About
4 months ago, circa June 1998, I was looking at brand new Yukons. I
had just sold my '86 GMC K3500 4x4 to my brother-in-law and was in
the market for a replacement truck. I liked the GMC but it was more
truck than I needed and I really wanted a 350 rather than a 454. I
wanted a reliable 4x4 that got reasonably good gas milage, could
carry 4 or 5 people comfortably and get to (and back from)
hang-gliding sites without fear of breakdown. I also wanted a full
size vehicle that could double as a pickup. There was this one
particular Yukon that was slightly lifted, with nice wheels and
some bolt-on customization goodies and was very, very nice. Then I
saw the sticker price:
$40,000.
About that time, the GM strike began and I
reconciled myself to the fact that there would be no good deals on
new Yukons for the forseeable future.
After recovering from the sticker shock I
remembered Dean's beautiful blue '74 Blazer. It was for sale. I
would have bought it immediately but given the smog laws in
California I really wanted a '73. Besides, his had a 454 and got 9
mpg which was exactly the reason I sold the K3500. I figured for
$40,000 I could build a truck to die for that would fit me to a "T"
(actually I'm hoping to finish for under $20,000). So began the
search for the truck. Searching for '73 Blazers in this area is
interesting. They are usually sold by the time you get to the
seller's home. After a few weeks of searching I eventually located
and purchased an old beater on its last legs with a fair amount of
rust. It's dripping oil, the seats are supported by 4x4 wood
supports and what remains of the paint is a putrid factory cinnamon
color. I probably could have held out a bit longer and found a
better example of a '73 Blazer, but oh well, I have the pink slip
now. Besides - I saved it from the scrap heap and it has a good
home.
Questions or Comments about this page should be
directed to: duncan@off-road.com.
We cannot
guarantee a response to every letter we
receive.
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