LS1 Bagged 52 Chevy 3100 Build

[Bagged3100]

Hey everybody. I’m new to the forum but I have seen several of you guys builds. I figured I mise well post mine up here so that I could see what you all think and hear your compliments, complaints concerns and suggestions. Hopefully my build will help some people out with some how to or different ideas. My project is a 1952 Chevy 3100 that I am transplanting onto a s10 chassis with full air ride laying running board and powered by a ls1 and six speed transmission. So feel free to ask away.

But I found a 1952 Chevy 3100 for sale for $800 and it came with a clean title so I went down to check it out. I knew I was going to do the s 10 frame swap so I wasn’t too concerned with the frame or drive train. I just wanted to make sure the body was in decent shape. Which it was. Other than the usual problem areas like cab corners, rocker panels, and floor it was pretty solid other then the driver side rear fender. But I didn’t think it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. So we loaded the truck up and brought it home.

[Bagged3100]

a little dirty ha

[Bagged3100]

A few days later I received a call from the guy that sold me the truck saying that he had a completely stripped down s-10 chassis that he would sell me. He said he was going to do the swap with the frame and that he wouldn’t need the frame now that he sold the truck. Even though I had already bought a complete s-10 for the frame swap I figured for $100 I mise well just buy the guys frame that’s already stripped rather then me tearing apart a complete truck. So I called the guy back and asked if it was a single cab long bed frame and he said yes so I told him Id take it. I went back down the following weekend to pick up the frame and before loading it up and paying for it I asked him again if it was a regular cab long bed and he said yes again so I paid the $100 and brought it home also.

[Bagged3100]

I knew I wanted to run a modern engine that is fuel injected for dependability and for fuel mileage but I also wanted something that would get the truck moving down the road pretty good so the choice was a easy one. LS1! So I searched and searched all over craigslist till I finally came across a wrecked Pontiac Trans-am ws6 with a ls1 and a 6 speed transmission. So that weekend we drove to Delaware to pick up the totaled car. The owner of the car had hit a bridge and completely destroyed the right side of the car. All the damage was in the middle right around the passenger door area. So I knew the engine was not harmed and also the rear axle was good. My overall plan was to use everything out of the Trans-am and put it into the Chevy to keep the price down. Engine, trans, wiring harness, ecu, cruise control, pedals, steering column, gas tank, chassis harness, speakers…. Everything I possibly could.

[Bagged3100]

I knew from doing research and also by looking at a lot of the build threads on here that I would have to cut the front frame caps off back near the steering box, and also to cut the cab mounts off the s-10 and cap plus grind smooth. So before I even did any mock up of the 52 chevy body I went ahead and got that stuff done and out of the way.

[Bagged3100]

Once the cab mounts and frame caps were cut off and ground smooth I started tearing apart my 52 Chevy 3100. Luckily I have a plasma cutter in my arsenal because almost all of the bolts were rusted solid. But I finally got the cab and everything separated off the old chassis.

[STOCKISH]

Nice work so far. Will be fun with the 6 speed!

[av8tr33337]

Wow very nice write up. Looks like you have overcome a few obstacles with some good old American ingenuity, patience, and determination. I'll be following along since it looks like your about to pass me up with the build.

[48ChevBagged]

Like your build. Looks like you have a good start. I love the choice of the engine. I have done several of these trucks now and my last one had a 4.8 LS with a 4L60e trans. Good luck on the build I will be following along.

[8LUG]

Great work bro!!

[Bagged3100]

Thanks alot 48ChevBagged and 8Lug, your truck looks good 48ChevBagged. But I got a alot of parts in yesterday. I got my steering coulumn and drop mount and floor mount from summit racing and my full chassis wiring harness from speedway and also got new rockers and inner and outer cab corners. Gonna replace the body panels next.

I AM STILL WAITING ON MY CONTROL ARMS!!!

[ratty 46]

Interesting & well thought out build. Sux that the frame guy BS'd you. You did, however, overcome that issue.

I'm watch'n.

[tlorber]

Bagged,
Nice Thread. I am just in the beginning stages of a frame swap, so I am watching with great interest. I had a couple comments from research I've been doing:
The truck motor I am buying (LM7 from a Silverado) has the alternator and AC compressor at the top of the motor, so clearly there are stock brackets that might get you where you need to be. Also, most threads describe having to cut the floor and fabricate a tunnel. Before you chuck the firebird body, maybe could use that tunnel as a starting point for a refab? If that's the case I'd like to know for mine.

[99 to Life]

Hey man, great looking truck, nice score. I'm in PA too, northwestern part, titusville and pittsburgh areas. I have quite a few of these trucks, doing another as we speak. Bagged 49' on dime frame but not LS on this one. I'm laying out my suspension first, so I can see where my lowest point and ride height are gonna be, then that will dictate how high I mount the body. Are your arms coming from thor bros too? I'v heard turnaround is really slow. Hope you get them soon so you can really get working on your suspension.

Lastly, maybe I missed it, with your shorbed frame being 108 inches, you could just section it right after the cab and add your 9.7" inches there, that way your axle hump, pearches all move as one, then no need for the extra length you added on back. Just a thought. Nice work so far, can't wait to see it unfold.

[mcdonald77]

currentperformance has some nice poly engine mounts instead of the clamshell. I used there mounts and other parts. The LS engine was in the stock location and I used my original drive shaft. If the engine is in the stock location, the 8.8 should be fine using the stock s10 drive shaft.

[Bagged3100]

Hey everyone, sorry its been awhile since ive posted anything. But thanks for the comments ratty46, tlorber, 99 to life and mcdonald77. I havent had much time out in the garage but i did manage to get the rockers replaced and also the bottoms of all the corners. It was pretty mentally challanging, mostly because the panels were cheap and not very well made. If I had to do it again i think i would have paid the extra money and went with a higher grade company. But its done now and time to move on to redoing the cab mounts and making a floor.

[Bagged3100]

Replacing all the rusted panels

[Bagged3100]

New panels are in

[Bagged3100]

The new panels are in

[Bagged3100]

Cutting the rusted floor out now. Then redoing the cab mounts because I did not like how much play is in the s-10 cab mounts. I am making mounts so that all i have to do is drop a bolt down through the mount and it lines the cab up perfectly every single time.

[ratty 46]

Looks like you got some metal work to do ... and moving right alone.

Keep us posted.

R46

[daveshilling]

the frame-bolt thing you are doing is exactly the typer of tips/tricks we should be gathering somewhere...perhaps a Body Panel tips/tricks thread? Has this been done and I'm just rehashing?

[99 to Life]

hell yah, thats what I like to see, bringing it all back. nice work

[Bagged3100]

Ok I got a little bit of work done on the truck. I redid all my cab mounts and also made the the braces for the floor

[Bagged3100]

The tubing for the front brace was in the way for my transmission to mount up so I had to make a notch for the transmission to clear. This will also be my transmission tunnel for the floor.