Feature
Cruisin’ California in a Hogan-Built K5 Blazer
By Fuelish Media
e all live for the thrill of the hunt, but sometimes it’s best not to get too far ahead of ourselves. That’s especially true when searching for an old truck. It’s a bit of a mood killer to be so skeptical of a good first impression, but when it comes to taking a chance on buying a half-decent-looking ride, it’s far better to take proper precautions before forking over hard-earned cash.
We recently caught up with Carson Braga, a resident of California’s sunny central coast. It was always a dream of his to own a 1969-72 Chevy K5 Blazer, and he never wanted one more than after seeing the one Dan Hogan of Hogan Built built for the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2019. “I knew he would be the guy I would want to build my future truck,” Carson says. “Inspired by that Blazer, I began shopping around for one that he could possibly help me make something of.”
Carson’s level of excitement at this time was extremely high; you just can’t knock a guy for riding high on that wave. “I bought a 1970 Blazer that I found on the Internet, but I didn’t go out to see it in person first,” he admits. “The Blazer looked amazing with its nice paint, but unfortunately it was hiding a lot of flaws underneath. I did take it to [Hogan]’s shop, and after his crew sandblasted the shell, we all realized that the passenger fender was the only panel worth saving. Mind you, this was in early 2020, right at the start of COVID-19. No parts were readily available, and everywhere we looked seemed to be 8-16 months out. It was at this point that [Hogan] and I discussed looking for a second Blazer. It seemed a little excessive, but considering the situation we were in, it really was the only option we had.”
Luckily, Hogan knew someone who had a ’72 Blazer for sale. Its body and paint were both good to go, so that alleviated the headache of having to scratch around for individual pieces. “[Hogan] and his crew then went full rotisserie with this second Blazer,” Carson says. The stock frame was fully powdercoated, and the suspension was lifted using Deaver 5-inch front springs and rear 4-inch springs, Offroad Design HD front shackles, and Fox 2.0 shocks all around. Of course, new brakes were in order, and nothing less than Wilwood disc brakes would do. The crew finished off the heavily updated chassis with 17-inch KMC wheels, custom center caps by Rad Fabz, and beefy 35-inch BFGoodrich rubber to match the mood.
The engine bay soon received a GM HT383 engine swap that was decked out with Hedman 3-inch headers, a full-custom stainless exhaust system, a MagnaFlow exhaust, a Be Cool radiator with dual fans, and a Mad Dog 700-R4 transmission to keep Carson’s Blazer rolling. Fresh bodywork and paint were applied underhood as well as on the exterior. Hogan and his guys applied a classic two-tone white and orange paint scheme that was expertly broken up by brand-new trim. Custom additions in the way of one-off bed caps, a color-matched rollcage, KC headlights, and an Engineered Vintage billet grille go a long way in sprucing up the Blazer’s façade.
“I drive the Blazer up and down Pacific Coast Highway around Monterey and Big Sur every chance we get,” Carson reports. “I’ve had a lifelong addiction to custom cars and trucks, but this thing is something else. It has won the Best 1969-72 award at Goodguys Pleasanton, as well as a Top 50 nod at C10 Intervention, which were both awesome to achieve. I plan to take the Blazer to more shows, but for now, I am simply enjoying driving it along the scenic routes in my area.”
