THIS STUNNING ONE-OWNER 1987 CHEVROLET SQUAREBODY BLAZER HAS SURPASSED 100,000 MILES OF DRIVING ENJOYMENT

If you were to guess which market segment dominates today’s new vehicle sales, we’re betting most of you would answer sport utility vehicles. The question, however, is what percentage of sales have SUV captured? North of 30 percent? Perhaps 40 percent? A May 2022 report issued by JATO Dynamics stated SUV sales accounted for 53.5 percent of the market. Pickups accounted for 19.4 percent. Put into perspective, when combined, truck and SUV sales accounted for a whopping 72.9 percent after the first quarter of 2022. At year’s end, that figure had jumped to a smidge over 80 percent.

That percentage would have us believe the SUV market came out of the gate white hot, each festooned with luxury trappings that rival presidential suites at tropical island resorts. How quickly we’ve forgotten that cultivating those market shares was initially a slow burn.

The catalyst was Willys-Overland’s new-for-1946 Jeep Wagon, at a time when “utility vehicle” were the key words to a revolutionary multi-purpose platform. As you’ll read elsewhere in this issue, the sporty attributes really didn’t collide with the utility vehicle until 1962, just one year after International-Harvester pulled the wraps off its Scout. Suddenly, the game was afoot, and Ford unveiled its new-for-1966 Bronco. And once Ford recognized and reacted to consumer demands, so did Chevrolet.

In the latter half of 1968, Chevy announced its entry into the any terrain SUV market with its ’69 Blazer. Touted as, “The newest way to go almost anywhere,” it was built atop a modified K5 chassis in that the wheelbase measured 105 inches, versus the K10 pickup’s standard wheelbase of 115 or 127 inches. The idea behind the compact dimensions was to make the platform nimbler and reduce the probability of high centering during off-road use. Whether on the road or on a trail, power was derived from a 250-cu.in. straight-six or 307-cu.in. V-8 in base trim, though buyers could’ve opted for a 350-cu.in. V-8. A fully capable off-road suspension was standard, though it could have been upgraded to heavy-duty status. Four-wheel-drive was standard.

Beyond its mechanicals, the Blazer was equipped with a removable, weathertight, reinforced-fiberglass hardtop that extended from the windshield to tailgate. A single seat for the driver was standard, though most buyers opted to upgrade the interior with a second front seat; also optional was a three-person rear bench seat. Air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, radio, tow hooks, wheel covers, and a Custom Sport Truck package–that added exterior appearance upgrades, front bucket seats, door armrests, extra cabin trim, cigar lighter, and color-keyed floor covering–were also optional.

The first generation of Blazers quickly garnered a strong following, and the original design lasted until 1972 when the entire Chevrolet truck line was revamped. The full removable top continued until ’75, at which time the division switched to a half-cab design that continued to ’91. Naturally, the list of engine choices expanded too, and included - at various times - the original mills and 305- and 400-cu.in. V-8 engines. Even a diesel-fed 387-cu.in. (6.2L) was introduced in 1982. Of note, fuel injection was added to the Blazer’s standard 305- and optional 350-cu.in. V-8s for 1987, just as Rich Irving began shopping for a new vehicle.

Rich, a resident of Lindenwold, New Jersey, was surrounded by trucks of all sorts when coming of age. “My father worked in road construction, so I would tag along with him to work and see all the various trucks at the jobsite. When I turned fifteen, I got a job working in a truck repair shop. From there I have worked for several different truck companies. It’s something I still do today,” Rich says.

In 1981, Rich bought his first vehicle; a 1971 Chevy C10 pickup. Four years later, Rich toyed with the notion of buying a new Blazer but instead purchased a more affordable new Chevy pickup. “I ended up retiring the ’71 from daily duty, though I did drive it from time to time,” says Rich.

Two years down the road, Rich was in a better financial situation and again went to a Chevy dealership to buy the truck he really wanted. “It was April 7th, 1987. I traded in my two-year-old pickup for a new 1987 K5 Blazer. The dealer had ten Blazers, but only one was painted two-tone red and black, which is what I wanted. Even though it had a base EFI 305 engine, it was loaded otherwise–including an automatic transmission–though it didn’t have the trailer towing package; it was something I originally wanted. That was okay with me, though. When I finalized the purchase, I was told the Blazer had a full tank of gas. When the tech came in, he told the salesman the tank was almost empty, so they had to fill it…all 31 gallons.”

Once home Rich went over his new purchase; one of 32,437 built in total. Overall, he thought his Blazer was a great buy, but unfortunately it had a few fit and finish issues inherent with some new vehicles at the time, which he quickly had the dealership rectify. Rich also installed his first post-purchase upgrade. “I added running boards because my mom was too short to get in the truck,” he says.

From there it was off to the races. Rich drove his Blazer everywhere: locally; long trips; and extended vacations from Maine to Virginia. Even into Canada during a 1988 trip to Niagara Falls, New York. Rich reports that he drove it in snow and onto beaches, too, adding, “I didn’t have a garage either, so it stayed outdoors in the New Jersey climate. I did wash it constantly, and I always kept up with the maintenance that I did myself.”

While the Blazer was Rich’s daily driver, he decided to perform a complete restoration of his old 1971 Chevy pickup. When finished, it triggered Rich’s interest in making the rounds at local cruise-ins and car shows. Meanwhile, the Blazer was starting to lose its shine. Then in 1998, the Blazer had its first mechanical hiccup just two blocks from home. Realizing it was a fuel issue, Rich dropped the tank. He found the tank baffle had never been mounted and that its jostling over time eventually broke the fuel pick-up tube. When describing it to the dealership’s technician the response was that the baffles were never mounted at the factory. A swift repair had Rich’s Blazer back on the road the same day.

Afterwards, the Blazer successfully completed the 1998 Power Tour, and in ’99 its odometer recorded 100,000 miles. Rich purchased a new Tahoe soon after, allowing him to retire the Blazer from daily use.

“I didn’t want it sitting outside, so I rented a spot at a local car storage facility so it could live indoors. In 2005, I replaced the inner fenders and radiator support due to rust issues and even rebuilt the front end. I still took it out on occasion and even attended a few events. I decided to take it to the Super Chevy show in Virginia where it won its class. Then in 2011, I took it to Carlisle’s GM Nationals. That was the start of taking it to shows,” Rich says.

Knowing he wanted to keep up with foreseeable issues that would prevent him from enjoying the Blazer, Rich decided it was time to build a garage where he could expedite repairs. A proper garage was constructed for the Blazer in 2013. Next, Rich decided the SUV needed to be freshened up, so he contacted Bruce at Bellmawr Collision in Runnemede, New Jersey, regarding new paint.

Bruce realized that the Blazer was in good condition overall, the only apparent rust being in the rear floor by the tailgate. It was quickly repaired, allowing the body to be prepped for paint. According to Rich, “I removed all the trim and bumpers and took off the cap. It was the only time I ever had the top off.”

The Bellmawr team was then able to replicate the Blazer’s original Bright Red and Black color scheme and applied fresh stripes to the flanks. Once completed, Rich reinstalled the parts he had removed, along with new bumpers obtained from LMC Truck.

The Blazers first post-paint showing was at Carlisle’s 2014 GM Nationals, where it was chosen for the Carlisle Elite award, in addition to winning first-in-class. In 2019, it was the featured vehicle for Carlisle’s 50th anniversary celebration of the Blazer, again at the GM Nationals. What’s amazing is that even today the Blazer boasts having its original interior that presents in mint condition. Similarly, the original engine and drivetrain are in nearly immaculate condition. This of a vehicle that is used for more than national show duty.

“I still drive it to the local events and cruises. My girlfriend, Patti, or other family members will sometimes drive it to some of the local shows so I can bring out the C10 pickup as well,” says Rich.

When asked what it’s like to own and drive a classic Blazer of this magnitude, he reports, “It’s fun to drive. Initially I had to get used to the short wheelbase, but now it’s very comfortable for me. Now that it’s become a collectible vehicle, I get a lot of thumbs up when I take it out. A lot of people will approach with awe and talk about their Blazer tales. I will never sell this or the C10 and I have talked to my niece and nephew about taking it over some day when the time comes. I just never thought it would stay in such good condition.

2024-04-15T16:07:50Z dg43tfdfdgfd