‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

After years of wanting a 5 window, I finally bought one. I saw this truck parked on someone’s property while working back in February. It had just showed up there one day so I stopped and talked to the owner. Said he didn’t want to sell but I left him my phone number. Fast forward to the end of April and I got a text asking if I wanted to buy the truck. 3 days later, it was coming home with me on the trailer. Here’s a pic of when I first saw it and when I picked it up. The last pic is why it doesn’t run. Nice window in the block from some rods.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Next thing I did was throw the truck on my side yard and look for an S-10 for a donor. I will only be using the frame on the S-10. Ended up finding an S-10 on Facebook market place for $500. Offered $350 and picked it up. Had the S-10 torn down the following weekend and sold $300 in parts off of it. Scraped the rest. Cleaned up the frame and got it ready to shorten.

Doing all this on my phone. Don’t know how to get the pictures right.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

The plan is for sure to run a LS and TR6060. I have a 6.0/TR6060 combo but I also have a LSA/TR6060 from a CTS-V that I parted out. Right now I’m planning to run the LSA. Have an explorer 8.8 to throw in the back.

And just for fun, I lined up all my trucks on the driveway for a quick pic.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Welcome to the fun, nice start.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

looks like a good truck..gonna be fun

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

good looking start! nice lineup too

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Welcome to the group, nice rides...Jim

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Off to a great start....

Marc

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Thanks guys. Starting tomorrow I have the next 2 weeks off due to this Corona stuff. The plan is to shorten the chassis, start the cab mounts and get that mounted in the next few days. Think I’m going to mount it 4” off the frame. Once that is set, I start mocking up the engine and trans for mounts.

Hope to have the truck driving sometime in the summer. Then I’ll tear it down for powder coat and painting stuff. Will keep the outside as it is, clean the inside and have everything under the body and in the engine bay look new. Plan on keeping the bench seat, minimum features, and a wood bed. On the fence about when wheels I’ll be going with. Either going to be some steelies with center caps or some nice billets. I have some wheels around to try out and see what looks best with the stance and color combo.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

i see your screen name is layin rocker 65, but I dont see a layin rocker 65 in your stable (although a typhoon and a syclone both more than makes up for it).

I had a layin rocker 65 too!

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

My first truck was a 65 GMC. Drove it all through high school. Had bags, 4” Zd front, custom back half, 355 with EFI, T56 trans. Got tired of it after high school and wanted something fast so I sold it after about 10yrs. It’s still around where I live.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

nice! I love how big and comfy the cab is in the 60-66, I loved cruising mine too. I wont interrupt your thread with pics of mine, they are in my profile gallery though.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

It’s been so long I can’t even remember how roomy it was. Was a fun cruiser though. Never regretted selling it though.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Today’s progress. Shortened the frame. Unlike what a lot of people have done on here, I did not cut it at the factory seam. I picked the spot where the rear cab mount will be and cut it there. Then butt welded the frame back together. Since this is a ‘99 frame, it’s boxed pretty far back. So the body mount will act as a fish plate on the outside and I will be boxing the inside over the factory box.

Made the cab mounts following some other peoples builds on here. Took some measurements and tacked them all in. Weather says rain tomorrow so I’ll place the cab on Wednesday, check for front wheel alignment in the fender, and then burn it all in once I’m happy. I did pull the coil springs out and blocked the front control arms so they are about where they will be when all the weight is on them.

Here are some pics. Sorry again, I don’t know how to get them to all face the right way.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Well, only rained this morning so spent the late morning and after noon mounting the cab to the frame. Bolted up the front end to check out how centered the wheels were. I put the mounts 2” forward of the oblong hole in the frame which makes the centerline of the mount 4” from the center line.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Turns out that was not centered enough for my liking. Tore it back down and moved all the mounts forward 1/4” and checked again. I think it will stay this way. First pic is before moving it with a very offset spare tire. Second pic is after I moved it with a standard s10 wheel.

There is also a super aggressive rake on the truck right now. I threw a bunch of weight over the back but it needs to come down a bunch still.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

looking good!

have a couple friends stand on the engine crossmember, usually the wheels are a little forward until the motor and all the weight is on the suspension. as you lower it, it pulls back.

also, your front end is pointing down, look at the line on the fender, it should be parallel to the rocker.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

That’s a really good point on the fenders. I’ll probably see if my brother can help me try to get them leveled out tomorrow. All the mounts are tacked to the frame. They won’t get really welded until I pull the whole thing back apart. I haven’t touched the core support yet.

I don’t have a problem getting the front suspension down. I pulled the coils out so I can put the suspension wherever it needs to be. The back is the problem. I can’t get it to sit low enough without pulling it apart. This S10 did have the Z85 code so it already sits higher. It will eventually have to come down, I just haven’t ordered blocks or removed any leafs yet.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

yes, you might see the wheel move back when you lift the front, I just use my son-in-laws (both named 2 ton Jack) and step back for a look.


removing one leaf is easy 2-2.5" drop and doesnt make it too bouncy. I have heard that ZQ8 are Z85 with the bottom leaf removed. I removed the middle on the last truck.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1554254134

here arethe measurements of the socket cap screw I used for the center bolt, the original isnt threaded enough to go back on. I just sanded the knurling off and it fit the axle.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1554254728

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

You’re moving right along, you’ll be done In no time.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Leveled truck, mocked up and leveled board, leveled fender. Going to have to ponder this wheel alignment. Wish I had a 28” wheel/tire setup to mock up on this thing.

Any opinions on this fitment?

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

that looks really close...id call it good if it were mine..but lowering and/or having the front end aligned can/will change the tire position some

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

do you have the front springs out? or is that still up up and away without any weight?

looks back to me, just slightly. if you dont have any weight on the springs and lower it after this, it will come back more.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Decided to stick with the new cab spacing. I pulled out my mockup LS parts(Bare LS block and empty heads), bolted up the Camaro TR6060 and stabbed it in.

Cut about 4” up the toe board to clear the tranny. At this time, the motor and tranny were placed in the frame the lowest I could put them. I tacked in some mounts to hold the setup in place and checked everything out. Looks like the tranny output is too close to the floor where it is.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

I refuse to cut the rear section of the floor so I pulled everything apart and raised the body mounts 1/2”. Which puts them at 4.5” total for the front mount. Then I threw the body back on and checked to make sure everything was good. Now I have just barely enough clearance for the back of the trans for it to not hit the floor. Pulled it all back a part and welded the mounts in for good.

Going to order some stuff for the mounts today. Probably have those ready by next Monday.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Squared off the front rails, boxed them off and added a crossmember. Painted all the new brackets and threw the cab back on. Cut the transmission cover for the tranny as well.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

are you gonna use a shifter relocater for the tr6060?

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Going to use a core shifter. Puts it right on top where the blue tape is. One of the things I have to have is a bench seat so I have no other options.

And for info, that’s the 5th gen trans. The cts-v trans won’t work with a forward shifter.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

looking good, I used a core shifter on my 65, we had some fun back and forth on why I needed a short shifter and 16" hurst bench seat shifter for an NV1500 (4 cyl s10) trans. "I can build it but I think its going to hit your dash". "Its not going to hit my dash". high quality stuff!

probably the right move, raising the truck a half inch! motor looks right

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Thanks joedoh. Seems to be working out really good. I’m going to run ~27.5” tire so I’ll have plenty of options to go lower with suspension mods if I want.

I put the bench back in the truck and sat in it for the first time. I don’t know why but the I feel much closer to the dash than my COE. It’s not even close to being comfortable for me(I’m 6’6”). So I’ll be trying to find a new bench seat to swap in and try to gain a couple of inches. If I can go back 2-3” and maybe down a bit, I’d be happy.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

I used a 3rd row bench out of an Astro van. Moved me back about 2.5". and I dropped it 1" ( im 6'3) I have plenty of leg room and the 4 spd shifter falls right into place.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

yeah with the stock bench you are really steering with your gut, keeps your hands free for sandwiches I guess.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

my LS3/TR6060 came from a 2013 Camaro...ive got several forward mounted shifters ive looked at saved on a computer at home..just not sure which I like best....some are very pricey

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

The core one is the only one I could find where you can get a tall mount to run a long handle on it.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Getting the bed and steps mocked up. Once I figure out there positioning, I’ll start making mounts. I got the core support cut and welded a new bottom to it. Need to figure out how I want to mount it now.

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

looks just right!

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Got the motor mounts knocked out today and notched the frame for a low mount drivers side alternator. Pretty sure I’m done cutting both the inner fenders but no pics of that. I feel spoiled with how much room there is to work around these trucks.

Still haven’t figured out the pictures. I’m always forgetting to take them in landscape

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

looks good!!

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Thanks!

Re: ‘53 3100, s-10, ls, tr6060
 

Been a while since I updated this. Went from having all kinds of time off for the Rona to all my days off being cancelled. Got the boards mounted up. Still need to brace the mounts when the cab comes off again. Mounted the front bumper and the throttle pedal.