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 normal driving. There is no center differential, which is by design; part-time 4WD systems like this one are robust, easy to service, and have proven themselves over decades of use.

Braking is handled by front disc brakes and rear drums, with power assist. The Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT tires measure 33x12.50R15LT — a meaningful upgrade from stock-size rubber that fills the wheel wells properly and adds genuine capability without requiring a suspension lift. The underside of this truck has been inspected and shows a clean frame, which is the single most important structural detail on any vehicle of this age. Frame rot is the primary reason square-body trucks leave the collector market permanently. This one has not.

The dual exhaust setup gives the 350 a proper soundtrack and reduces back pressure compared to a single-outlet system. The trailer hitch receiver at the rear confirms this truck was equipped for real-world use, and the solid undercarriage suggests it was maintained rather than abused.

Interior

The Silverado trim package brought a noticeably higher level of interior finish than what you would find in a base or Custom Deluxe K5 Blazer. This truck's interior is done in red cloth throughout — bucket seats up front, a center console between them, and a full-width rear bench seat. The red is consistent across the door panels, carpet, seat surfaces, and lower dash surfaces, which is the factory-correct presentation for this color combination.

The gauge cluster is the full five-gauge layout that came with the Silverado package: oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, voltmeter, and speedometer, all mounted in round pods in a brushed aluminum-look bezel. This is the configuration serious truck buyers specified because it gives you real information about what the engine is doing, rather than relying on idiot lights. The Silverado badge appears on the passenger-side dash panel, which is a detail collectors look for when evaluating trim authenticity.

The tilt steering column is present and functional, as are the power windows and power door locks — features that were meaningful upgrades on a working truck in 1987 and remain convenient today. The floor-mounted transfer case shifter sits behind the automatic transmission shifter on the center console, exactly where it belongs on a proper 4x4. The interior shows the expected signs of age but retains its shape and color without the fading, cracking, or water damage that commonly affects square-body interiors that spent time in northern climates.

Exterior

The 1987 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado wears black paint over a body that presents well for its age. The square-body trucks are straightforward in their construction — flat panels, simple lines, and chrome trim that either holds up or doesn't. On this truck, the chrome front and rear bumpers remain presentable, the chrome side mirrors are intact, and the chrome body side molding runs cleanly along the lower body. The Silverado package added these chrome exterior elements as part of its differentiation from lower trim lines.

The removable hardtop is in place and seals the cabin properly. The K5 Blazer's removable top was a core feature of the model from its 1969 introduction — it was what separated the Blazer from a pickup and gave it a personality closer to a sport vehicle than a utility truck. Unlike the Bronco's bolt-on top, the K5's hardtop removed completely and stored separately, opening the truck fully to the elements when desired.

The Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT tires on steel wheels with trim rings suit the character of this truck correctly. The AT3 XLT is a load-range E all-terrain tire built for light truck use, with an aggressive tread pattern that handles both on-road and moderate off-road conditions. The 33-inch diameter gives the truck the visual stance the square-body deserves and provides appropriate clearance for the front axle on uneven terrain.

Conclusion

The 1987 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Silverado is the truck that the current restomod and square-body market is centered around, and finding one with a clean frame, a matching-numbers 350 V8, full Silverado trim, and an intact black and red interior is genuinely difficult. Most of the surviving examples in this condition have already been claimed by collectors or are quietly sitting in garages waiting for the market to move further. This one is available now, in a color combination that photographs well and presents correctly, with the mechanical foundation — clean frame, solid V8, functioning 4WD — that justifies serious interest.

If you would like more information or want to arrange an inspection, call Skyway Classics in Sarasota, Florida at 941-254-6608.

Disclaimer

Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.