Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Also started on the stake pockets for the sides...only got 2 stake pockets cut out. I should have time to finish the other 2 this week.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

looks great.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Looking good!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Lookin' good, Atommik. Is that 18G? I really like the way you fabbed the tailgate.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thanks all, for the comments!

The sheet metal is 16 gauge, including the tubing. The rectangle tubing for the stake pockets is 14 gauge. That is the thinnest wall material they had in that size (2X4).

Chevette, the first panel I made is actually the front of the box. The tailgate will be similar construction, but smooth on both sides.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Nice job...Jim

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I really like the profile of your stake pockets. Looks great.

Shannon
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Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

looks great, how much will you have in materials? Not including tailgate

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

oops

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

99, Not including materials for the gate, I would say about $325. That includes the sheet metal brake work on the side panels, most pieces cut to correst size, and 1" square tubing to build the frame for the box floor.


Shannon, Thanks again for the templates for the stake pockets! I modified them just a little to fit my side panels. Every one that knows how the originals looked, really likes the "upgrade".

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Ozzie50,
here's the pics...I hope they help.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Well today I got the basic frame for the box floor tack welded together.

The pics aren't very exciting, but now I will be able to put the box together and get everything (running boards, fillers and rear fenders) mocked up on the truck. (maybe this weekend!) Then I will add some extra reinforcement to the box floor frame if it seems to need it.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Do you work at a dealership or a body shop ?
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Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I work at Sears Imported Autos Body Shop...(Mercedes dealership.)

The dealership used to also sell BMW but they sold that franchise to the Pohlad group about 3 years ago. We still do their customer's body work though.

We repair mostly Mercedes and BMW, but will fix all makes.

We do some restoration also. I'm currently starting on a 1974 BMW cs coupe. It's a project to work on if I have down time from the collision work. Here's a pic of what I started with...

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Is the the body shop that is by industrial and county rd 6 area in Plymouth ? Jacobs trading co use to be next door to it a few years ago , if its the place I'm thinking of. If that's the place , my buddy Paul worked there too.
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Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

That's the place! Paul Paradise?

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

That's the "Puts" LOL ! I've known him for years. I use to deliver next door . Paul use to call me in the middle of me backing in to the dock. By the time I was in my tractors would sit at a 45 degree angle and is almost rich the fence. I hated that place....
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Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thursday I put the box together...I'm happy with how it turned out!!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

:metal:Me likes!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

So today was a big progress day. I reinstalled the front end, then fit up the running boards, box and rear fenders!

Now it's starting to look like something!!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I'm happy with the front ride height, but the rear needs to come down a couple inches.(The front of the running board is drooping a little, no brackets yet).

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

What size tubing did you use?

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

truck looks awesome, coming together nicely can't wait to see it finished...Bill :c2:

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

mknittle, I used 1" square tubing for the frame, 1/8" thick. It seems to be strong enough, but if you plan on carrying much of a payload, I'd probably recommend something bigger.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thanks Bill,

It is so exciting to see it together for the first time since I bought it almost 2 years ago!!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

xx

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Atommik, great job on the bed. It is really coming together. I agree, the back has to come down a few inches. Keep up the great job.

Shannon

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Started building the tailgate today. Working out some details for making my own hidden latches.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

a 1974 BMW cs coupe.

of all the BMW;s made that has always been my favorite -- very classy lines & and a 6 cyl. yet .
your work is great - wonderful skills and a good lookin truck.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

yeah bed looks sick man. As for height. I personally made my floor sit flush with the hump in the rear frame. thats just me though, plus I'm lowered with blocks so it looks low. I'm about 6-7" average off ground with my running boards. keep it up man coming together nice.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

A little "boring" stuff today...made running board brackets. I got one side completely done and the other almost done.

Also used our spot welder at work to weld on studs for the rear fender installation, This way, there won't be any visible hardware for the fenders inside the box.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I finished building the tailgate today. I used some cable supports to hold the gate in the open position, They're from a newer pick up, not sure what. Just found them laying around in the shop! I stll need to finish grinding a few welds. I'm happy with how it turned out! The pics were taken during test fitting. The inner has a solid smooth panel welded in also.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I also made my own "hidden latches". I found a spring loaded dead bolt kind of thing at a local surplus store. I took it apart and used the spring mechanism and transferred it to a steel housing, then slid it into the top tube of my gate, measured and drilled and tapped, and here you go!! Also found the "knob" for the slider part there.

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

They look great!!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thanks coach529,

and the best part is the cost...less than $5.00!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

very nice work as usuall

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

like the latches you build, bed looks great too

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Thanks, Daze,99,

I guess I need to make a roll pan next...and fuel filler hole for the s10 tank...

Time for a little more head scratching!!

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

Atommik, looks great. I think I have pictures of how I do my roll pans on my builds. Keep up the great work. I know there is always something to think about.

Shannon

Re: 51 Chevy 1/2 ton, My S10 swap
 

I finished the running board brackets today. Look to be nice and solid!!

Also finished welding the cab mounts to the frame. I've been waiting until everything was totally fit up.

Made a gas filler neck using part of the s10 neck and the end of the original neck. It comes out just ahead of the left rear fender, low on the boxside panel. Re-used the original rubber grommet around the neck. Now where did I put that gas cap??!

Started welding the "caps " on the stake pockets I made. Only had time to get one about half way done!

Learned a valuable safety lesson today. I decided to add another bolt thru the box side into the box floor frame for a little extra strength. So I had my truck on a low lift at work. It goes up about 4 feet. As soon as I unbolted the 2nd rear wheel and set it down on the floor, the truck came up off the rear lift pads and started teetering on the front lift arms. (I had moved the forward lift arms further back to have better access to weld the running board brackets on, thus drastically changing the center of gravity on the truck.) I was able to hold the back end of the truck down with one arm while I grunted and groaned and managed to get one of the wheels back on enough to get one lug nut finger tight. I was lucky/watched over today!! I was safely to the side but the truck would have tipped forward and taken out the front end and my tool box!! Took about 1/2 hour to get my heart rate down!!