1970 Chevy K5 Blazer Sells for the Price of 3 Dodge Charger Scat Packs, Plus Some Change

Case in point, this. At the time of writing, Dodge was selling seven versions of the Charger (all of them 2023 model year cars), one of the most highly regarded vehicles on the American market that is neither an SUV nor a pickup truck.

The cheapest Charger, the SXT, goes for $35,325, which is not bad at all, given today's car prices. At the top of the food chain sits the SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak, which is three times more expensive, at $94,365. Somewhere in between is the Scat Pack, retailing from $51,925.

I provided the above numbers so we could more easily grasp what $165,000 means in today's market. Why that sum? Because that's how much someone paid for a 1970 Chevrolet K5 Blazer at the recently concluded Barrett-Jackson auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona.

$165k is thus the equivalent of 4.6 Chargers in entry-level trim, or 1.7 Jailbreaks. To be a bit more accurate, for that kind of cash you'd buy yourself no less than three Scat Packs, and still be left with enough to buy the entire neighborhood some gelato.

Now that you've got a proper sense of the little fortune spent on this Blazer, let's try and see why would someone do such a thing.

The first thing worth mentioning is that the vehicle is in no way near what it used to be in stock form. It is the result of a complete frame-off build that took no less than 1,500 hours to complete.

There are plenty of the SUVs GM originally made between 1969 and 1994 doing the rounds these days, in all imaginable shapes and sizes, restored, customized, or simply in barn find condition. The one sitting before us now will probably stick in the back on our brains for a long time thanks to the way it was made by a crew that, sadly, remains unknown.

The SUV is part of the family's first generation, the one people still cherish the most, so despite the extensive work performed on the body, it stays true to the lines it flaunted decades ago.

All of that, though, has been covered in an orange so exciting that it's guaranteed to turn a lot of heads as it goes down the road. Especially given how the pillars and roof are in a perfectly contrasting white.

The paint job is not the only upgrade performed on the body, as the entire vehicle was insulated wherever it needed with epoxy resins, protective coating, urethane paints, and Dynamat insulation.

Pop the hood and you'll see none of the original engines the Blazers had in there back in the day (there were four versions on the table, and it's unclear what version this particular example had on), but a brand-new LS3 that cranks out 430 horsepower.

The engine is tied to a 4L75E automatic overdrive transmission and, as a twist of coolness, the SUV's original transfer case. A stainless-steel exhaust system takes care of the nasty gases resulting from fuel burn.

The power generated by the engine is turned into motion and sent to the ground with the help of Mickey Thompson wheels of undisclosed size and shod in Goodyear tires. Behind them, a Hydro-Vac brake booster system has been installed, working with disc brakes.

The wheels look a lot more aggressive than they actually are, and that is owed to the 4-inch lift that has been installed. It allows the onlooker a glimpse at the imposing suspension system this thing has on, comprising Fox shocks and leaf springs – these ones have no less than 11 leaves per spring to allow for a smoother ride.

The list of things the Blazer received but didn't originally have on includes stuff like power steps, a steel roll bar with shoulder harness seat belts, a removable hardtop, and LED lights front and rear.

The interior of the SUV was gifted with an instrument cluster wearing the markings of Dakota Digital, with the dashboard also holding a reproduction AM/FM stereo. Other than that, and the new upholstery, the interior was kept pretty much as it was.

So there you have it, a stunning bowtie SUV that is more than half a century old, selling for the price of many brand-new muscle cars. Is it worth it? Well, for at least one guy or gal, the one who paid the price, thinks it certainly is.

Will they enjoy it, as such a build should be, or sell it once more, hopefully for a profit? We'll see, as we'll certainly notice this Blazer if it pops up for sale once more.

Update February 4 - sold for $165,000.