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The return of the iconic Blazer nameplate met a wave of mixed emotions. On one hand, the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer is an example of a car company expertly applying the better parts of its design language to the always-awkward crossover SUV shape. On the other hand, the new Blazer can’t and won’t go toe-to-toe with the new Bronco like its forebears, because the Blazer is now a neutered FWD-based crossover. So if you’re still a Chevy fan (we won’t blame you for having wavering faith) and want to standa a chance against the much anticipated Ford four-wheeler, you’ll have to look for something along the lines of this wonderfully blue 1972 Blazer.
I’m no curmudgeon who can’t accept the changing times — that the crossover is now the car of the people. However, those complaints are not unfounded. To put Chevy’s appropriation of the Blazer name into perspective, imagine if GM decided to make the next Silverado a crossover. Or, more nauseatingly, picture Chevy slapping the Camaro name on some high-riding, jelly bean-shaped, misguided hatchback. (That makes me throw up in my mouth a little, too.) The Blazer is (or was) the Camaro to the Bronco’s Mustang — the 2020 Bronco only has to worry about the Jeep, now.
If you want to enjoy the Blazer as it was, this Hawaiian Blue 1972 Chevy Blazer is worth loosening your purse strings for. This two-door hard-top four-wheeler came from the factory spec’d with the Cheyenne Equipment Package, 15-inch rally-style wheels and a set of all-terrain rubber. Inside, and under the hood, it looks much the way it did when leaving the factory, albeit with a few minor signs of aging and a new RetroSound MP3 stereo. The 350ci V8 and three-speed automatic transmission are said to be running well with only 65,000 miles on the clock.
It’s one thing to continuously harp on the past saying “everything was better when…” but in this case, I don’t think you’ll find many Chevy fans disagreeing, here. The Corvette gets better year after year; the Camaro made a massive jump forward on its return and now competes with other high-end performance cars on a global scale. So why did Chevy feel the need to build a slightly different version of a three-row crossover it already makes and slap the Blazer badge on it? Perhaps the executives and committees at GM will be the only ones to ever know for sure. What I definitely know is how stunning this ’72 Blazer is and how much I desperately want it.
