Hot Rod Bio: 1977 K5 Blazer Built by Brandon Burrell – Old Body, All New Everything

At SEMA we caught up with Brandon Burrell and his 1977 K5 Blazer, and this thing is a perfect example of doing a classic the right way.

Six months ago this was a four wheel drive truck. Today it’s laid out on coilovers, riding about four and a half inches off the ground, sitting on 22s with a 335 stuffed under the rear.

And that’s just the start.

From 4x4 to Laid Out Street Truck

The truck was converted from four wheel drive to two wheel drive and completely reworked underneath.

Up front it’s running a Porterbuilt front clip. Out back it’s a Porterbuilt C10 rear clip, modified to fit the Blazer platform since nothing off the shelf exists specifically for these trucks. A custom step notch was added to get the stance exactly where Brandon wanted it.

No air bags here. Just coilovers set to sit low and mean all the time.

Wheels are one off TIS pieces, 22 by 8.5 up front and 22 by 12 in the rear, wrapped around a 335 tire that barely fits under the widened setup.

It sits aggressive, but clean.

Preserved Paint with Modern Details

About ninety percent of the paint is original.

Instead of doing a full restoration, Brandon leaned into the truck’s age. When he bought it, the paint was worn out more than patina. They massaged it, cleaned it up, and preserved it rather than stripping it down.

The roof rust is real. The hail marks are still there. It tells the story.

They sprayed Poppy’s Patina clear over it, then cut and buffed it to bring out gloss without erasing the history. Brandon jokes it’s the sickest paint he’s ever owned and the worst body work at the same time, because they intentionally left the fifty year old character in place.

AMD stepped in with trim, grille, lights, mirrors, dash trim and other components. Even the trim had to be modified from C10 parts since Blazer specific pieces are limited.

The result is a truck that looks restored at a glance, but still honest when you get close.

Interior Built to Be Driven

Inside, it’s a completely different story.

Snowden seats front and rear wrapped in full Apex leather. No vinyl anywhere. Custom 42 inch rear bench to fit the Blazer layout. Apex carpet throughout.

There’s a custom console with a 10 inch Sony screen, Dakota Digital RTX gauges, new steering column, new switches, TPMS integration, wireless CarPlay, power windows, power locks, and automatic climate control.

It feels like a new truck once you’re inside, even though the exterior still shows its age.

That was the goal.

Brandon wanted something he could actually drive. Something he could travel with. He’s a photographer and needed space for gear without worrying about it sitting in the bed of a pickup.

The Blazer checked that box.

LT1 Power with a 10 Speed

Under the hood is a Gen 5 LT1 and 10 speed transmission pulled from a 2020 Camaro SS.

It’s running a Comp Cams Stage 1 cam with DoD delete, PSI wiring and startup tune, Ultimate Headers long tubes into a Magnaflow 2.5 inch exhaust, all ceramic coated black.

HeartFab tubs and firewall panels clean up the engine bay, and it’s topped off with a Wilwood manual master cylinder and 14 inch brakes.

And of course, it’s running a CVF Racing accessory drive to keep everything tight and clean up front.

The truck hasn’t even been tuned yet. It was finished the day it rolled into SEMA, still on the base startup tune. Even so, it has that deep cam thump at idle that Brandon says is his wife’s favorite part of the whole build.

Built for the Road, Not Just the Show Floor

This is Brandon’s tenth SEMA build, but the first older platform he’s done. He admits he used to avoid classics because of all the typical old car headaches.

His solution was simple.

Throw almost everything away and start fresh.

Other than the body, nearly everything is new. Suspension, drivetrain, interior, wiring, cooling, braking. It’s a modern truck hiding inside a 1977 shell.

The Blazer is headed to the cover of CK Truck Magazine and will see real road miles once it gets back to North Carolina.

And honestly, that’s the best part. It looks killer on the show floor, but it’s built to be used.

If you want to see the full walkaround and hear Brandon break down the build in his own words, check out the full video on the CVF Racing YouTube channel.