If you think about a Square Body Blazer, either a lifted trail rig or a cool cruiser often comes to mind. But Dave’s 1973 K5, recently spotlighted on Autotopia LA, is playing a whole different game. Underneath that classic shape lurks a serious autocross weapon, packing huge power and built to dominate cones rather than crawl rocks or just look pretty.

Dave picked up the Blazer back in 2020 as an old hunting rig from Idaho. The original plan for a simple patina look went out the window when rust revealed bigger issues, paving the way for the current high-performance build. It’s not lightweight, surprisingly tipping the scales at 4,000 pounds, but it certainly has the muscle to move!

A built fifth-generation 5.3-liter LT V8, boosted by twin 56mm Turbonetics turbos, cranks out around 1,000 horsepower (roughly 850 horsepower at the wheels). Dave noted the power delivery is tuned to be “linear … really smooth … and controllable”, all essential for autocross grip.

Keeping that power hooked up requires serious hardware. Dave uses the stock Blazer frame, beefed up a bit, combined with No Limit Engineering’s bolt-on suspension and Viking triple-adjustable coil-overs.

Big Wilwood manual brakes work with a BMW ABS unit to slow things down. Power gets to the ground through a tough McLeod twin-disc clutch, which engages a TREMEC Magnum F 6-speed in front of a built Ford 9-inch full-floater rear end. Custom 19×12 Young Blood wheels wear sticky 315-section Falken tires at all four corners.

Outside, the Blazer mixes purpose with style. Dave removed the heavy factory hardtop, replacing it with a handy Softopper soft top and a safety roll bar. He tucked the bumpers in tight, a lighter C10 pickup tailgate replaces the original Blazer unit, and a vented fiberglass hood helps manage heat.

Inside, comfortable PRP seats and a modern Autometer digital dash blend with stock door panels, keeping some vintage vibe. Despite its track focus, Dave exclaimed “The initial idea of this Blazer was actually a beach cruiser. Not gonna lie.” Host Sean Malek was blown away and called it “…such a badass truck”.

Dave’s Blazer is a perfect example of why you simply can’t judge a book by its cover. While the Blazer still looks like a classic Square Body, it packs modern race-car tech and an incredible performance punch! That’s not surprising, since Dave purpose-built the truck to both drive hard and to prove that elite performance potential can hide right in plain sight.