Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

LOL, i doubt it. i still have to replace the transmission in my DD, sell the blazer in my garage, buy an s10 frame, go to PA to pick up the truck....then i can get started.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Glad to see someone putting a 5.3 in a s-10 because I am doing the same on my 54 Chevy with the same frame. This will help alot! And keep the pic's coming.
Thanks Robert

First Weld?
 

Here are the new cab corners, they still need some little touches. My uncle owns a body shop and would probably get sick if he saw my handy work.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...d/IMG_0138.jpg

I'm still having some issues with the passenger side door.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...d/IMG_0137.jpg

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Not too much progress lately. It's too hot/humid around here to do anything. Heat index at 115 the past couple of days. I did get the passenger floorboard done and the gas filler welded in with some etching primer sprayed on.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0141.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0140.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0139.jpg

I cut out the section that came with the EZ kit for the firewall on the drivers side and shaped down the cut out piece and just screwed it into the passenger side of the firewall to cover the holes. I'm not sure if I want to go ahead and weld it in or just patch the holes from the inside and then bondo the firewall side.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0143.jpg

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Looks Good! keep it up!

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

looks pro to me...

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Thanks, you'd probably change your tune if you saw it in person.

I finally got a good looking bead going when I was welding in the firewall pieces this morning before church. He must've heard my prayers. Welding is definitely an art form.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Nice progress! The best way to learn is how you're doing it. Keep it up!

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Keep up the good work man. I wouldn't mind coming and taking a look at it sometime. Mine is still setting and has not made it to my house yet. Like you said it has been so hot and humid, plus having my dads 52 sedan to help on when his health allows.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Got a little spray can primer on the firewall. I still haven't cut any of the toe-board or floorboard out for the transmission. I'm going to try and fit it later this week to see where/what needs to be cut or if I've even got the right motor mounts. We will see. Here's a pic of the fresh primer.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0148.jpg[/IMG]

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Nice job so far!!! Keep up the good work.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

looking good...I am in the same boat as you. I have done a lot of smaller jobs, but to take on a whole truck (my 51 project) is a real wake up call for me.SLOW AND STEADY seems to be working for me. A couple quick questions for ya if you don't mind...how is the E-Z KIT? and where did you buy your replacement sheetmetal from? keep up the good work and remember....when it is finished, you did it! rather than someone else.
Greg

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Thanks for all the encouragement so far everybody.

1. The E-Z Kit has saved me a ton of time and headaches. It is quite a bit more expensive than I thought it would be though. It also uses every last drop of the s-10, so be careful. I had already gotten rid of a lot of stuff on craigslist before I realized I could reuse it. I regret not getting the kit that lowered the body 2" but I had already put 2" drop spindles and 3" drop leaf springs. The body is sitting a little higher than I would like, but I don't have any real weight on the frame yet. I may have to cut them down a little.

2. I got my cab corners from classicparts.com, they didn't fit all that great in my opinion. The rest of the sheetmetal I've been cutting out of the left over s-10 bed. I used the bed front for my passenger toeboard and floorboard. The curve of the bed fit the gas filler hole pretty well. The plate in the firewall on the drivers side came with the E-Z kit.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

I finally got around to mounting up the Sanderson Headers that my cousin had originally bought for the engine. Funny thing, they don't need gaskets. I had already bought some and had to take them back and get some Permatex silcone gasket sealant.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0149.jpg[/IMG]

It took me forever to hillbilly the transmission bellhousing up to the engine. I ended up having to call a friend over.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0151.jpg[/IMG]

It also took about two hours to mount the engine. It seems like nothing I do is very fast.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...k/IMG_0154.jpg[/IMG]

I'm not real wild about using a big washer/spacer between my motor mounts. I think my dad is going to come over and try to help me think of a better option.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Pulled the engine today and remounted it with 3/8" threaded piping approx 1/2" long as the washers between the motor mounts. It's about 10X more sturdy than it was. It moved the engine forward about 1/2", which was perfect, because the transmission was missing the crossmember just barely. I think the steering shaft/column is the next task.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

looking good, keep it up..and keep yhr pics coming.
Greg

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Keep up the good progress.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Nice work.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Just working in bits and pieces lately. Pretty much just picking stuff up. I got a '98 Blazer 4WD rear end with disc brakes, I also took the master cylinder and brake booster from the same Blazer. I got the brake pedal bracket, but I think I'm going to have to cut it down. It's way bigger than the standard s-10 ones.

I also picked up a set of seats from a '92 Cadillac Seville.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...d/IMG_0160.jpg[/IMG]

I had to use the old school power tools that attach to your shoulders to chisel out the seat bracket, it made me remember how nice pneumatic tools are.

[IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...d/IMG_0161.jpg[/IMG]

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Hey I'm an amateur to, doing an S10 swap on my 51 3 window. I've been dragging my feet a little this last week. I used an extended cab S10 and just shortened it by 5 inches. I need to finish welding it back together tomorrow. I was too cheep to buy the chassis swap kit and made my own cab mounts the same as a few others on the forum. Hope to get the sheet metal back on in the next week or 2 and get the motor mounts and steering ironed out. Keep up the good work. Don't get discouraged. There is always something we can learn from other. It's great to see peoples successes, but it is also important for us to see what you are struggling with so when we get to that point we can draw on your experience. That's what this forum is all about. keep on plugging away. It won't be long before you will really start seeing things come together.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

You are doing well Groyd. How wide is that 4x4 axle from wms to wms?

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

I don't have the rear end at my house, my dad took it home with him. I had my original measurements written down when I was scavenging the junkyards for reference and I think it was just a little over 4" wider. I'll try and measure it for you this weekend though.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

No prob on the measurement. I was just curious.

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

Are you getting anything done over this holiday?

Re: Be Gentle. . . I'm an Amateur.
 

I had to work Friday and Sunday. The OU football game took up Saturday. I might try to get something done tonight. I'm at the point of messing with the brakes and I don't have a clue what to do. I've been looking around at other threads about deleting the ABS. Still not sure how to do it.:waah:

I'll probably just be posting a lot of questions over the next week. Ha.