Ringbrothers’ 1972 Chevy Blazer K5 Makes 1,200 HP, and That’s Not Even the Best Part
This rig looks great from far away, but it’s a whole lot better up close.
There are companies that specialize in building high-dollar restomods, and then there's Ringbrothers. The machines the shop puts together are mentioned in the same breath as those from Icon 4x4, and the quality is A1. Its most recent creation, a super-customized 1972 Chevy Blazer called "Bully," isn't an exception.
Look past the supercharged, 1,200-horsepower, 6.8-liter LS3 V8. I know it sounds strange, but trust me. Take a closer look at the intentionally designed elements on both the interior and exterior of this truck. Big power might be demanded when the price is doubtlessly astronomical, but it's the small stuff here that really makes this build stand out from the sea of get-rich-quick restomods that have flooded the aftermarket.
Before we dive into that, though, let me share a few more headline specs. The truck has a Dana 44 front axle and a Dana 60 rear axle. The transmission is a built 4L80E. The shocks are from Fox, there are two per corner, and they help damp the new custom suspension with massive rear trailing arms. The wheels are also custom units from HRE, fitted with 35-inch tires. Stopping this leather-upholstered, custom-painted tank are six-piston Baer calipers at every corner.
Fuel economy? Not that kind of car.
Now that stuff is all well and good, but the best parts of this build can't be seen or heard from 50 feet away. The seats, for instance, are suspended by their own little coilovers. They're also upholstered pristinely, resembling finely crafted yet robust beach chairs. I wouldn't want to drag them around my deck, but the 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger definitely helps with that.
The cargo area is upholstered as well, but it's not just haphazard quilting like so many manufacturers—OEM and aftermarket—are obsessed with. I would never have thought of upholstery which somehow looks structural but Ringbrothers did and it looks great.
Changes to the metal of the car and the fine finishing work round everything out. Beyond the incredible paint, the hood now features two radiator heat extractors which are beautiful and seamlessly integrated. Likewise, the tailgate has been notched in the middle to add a little bit of interest to an area that goes unchanged on so many other builds. That's really what you're paying for here: Attention to detail and creativity beyond just billet, billet, billet.
There is, to be fair, plenty of billet metal, but it's contrasted with reasonable success by 3D-printed parts, supremely attractive carbon fiber, and exterior badging which features a little wooden baseball bat. I've never seen real wood in a badge before but there should be more of it.
In short, the K5 Bully gets half of the classic "speak softly and carry a big stick" equation right. It does carry a big stick, but it also has a level of craftsmanship that puts it head and shoulders above most other builds, K5 or not. With 1,200 horsepower on tap, it definitely does not speak softly, though.
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