Garage Archives: Merle Hazzard’s First Walkaround - Where the K5 Blazer Build Began

Most of you have watched Merle Hazzard come together over the past year. You’ve followed the projects, the changes, and the work that goes into building this truck. Today, we’re going back to the very beginning.

Every Sunday, we’ll revisit an earlier Venturi Fab video here on the blog, starting with the first walkaround of Merle: my 1989 Chevy K5 Blazer on one-ton axles and 40-inch tires. If you’ve been here since the beginning, this one should look familiar. If you found the channel more recently, here’s your chance to catch up.

From Sitting in a Garage to One-Ton Axles

I picked this Blazer up about a year ago after it had been sitting in a garage for a decade. It had a mild lift and 33-inch tires. I gave it a tune-up, changed the fluids, and drove it through the summer.

Then this winter, I tore into it. New suspension, built one-ton axles, and 40-inch tires. There’s already a lot of work in this truck, so let’s take a walk around Merle, go through what’s done, and talk about what’s next.

One-Ton Axles and a Lot of Work Underneath

Up front, Merle has a Dana 60 with an ARB locker and a high-steer setup. The work includes welding the axle tubes, custom spring perches, and new brake lines. I’ve also rebuilt the steering box and prepared it for hydraulic assist.

In the rear, I used longer Chevy leaf springs with a shackle flip, moved the mounts, and relocated the axle. That meant more work than simply bolting in a lift, but improving how the truck rode was part of the point.

The rear axle is a 14-bolt with a Detroit locker, a welded truss, and a disc brake conversion. New stainless brake lines tie into the rest of the brake work. There are little personal touches underneath, too, including the purple collars.

Brakes and the Details Under the Hood

The engine is still mostly stock. A lot of the effort under the hood has gone into the systems around it, including a new battery, the hydroboost brake conversion, steering upgrades, and custom mounting brackets.

The brake lines are something I’m especially happy with. There’s a lot of fitting and routing involved in making custom lines look clean, and I spent time getting those details how I wanted them.

For the engine, I’m planning an Edelbrock intake, TBI modifications, ignition upgrades, long-tube headers, and a new exhaust. There’s more I want to do under here, but that work is still ahead.

Making the Truck My Own

Inside, I’ve added a steering wheel and quick disconnect, a tachometer, and a new shifter with homemade brackets. There are also Escalade seats in the back. I still need to work through wiring and controls for accessories such as the rock lights and lockers.

Outside, there’s a tucked-away LED light bar and upgraded glass headlight housings. I’ve also added a soft top, something I’ve wanted for a long time. It went on quickly, and I’m happy to finally have one on the truck.

Merle is sitting on new Maxxis Razr MT tires, with gold spiked lug nuts finishing off the wheels. These are still early impressions of the tires; I’ve only got the driving I’ve done so far to go on.

There’s Plenty Left to Build

Even with all that work done, Merle still has a long list ahead. I’ve been measuring for shocks and working through the limitations of the factory mounting locations. Trimming for clearance and building shock towers are among the upcoming projects.

That brings you up to speed on where Merle is right now. There’s plenty of fabrication still to come, and I’ll be documenting the work here on Venturi Fab as we go.

Watch the original Merle Hazzard walkaround, and come back next Sunday as we keep revisiting the builds that started Venturi Fab.