- Ringbrothers transformed a 1972 Chevy Blazer into a 525-hp restomod, pairing classic looks with modern performance.
- Built on a 2016 Toyota Tacoma chassis, the custom SUV features upgraded suspension for improved handling.
- The Tuka Blazer features a bespoke interior, carbon fiber accents, and a potent LS3 engine delivering 487 lb-ft of torque.
What do you get when you fuse the body of a heavily modified 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer with a 6.2-liter LS3 V8, a new transmission, and a long list of other modern upgrades, all built on the chassis of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma? This is what you get. It’s called ‘Tuka’ and it has been brought to life by Ringbrothers, making its debut at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The American firm has a wealth of experience when it comes to upgrading and restoring cult classics, and this really shows with this Blazer. Gone is the SUV’s original chassis, and in its place sits the bones of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma. It also rocks an upgraded King suspension designed for a Tacoma, as well as sway bars and the steering rack of the Toyota.
Read: Ringbrothers ‘Tusk’ 1969 Dodge Charger Has A 1,000 HP Hellephant V8
While the chassis is Japanese, the engine proudly screams “USA! USA! USA!.” The rowdy LS3 sits beneath a custom carbon fiber hood and delivers 525 hp and 487 lb-ft (660 Nm) of torque. It’s mated to a Bowler Tru-Street GM 4L60E automatic transmission and NP208 transfer case and thanks to the Tacoma underpinnings, should drive like a new car.
Spending more than 3,700 hours building the Chevy, Ringbrothers has also customized the vehicle’s bodywork extensively. The tailgate and box sides have been raised by two inches, there’s a new fiberglass rear top with a panoramic roof, and the rear window has been lifted from a Jeep Wrangler.
An all-black paint scheme contrasted with some subtle orange accents, including the front and rear tow hooks, and the ‘R’ badges, give the car some undeniably fierce looks. 18-inch wheels from HRE with a dark bronze finish top things off.
Drew Phillips
Gabe’s Custom Interiors was tasked with overhauling the K5’s cabin and has done so with a carbon fiber dashboard, new gauges, billet-machined and 3D-printed switchgear, and a carbon fiber steering wheel. Ringbrothers has also installed a rearview mirror/camera system, a Vintage Air Gen IV HVAC system, and a bespoke sound system. Every square inch of the interior appears new, and yet it still has a similar rugged appeal to the original K5’s cabin.
“Almost every piece of this Blazer is custom,” Ringbrothers co-founder Mike Ring said of the build. “We wanted to leave no stone unturned in creating something wholly unique, designed to embrace the open road and the unbeaten path. This truck is built for driving in style and with modern comfort. None of this would be possible without our trusted partners at BASF, Dynamat, Gentex Corporation and HRE Wheels helping us fulfill our vision and bring the character of this build to life.”
In Tuka, Ringbrothers has managed to to create something that’s both a love letter to the original Blazer and a forward-thinking machine built to devour the miles. It’s an homage that doesn’t hesitate to go its own way, just as a proper American classic should, even if it relies on Japanese bones to hold it all together.
