Camping_hunting vehicle - my version

Sort of a follow-up to the post about using a van for campimg/hunting

We tried many setups for camping off and on road.
Finally built my own and it's worked best for us.
Compact, diesel, 4WD, great ground clearnance, tows well, plows snow, sleeps three adults, ond kid and a dog. Makes 30 amps at 120 VAC and has enough battery storage to run a decent sized refrigerator for three days without starting the engine (to recharge).

Got a rare camper with pop-up roof made for Chevy K5 Blazers in 1979. Stuck it on a 86 diesel Blazer. Later addded a turbo, 3/4 ton running gear and overdrive. Will go just about anywhere and have gotten 17 MPG going 75 MPH on highway trips.

This is before the body-work began . .

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Then started fixing sheet-metal . .

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Then got it all done . .

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Then camping . .

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Glimpse of the inside . . .

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3/4 TON running? I see six bolt wheels, and no floating rear axle, I know they wernt used on all 3/4 tons rear axles. But six lugs seems like 1/2 ton to me as old as that is.

Changed the axles since those photos were taken. I blew the 700R4 last summer on our last warm-weather trip. Since then, I removed the 3.08 ratio, 1/2 ton, 6 lug axles, and put in 3.73s from a 3/4 ton Suburban. 8 lug, 16" tires, and 14 bolt semi-floating rear. Got the bigger JD6 brakes now too, instead of the original JD5 system.

It's nice to have the 16" tires, since heavy-load 15" tires (235/75-15") are scarce and very expensive. I've got 245/75-16" E-range on there now. 3200 lbs. per tire load-rating.

I remember my dad had a 84 GMC Jimmy, as you know the full size ones were were called Jimmy,s back then, 4x4 with the 305 engine, 700r4, neat trucks, took it to Flordia one year. He always put wider tires on them for rollover reasons, I guess. Yep that tranny was slipping pretty good when he sold it. The last one I think was a K5 Chevy blazer it was a 1990 w/ the 350.

GM made the K5 Blazers and Jimmies through the 1991 model year. I collect the diesel versions.

GM also authorized dealer-installed pop-up campers in 1979. The Jimmy Casa Grande and the Blazer Chalet.

Here's what GM made with old-body-style K5s with the half-top that comes off (diesel versions)
I have every year except 1991.

1982 - 9438 diesel Blazers sold
1983 - 7176 diesel Blazers sold
1984 - 4230 diesel Blazers - also 23,000 military diesel Blazers sold
1985 - 2100 diesel Blazers sold
1986 - 1260 diesel Blazers sold
1987 - 310 diesel Blazers sold
1988 - 270 diesel Blazers sold
1989 - 230 diesel Blazers sold
1990 - 160 diesel Blazers sold
1991 - 92 diesel Blazers sold -

What kind of diesel motor did they use? Im not thinking its those 350 converted jobs??. I know my dads 84 had the removable back top, but I cant say for sure on the 90.

The only diesels GM every built on a 350 platform were the 350 Oldsmoible diesels used up to 1981 in 1/2 ton trucks.

K5 Blazers, 1982 to 1991 were available with 379 c.i. diesels (6.2 liter) that were designed from the ground-up by Detroit Diesel Division. It was a totally new engine, originally made to be a direct-power replacement for the 305 gas engine.
A 6.2 diesel, with no turbo, has exactly the same horsepower and torque-curve as the 305 gas engine.

I have a pop-up like that for my F-250 Ford. Although I don't get your fuel mileage I really like it.

Jerry

My last rig had a bumper trailer hitch on the front. Push into lake and pull the boat out. Was a real deal backing into the lake and not able to see the boat. I have an 87 K 5 gasser.