Having undergone a comprehensive restoration and set upon a 5-inch lift kit, this 1971 Chevrolet Blazer emerged mildly customized, finished in black and rolling on polished 17-inch American Racing wheels with Mickey Thompson Baja Boss tires. With a TH350 automatic transmission, the well-dressed 350 CI V-8 engine is fitted with Hooker Ceramakoat headers, a dual exhaust system, a Weiand intake, a Holley 650 carburetor and an MSD ignition. Complete with the CST trim package, it features a black interior with black and white Houndstooth seating inserts, bucket front seats, a center console, the sport steering wheel, tinted glass, air conditioning and tinted glass. Power 4-wheel disc brakes and power steering ensure the truck is easy to maneuver, even in tight situations. When it was introduced for the 1969 model year, the Chevrolet Blazer was available with the Custom Sport Truck (CST) Package, which included front bucket seats, door armrests, a cigar lighter, bright trim and color-keyed floor coverings, taking the ute in a more upscale direction. The Blazer was a new alternative to the Jeep CJ, Ford Bronco and International Harvester, offering buyers a larger vehicle with comfortable interiors and an ocean of available amenities that were often not found in competitor’s vehicles. That first year, just 4,935 Blazers would be built, but sales would increase dramatically over the years, with 11,527 sold in 1970, 17,220 in 1971 and a whopping 44,266 in 1972. The increases showed not only Chevrolet the popularity of the vehicle but Ford and other carmakers as well. It wouldn’t be long before they would follow Chevrolet’s lead and begin producing well-equipped, larger-scale personal SUVs of their own.
