A FAMILY AFFAIR

Modernizing the Chassis and Suspension

Starting at the chassis, Griffin stripped the frame down to the bare minimum. Since the exterior paint was still in such great shape, special care was taken not to damage the sheet metal. Beginning with the front clip, Griffin began by rebuilding the front suspension, replacing the coil springs with 2,600-pound Firestone airbags. To achieve the desired drop, Griffin added Belltech 3-inch-dropped spindles, along with Belltech dropped shocks.

Out back, Griffin removed the stock 12-bolt and added an Eaton differential with 4:10 gears. Utilizing a flip kit and air-over-leaf combination, Griffin reinstalled the 12-bolt more than 9 inches lower. The Firestone air suspension is controlled with KP Components gauges and switches, combined with a Viair 450 compressor, SMC 3/8-inch valves, and a polished five-gallon air tank.

Rebuilding and Refining the Drivetrain

With the frame modifications complete, Griffin focused his attention on building the drivetrain. The original 400-inch small block had seen a pretty soft life, so Griffin made the decision to simply rebuild and modify the original engine rather than replace it. Beginning with a bare block, the local machine shop punched the 400 to 406 cubic inches thanks to a 0.030-inch overbore. Griffin opted to simply turn the crank and reuse the rods but installed new pistons and a Comp 292 cam and lifters. The restrictive cast heads needed severe reworking, and even at that would have been marginal power-wise, so they were replaced with a set of Dart II aluminum heads for improved airflow and horsepower.

To deliver the much-needed air and fuel to the new heads, Griffin installed an Edelbrock Air-Gap manifold and Holley 750cfm carb utilizing Lokar linkage and kick-down cables. The engine drive is made up of Powermaster accessories and a polished water pump spinning a set of billet aluminum pulleys.

Attention to Engine Bay and Exterior Details

Since so much of the engine was either polished or plated, Griffin decided to paint the valve covers and custom fiberglass air cleaner to match the exterior. This subtle but effective treatment balances out the appearance of the well-detailed engine. To transfer power to the pavement, Griffin originally installed a 700R4, but that burned up and has been temporarily replaced with the current 350 Turbo. However, a stouter modified 700R4 is in the works to replace the 350 Turbo. Before reinstalling the refreshed engine, Griffin opted to remove the A/C hardware, smooth the firewall, and paint it body color.

Timeless Exterior Enhancements

Believe it or not, the crew at SouthPaw Customs, located in Knoxville, Tennessee, painted the Blazer more than 12 years ago. Ahead of its time, Griffin chose to have the SouthPaw crew remove the side trim and emblems and install a steel cowl induction hood. This time, however, Griffin opted for a few additional changes; first, the front bumper was removed, and two small fog lights were recessed into the bumper before smoothing the mounting bolts and painting it body color. After reinstalling the bumper, new tri-bar headlights and trim were installed, along with a polished aluminum grille. With the paint already completed, the last piece of work was the addition of the massive Billet Specialties Vintec 20×8.5- and 20×10-inch rollers.

Upgrading the Interior

Inside, Griffin brought the style and comfort of the interior up to par with the rest of the truck. The transformation started by removing the old tweed interior from the first build and installing ’03 Suburban front bucket seats and third-row seating, along with a front console. After a trial fit, Griffin delivered the new seating to Jerald’s Kustom Upholstery. Jerald’s removed the original material and replaced it with new two-tone leather. Rather than use original-style door panels, Griffin custom fit a set of RodDoors panels and upholstered them to match the seats.

The stock dash, like so many from this era, had cracked and faded long ago, so Jerald’s stitched up a leather dash to complement the interior. To help clean up the cluttered dash, Griffin began by removing any unneeded components, like the A/C controls, and added billet inserts and a custom gauge panel filled with white face overlays for a more modern look. Since the stock column was in such great shape and still tight, Griffin simply repainted it and added a billet steering wheel.

Preserving Memories for the Next Generation

Unfortunately, Griffin’s mother passed away just as the truck build was completed. However, the bond these two shared all those summers ago, camping and traveling in this Blazer, will be memories preserved for years to come. Griffin’s son, Ethan, has already claimed the truck, but he’ll have to wait until it is his turn. For now, the elder Griffin is enjoying the fruits of his labor.