1st Gen K5 Blazer & Jimmy years to avoid, and the best years to buy
Every Chevrolet K5 Blazer (1st generation) model year: which ones owners and specialists recommend, which have documented problems, which carry recalls, and what they sell for now.
There's no buyer consensus on a best year. In a CK5 thread on which K5 to buy, the owners who pick a first-generation truck do it for the looks and the full-length removable top, and one calls 1971–72 the best looking. The mechanical difference worth knowing is the brakes: 1971 and later trucks have power front discs, while 1969–70 trucks have drums all round unless they've been converted. After that, rust, the top and the quality of past work decide it.
1st Gen K5 Blazer & Jimmy year by year
| YEAR | VERDICT | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | — | K5 Blazer launches as a 4x4 only. 250 six, 307 and 350 V8s; four-wheel drum brakes; hardtop, soft top and passenger seat all optional. Aluminum grille center embossed CHEVROLET, bowtie on the hood. 4,935 built |
| 1970 | — | Two-wheel-drive Blazer with coil-spring IFS (fewer than 1,000 built that year per CK5). GMC Jimmy introduced. 292 six optional. New grille with six groups of 'dashes' |
| 1971 | — | Power front disc brakes standard across GM light trucks. Egg-crate grille, length grows to 180 in |
| 1972 | — | 292 six dropped; 350 rated at 175 net hp. Grille surround no longer black. Production jumps to 44,266 |
| 1973 | — | Replaced by the square-body K5 on the new Rounded Line chassis, which kept a fully removable top until 1975 |
“Sweet spot” means owners and specialists recommend those years; “Beware” means documented problems; “Recall” means check the recall was done rather than walk away.
What a 1st Gen K5 Blazer & Jimmy costs (October 2026)
Prices are firm and rising. Unrusted original trucks, CST and Cheyenne trim, the V8 and four-speed command the most, and resto-mods with modern engines sell for more again.
| Driver / older restoration | $24k–45k |
|---|---|
| Excellent original or restored | $50k–100k |
| High-end resto-mod | $100k–170k |
Based on 34 Bring a Trailer sales of 1969–72 Blazers and 1970–72 Jimmys, March 2025 to October 2026. The 18 unmodified trucks sold for $23,750–100,000, median about $47,000. GMC Jimmys usually sell for less than equivalent Chevrolets.
Best years are buyer consensus from owners, specialists and forums, not spec sheets. See all K5 Blazer years to avoid across every generation.