed by E&J Wireworks out of Ramona, California.