From small beginnings as local body shop in Norwich, Ontario, a town of less than 10,000 people, Iconic Built emerged as a name – a leading contender – in classic Chevy Blazer restomods; A name that embodies our dedication to quality and craftsmanship above all else. Although our name may be new to you, our team of veteran mechanics, designers, and craftsman have amassed hundreds of thousands of hours working on and restoring vehicles of all calibers. With their combined skill and knowledge, the have produced some of the highest quality restorations and restomods on the planet. Ironhide, our latest K5 Blazer release, is no exception. Like our previous trucks, Ironhide has been fully restored and reinvented down to the final bolt. It’s undergone a complete frame-off, no expense spared, restoration and transformation that sets a new bar for classic Chevy Blazer restomod quality.
BLACK EXTERIOR WITH SUBTLE GREEN TRIM:
Our previous build, Find Your Time, featured a Light Earl Grey Blue body with an Arctic White two-tone paint job. Our team wanted to contrast Find Your Time’s lighter colour scheme and take Ironhide in a different direction—something darker with more “edge”. The decision to use Obsidian Black paired with a satin black trim and Shelter Green accents fit our team’s idea for a tougher-looking build. The Shelter Green is subtle, blending with the lines of the satin black trim, the bowtie on the grille, the hand-painted lettering on the tailgate, and the custom-built roll cage inside. Our craftsmen take a lot of pride in their work. They strive to show that their passion for the craft is evident throughout the build. Our team ensures that not only is the exterior of the truck spotless, but the underbody is perfect as well. With a full Raptor-liner color-matched underbody, this truck appears better than factory-new. Every unused hole in the frame is filled, and every dent or chip is restored. Its the attention to detail that sets us, and this truck, apart in the market.
Ironhide’s 35″ x 12.5″ Goodrich tires are mounted on 17″ KMC wheels, enhancing the truck’s aggressive demeanour, while also providing improved driving and handling performance. Ironhide also includes JW Speaker LED headlamps for the best possible visibility when driving this truck. The sharp white LED light contrasts beautifully with the deep Obsidian Black paint, offering both modern comfort and a sleek, clean look while providing excellent vision while on the road at night. We’ve hidden the gas cap behind the rear reflector, ensuring the truck’s clean body lines are without interruption. This is just one example of how we are constantly innovating and improving our builds. It’s little things that sets our trucks apart and makes a big difference in the final product.
CLASSIC LOOKING INTERIOR, WITH MODERN COMFORTS:
The interior of each Blazer is one of the most important aspects of each build that our builders ensure that they get right. At a glance, the owner should truly feel that they are driving an authentic 1972 K5 Chevrolet Blazer. Modern vehicles have developed very natural and flowing panels within the cab, but in 1972, the strong, straight, fortified shapes were the norm. As a result, this is something that we believe needs to be maintained, but improved in our modern builds. TMI offers seating that does a great job encapsulating a vintage feel while supporting the driver with true comfort. It remains a challenge to provide ample comfort without sacrificing the vintage ambiance of the cab, and TMI’s seats are able to do that. Finding the right component is something our team researches quite thoroughly. We know how the truck needs to feel to the driver to ensure quality and a nostalgic driving experience, but we also carefully include modern amenities and creature comforts that you’ve come to expect from modern vehicles. Another brand that does a great job of this is Vintage Air. We use Vintage Air systems within our builds, and have confidence that their products uphold the same quality as we do. Modern AC units can often feel over-engineered and lack the simplicity that was once found in these decades-old trucks. Vintage Air brings back that simplicity while maintaining the functionality of today’s ventilation units. Its simple and familiar to use, but avoids making your cabin feel like a modern-day spaceship.
You’ll also find the classic ’70s charm in Ironhide’s dashboard and gauges. We’ve used our custom Dakota Digital gauges in Ironhide. In a similar vein to the rest of the build, Dakota Digital’s digital gauge clusters don’t over-modernize our trucks. Their guages look like an improved version of the original. They’re brighter and more easy to read, but the obvious in-your-face improvements end about there, right where you want it to. Simple, nostalgic, and clean—reviving the same driving feel you would get 50+ years ago, but up to modern standards. More design details can be felt when you open the quarter glass window and let the cool air flow in, or when you’re throwing it into reverse on the column shifter. It’s features like these that remind you of what owning one of these classics was really like – but then you put your foot down. You hear the roar of a Camaro engine, and inside, have all the modern conveniences of today’s vehicles. It truly is the best of both worlds.
MODERN TRUCK AMENITIES:
Interior amenities have come a long way since 1972. There is a level of subtlety required when choosing these amenities to avoid destroying the classic and vintage feel of these trucks. A good example of this on Ironhide is hidden in plain sight: the mirrors. Ironhide’s door mirrors are equipped with hidden turn signals that are only visible when activated, ensuring a safer drive for the owner without compromising the ’72 look. Another amenity that you might miss at first glance is the retractable side steps by AMP Research. They’re another example of our team’s innovation, as they have the steps hidden and tucked away under the vehicle until the door is opened. Once opened, the side steps slide out effortlessly to allow easier access to the cabin. AMP Research has a fantastic products, and our team has modified them to be virtually unnoticeable when not in use, yet always available when needed. To any passerby on the streets, they’ll never be spotted. The classic look is maintained.
There is a line between comfort and authenticity, and our team achieved that with Ironhide. When it came time to install the speakers, we knew Ironhide’s new owner wouldn’t be satisfied with authentic sound. Part of owning a 1972 Chevy K5 Blazer is blasting music down an old back road. Lou Reed, Neil Young, or Exile on Main St., maybe? With 4″ Rockford Fosgate speakers in the front doors, 6.5″ Rockford Fosgate speakers in the rear, and a powerful subwoofer, you’ll experience crisp and clear audio while tearing up the streets with your 460 horsepower 1972 Chevrolet Blazer. It’s a feeling that needs to be experienced and cannot be explained in words.
MORE POWER:
It is no secret that vehicles made in the 1970s were missing some of the key features we have today. One major improvement since 1972 is our ability to create more powerful engines. In 1972, Chevy’s K5 Blazer boasted only 250 horsepower. All things considered, that was a healthy amount of power for the ’70s. Today, though, modern pickup trucks often have 300-350 horsepower. This, for most, is plenty. But Ironhide is what happened when our team took the 1972 Blazer and fed it 460 horsepower. The 5th Gen GM LT1 delivers a monsterous amount of power while also being seamlessly paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It’s full of torque, and it absolutely tears up the ashpalt when you put your foot down. Now, our team was under no assumption that throwing a Camaro engine into a truck from 1972 was going to magically transform it into a driving machine. We thousands of hours incorporating all kinds of features to make Ironhide not only control the power, but feel as if it was built for that power.
Features like the GM 12-bolt rear differential and Yukon Gear positraction offer improved traction and stability in all conditions. The dual shifter NP205 transfer case allows this beast to roam freely without issues. A polished stainless steel exhaust has been paired with a Magnaflow muffler to enhance the roar of the V8 as you slam the pedal.
NEXT-LEVEL HANDLING:
Without question, we understand that owners of these trucks don’t just want power—they want comfort and improved handling performance. The most important aspect of a vehicle that contributes to comfort is the chassis and its ride quality. The chassis of these trucks can among the hardest, most labour-intensive, parts of the original Blazer to restore to above its original quality. These trucks are often found rusted, dented, and beat up. In the case of Ironhide, our team completely restored and reinforced its chassis to handle it’s new-found horsepower and of torque. Extensive work is done to the frame to achieve the required strength. Once reinforced, the chassis is completely smoothed and painted, leaving it spotless and in better than showroom condition.
Once the frame has been restored and elevated to its new form, it’s crucial to use the right parts to complement the ride of the Blazer and allow for a smooth, responsive driving experience. Ironhide is equipped with a Fox Front Steering Stabilizer with Fox Reservoir Shocks to give the it a modern and capable driving feel. Fox has proven time and again that their products are the leading name in suspension and chassis performance worldwide. In addition to the Fox shocks, Ironhide is built with a 4″ lift kit and soft ride leaf springs for improved off-road capabilities. To enhance handling, a high pinion angle front axle and crossover steering system have been installed, as well as front and rear Wilwood disc brakes. Ironhide combines the capabilities of a modern off-road vehicle with the look and feel of an original 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. It’s in honour of the original vehicle, but ensures you’ll want to drive it every single day.
Ironhide represents craftsmanship, built through thousands of hours of dedicated effort by people who love the classics. It combines the thrill of driving a modern, high-performance vehicle with the timeless charm and aesthetic of a classic 1972 Chevrolet Blazer. As one of our newest K5 creations, Ironhide sets a new standard in the Chevy Blazer restomod community, and this won’t be the last time. We’re committed to redefining quality, ensuring that each build not only looks like a stunning version of the classic, but matches the reliability and amenities found within a brand-new truck.
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