Did they make 2WD blazers in the 70s?
In short: factory two-wheel-drive Blazers were not produced in the 1970s. The K5 Blazer line from that era was built as a four-wheel-drive SUV, with various transfer-case configurations, but no official 2WD variant was offered during the decade.
Historical context of the Blazer lineup
Chevrolet introduced the Blazer in 1969 as a two-door, truck-based SUV built on the same platform as the C/K pickup family. Throughout the 1970s, the K5 Blazer was marketed primarily as a rugged, off-road-capable vehicle with four-wheel drive. The model evolved in styling and equipment, yet the drivetrain emphasis remained on 4x4 capability rather than two-wheel-drive configurations.
Was a two-wheel-drive Blazer offered in the 1970s?
Here is a concise look at official drivetrain configurations available for the Blazer during the 1970s. The emphasis in this era was four-wheel drive, with transfer cases and two-speed options.
- Four-wheel drive (4x4) configurations were available, typically featuring a transfer case with two-speed ranges and either manual or automatic transmissions.
- A factory two-wheel-drive (2WD) Blazer was not offered in the 1970s; the model line concentrated on four-wheel drive for off-road capability.
In practice, this meant that if you were shopping for a Blazer from the 1970s, you were looking at a 4x4 SUV. For buyers seeking a true two-wheel-drive option from GM in that era, the alternatives were found in other models such as the Suburban or pickup-based trucks, rather than the K5 Blazer itself.
What happened after the 1970s
GM would later diversify its SUV lineup. In 1983, Chevrolet introduced the S-10 Blazer, a compact pickup-based SUV that offered both 2WD and 4WD configurations, expanding the market for two-wheel-drive Blazer-style vehicles. The full-size Blazer continued in later generations with continued 4x4 options, but the 1970s Blazer era remained centered on four-wheel-drive capability.
Related context for GM’s SUV lineup
For context, the Chevrolet Suburban—a longer-running, truck-based family vehicle—was offered in 2WD and 4WD configurations during the 1970s, representing a 2WD option within GM’s broader SUV family. The Blazer’s identity in that decade was distinctly tied to its off-road-ready 4x4 configuration, rather than 2WD.
Summary
The 1970s Blazer line, specifically the K5 Blazer, did not include factory two-wheel-drive versions. The model was built around four-wheel drive to emphasize off-road capability. It wasn’t until the introduction of later models like the S-10 Blazer in the 1980s that a 2WD option appeared in a Blazer-style SUV, broadening the family’s drivetrain choices. The 1970s Blazer remains notable for its rugged 4x4 heritage within GM’s SUV evolution.
