CK5 - The Full-Size GM Off Road Community

Well, I went to the annual central CA Swap Meet and Chevy Truck show today. Only 1 first gen 4x4 Blazer there, I was a little dissapointed. It was one beautiful beast though, and the owner claimed to have 35 grand in it. I got to thinkin about how much I spend on mine and figured that if I did EVERYTHING exactly the way I wanted I may be able to spend that much on mine ever a period of a few years. I know this subject may be a little touchy, but I just wanted to see if all of us have the same disease. I figure Ive got about 8-10 grand into mine and I still have lots of work to do. If you're married, probably not a good idea to let the wife see your response.
Jeff

I have about $5k into mine. I look through LMC and can't help but think that $30k is a realistic number. It is something of a sanity check as far as how much money your loosing for something you truly love.

<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Board=blazer4x4&amp;Number=336999&amp;pa ge=&amp;view=&amp;sb=&amp;o=&amp;fpart=all&amp;vc=1>There was a post going around a while ago on the 73 up board with your exact same question... HERE... there was a ton of responses.</a>

I'll be honest and say that I've owned my Blazer for a little over 3 years I bought it when I was 16 and now i'm 19/forums/images/icons/smile.gif...
So by the time I'm a lot of the guys ages around here I should have one sweeeet blazer. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
I bought it for $5,000
and have since put another $11,000+ into it.
Which would make it over $16K or so.
I have all the receipts in a folder.

The ONLY time I have EVER taken my blazer to a shop and left it there was to get the auto th350 tranny rebuilt a few months after i bought it. I think I have something like seperation anxiety if i leave it anywhere like a shop with anyone especially with the keys and my signed consent they can drive it. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif/forums/images/icons/cool.gif Maybe that's Just me?

Like i said in that other post... Another $15K- $20K and I'll most likely be able to call my Blazer "done". /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
I plan to keep my blazer and camaro for the rest of my life so why not put LOT$ into em!

Bought it for 1500, 500 for my donor truck, 250 for heads. Maybe 2500. Poor man got poor ways!

I have about 30k into it, I haven't even touched the body yet (rust and all) Thats cool though I looks like a turd so I would like to think no theivs wouldn't give it a second look. (right!?)

My blazer was all stock when I bought it on my 15th Birthday. I will have owned it for 3 years this september. I now have about 7k in mine (with the 2250 I payed for it) and I still have to do the body work.

Bought mine for $5,000 and have invested about $15,000 more. With simple math 15,000 + 5,000= insanity!!!

Chris M

Like many others I have owned my 72 GMC Jimmy for several years (six years to be exact). I bought it for $4,500 and easily have another $12k to $15k into it. This includes a completely gone through drivetrain with only minor body work being performed to this point (i.e. rocker panels and interior). This year I hope to throw some attention (i.e. $$$) to the paint. It still looks really good but i know it could be better. This seems to be a commom theme with specialty rigs.

--Scott

TOO MUCH and not enough!
countin the 1500 for the blazer I'd say 500 more to equal 2000
But i've only had mine 3 months and 2 of that i was still on military duty. so let the spending begin (or the wifes yelling)

$3000.00 a Grand to buy it and $2000.00 since and lots more to go.

I Like 69K5's answer, so I'm gonna hijack it. Too much and not enough...

Lessee... Bought it for $5500, went through one mass-market rebuilt engine (~$1000), wheels and tires (~$1200), Fluidampr and 2-piece timing cover (~$700), another engine (warranty) and a set of heads with cam &amp; kit, pushrods, rockers, studs (~$1700), transfer case, transmission, and clutch (~$3200), rear disc brake setup (~$500), correct front seat belts (~$70), TPI system (~$1800 to date and still needs parts and programming), and several thousand in miscellaneous parts that I didn't mention.

If I total up my now 1.7" thick folder of invoices and receipts, I have well over $24K into my Blazer and I've only had it for 4 years. There's still a lot to do to it too. My hunting buddy has at least another $8K into his Blazer and still is putting money into it.

Hmmmm... total money, let's see...

I bought my '71 in 1997, the interior and exterior were essentially perfect having had a body-off restoration. Has every meaningful option except a tilt column. Everything worked, I paid $7K

I haven't even bothered to add up all the mech. fixes since then but all major systems have been worked on if not totally rebuilt. I have about at least 10K in the engine and tranny alone, and I haven't even bought the supercharger yet! I would estimate at least $20K in mech. replacement/repair costs.

I'm glad you guys put up this post, I was feeling guilty! I've had mine for a little over a year and after a full restoration I'd guess about $16K so far, although I haven't had the desire to actually add up all my reciepts.

Skyblazer,
Ive looked at the pictures of your resto- if you have done all that for 16K you have no reason to feel guilty. I stopped feeling guilty about a year ago, I don't even think twice anymore about buying the parts I need. I gotta keep her happy right? It's kind of a dangerous philosophy but the resto is sure going a lot faster now. Im young and I dont have too many responsibilities, so why not do it now before I have to deal with someone telling me no. Anyway, Im glad to see that Im not the only one who has put a small fortune into my blazer.
Jeff

If it helps you to not feel guilty, I have just under $17K in mine, and still need to do the body work, and buy the fun stuff ( winch, dual batteries, lockers, consoles, electronics, stereo, etc...) It's easily gonna be over $20K by the time I can call it done. But even then , there will always be some new upgrade to add... See ya, JT

It's only money right! What else are ya going to do with it?

Well I only have about 600.00 in right know. but only got it about two months ago. Right Right, I know, two months have went by and I havent spent more? What the heck is wrong with me, Oh dont worry, Ive got the stock 350 out now and rebuilding a 400 to go in it...so K5 and engine I would have to say about 3K...headers and all!!

I'll start out by saying that you're never done. I bought my 77' Jimmy for $700 (not counting the POS 81 Firebird that the seller of my truck thought was worth $500)(I was ready to pay for someone to take it off my property, so...)Figure $1200. $300 in driveshaft costs. $250 for t-case rebuild. $50 in new brakes. $250 in new axles, bearings, and seals. $120 for new rear yoke and bearing, seal. ORD Weld and Bolt in frame brace. So approx. 2 and a half G's. Will be throwing another (UNGODLY AMMOUNT) or so into it. (1-Ton running gear, Lockers, lift, tires, stereo, and about 100 lbs. of bondo, and primer.
PHEW.
-Ben