How many car designs were so right upon their introduction that any changes made would simply be for the sake of change? I’m thinking of the ’40 Continental, the ’66 Toronado, and the Lamborghini Miura, but might I also present the basic Chevy Squarebody. I can only speak for myself, but my favorite grille design from the entire series was that of the original ’73; the badging looked just right, too. Unfortunately, most of them have returned to the earth from whence they came, which makes this Blazer awfully special. Not only is it a mostly original survivor, the seller purchased from the original owner’s wife. It’s being sold on eBay with no reserve in Artesia, California, but potential buyers have caught on. With about five days to go, the high bid has reached $27,100.
Being a well-maintained original Blazer from Southern California has its advantages, the first being original General Motors sheet metal from 1973. Aside from some incidental surface rust on the frame, have you ever seen an unrestored undercarriage this clean on a Chevy truck? I could lie down and look at this all day, but I’ve also been known to take naps on the garage floor.
The interior is not perfect but it’s better than most. The carpet and upholstery look nearly new. The advertisement is refreshingly candid about the car’s condition, listing a few problems the next owner will have to deal with, including a small crack in the windshield, a malfunctioning tailgate latch, and a carburetor that could use some adjusting. The paint (Mojave Tan, according to the seller) is mostly original, although the hood has been refinished, and it appears that some later trim has been added to the tailgate. There are small blemishes everywhere, as you’d expect from a 52-year-old paint job.
The top-of-the-line engine in the 1973 Blazer was a 155-hosepower 350 four barrel, and that’s what we find under the hood here. The seller will include the original air cleaner and wheels, in addition to new weatherstripping and some service manuals. The air conditioning is original (it’s listed right on the order sheet), as is the automatic transmission, which came standard with full-time four wheel drive in 1973.
The original owner must have had a lot of fun with his Blazer. It’s a nice thought, exchanging this northern February cold for some Southern California sunshine, behind the wheel of a Blazer with the hardtop back in the garage, headed off for some light off-road fun. Given the current bidding, I guess I’m not the only one with that daydream.
The ’73-’75 models are my favourite as the entire roof is removable (’76 on, only the rear “cap” can be removed).
This one is one of the nicest I have seen over the last several years. It is a relatively well equipped with 350, auto trans, full-time 4WD, A/C and Cheyenne package.
I see no major faults with this rig. If it were mine, I would reposition the Cheyenne badges on the rear quarters to the proper location (about 1 foot down). I would also replace the missing side trim panels in the cargo area.
In that everything else is mostly original, I would replace the chrome air cleaner with an original one.
I already have a decent ’75 (owned it 20 years), or I would be making an offer on this one.
The tailgate trim appears to be correct for a ’73.
It’s such a shame rust was such a huge issue on all Chevy trucks 73-78. Even here in Colorado all four fenders were junk at five years old. Scrapyard ready at 10 years old.
This one looks like quite the gem. Repositioning of the Cheyenne emblems is a concerning red flag as their proper holes must’ve been bondod over or welded shut. Very likely this is had a complete repaint. That said, the panels and bright work are incredibly straight and look fantastic. Quite the unicorn, and the final bid will certainly reflect it. Maybe the second owner can toss the original owner a nice gift $$ from the tidy profit earned on this one………. :)
These early square bodies ALWAYS rusted out between the fender liners and sheet metal, followed closely by the rocker panels rotting out. This truck shows no signs of any of that corrosion! It’s a very nice rig indeed and based on the bids, people notice it.
A good looking K-Blazer for sure. These seemed like sure a leap forward in style and features in the fall of ’72. We’d just taken delivery of our new ’72 C20 pickup and it looked old compared to the new truck. This is a nicely equipped unit although the relocation of the Cheyenne badge is incorrect. It should align with the taillight and fuel filler. Overall it’s a nice find.
Couple k more for an 89 on here!