If you were to see the following Chevrolet K5 Blazer on the street, you could be excused for thinking it is nothing more than a 46-year-old off-roader with a new lick of paint. However, it is much more than that.

This particular 1971 K5 Blazer recently crossed the auction block at a Barrett-Jackson event and sold for a remarkable $220,000. Yep, that is about the same as a Lamborghini Huracan.

What makes this K5 Blazer particularly special is that it has been heavily customized and restored. About 95 per cent of its original sheet metal panels have been retained but they have been stripped top to bottom and repainted.

The underside has also been coated with a protective layer for chip and sound control, and the K5’s entire frame has been power coated.

Perhaps the headline of this K5 is its powertrain, an LS3 Corvette V8 delivering 430 hp and mated to an automatic transmission joined by the original NP-205 transfer case. So while it may have the engine of a sports car, it also has the off-roading ability of a proper truck. Also, thanks to the re-trimmed interior, it offers greater comfort than it would have back when it had just left the factory.

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