K5 Blazer build: going for the stock look

[4Runner house]

Im building this ascender to look like a stock 85-88 K5 blazer with factory 2 tone blue paint. I painted on the fender trim using spaz stix chrome which I was very happy with. Next is to find or make a chrome bumper to look factory and add the lights. I also masked off the tail lights so that I could go back later, paint them and then run bulbs.

Right now it looks like a blazer with 4" lift and 35's which is cool but I might even run mud thrashers and lower the body more to get it closer to a stock look

While I love the fact that vaterra made a Blazer that looks much better than the narrow proline 79 style I wanted to address a few more details.

Body side molding:

The chrome trim actually goes all the way to the fender wells and is taller than the decals provided with the kit. Easy fix just painted them to look like the original.

Flared fenders:

While blazers didnt have near the flare as suggested in the body I wanted to cover it some by painting the fender trim. I think it helps the body look more original so that was another easy fix.

Removable top:

The top is molded to suggest that the roof section is removable as well. While all blazers had a removable top, 1979 was the last year K5's had the removable roof section as well. For that reason I painted just the top section black like some of them came just to separate the color.

 

[jeepgeek2002]

looks like a ..... vaterra ascender... oh wait.. it is ONE!

 

[martoediefroets]

Very nice "thumbsup"
The SSD chrome bumper will look sweet on this one!

 

[Minirider82]

Very nice body work! Looks good! Btw 73-74 were the only years of the third generation blazers that had removable roof sections. And any year from 73-91 could have the whole roof painted a different color not just the rear section, depending on the trim. I had an 85 k5 with the canopy section and the roof painted white and the body red just like the RTR ascender. I do perfer just the rear portion painted myself unless it is a 73-74 replica.

 

[4Runner house]

Very nice body work! Looks good! Btw 73-74 were the only years of the third generation blazers that had removable roof sections. And any year from 73-91 could have the whole roof painted a different color not just the rear section, depending on the trim. I had an 85 k5 with the canopy section and the roof painted white and the body red just like the RTR ascender. I do perfer just the rear portion painted myself unless it is a 73-74 replica.

Thanks man! yes your right I always forget it was only 73-74 vert roofs, while 90% of the roofs were body matched after 79 there were a few with the whole roof painted the same after 79. More than the roof paint its really the dips they put on the roof section that suggest that its a convertible. Without those dips the roof could pass for 80+ but I like it either way.

Im just hoping Vaterra or RC4wd will come out with a 89-91 style grill as an upgrade

 

[Minirider82]

I hope there's a 73-79 round headlight version lol! I don't think there's one body/grill style I don't like though. Yes I see what you mean about the dips.

 

[willeh_ca]

Looks great, good call on the wheel well trim. I wish I had seen yours before I painted mine. And until you mentioned it I never noticed that the cab and rear top had the "ribs" in it.

 

[4Runner house]

It started raining hard today at the Sunday crawls and the water was rushing down the creek

 

[joe122]

Nice paint work!

 

[4Runner house]

Out climbing in the snow

 

[SteveC6R]

Paint work looks great. "thumbsup"

 

[4Runner house]

Thanks! Im hoping to do another one soon. Just trying to figure a color. I was thinking two tone brown with tan center

 

[Natedog]

Thanks! Im hoping to do another one soon. Just trying to figure a color. I was thinking two tone brown with tan center

Yes looks great! Did you get another body painted up yet?

 

[4Runner house]

I'm about to paint another, gonna go with the brown/tan 2 tone

 

[2-shot]

I'm about to paint another, gonna go with the brown/tan 2 tone

Wow!! I really like the blue body!! Looks awesome!!! "thumbsup"

Did you use liquid mask when you painted the top, and did the two tone? I want to eventually paint my own Ascender Blazer body, but trying to figure out what people are using to mask. If they are using masking tape or liquid mask.

 

[HDMM]

Nice job on the paint work, looks awesome!!!

 

[rustneversleeps]

Wow!! I really like the blue body!! Looks awesome!!! "thumbsup"

Did you use liquid mask when you painted the top, and did the two tone? I want to eventually paint my own Ascender Blazer body, but trying to figure out what people are using to mask. If they are using masking tape or liquid mask.

I'm not sure what he use but since you mention it i just seen this commercial on this product which i'm going to try...I will be using this next time...
http://canada.frogtape.com/images/frogtape/ca/fr/frogtape-multi-surface.jpg

 

[rustneversleeps]

I really like the paint job well done dude......But JM2C,I could be wrong,but it looks like the door handle is a little to high...."thumbsup"

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Looks good. Door handle may be just a tad high. I used regular old blue painters tape to tape mine off for painting.
Actually the square body full verts were '73 to '75. '73 and '74 were the only years with their style grill. '75 grill is different. And yes some had the complete top painted white even though they were a half vert. I just sold my '87 and bought a '73. So I've been playing with it rather than my Ascender.

My Ascender.


My '87



My '73



Me and my 2 full size K5's

 

[Natedog]

Nice Blazer! What you been doing? Updates please?

Love the rc4wd Alcoas with MTZs.