Unrestored Rarity: 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet
I am starting to think the Chevrolet K5 Blazer Chalet camper is the truck-based equivalent to the ASC McLaren convertible. Despite very limited production numbers, they are seemingly always available in project form. This particular truck is a worthy offering as a project owing to how solid and rust-free the body and chassis are along with the cleanliness of the camper cabin. As such, there’s a strong asking price of $27,900 on this project-grade truck listed here on craigslist near Milwaukee.
The Blazer Chalet seems to have been a treasured acquisition by most of its owners. By and large, even in project form, they show up in decent condition. Sure, there are some that are trashed, ravaged by rust, but this isn’t one of them. The interior is quite clean both in the driver’s compartment and the camper shell itself. Now, the cabin hasn’t been restored in any way, so the next owner will likely want to install their own upholstery and sleeping surfaces to lay on, so that could be where some of the “ready to restore” comments are originating from with the seller.
The Chalet came with a 400ci V8 and while it’s not particularly exotic, it will do what is has to and not ask for much in return as it relates to maintenance. I wish the seller has told us a bit more about the Chevy’s running condition, namely if it will fire up when asked or if the engine is locked up. No word on the transmission health either, but I’d put money on it that everything will work as it should once the fluids and plugs are changed and it’s fired up for the first time. It’s always encouraging when the air cleaner still has factory paint.
But the real selling point is how it looks underneath. Wow – it is spectacular! Dry everywhere you look with a rock-solid frame and floors that show nothing in the way of corrosion. Despite being offered in Milwaukee, this Chevrolet had to have resided in a desert climate or if nothing else, it saw zero winter travel. The seller is asking all the money for a non-running Chalet, even with its clean condition, but there’s lots of upside here if you’re handy with automotive upholstery. What do you think this rare Chalet should sell for?
Auctions Ending Soon
2003 Porsche Boxster SBid Now1 hours$8,000
1966 Lincoln ContinentalBid Now3 hours$500
2000 Jaguar XJ8LBid Now3 days$1,250
1977 Datsun 280ZBid Now4 days$275
Comments
A 45 year old truck that doesn’t run for 28K doesn’t get my wallet excited one bit. 3rd “you’ve got to be kidding” award in September.
What were the first 2?
Too many condition’s unknown for price.
New carburetor, A/C compressor, alternator, spark plug wires, etc.
BUT it does NOT run.
There is more to this story than the Illinois used car dealer is telling…
No indication in any of its listings (eBay, FB Marketplace, Craigslist, seller’s site) that it doesn’t run, so I’m not understanding what the “not running” declaration is based on, other than the speculation from Jeff in his write-up here. Meanwhile, my comment from yesterday about it seems to be stuck in a moderator approval hold. This is the same rig in Jeff’s Dec 13, 2021 write-up here at BarnFinds. My same comment back then applies here today, and to the best of my knowledge of tracking it through its subsequent sellers, it runs fine, if not perhaps better with the Holley Sniper EFI swap that the prior sellers mentioned in their ad listings. It had just a factory carb when I owned it.
A Chicago used car dealer, 80 miles from Milwaukee.
Do you trust the seller more now?
Did Chevrolet ever paint an air cleaner orange? I’ve never seen one before… ever. Not that that means anything!
Yep they did it’s called Chevy orange
Engines, yeah Chevy Orange, but what vehicles from Chevrolet came from the factory with orange painted air cleaners? I’ve owned well over 2 dozen Chevrolet’s including trucks from the 60’s through 2015, never an orange one, always black or black with chrome.
Ummm not sure of the year but I saw corvette had one on it 1976? And I seen pickup truck to have blue motor an orange air cleaner Idk the year of truck it was on but I heard someone say mid 1970 one year only they made orange air cleaners blue motor
Jeez, I just now noticed somebody buckled its hood after the last seller in Florida posted all his FB Marketplace photos in Jan 2021.