4x4 48'

[trucktech]

Always wanted an old truck but living in the area that I do I wouldn't want anything less than a four wheel drive vehicle thus the project I have started.

[trucktech]

Here is what she looks like. Pretty rough!

[trucktech]

Now to disassemble. Oh and the reason I bought the old gal, the bed. Not pristine but there

[trucktech]

Getting the cab off was a bear even with a lift available ( should of took the steering column out before removing the cab). Once off the frame I sand blasted it to see how many sins were hiding. Luckily nothing more than what I can handle.

[trucktech]

What luck I found a donor frame (85' S10 with 4x4 and 4spd manual) Just what I wanted.

[trucktech]

Now just a little welding on the cab seam.

[darrell57]

Looking good.

[trucktech]

Got the s10 stripped down a bit, tossed out the body out back, and mocked up a few parts. Not bad for a weekend.

[trucktech]

Did some body work this week. Pulled out some dents from the cab. It looks like a porcupine now. When I got tired of pulling dents I decided to make a head liner that I saw someone make on another thread. Still drying hopefully it turns out alright.

[trucktech]

Went to the good guys show yesterday and pick me up some parts. One I'm particularly excited about.

[trucktech]

Well I haven't put anything on here in a while but I've been doing a few things with the old gal. The cab just went to the body guy to have the corners replaced while I work on the rest. I'm geting dents taken out of everything I can with the tools I've got and putting a coat of primer on to get ready for Paint that will hopefully start once the cab comes back.

I also found a local junk yard for this series truck. The guy that runs the place became my best friend real quick when I found he had about everything I was looking for. I'm at the point where I want to fit the box on the s10 chassis so now I'm going to hit up another junk yard for some 16" steel weels to go on so I can check clearance. Most likely I will walk out of there with more than what I intended but that will just add to the end product.

Look for pics to come soon once I have something to show some real progress. Right now it is just blasting and priming parts, which is taking longer than one would think.

[trucktech]

I guess I got a couple of pics to show I wasn't a complete slacker this summer. I epoxied my steering wheel and lowered the Chassis 3" and blasted.

[chevyboy73]

i like your style i always wanted to do this and someday i will! 4x4 toys are my favorite. good luck on your build and excited to see what you do

[hwyspirit]

good to see your project , a 4 wheel drive is great , im doing a 50 chev 1/2 ton on a 4x4 blazer frame

[trucktech]

Well I got a nice suprise last weekend. My body kit I ordered came in and I got started on it right away. This caused me to finally put on all of the sides on my bed, which meant I finally had to cut her down to size. It was an 7' bed that I cut down to the short bed size of 79 3/4. The truck is actually starting to look like a truck again instead of a pile of metal.

[trucktech]

To put the bed on the frame I had to relocate the front support bar and the two rear mounts. So far she's looking good I even found time to do a little work on my door that have been doing nothing but sitting in the corner since I took them off. I stopped by the body shop this last weekend to check up on the progress on the cab and she is almost done. She'll look great once the cab is on. Then I can open a whole new can of worm putting this thing back together and seeing what doesn't fit anymore.

[trucktech]

I should mention that putting the body kit on wasn't as easy as advertised. I was told that is was as easy as bolting on a few parts and making a couple of welds but since I'm not doing the standard setup ment for the kit a few modifications had to be made to fit in on the chassis. I was scratching my head at first but once I made a dozen messurements and a couple of queries to the builder of the kit I started making cuts and welds so there is no turning back now.

[av8tr33337]

Looking good. I made all my own mounts ,etc. and did plenty of head scratching myself. I must have done something right tho. I never saw an easy chassis swap kit before, but the mounts I made for the rear of the bed look identical to the ones in your kit and mounted to the bed the same exact way except mine are welded to the frame, not bolted. Who new I was a genius?
Anyway I'm following this build, keep the pics coming, I'm subscribed!

[trucktech]

Well the project is offically on hold. I just got a new job and need to move so who knows when I will be able to work on the old gal again.

[Luther Grimace]

Looks like an awesome project! So are you going for an AWD approach or 4WD look. I read where you said that you lowered the frame 3". How did you do this upfront? Just lower the torsion bars?

This should work out very well either way. It seems like 4wd advance design trucks don't turn out well dimensionally when people put 4wd frame under them. I think the 73-87 frames are just too wide. No offense. This S10 width should be perfect.

[trucktech]

I want the truck as low as possible but with the benifit of 4WD. She wont be as low as most 2WDs but I'm ok with that since I wont have to worry about what streets I can go down. I put a 3" lowering block kit (found in any auto store) in the rear and turned down the torsion bars as far as they will go. We'll see what that gives me for a stance. I'm looking for a flat stance if not a slight rake. Once I get the V8 and cab on the chassis I'm looking to see it lower to a 6-9" clearance (stock it sits at ~12" clearance). The nice thing with S10s is that the 4x4s can stand tall or close to the ground (aka zr2 vs reg 4x4).

[Angryman117]

Looking good! Nice Cub cadet as well, I have the same one but does not look as nice.

[Luther Grimace]

I guess it helps too that these ADs can be body dropped pretty significantly on an S10 chassis.

[trucktech]

Yep the only limitations is your skills and wallet

[trucktech]

I got the cab mounted and ready for it's trip to it's new home. Everything got put in and barely fit in the old gal. She is at least looking like a truck again. Once I get settled in I can go through the process of putting her together just to take her apart again.