Roadtripping in a $600 Chevy Blazer

"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish) 10/13/2014 at 21:03 • Filed to: None

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For a while now, I've wanted to go on a long road trip. Thousands of kilometres long, since high school (which is only a couple years ago) and it finally happened. A couple friends and I decided we were going to go to a music festival in Montreal called Osheaga. We didn't know how, we considered flying, but it was two expensive. $650 each, for round trip tickets. That led us to driving there, keep in mind we live on the other side of the Country, in Vancouver, BC. That's an ambitious trip for any vehicle, and all I had that was running at the time was a 1986 BMW 325.....e.

Here she is in all her literally-just-washed-so-it-looks-acceptable glory

The clutch was basically gone, the exhaust was falling off piece by piece, and my idle speed was set by a penny with a hole I drilled sitting in the unplugged ICV. I would never trust that heap to make it across the Rockies, so I unloaded it for $700.......and promptly bought an E28 with a friend for $500. Genius, I know. What are you gonna drive several thousand k's in now, an engine-swapped E28 with a loose front end and bald tires? No, didn't think so.

It presented damn well though, and I do miss that beast of an M30 backed by a 5 speed.....needless to say, we sold our $500 death trap for $1800 shortly thereafter. Just fore that, I took my friend up on his offer to buy his 1997 S10 Blazer for $600.

It had 291,000kms on it, felt rather tired, and there was play in the steering, of course. But the interior looked fantastic, it had plenty of room for three people, and I was confident I could breathe some new life into it before the trip.

Brake pads happened, as did new plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, oil change, and fuel filter change.

It was like a new motor after the fuel filter and ignition goodies, I could barely believe the difference it made.

And that brings us to the trip

I'm already making this extremely long, so I'll try to condense. this thing performed flawlessly, I can't believe how reliable it is. We went down random dirt roads, camped just off the highway where we could, and exercised the four wheel drive when we couldn't. It took everything that was thrown at it in stride, and as a result, I love a late 90s GM truck more than I ever thought I would.

Seriously, there was only ever one issue. I parked on an awkward angle for no reason, and I guess the started solenoid got stuck, but it started with a tap of the back of a hatchet, and never had the problem again.

Also, Canada is pretty damn gorgeous if I do say so myself. Also big. Quite big.

It sat in Montreal for the two weeks we stayed, we just took transit there because the drivers are COMPLETELY INSANE, and was good to go for the trek back. By the end of the trip, she had 303,000kms on her, and behaves just fine. I gave her an oil change, and she's still my current daily. Took her camping up an awful logging road that was mostly washboard and that didn't faze the beast at all, the only thing that needed done was a slightly worn left axle and bearing, which was only a couple hundred bucks to do, even having a shop do it.

So now, as a Euro car lover, I can confidently say that the Vortec 4.3 is one the best engines ever made, for my purposes at least. Did I mention that I got 32 mpgs out of it on the prairies? I never even thought about them before I bought this one, and now I'm attached. It doesn't handle, it's not fast, and it's automatic, but I love the big thing anyways.

Buy a Blazer, they're good camping buddys

I've got lots more cross-Canada pictures if anyone's interested

jkm7680 > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:05

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Looks pretty awesome! More pictures!

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:11

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Gah, this didn't help my want for a Blazer.

gmctavish needs more space > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 10/13/2014 at 21:38

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For a daily driver, they're heavy on gas, and rather uninteresting....but for a road trip and camping machine, they're kind of the best

gmctavish needs more space > jkm7680 10/13/2014 at 21:38

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More to come tomorrow when I have more time!

jkm7680 > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:40

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Sounds good! Looks really fun.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:41

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Yeah, the 4.3 in my Safari drinks fuel. But that's also a lot heavier than a Blazer, so really I'd be getting better gas mileage if I dove one of these. Uninteresting isn't really a problem to me, it is just a DD after all.

gmctavish needs more space > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 10/13/2014 at 21:44

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Doing the plugs/wires/cap/rotor really make a hell of a difference though. My friend drove the truck to the Yukon and back before I bought it, and barely got 17mpg. After doing that ignition work, I got 28-30 most of the time on the highway (at 100km/h). In the city I put on maybe 1000km a month, and put 25L in a week

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:45

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I just did all that yesterday actually. Still have yet to see how big of a difference it makes.

gmctavish needs more space > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 10/13/2014 at 21:46

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Has your fuel filter recently been done? That also made a noticeable difference

I Do It For Miatas, NC Owner > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:47

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What Maintenance did you do specifically to prepare for the journey? I reallllly want to go on a coast to coast road trip in my 960, but I'm worried about putting 5,000 miles on a 21 year old Vo' with 220,000 miles

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 21:48

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Probably should do that. No clue how old it is.

gmctavish needs more space > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 10/13/2014 at 21:50

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it's also a good way to avoid replacing your fuel pump

gmctavish needs more space > I Do It For Miatas, NC Owner 10/13/2014 at 21:52

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Just brakes, plugs/wires/cap/rotor, fuel filter, oil filter and change, tire pressure. What I would've done differently is maybe trans fluid, and diff fluid. maybe I wouldn't have had to replace the bearing and axle.

shop-teacher > gmctavish needs more space 10/13/2014 at 23:26

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Excellent write-up! You've gotta love a cheap, comfortable, reliable vehicle, that you can fix with a hammer.

gmctavish needs more space > shop-teacher 10/14/2014 at 01:07

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Thanks! I think that's my favourite category of vehicle right now haha

Pacer Racer > gmctavish needs more space 10/14/2014 at 13:49

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Cool blazer- you know, there is actually a huge following for the 4.3L in some Chevy enthusiast circles. I'd check out some of what the aftermarket has to offer for your engine- I've been told that S10s and Blazers make great low buck hot rods. I actually spent quite a while looking for a 1980s 2dr. Blazer to play with for myself a while back, as I personally perfer the blockier lines to the rounded post-92 versions.

gmctavish needs more space > Pacer Racer 10/15/2014 at 19:55

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Thanks! I'll look into that, if it was cheap, it'd cool for it to make a bit more power. 195 seems low for 4.3 litres haha

Jesse Shaffer > gmctavish needs more space 10/16/2014 at 21:03

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These are HORRIBLE as DD's.

They have terrible fuel economy, terrifying traction when at speed, decent torque (260 - crank) in the first 2300 RPM with zero power afterwards, and won't lock in to 4WD after you're stuck.

The 4.3 is a tank, though.

Did I love my interior rear-fender compartments more than any other cubby hole in any other car I've ever owned - You're god damned right I did.

Because coupeSUV

... technically my registration classified it as a "Wagon," placing this among the beastliest wagons ever made.

Jesse Shaffer > Jesse Shaffer 10/16/2014 at 22:24

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Did I also love the lack-of-traction the day before I bought the aforepictured tires...

What do you think?

[ Full-Disclosure - This is uphill, and the fat spot of smoke is where I had been briefly power-braking it.]

gmctavish needs more space > Jesse Shaffer 10/17/2014 at 13:02

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Haha that is all spot on, the lack of anything above its very specific torque band always amazes me....but if you stay in it, they can be decently affordable on gas, at least mine can. I'm jealous of the two door-ness, they're so impractical compared to the four doors, but I still love it

Jesse Shaffer > gmctavish needs more space 10/17/2014 at 20:45

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The 2-doors are only practical as a 17 year old with a girlfriend and no place of your own.

BJ > gmctavish needs more space 10/19/2014 at 08:49

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Congrats on making the trip - I've driven Edmonton-Montreal twice and the opposite direction once, and it was always a pleasure. I can't wait until my kids are old enough to make road trips like this.

What route did you take in Ontario - north shore of Lake Superior, or the northern road through nowhere?

gmctavish needs more space > BJ 10/19/2014 at 16:16

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We took highway 17/117, north shore of Superior. Figured it was the fastest and the best chance to avoid more bugs.....weren't so successful on that front haha