Advice on the Breakdown of an S-10

[53GMC]

Hey everyone...

im beginning the breakdown of my 1996 Chevy S10...any suggestions on procedure, tips, starting points, things to look out for, etc? I've got the 1953 GMC all torn down, but now i just need some help getting the S10 apart so i can get on to the swap!

thanks everyone!
53GMC

[Thadious]

The way that I approached it was to remove the tailights and de-wire (no cutting!) the rear end, box off. Then remove and de-wire the front end (fenders, hood and rad support) leaving the cooling system intact. De-wire and mark all connections in the cab and remove the cab. Keep the steering column, brake booster, pedal bracket, fuse block and all switches inside. Mine was badly rusted out so I cut up the cab and discarded. After all was said and done, I reconnected the wiring to the steering column and made sure I could start the truck up... this ensured I kept all the basic stuff required to make it run in the end!

After that... I just stripped the frame down for cleaning and repainting, new poly bushings throughout, replaced the rear end with a 4x4 one (3.42 gears, non posi (for now)), cut off all cab mounts and cleaned it up.

Everything from this point on is a massage to fit and install.

Hope this helps,
Ted.

[rhodog77]

53GMC,
I just got done stripping my s10 down. Here is my 2 cents, and thats all its orth. Thadious laid out a good plan for you. I didn't keep the stock wiring at all. To me.... it was worth cutting everything out and buy a wiring kit. I went with the EZ wiring 18 circuit kit, with GM stock connectors, 175 bucks. Personal preference!!!! Keep the hood, nice flat panels for future patches. I kept the gas tank and the filler door as well. Mine is flat ('91 s10 model) so if I choose to use it, it should be a pretty easy weld into the bedside. If you are fabbing up your own cab mounts, make sure to keep all the hardware and spacers off the cab mounts and radiator mounts, you will reuse them.



You will know what they are as soon as you disassemble the cab. If your s10 has A/C, be sure to take the time and disconnect the dash controls as well as the duct work. Save the seat belts. Depending on how adventurous you are, save the door latching plates from the door frame as well as the latching pins off the doors as well as tailgate hings, all can be adapted to the '53.

First things first. Buy some PB Blaster or Nutbuster and spray down all the mounting bolts. Start with the bed, I think it was only 8 bolts. Its easier to lift the cab backwards then over the motor. The dog house is pretty easy and comes off quick. If you have enough help, leave the doors on the truck, less to mess with. If not, take them off next. It will save you about 150 lbs off the entire cab. If you have an engine hoist, build a jig and remove the cab (4 bolts) with the engine hoist.






Do Not use the jig on the 53 cab with the doors closed. It will damage the doors. I disassembled the entire s10 is about 2 hours. Be prepared, all the bolts off the s10 will be metric. I had a few old timers for assistance but I did most of it by myself. Grab a few guys and a 12 pack and you will fly thru it. Good luck and take lots and lots of pix. Like I said, this is just my 2 cents. Im sure that you will get lots of tips over the next few days.

Brian

[OrrieG]

Just like any tear down: If it is something you will be putting back together or adapting to the new body take lots of pictures, measurements and make sketches. Bag all the parts you are saving and label them. I did this when I took my truck apart 10 years ago and it is so nice to be looking for the exhaust manifold bolts and finding them nicely wrapped and labled in the engine bolt box. If you are reusing parts of the wiring harness take the time to label the wires. You can go to Home Depot and get a little book of sticky wiring labels electricians use (works great for home theater wiring too!). Get a Factory Assembly Manual for your old truck and shop manual for the S-10. I'd also keep all the misc. clips, connectors, etc. from the S-10. I like to clean stuff as I take it off rather than later on when I am getting impatient to assembly. If you haven't read the many S-10 conversion threads currently underway to get a better idea of what you need to keep for possible reuse.

[53GMC]

Rhodog...i am amazed that yall got that S10 torn down in 2hours! that is workin like there's no tomorrow! I'm doing it by myself and learning as i go so it is takin me a little longer...

Thadious - thank you for that layout of procedure on how to go about it..thats what i was lookin for because i really didnt know where to start...i got most of the inside minus the dash taken apart the other day in a couple hours and just took my time with it...but we will get there one day!

Orrie G - thank you for that advice on the electricians tape...the different colors and letters and words on the tape will really make putting back together a much simpler job! I thought about that idea but didnt know they made tape sets like that!