[99 to Life]

Here is some info I found and have posted before. S-10 frame is the most economical way IMO. IFS is great but costs twice as much as a completed, fully done up s-10 frame alone. Plus if you don't have an adequate welder the IFS is useless. Unless you get a bolt on version.

The most common, but probably hardest to find is the s-10 longbed 2x4 reg cab. there are differences in years but I honestly don't know all of what, I think control arms are different, because when you buy cups for bagging s-10's they sell them in certain years. overall you can use years 82-03 I believe.


anyway here are some numbers for you.

There are several ways to distinguish the Advance designs (AD) aka 1947-55 1st series trucks. There are 1/2, 3/4 and 1 tons (noted by hood emblems as 3100, 3600 and 3800 I believe) also frames and beds are a tell tale.
Their wheelbases are as follows
116 in
125.25 in
137 in

However the factory truck wheels are actually offset 2" in the rear, so that is why the Reg Cab "longbed s-10" works so well.

S-10 wheel bases are as follows (all have been used in some way or another)
Regular cab short box - 108.3" (AD bed gets shortened)
Regular cab long box - 117.9" (most common used frame, little mods, rear of frame gets about 5" hacked off and front horns get hacked off)
Extended cab short box -122.9" (AD bed stays same, s-10 frame shortened)

S-10
54.4"Front 54.6"Rear
4x4 is about 57.2"F 55.1"R

The track width for an AD is 58.5 up front

I personally used 1" spacer up front and 1.5 in the back. But it may depend
on your wheel offset. I personally like having a good tuck and I can bring the wheels out to my desired tuck with spacers.

Dakotas I don't know much about, heard some good things. But I am not sure on the lug pattern. But I really like how GM has used the 5 on 4.75 since the 50's, I think it is great.