LS1-Swapped 1978 Chevy Blazer Is Pure Patina’d Perfection: Track Time Tuesday
LS1-swapped 1978 Chevy Blazer isn’t a total makeover, but it’s been modified in all the right places.
LS swaps are popular for a number of reasons, to the point where folks are installing these engines in just about anything one can think of. These creations range from lawn mowers to forklifts to vehicles of all makes, but sometimes, it’s just nice to see an LS installed in an actual GM model. This 1978 Chevy Blazer up for grabs at Garage Kept Motors is precisely that, and it’s even cooler thanks to the fact that the folks that built it went to great lengths to retain its original patina.
From the outside, this 1978 Chevy Blazer certainly looks like a vehicle born in the disco era, thanks to its multi-color stripes and vintage style. Instead of messing that up by giving the full-size SUV a fresh paint job, the previous owner simply preserved the original paint with some clear coat and called it a day. However, the rest of this build is far from what one might call original.
For starters, the suspension has been upgraded with a full QA1 coilover upgrade and sway bar kit, as well as rack and pinion steering. The powertrain is also brand new thanks to an LS1 that’s been resealed and cooled with an aluminum radiator and electric fans, though it remains otherwise stock, it seems. The builder utilized new swap harnesses to make that happen, and then mated the modern V8 to a 4L60E automatic transmission fitted with a TBBS converter and HD2 kit.
Inside the cabin, this vintage K5 Blazer has plenty of style as well, thanks to the installation of a super cool Igloo cooler center console that can keep your beverages cold wherever you might want to take it – the beach, the boulevard, whatever. Otherwise, the seller left things pretty much as-is, which is perfectly fine as this interior sports a pretty timeless design from the get-go.
Add it all up, and you’ve got one seriously cool vintage SUV that’s equal parts stylish and reliable, not to mention far more comfortable and fun to drive than the original. But then again, that’s what the right upgrades can do for an old vehicle.
Photos: Garage Kept Motors
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