Yahoo Autos This Chevy Blazer Chalet Is Peak 1970s Overlanding
In today’s world of extreme overlanding builds, you’d be forgiven for believing that the trend was a relatively new idea. That said, Americans have been modifying their 4x4s to go off-grid for decades, with some of Detroit’s automakers even getting in on the fun during the RV-obsessed 1970s. Thanks to the team at Garage Kept Motors, you now have a chance to take home one of these groovy off-road campers by way of this restored 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet.
The Chevrolet Blazer Chalet was only produced at GM’s Flint assembly plant between 1976 and 1977. The campers were devised as a joint project between Chevrolet and RV-manufacturer Chinook, with the companies hoping to capitalize on America's growing interest in outdoor activities. The conversion process saw a step-through camper be permanently installed onto the rear of a K5 Blazer, though some customers did engineer ways to separate the pieces. Due to the extensive modifications involved in the process, it has been rumored that these Chalets feature the best build quality of the K5 production run. The Blazer Chalet was also offered with a laundry list of different options to ensure buyers could tailor their perfect camping tool. The example, which wears serial number 1221, is particularly well-specced.
Under the hood of the truck sits a numbers-matching 400 cubic-inch “R Code” V-8 engine, which was the largest and most powerful engine in Chevrolet’s portfolio at the time. The motor has only turned 49,000 miles since new, and retains all of its factory accessories. That engine is mated to a Turbo Hydramatic automatic gearbox, which routes power through a 4x4 transfer case. The truck has been given a total restoration, mirroring the look of the original sales brochures rather well. Thanks to the step-through layout, people as tall as 6’5 can actually stand up inside the truck. Despite the inescapably 1970s vibe inside the camper section, everything appears neat and orderly. The one major drawback is the lack of a bathroom area, though that was never offered by GM. They did want you to get in touch with nature, after all.
With how popular vintage SUVs and overlanding are, this seems like exactly the sort of truck that would command an insane asking price. That said, Garage Kept Motors wants just $64,900 for the camper, which doesn’t seem like an extraordinary amount. You could certainly build your own K5 Blazer camper for that money, but only around 1800 real Chalets were ever built. Besides, the burnt-orange over cream paint job is just right.
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