May/June 2022 Vintage Truck
/The May/June 2022 issue of Vintage Truck magazine is available in our gift shop now and will be available on newsstands soon. Continuing with our 30th Anniversary, we have in store for you some great features! The cover feature is a 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet. Story by Robert Gabrick • photos by Al Rogers
Little House on the Chevy
This 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet is perfect for today’s camping enthusiasts!
Do you fantasize about getting away from it all, going off the grid, or finding that special, out-of-the-way spot to fish, hunt, or relax? Writing in Mechanix Illustrated in December 1976, Norman Phillips contemplated just such a life, declaring, “Every man’s dream includes a little house on wheels that goes with him anywhere, gives him the comforts of home, and does it in style.”
Might that little house have been our featured 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet? Phillips’ answer was, “Chevy’s four-wheel-drive (4WD) Blazer Chalet combines off-road capabilities with almost all the comforts for four, including air conditioning.”
Uh, what does he mean by “almost”?
“Until you hear the call of nature, which we all do from time to time,” he explained. “Then the dream can turn into a nightmare because the nicely appointed Blazer Chalet has neither a john nor provision for one. If you put in a Porta Potti, it may be the most conspicuous piece of scenery in your little home on wheels because there’s no place to hide it when you’re not using it … or you, when you are.” Phillips offered this humorous conclusion: “The obvious answer for the Blazer Chalet owner is to go before you go or select a campsite near big trees.”
Garnering mixed reviews, the Blazer Chalet also warranted coverage in other notable magazines including Motor Trend and Pickup, Van & 4WD. None of these accounts, however, bemoaned the lack of restroom accommodations. The generally positive “Wheels Afield” article in the March 1977 issue of Motor Trend characterized the Blazer Chalet as a “new delight for the sportsman.”
Noting the Chalet’s manufacturer already produced a pop-top camper for a Toyota pickup, author Bob Kovacik explained, “Though it may sound like a simple project, you must give General Motors and Chinook credit for fortitude, [because adding] a camper on the back of any off-road vehicle isn’t as easy as it may sound. Crafting a camper-equipped vehicle for paved surfaces and for off-road terrain demands different principles.”
To read more about the 1977 Blazer Chalet pick up a copy of the May/June 2022 issue of Vintage Truck magazine!
Articles in this issue include:
Back to Yosemite
Al Rehder’s 1940 Ford turned him into a nitpicker!
Story by Bob Tomaine, Photos by Brad BowlingLittle House on the Chevy
This 1977 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet is perfect for today’s camping enthusiasts!
Story by Robert Gabrick, Photos by Al RogersSweptline Find
Randy Blackledge’s 1964 Dodge D200 was a rust-free California truck!
Story by Patrick Foster, Photos by Brad BowlingBennett’s Baby
Charles Schram’s 1918 Hawkeye Model K was “The Rolls-Royce of Commercial Vehicles.”
Story and Photos by Brad BowlingDEPARTMENTS
Letter from the Editor
Letters to the Editor
Dodge Garage: 1939 Dodge 1-1/2-ton
Independent Trucks: 1937 International D-1
The Workhorse: 1986 Ford F-250 4X4
The Road Less Traveled: Larrabee Truck
Photos from the Attic
Books in the Bed: Reviews by Robert Gabrick
Hey Loren!
Classifieds
Granny Gear: Old Grover and the Recurring Ferret Cage
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