This Chevrolet K5 Blazer Is Actually a 700-Horsepower Corvette in Disguise

Based on the second-generation C/K pickup truck, which Chevrolet launched in 1967, the K5 Blazer was conceived to compete with the International Harvester Scout and the Ford Bronco. It wasn't particularly popular in its first couple of years on the market, but sales jumped beyond 40,000 units in 1972 and reached more than 80,000 examples per year by the end of the decade.

The full-size Blazer remained in showrooms until 1994, when Chevrolet rolled out the Tahoe, which is still around as of 2023.

The first-generation K5 Blazer is obviously a desirable classic now. But while some enthusiasts chase all-original examples that have survived for decades in great condition, others are using vintage shells and bones to create awesome restomods. The supercharged, 1,200-horsepower 1972 BULLY by The Ringbrothers comes to mind.

But not all restomods are designed with rock climbing in mind. The slammed SUV you see here was put together for hard driving on road courses and at autocross events. And unlike most purpose-built Blazers, it's actually a Chevrolet Corvette underneath.

Specifically, Kurt of Hill's Rod & Custom lifted most of the underpinnings from a wrecked fifth-generation Corvette. Of course, none of the parts are still stock, but the frame is there and it's been reshaped to fit the early K5 Blazer body. And impressively enough, the V8 engine is in the same front-mid position as in a C5 Corvette.

Speaking of power, the SUV is no longer motivated by the LS1 that came with the Corvette. Kurt decided it wasn't powerful enough for the project so he replaced it with an LS3, which Chevrolet used in the C6 Corvette. But the LS3 wasn't potent enough either, so Kurt eventually settled for an LS7.

Originally offered in the C6-generation Corvette Z06 and the fifth-generation Camaro Z/28, the stock LS7 was rated at 505 horsepower. But this mill is anything but stock. A race-spec custom build, it displaces 7.4 liters and rocks a cool 737 horsepower at the flywheel. Yup, it's still naturally aspirated, which is downright insane.

And the other cool thing about this K5 Blazer is that it's surprisingly lightweight. Thanks to a carbon-fiber hood and a long list of race-spec chassis and interior parts, the SUV tips the scales at only 3,640 pounds (1,651 kg). Yeah, that's still heavy by modern sports car standards, but this slammed hauler is more than 300 pounds (136 kg) lighter than a stock first-gen K5 Blazer.

And not only is it insanely quick for an SUV, but it's also a lot of fun to drive. Find out more about that in the video below.