From timeless icons to everyday essentials, Crucial Cars examines the vehicles we can’t live without. In this installment, we dig up some dirt on one of our favorite SUVs—the iconic Chevy Blazer.
When you think about the Chevrolet Blazer, what comes to mind? These days, chances are it's the Trailblazer, a short-lived SUV from the 2000s chiefly remembered for its quirky 4.2-liter inline-6 engine. Or maybe you're thinking of the S-10 Blazer, a popular SUV from the '90s based on Chevy's compact pickup.
But those aren't real Blazers.
If you want the real deal, you've got to go back in time to the so-called K5 Blazer, which debuted in 1969 as an SUV version of Chevy's full-size C/K truck. That's what a Blazer is supposed to be. Chevy calls it the Tahoe now, and there's not much of that original rough-and-tumble character remaining. But back in the day, the Blazer had attitude like no other SUV on the road.
No-Nonsense Capabilities
If you look around today, it's genuinely difficult to find a true SUV with body-on-frame construction. The Tahoe's one of them, but between you and me, it's tuned more for suburban shopping malls than off-roading. The Blazer, though, was all muscle, all the time. From '69 until its demise after the 1994 model year (the final chassis actually continued on as the Tahoe through '99), the Blazer rode atop a short-wheelbase version of GM's full-size truck platform, and four-wheel drive with low-range gearing was always available. An off-road package added various beefed-up components for even more trail-busting ability. You could even get removable top until '92, which meant the Blazer was kind of like a full-size Jeep Wrangler. They don't make SUVs like this anymore, and that's a shame.
Plenty of Power
The Blazer also came with plenty of motor. Right off the bat, Chevy offered the legendary small-block 5.7-liter V8, and that continued to be the featured engine throughout the Blazer's run. With ample thrust across the powerband and an exhaust note that announces your presence from blocks away, the small-block is one of the great motors in automotive history. It's also one of the easiest engines to work on yourself, and that's one of the charms of owning a Blazer, even today. If you find a used one in decent condition, you can rest easy knowing that any engine work can be done by a decent shade-tree mechanic.
SUV Functionality
There's a reason that real enthusiasts like body-on-frame SUVs so much: they're as tough as the trucks they're based on, yet the offer the interior accoutrements and passenger space of a wagon. True to form, the K5 Blazer always provided the most luxurious features available on the C/K trucks of the day, and the spacious backseat made it a viable family vehicle. These were do-it-all SUVs that could handle whatever you threw at them -- and still can. If you've driven a K5 Blazer, you know what I'm talking about. For my money, you still can't find a cooler all-around SUV than the original Blazer, no matter what era you're talking about.
Let's hear from you, Blazer fans. You know that SUVs don't get any better than this. What are your favorite K5 Blazer stories?
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About the Author(s)
Obsessed with cars since age two, John ultimately pursued his passion and became an automotive journalist and editor. Now twenty years along, hitting new and classic car shows and properly exercising his old 911 still gets his motor running.
