I know it's kind of old hat by now but we're starting an S10 frame swap under a 53 and wondered if anyone is interested in a running account of the job. So far the cost is $995 plus $100 shipping on the AD Engineering kit and $300 for a regular cab long bed chassis from a local salvage yard. AD Engineering encourages the use of a 4WD rear end since it is wider and closer to the 53 tread width but, they're pricey. Plan to use the camaro/firebird rear since they are plentiful and 61" wide. Suposedly this kit is a very easy install but we all know how that goes sometimes. I will try to keep it in the context of someones home garage and see how it goes.
Evan, Yes! Please keep us posted. Using and S10 and the AD kit are a strong consideration for our next project. It will be great to have someone blaze the trail ahead of us to let us know the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes with all projects. When we looked at the kit we were curious as to what would have to be done to the front end to make the wheels set right under the fenders. If the S10's rear axle had to be wider, what will need to be done to the front? Good luck on the adventure and we look forward to your postings. JP
[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-06 AT 03:03 PM (CST)]>Evan, > >Yes! Please keep us posted. > >Using and S10 and the AD kit are a strong consideration for >our next project. It will be great to have someone blaze the >trail ahead of us to let us know the good, the bad, and the >ugly that comes with all projects. > >When we looked at the kit we were curious as to what would >have to be done to the front end to make the wheels set >right under the fenders. If the S10's rear axle had to be >wider, what will need to be done to the front? > >Good luck on the adventure and we look forward to your >postings. > >JP In my opinion, the only reason to do the S-10 swap is if you want a really low truck. The narrow front end allows you to be able to turn the wheels without getting into the fenders. We are doing a S-10 swap right now and I love it, but I am running 20" wheels and the rear of the front fenders are 4" off the ground. The truck should be driveable in a month. If you set one up stock height, it would probably be goofy looking with the wheels tucked way under.
One of the guys on the forum started his S10 swap over a year ago and the narrow front track was much discussed. It is a LOT narrower but the pictures of trucks on the AD Engineering site and of Flipper's truck show that they aren't grossly ugly. I do wonder if such a narrow track might allow body roll in a corner. A stiff sway bar might be needed. I have yet to drive or ride in one so converted but that will be remedied in about a month or so. Got the S10 to the shop late this afternoon and up on the rack. GM, bless their little souls, has every cab bolt, bed bolt, and core support bolt with the head wide open from underneath and everyone takes a 15mm socket. Any design engineer that made something that easy for a mechanic or bodyman must have surely gotten fired.
Yea keep us informed how it is going. Where is this AD engineering site? I tryed google but couldn't come up with anything.
Just happen to have the link handy.... http://www.ad-engineering.com/ We are looking forward to more progress reports. JP
Just testing to see if I can get on the site. Have had the S10 conversion frame swap done for two weeks--took 11 hrs. Will follow up with pics if this works.
A quick update, the conversion is done using an old 50 we had as the guinea pig. Any boo-boos(we made several) are better if done on something other than the customers ride. It's certainly not a weekend job but not bad either. The steering column to gearbox hookup and the firewall booster/MC mounting are the two biggest time consumers. I took a LOT of pictures but I don't know how to put them on my web site with an explanation text with each picture. Right now the best I can do is to list each photo number with an explanation and one would have to print that and then go down the picture file, kind of like going to the opera that's in Italian and having to follow it on the program.
>A quick update, the conversion is done using an old 50 we >had as the guinea pig. Any boo-boos(we made several) are >better if done on something other than the customers ride. >It's certainly not a weekend job but not bad either. The >steering column to gearbox hookup and the firewall >booster/MC mounting are the two biggest time consumers. I >took a LOT of pictures but I don't know how to put them on >my web site with an explanation text with each picture. >Right now the best I can do is to list each photo number >with an explanation and one would have to print that and >then go down the picture file, kind of like going to the >opera that's in Italian and having to follow it on the >program. When you did your steering, did you re-use the s-10 colapsable section or did you use 70's camaro like most people? When you hung your pedals/brake booster...did you bolt straight to the flat firewall or did you fab up something to tilt the master cylinder up? What are you doing for a radiator? I built headers for our S-10 swap this past week and they were a pain!!! I wanted a wild looking set of pipes....and got 'em.....but they were a 20 hour project.
Which steering column did you use? S-10 or 50 chevy? I modified the original column to work with the S-10 steering when I did mine. I also mounted it at a different angle while I was at it (for loer seats)
Hey Flipper, I used the original S10 shaft from the gearbox up to the stub of the 1" hollow shaft from the S10 column. I turned a bushing on my lathe to make the stock 50 3/4" shaft fit very tightly into the hollow S10 shaft and then made a flanged bushing to fit the bottom of the cut off 50 column and with a hole to accomidate the OD of the S10 shaft. I moved the 50 column to the very top of the hole in the toeboard and made a new hole for the shifter rod to pass through--this aligned the column to the steering shaft perfectly. Used a chevy van left side exhaust manifold and there's clearence now but will grind a bump off to give more. I will TRY put a pic on the site but it doesn't really show that much. I can make a drawing and send it to someone with way more computer savvy to post. Attachments: https://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/44adbce503942db9.htmlhttps://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/44adbd1403942b75.htmlhttps://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/44adbd4903f42de9.html
I modified my column like you did yours except I stripped the shifter off of the column and went with a LOKAR floor shifter. I am sure there are easier ways to build a truck, but this has been a fun experience for me. ....lots of little projects to take pride in doing.
[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-06 AT 11:22 AM (CST)]If you fellows went with the v8 what did you do about the radiator. I hve had my 53 3100 around for a couple of years just picked up an 85 s10 and a 85 blazer or what ever they are called for $400.00 both now I have to pick up the time>
Ed, you can use the stock 53 radiator, just make sure it's in good shape. I've found that a 350 does fine without a/c but marginal with. I strongly recommend a 305 if air conditioned because it will run 30 degrees cooler than a 350. When used with the S10 the radiator has to be moved up 2 inches to clear the S10 steering gear box but this is no problem because there is room to move them up a bunch and clear the hood. If moved more than a couple inches an electric fan will be necessary because the fan will hit the lower radiator hose outlet. The pictures show the new holes relocating the stock radiator and just how much room you have to work with and this is with the large cap HEI distributer. Attachments: https://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/44c046f809e864c9.htmlhttps://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/44c0472f09e06494.html
S10 conversion, gas tank Hello all, I am new to the forum, just starting an S10 conversion, and would like to know how others who are further into the project have dealt with the gas filler neck. I have a 53 3100 with a side mount spare tire. Are you using a just-above-the-runningboard filler location (like the earliest AD trucks), just on the opposite side? Thanks, Mike Bergeron Wilton NH Attachments: https://talk.classicparts.com/images/attachments/I
RE: S10 conversion, gas tank Mike, I posted a picture of the frame mount tank on 11/8/05. The S10 tank is already right where you want it but you might take a look at the factory filler setup. I hit the "search" icon and then put the dot on "and", not "or". It brought the post right up. Seems like your making real headway.
Flipper, I missed the inquiries the first time on the radiator and the master cylinder. We used the stock radiator (it was brand new) and moved it up just enough to clear the steering gearbox. You can only use a 16" fan and clear the bottom radiator outlet, but there's much room for an electric unit. On the P/B booster and MC we used a Honda accord mounted on the flat area and with a 3/16" plate to spread the stress plus tying the pedal bracket to the steering column brace. Doesn't seem to flex the firewall any. When we stroked the honda acellerater it didn't have enough travel so we made a 1:3 bellcrank and used the ford accelerater cable because it's all self contained--no return spring and bracket needed. I posted pictures on this site under "S10 frame swap pictures". If you go there make a copy of the text so you can decipher the pics.
I'm new to this forum. I'm starting the s-10 swap. I bought an 89 s-10 short bed regular cab. The wheel base was 6 inches to short but I plan on cutting the front leaf hanger in the rear and moving it back 6 inches. I'm using the air ride technologies air bar 4 link set up for an s-10 in the back. this will eliminate my rear leafs and put the rear axle back to the correct wheel base. I'm using the rear end out of a newer model s-10 blazer so I will have a rear disk brake set up. I'm using shock wave front bags and tubular A arms from air ride technologies as well. I plan on putting 20 x 8.5 inch wheels in the front and 22 x 10 inch rims in the back. Thats why I went witht he s-10 frame because it was only 53 inches wide and would give me the much needed fender space for such big rims. Is there anything else I might need to consider before getting to far into this project or does it sound like I'm on the right track?
progress? Evan, it has been a month or since you posted your pictures. Any updates? More pictures? Thanks, Mike
