Worth $125,000? 1976 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet 4×4
The last couple of years has been a little crazy, have any of you noticed that? (crickets) Sales and rentals of camping vehicles have taken off like almost no time before other than the 1960s and 70s. People want to be by themselves and what better way to do that than in this 1976 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet 4×4 camper. It’s listed here on eBay in Tacoma, Washington and the current bid price is $10,600 – up $2,000 from the time I started to write this, wow.
This thing is beautiful, it looks almost like it just rolled off the showroom floor at a Chevy dealer back in 1976. I can’t believe that there is no reserve on this one given that one sold this spring for $125,000. I know, you can get up now, I couldn’t believe it either. That’s absolutely crazy money but as we know, there are no rules anymore in the used vehicle market, not that there ever were. There will be a lot of flippers watching this one, guaranteed.
The Chevy K5 Blazer was a perfect platform for GM to get into the growing RV market and they also made a GMC version called the GMC Casa Grande. It seems as if they made fewer of those as they rarely come up for sale but the Chalet is somewhat common to see on the market. They were basically the same configuration with a pop-up top for added headroom, four-wheel-drive on either a Blazer or Jimmy, and enough bright colors to keep 1970s buyers happy.
The seller bought this rig from a couple who owned it for four decades and took care of it like it was their baby and it sure looks great. I don’t see a major flaw anywhere inside or out. The seller has included many great photos so check out the link and be sure to scroll down, they aren’t all on the top of the listing. The Chalet and Casa Grande were made in 1976 and 1977 as a partnership between GM and Chinook Mobilodge, Inc.
The Chalet wasn’t exactly luxury living at its finest, but they worked for folks who liked to get off the beaten path, given the Blazer’s 4WD system, and still have a way to cook, eat, and sleep inside. The dinette was a good-sized seating area and it folded down into a bed. This Chalet has the top-of-the-line Option Package 3 which includes an LP gas or electric/battery refrigerator rather than an icebox, and a pair of bunks that increases sleeping capacity to four people. The seller has tried the little furnace and cooktop and they both work but they haven’t tried the refrigerator. I’d expect to do some work on that.
The engine isn’t original to the Blazer, which could hurt the value for those folks who are numbers-matching sticklers. The seller says that it’s an LM1 crate engine bought at a Chevy dealership and an automatic transmission with a lifetime warranty. It runs, drives, and shifts great and this would be a dream to own. How much would you pay for a nice top-trim Blazer Chalet 4×4 camper? $125,000?
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Comments
Nice rig. Worth 125K…no.
Tree-fiddy, we bid…seriously this looks great and would love to own it. For sure not 125K but for an old example from the before times it has a lot of appeal. Sure hope it does not become a bit coin vehicle going from one flipper to the next. This deserves to be enjoyed and used as intended.Really looks very nice overall to the point that the 1970s colors and styles inside still feel tolerable. Neat old time RV here.
Here’s the link to the $125k truck:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-chevrolet-blazer-10/
BaT is kinda known for some crazy price bids especially for stuff that’s super low miles and mint original condition. It also helps if that particular make & model hasn’t been on the website before. There’s a bidding frenzy and the vehicle sells for crazy money. Then, like clockwork, everybody comes out of the woodwork with their low mile vehicle and the prices start dropping to somewhat normal. Here’s another BaT feeding frenzy car: a Subaru 360 micro car going for $50k https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1969-subaru-360-sedan-deluxe/
Of course, once that one hit the nutty price, 4 more popped up, but nothing even close to the $50k one.
There’s more to the story of the BaT auction of Chalet #0429, which can be seen in the comments section there. After the $47,500 point, the bulk of the bidders dropped out, and in the end the fight was just between to bidders who seemed to have more money than God, judging from their other purchases, That rig was also supposedly a unique 1-owner unrestored “time capsule.” Chalet #1221 was also put out for a BaT auction after first being listed by the same seller for nearly $105 grand, but the bids topped out at $45 grand and it was a no-sale. Factor out those two anomalous top bidders for #0429 and consider where #1221 topped out, and that might indicate where the real-world value is closer to.
I’ll bet one of those top bidders was trying to drive the other bidder up and stick him with a super high sale.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-chevrolet-blazer-10/
similar vehicle.
It would appear that the man who paid $125K for a Chalet was highly displeased when it was delivered with “bad rust areas.” Yowza.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Definitely not worth 125K.
“Mileage: 1000”
Be suspicious, be VERY suspicious.
No interior photos? Be doubly suspicious.
And no engine photos? You can see in one photo they even had the hood open.
Call me crazy but I would take that camper thing off and sell it. Then work at finding a original top then just enjoy the blazer as it was ment to be.
Nope, single rear wheels, too unstable, give me a 1 ton duel rear wheels.
Does it have Posi-traction? Dead duck off the pavement. $10,000…
I know there’s one sitting on a side street in El Sobrante California
It’s over $15k now and not one picture inside the camper, cab or engine bay.
God bless America
This explains a lot as far as the price, Must be some good stuff going around.
On December 6, 2012, Washington became the first U.S. state to legalize recreational use of marijuana and the first to allow recreational marijuana sales.
like the early bronk – sellers and buyers don’t know, misslabled a wk or 3 ago here…1) IS the blazer not p/u); and 2) nota slide in.
My bet? w/the re-dick-U-loss-ness reciently it will sell for whatever asked (car auction combined w/internet sale). No longer supply/demand or other market forces…deepest pockets – name ur price, U get it !
There are more pictures in the description portion of the add. There is rust in the rocker panel and although it doesn’t look horrible, would definitely want to see a lot more detail.
Yep the $125k Blazer buyer unwound the deal when it was discovered it was riddled with rust
Wow- if I were to pay anything for an auction vehicle, I would look at it first, or pay someone to inspect it first.
Looks like the guy must have added photos or you guys are idiots. I don’t see 125k on any of these Chalets.
This is no reserve 40-50k tops.
Tony, I mentioned the extra photos in the fourth paragraph but it must have gotten skimmed over.
Auction update: this one sold for $99,300 less than the one mentioned in the post! (it sold for $25,700)