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When Will The 2026 Cars Come Out?Cool Car Find: 1977 Chevrolet K5 Blazer
The Chevy K5 Blazer helped define our modern era of SUVs with its balance of style and substance, and this restored example is must-see.
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1977 Chevrolet Blazer – carsforsale.com | Shop 1977 Chevrolet Blazer on Carsforsale.com
Modern SUVs tend to offer more in the way of modern creature comforts and convenience than the “sportiness” or “utility” their name implies. Aside from their commanding ride height and towing capabilities (depending on the model), there is often little to distinguish an SUV from a minivan. At the opposite end of the spectrum are the stripped-down, hard-nosed off-roaders of yesteryear. The CJ Jeeps and FJ Land Cruisers of the world, purpose-built machines that care little for niceties like air-conditioning or suspensions that do not rattle your fillings loose on back roads.
The proper middle ground between these extremes was best personified by the earliest of SUVs, like the Ford Bronco, International Harvester Scout, and Chevy Blazer. These vehicles delivered on both sportiness and utility, tackling trails and weekend jaunts to the lake with aplomb. The Blazer and its early competitors carved out a niche in the 1960s and 70s that grew into the mile-wide chasm that is today’s SUV market.
Today’s Cool Car Find brings us back to the archetypal SUV in the form of a superbly restored 1977 Chevrolet K5 Blazer that offers the perfect mix of nostalgia and the promise of future adventure.
Blazer Background
In the 1960s, GM found itself late to the SUV party. The Bronco had been out since 1965 and the Scout since 1960s. So, as the decade ended, GM made the jump to get a piece of the sport utility market with the Chevy Blazer and its rebadged twin the GMC Jimmy, both debuting in 1969. The Blazer was a classic parts bin special, frugally cobbled together from what GM had on hand, starting with the K10 pickup’s chassis and running gear.
Belated as it was, the Blazer was a hit, outselling the Ford Bronco in just its second year of production and hitting over 44,000 units by 1972. Though originally a cost saving measure, the use of the K10’s platform granted the Blazer another level of durability and off-road worthiness as well as more pleasant on-road manners when compared to the Scout or Bronco.
1st and 2nd Gen Blazers
The first generation of Chevy Blazer is a testament to the ingenuity of GM’s engineers and designers, advancing the nascent SUV archetype while keeping development costs to a minimum. The Blazer was initially offered as a hardtop or soft top convertible and engines ranged from 250- and 292-cu.-in. straight-sixes to 307- or 350-cu.-in. V8s. Owing to its K10 roots, the Blazer closely hewed to the styling found on Chevy pickups.
The second generation of Chevy Blazer arrived for the 1973 model year along with the broader updates to all of GM’s trucks, collectively known as the “Rounded Line.” For its part, the Blazer grew some 2.5-inches to its wheelbase and added 7-inches overall for an even more comfortable pavement ride. For 1976, the Blazer lost its topless option, switching to an enclosed half cab with a removable fiberglass top for the back seats and cargo area. The second-generation Blazer also added new engine options including 305- and a 400-cu.-in V8s and, from 1982 through ’87, a 6.2L diesel V8. The second-generation Blazer was a major success, surviving from 1973 all the way through 1991 with just two minor refreshes in between.
This Cool Car
Today’s Cool Car Find is a sterling example of this second-generation, a 1977 Chevy K5 Blazer. The restoration of this vehicle has been expertly executed inside and out. A new 6.0L Vortec V8 sits under the hood and connects to a new four-speed automatic transmission. Customization has been performed for the headers, dual exhaust, and elsewhere. The interior is a flashback with its faux-wood gauge trim and two-spoke steering wheel and comes equipped with an $8,000 custom stereo system. The exterior of this Blazer is no less impressive with its vintage color scheme, new brightwork, and chunky 35-inch all-terrain tires.
1977 Chevrolet Blazer – carsforsale.com | Shop 1977 Chevrolet Blazer on Carsforsale.com
This show-stopping vintage Blazer is listed for $74,900.
