Update: The faux 2-door K5 Blazer just sold at Barrett-Jackson for $192,000. New owners Chris & Julie are excited to have it.
A lot of people want the comfort, safety, and reliability of a modern SUV but also enjoy the simpler retro styling of the last century. If owning multiple vehicles isn’t your thing, then how about this 2018 Chevy K5 Blazer 2-door.
What, Chevy didn’t make a K5 Blazer in 2018? Well, they did, but it’s a sharp-looking 4-door crossover that doesn’t have a retro bone in its body, unlike the Ford Bronco. So what you’re dealing with is a custom job, converted to look like the iconic SUV, but based on a 2018 Chevy Tahoe of all things.
The Chevy world is actually filled with modern cars made to look old. Probably the most famous is that C6 conversion kit, followed by the Pontiac nose for the Camaros. But we’re really glad there is an SUV equivalent, the K5 Blazer built by Flat Out Autos of Jonesboro, Arkansas.
What you’re looking at is the famous baby blue K5 Blazer which they presented at the 2021 SEMA Show. The story of the day is that Barrett-Jackson announced it’s going to cross the block at the 2022 Palm Beach Auction on April 7-9 with no reserve.
And we’re quite curious to see how much people are willing to spend on this thing. The conversion seems really well fabricated, and there aren’t many like it in the world. Then again, buying one-offs can seem risky. Either way, if this goes for less than $100,000, I’d consider it a bargain.It’s worth noting that this exact vehicle was for sale on Bring a Trailer a few months ago, and bidding reached $142,000.
How to turn a 2018 Tahoe into a Blazer
The base vehicle was a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe LT Z71. The body was first separated from the frame and chopped down in the middle to make it shorter. The re-skinned front doors are now followed by large rectangular windows, typical of old 4x4s. And I think they used a short cab Silverado frame to match the small wheelbase.
Flat Out Autos says the outer skin is custom-fabricated in metal, while the trunk lid is a carbon fiber component. To pull off the retro look, the fake K5 Blazer rocks a two-tone paint job, large chrome wheels with Chevrolet caps and white BFGoodrich tires with white lettering. My favorite view is from the front, where they pulled off the look of maybe a 1972 K5 Blazer from hood to chrome bumper. And yet it still seems to have integrated parking sensors.
Under the hood is a V8 that’s on the small side, the 5.3-liter making 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft (519 Nm) of torque. It’s hooked up to a six-speed automatic and AWD system. If two doors aren’t your think, Flat Out Autos have also made a 4-door K5 Blazer. Check that golden beauty out at the end of the photo gallery.
