Project Buzz Bomb-'02 S-10

[Low Elco]

So, My neighbor's (neighbor Jay) wife is the bidness manager for a nearby garage door company. They have a dumpster the size of an 18 wheeler, and when we build up a lot of crap, we run over and chuck it in. Long story short, I took a shine to a couple of dead trucks on the back lot, and threw out a number of 400 each. Winnah! It took a bit of time and patience to get paper on them, but I have it now.

The first one was an '02 2500 HD that had been ridden long and hard, and threw a rod. I got it home courtesy of Flyin' Ryan just before Memorial day weekend and had the front clip gone Friday night. Sold most of the rest over the rest of the weekend, then had the rest hauled on Tuesday to the tune of 1280. I kept the entire fuel system intact; pump, harness, lines, charcoal can, all of it for Yeller.

The second is a '02 S-10. 2.2, auto, air. Bad trans, second locks up hard in it. The driver's side tires had been slit in the sidewall. Swapped on the spare and a tire I've had layin' around for at least 15 years and got it on the trailer. Had it stored at Flyin' Ryan's for about a week and a half and went to get it tonight. We decided to hell with it, and got it on the road. Much crunchy noises, then smoooooth sailin'! Drove it home, Baby! Runs like a champ, air even blows cold. Has a CEL, but it can't be anything big. Gonna give it a shine and a tune-up and buzz back and forth to work in it, until The Kid gets ready to drive. Anyway, of course there's pics!

It gave its life so that others may live.


The next morning.


The big lump-6.0, 4l80e. Note oil pan.


Think that's a problem?


Yes, that's the broken beam of the conrod. I found a chunk of piston on the crossmember. Complete with pieces of rings.

[Low Elco]

So, here's where we found the little guy-

[Low Elco]

Pick up day


Doin' work!


Interior

[Low Elco]

Safe at home


Get ready to work!

[Jonboy]

Dude, sweet!

[Low Elco]

Thanks, it's EXTREMELY rare for anything to work out for me like this. Hoping to come up with a trans this weekend around baseball games.

The Kid cleaned all the misc steel strap and angle out of the bed (bonus!) Doesn't look too bad!

[Jonboy]

Just a thought, CEL on the S10 might be a trans code. It might be an easier fix than you think. Worst case, a 4L60 E around here is about $500. Looks like it will clean up pretty well, too. Kind of surprising for a truck that was a company truck.

[Low Elco]

Hmm, might be. The one in it's making Lovely crunchy grindy noises. U-yank it has 'em for $80. I'm hoping to hell it's that easy. I almost tried to be a real smartass about it and get one on u-pull-it half price weekend, just to add to the story, but I was too busy and tired. Woulda been cool, though.

It ain't too bad for 225k. It was the sales guy's truck for a long time, then it was the general runner. It has a couple of small rust spots, nothing terrible. The Kid wants to learn Body and Paint, so this sounds like an excellent opportunity. It's a free truck, what do I care? He's gonna learn sticker removal and how to polish paint this week, and how to fill in and wetsand off a key scratch. Lucky it ain't metallic.

Of course, me and FR were here at work discussing how much cheap fun a 4.8 would be in that little roller skate, and probly get 20-25 hwy, too!

[Jonboy]

I always wanted to do an LT1 in one also. Granted, I am a little weird that way.

[MotorHead Lon]

That S10 looks great for the mileage. If you havent looked into sticker removal, try a 3M eraser wheel.

[Low Elco]

Got busy last night, fixed the funky battery connection, fixed the radio antenna so it works. Got it up on stands and did about 75% of the work to pull the trans. The Kid learned how to strip lettering, got about 75% of it. Next he'll learn to polish. Found some weird cab rust, nothing big. Poor thing just needs some love.

[Low Elco]

So, I'd been pickin' at the trans removal all week, and the Kid had been pickin' at stickers all week. I was off Fri. and went re-conning the yards.

Sunday, Boppa and I hit the yards at 830 and got the radio buttons, trans $98, a fat WS6 rear swaybar for Boppa's truck $17, and the real score, DJM drop spindles for $38.

Got home and had to run the kids to mow jobs, then started pickin' wt the trans pull, then Neighbor Jay pulled in. "You got the new one?" "Yup." "Let's do this!"

Finished up at 745, et Voila', it runs and shifts! Bit of lo-budgetry; the new one was out of fluid. Hell, we got some right here! Flipped the old trans over a pan and poured the convertor into it, strained it through two paint filters and a tshirt, good to go!

Next to do tires, bulbs, rearview mirror, a good scrubbin', inspection, etc. Of course, there's pics!

Obligatory QT shot-it was on fumes!


That's the smirk of victory.

[Low Elco]

I tried, but it was too late for tires last night, so Me and the Kid cleaned the interior, hung the mirror, did light bulbs, etc. Drove it to work today, gonna try to get an in spection and tires this afternoon.

[Jonboy]

Sweet. Hopefully keeping him involved will go a long ways towards having respect for it as well.

[Low Elco]

One hopes. He was runnin' nonstop on how he could cram more stereo into it last night. At least he comes by it natural.

[Low Elco]

Got hi-mount stoplight fixed, the inspection done, new (used) tires on and rears switched over, and lowering blocks bought last night. I can report that it'll go 80 down the highway nice and smooth. the check engine light is the flex fuel sensor-$400! Oof! We be gon' ignore dat for a bit. Next, to tag and lower!

[Jonboy]

If he is going to be taller than 5'3, he may want to rethink doing too much stereo stuff behind the seat. Just sayin'.

[Low Elco]

Hell, he's already 5'7 at 14! Actually, it's surprisingly roomy. I'm 5'11, and I'm running with the seat up 2 notches. I'm trying to talk him into 8's, though. Nice tight hidden sound.

Tried to register last night, they wanted me to pay sales tax on $2,475! 170 difference! That turned unpleasant in a hurry. Now I gotta get the incredible disappearing Business Owner's Notarized Signature on a BOS that I actually paid 400. That's the closest I've been to spluttering rage in quite a while. Hopefully with any luck that'll happen today. He's actually in the state, by sheer luck.

[jlsanborn]

Glad I made it over before it's lowered! Killer project for you and the Kid Chip, I'll tag along for sure!

[Low Elco]

HAH! VICTORY IS MINE! SUCK IT, DMV! Neighbor Tammy pulled off a miracle and caught her boss in town and got a signed notarized BOS the next day! Sailed right through the DMV. Got some GM touch up for the big key scratch on the driver's side. Selling the rear out of the big truck Saturday.
Hoping to do a quickie slam-ola this weekend, then clear out for the git-down on Yeller. Might have The Kid do some roof work while he's got all day.

Thanks for the support, guys. I'm an s10 guy at heart, and this has been some quick cheap cathartic fun.

[Low Elco]

Well, it was finally mine and I couldn't help myself and I had the parts, so The Kid and I slammed it this weekend. New shocks, swaybar links and found a split vacuum hose as well. Went from waay nose high to nose a tad low, I got my money's worth out of cutting 3/4 coil on the driver's and 1 coil on the pass side. Might stick another inch of block in the back, we'll see when it settles. Gonna have to trailer it to the alignment shop, a full 1 3/4" of toe out!
Here's your proof-

[jlsanborn]

Looks killer! The Boy is wurkin and I've been trying to talk him into a short box in that body style. There's an extra cab with billets running around here once in a while that'd be sick with a motor.

Inch of duck-foot!! The alignment shop's job will feel like you had it dyno tuned

[Low Elco]

Got it to the Alignment shop last night, hope it all goes well.


I had a really nice 96 EC with a Vortec 4.3 and a 5-speed right before I had kids. Loved that truck. I still may put another inch of block in it.

What's The Boy doin' for a livin'? Is he a senior this year?

[Jonboy]

[jlsanborn]

Just graduated and snagged some work at the burger joint. Tryin to get him into a technical program this Fall.

That little bit of rake don't look bad....