Zac Quinn 
If you wandered through the Toyo Tires Treadpass during the 2021 SEMA Show, you would have seen some incredible things. There was a twin-turbo LS-swapped DeLorean. There was a Tesla-powered Chevy C10. There was even a 700 horsepower Silverado that thought it was a Pontiac Trans Am. Then there was this: a 1972 K5 Chevy Blazer from Craven Performance featuring a supercharged GM L99 V8 (a very close relative to the LS3) that punches out 600 horsepower.
A Closer Look At The Craven Performance K5 Chevy Blazer
The most noticeable part of the build is the lack of a top and windows, which gives a continuous look to the appearance. A roll bar has been installed to ensure the vehicle remains safe, and the Blazer doesn’t feature air conditioning, because you probably don’t need it without a roof and windows. If passengers do get cold, they can make use of the any weather heated seating. A marine Hertz audio system, as well as marine instrumentation, has been installed to ensure everything continues to function should it get caught out in the rain, while the top and bottom of the floors have been undercoated.
The mechanics of the Craven Performance K5 Chevy Blazer includes a 13:1 Compression L99 408″ LS and manual valve body 4L80 transmission that feeds to an NP205 transfer case. Altogether, the vehicle could have well over 600 horsepower and ensure that it can tackle any obstacle thrown at it. To ensure everything stays cool, a Spal fan handles airflow duties, a trophy truck transmission cooler, and Fluidyne oil coolers all connect to the mid-ship mount underneath. In addition, the headers and exhaust system have been handcrafted and merged into the Magnaflow mufflers to give the K5 Blazer a bellowing roar at idle.
The entire build comes together with the Holley Performance throttle body that transfers the power to the KMC Beadlock wheels with massive Toyo Open Country M/T tires wrapped around them. It’s the Toyo Treadpass, after all. No BFG K02s here.
The Craven K5 Blazer has since been delivered to its new owner, who will hopefully push this immaculate build to the limit.
