• our bring a trailer pick of the day is this refurbished and upgraded 1975 chevrolet k5 blazer four-speed 4×4.
• this model year was the last for the blazer's iconic removable roof.
• bidding is open on this 1975 model until monday, march 7, with current bidding at $20,000.
the 2023 chevrolet blazer may be a stylish crossover with pleasing road manners for the daily commute, but there's little of it that resembles its more rugged ancestry. fortunately, examples of that history remain available. take for example this 1975 chevrolet k5 blazer 4x4, which is open for bidding until march 7 on the bring a trailer auction site—which, like car and driver, is part of hearst autos.
originally developed as an answer to the ford bronco and the international harvester scout, the original 1969 blazer was essentially an suv version of chevy's c- and k-series pickup trucks. the blazer featured in this listing is from the second generation, which started in 1973 and lasted for nearly two decades. pre-1976 models, like the one from today's listing, featured completely removable roofs, giving them an unmistakable look on the road.
according to the listing, this blazer was a former forestry service truck that has since been repainted in an appropriately '70s black-and-red motif. the 350-cubic-inch v-8 has the requisite upgrades: new cam, intake manifold, carburetor, and so on. the engine is connected to a four-speed manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case. additional off-road improvements include a 4.0-inch lift, locking front hubs, and 33-inch tires.
while a five-digit odometer means the true mileage is unknown, the listing says rust repairs were made to the floor and that the frame was sandblasted and repainted. it's easy to appreciate the attention to detail evident in the badging and painted bowties on the quarter-panels.
one hopes that the success of the new ford bronco and bronco sport might inspire chevy to make a spiritual successor to the early blazer (don't hold your breath for a new international scout). if not, there will surely be more examples like this one, which currently has a high bid of $20,000 in an auction set to end on monday, march 7. if i didn't already own a 1972 chevy c10, i'd be tempted to place a bid.