I received this car as a gift from a friend, and it was in fair/poor condition at the time. The engine was in the process of being rebuilt, and the power steering pump finally ceased to function. Other than that, it was mechanically perfect.
This truck has ENDLESS potential as far as after market add-ons and replacement body parts are concerned. The body was rusted in the usual places (rocker panels, quarter panels) but was fixed with a little elbow grease and some Bondo. The interior was more or less a basket case when I got it and still is from what I have heard. The performance was somewhat poor, but the low-end torque was amazing! The exhaust note was something from a horror movie and the truck took over the road like a monster with wheels.
4x4 handling was bumpy, but this is a not-for-comfort vehicle! I used this vehicle as a temporary driver in the summer and to go 4-wheeling primarily. In the time I had it, the Blazer was what made me realize that old Chevy's were true beasts. This vehicle, with 33 inch mudders and a 4 inch lift, scared my neighbors beyond belief. On the road and off, this vehicle was unstoppable. Under the hood housed enough space for 2 men sitting comfortably. The addition of a removable top made the vehicle great for driving on the beach or in the dirt. I eventually had to make room for my new Honda so I gave it back to my friend, who refuses to let go of it. This truck is a monument to how trucks should be, and nothing comes close by today's standards.
My dad has a 76 Blazer, and it is the narliest beast I have ever gotten to drive off-road before. he has had it since 1983, and it's been through soo much. He drove it through a river with the water up to his shins and drove it from Alaska down to san diego with one of his other army buddies. we went camping in Yuma arizona and he rolled it because he was trying out the four wheel drive to see if it worked or not. I think it did, but he had rolled it a few times and flipped it backwards before he could really see the potential it had and was still able to drive it 200 miles back into san diego. No truck, and I mean no truck of today, would ever be able to go through all the good times in the 76 blazer and still work perfectly after over 15 years.
You gave it up for a HONDA??