i gave up on the monster 3/4 ton 4x4 v8 astro after the frame blew up with rot from the inside out. i needed a reliable semi daily child safe 4x4 with cheap parts. this one only has possible ZAV status because you can't blink without seeing one, so after the apocalypse there will be spare parts everywhere, and parked the zombies will assume nobody is inside. so without further dudes i present my new $900 96 blazer:
took the impala ss to pull a part for a turn signal switch and grabbed this:
with my mom's 97
it has 114k and i have already fixed non functioning interior lights, replaced turn signal switch, shampooed interior, installed tire carrier. tomorrow's plan is new idler arm, top hinge pin/bushing on drivers door and fix boned up striker from said door pin being shot, and hopefully dig a radio harness out of somewhere since some dong cut it instead of splurging for a $4 adapter plug. picked up a bravada front bumper, and going to do a 2" shackle/torsion bar crank lift to clear some 30.5" tires i have laying around because it's rolling on 4 different tires right now.
and heres a screenshot of my speedo from the pull a part run in the SS at 8am, ignore top speed and pretend i was on a track.
more likely, the best possible ZAV pulled home the blazer. 8mpg ftw.
