Project Offline Part 2: Body Prep and Paint for Hemmings' 1976 Chevrolet K5 Blazer - The Online Automotive Marketplace - Hemmings, The World's Largest Collector Car Marketplace (2025)

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April 14, 2025

Updated

In last month’s issue, we picked up the coverage of our 1976 Chevy K5 Blazer project, which had been introduced in these pages back in 2022. That original story explained our intentions to build a road-going, retro-themed vintage 4×4 that could be used for commuting duties while also being ready and willing to jump off the pavement for some R&R in the boonies. We’ve embraced the idea of keeping the Blazer’s outward appearance anchored in the ’70s while updating its powertrain and other systems to enhance its capability both on and off the road.

Back in the 2022 story, we showed the body being lifted from the frame, and since then it has gone through a metamorphosis—from aged original to freshly restored—now displaying panel fit and finish quality that is beyond what the assembly line was bestowing on trucks in the mid ’70s. We’ll detail that process this month to illustrate how the Blazer got to looking as good as it now does.

We started this project with an advantage over many restorers of Chevy’s “square-body”-era trucks: ours had been sourced from California and was almost entirely devoid of the rot that is so typical for these. Our good fortune continued when we were able to get brand-new, NOS GM fenders and door shells that had been languishing in the attic of the shop that handled the work: Two Guys Restorations in North Adams, Massachusetts. Two Guys is a full-service shop run by partners Joe Dean and Mike Libardi, who handle all the work with team member Chris Cherron. Later, an even luckier score came when we found an NOS GM tailgate, a part that is unique to the Blazer and not currently reproduced. We had two used tailgates that were both in need of significant work, so the new piece saved time and now adds to the outstanding quality of the finished body.

All the paint supplies used for the Blazer came from National Coatings & Supplies, and we also got some assistance from NCS’s Kurt Zimmermann, who worked with Mike to figure out how to accurately replicate the textured finish Chevy had used on the removable top; Kurt even came out to spray it. This truck was gold from the factory, but none of us liked that particular shade. Yet, we felt gold was appropriate for a ’70s 4×4, so Mike experimented with the mix, altering the formula for the factory color to yield a version that was more pure and much brighter. We also decided to give this Blazer the factory two-tone treatment that Chevy had offered, though this truck didn’t leave the factory that way.

The accompanying captions outline the process the crew at Two Guys went through in getting the body straight, painted, and back together. At this point in the project, there’s still a lot to get done, and we’ll continue with the assembly next month. For now, check out the details of the steps taken during the Blazer’s body transformation.

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