1987 Chevrolet Blazer

1987 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado Black on Red, 350 V8, Clean Frame


Why This Car Is Special

The 1987 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado occupies a specific place in American truck history that is increasingly difficult to explain to anyone who didn't live through it. This was the last full decade of the original full-size Blazer format a body-on-frame, two-door, removable-hardtop SUV built on the same K10 half-ton 4x4 platform as the C/K pickup trucks. Chevrolet introduced the K5 Blazer for the 1969 model year as a direct answer to the Ford Bronco, and by the time this 1987 example was built, the formula had been refined over nearly two decades into something genuinely capable and comfortable at the same time.

The third-generation body style, known internally as the GMT400 predecessor or the 'square body,' actually ran from 1973 through 1991 for the full-size Blazer. By 1987, Chevrolet had been refining this platform for fourteen years. The result was a truck that felt mature solid doors, tight body gaps, a well-thought-out interior layout, and enough powertrain options to satisfy buyers ranging from weekend campers to serious off-road users.

What makes this particular 1987 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado worth paying attention to is the combination of trim level, powertrain, condition, and color. The Silverado package was the top trim offered on the K5 Blazer, placing it above the base and Custom Deluxe configurations. It brought a higher level of interior finish, additional chrome exterior detailing, and the Silverado badge on the dash and instrument panel. The black exterior over a full red cloth interior is a striking factory combination, and the underside photos confirm what collectors are always hoping to see: a clean, solid frame with no significant rust or structural concerns. For a nearly forty-year-old truck, that detail matters more than almost anything else.

The VIN on this truck confirms it is a genuine K-series (four-wheel-drive) half-ton Blazer, built in Flint, Michigan, for the 1987 model year, with the 5.7-liter V8 engine. This is not a two-wheel-drive model rebadged, and it is not a later GMT400-generation truck. It is exactly what it presents itself as.


Features List

- 5.7L V8 350ci engine
- 4-speed automatic transmission
- Silverado trim package
- Air Conditioning
- K5 Blazer badge
- Removable fiberglass hardtop
- Front bucket seats with center console
- Rear bench seat
- Red cloth interior
- Full gauge cluster (oil pressure, temperature, fuel, voltage, speedometer)
- AM/FM radio
- Power windows
- Power door locks
- Tilt steering column
- Power steering
- Power brakes with front disc/rear drum setup
- Part-time 4WD transfer case
- Dual exhaust
- Trailer hitch receiver
- Chrome front and rear bumpers
- Chrome side mirrors
- Chrome body side molding
- Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT tires (33x12.50R15LT)
- Steel wheels with trim rings
- Clean frame underside


Mechanical

Under the hood sits Chevrolet's 5.7-liter V8, displacing 350 cubic inches. In 1987, this engine was carbureted and produced approximately 210 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque in its standard K5 Blazer tune. It backs up to a 4-speed automatic transmission, which in this application would be the TH700-R4 (also called the 4L60), an overdrive-equipped unit that Chevrolet introduced in 1982 to improve highway fuel economy without sacrificing the 350's low-end torque characteristics. The overdrive fourth gear made a meaningful difference on long highway drives compared to the earlier TH350 three-speed that had powered earlier K5 Blazers.

The part-time 4WD system uses a traditional transfer case with a driver-operated shift lever to engage four-wheel drive. This is a mechanically simple and well-understood system shift to 4-Hi for slippery roads, 4-Lo for serious off-road work, and leave it in 2WD for