49 3600, s10 swap, project boogie

[Chaddude]

Funny sucks to be him

[lower50's]

Wow so close.

[joedoh]

I milked around today getting things ready to assemble. dug out the harnesses and fuel tank and all the fuel lines. fixed some more cab rust first



cut out the old seat frame and tried out the seat because I want to weld in some supports for where it mounts. Now I see why everyone uses these. Need to decide on a color and get it to the shop to be recovered



Got the core support welded up too. there was a big crease on the passenger fender, I used the 5lb sledge on one side and the 10lb on the other like a dolly, got that nice DING every shot and made short work of it.



couple more tacks on the bed



when I pulled the motor I cut the exhaust because one bolt on each side wouldnt come loose and I figured I would be doing custom exhaust. but its low mile exhaust, and after some thought I decided to weld my mistake. I may still do custom, but this will get it running and I can use it later




tomorrow I will pick up my favorite seam sealer, F26 construction adhesive. I used it on a bed I raised the floor in years ago and it is still in perfect shape after years in the sun. Best of all it gives strength to stitch welded seams, and takes paint. I will be on the lookout for a suitable sheetmetal piece for the trans tunnel too, maybe a shovel or a wheelbarrow.

[Advanced Design]

Making good progress! Just eyeballing, will the seat clear the doors?

I had a 40/60 seat I tried in my truck. The driver portion had bolsters that moved me too far left in relation to the steering wheel so I passed on that one. Looks like a bench is much better.

[joedoh]

seat clears the doors just fine, or rather it looks to, I only have one door on.

[99 to Life]

looking good. yes those seats are the best for sure.

[joedoh]

today was seam sealer, be sure to spread it out and catch all the pinholes! Will have to do the bottom side once the cab is mounted.



dropped off the bench seat at the upholstery shop, trying a new guy who says he can work magic in short time. he is going to build up the foam and kind of cover the stock profile. went in thinking ivory, reconsidered to a parchment like in late model higher end cars. here it is in 3 different lights

natural light kitchen


under florescent


garage door open mostly mottled sun



the idea is to paint the dash and wheels to match along with matching carpet. speaking of wheels, I am undecided between mobsteel 20s, wheel vintique 15" smoothies, or wheel vintique 15" artillery. I had the smoothies on the 47 gmc and loved the look. I will decide this week and make the order, opinions welcome but not necessary (its not a democratic build!)

[rusty76]

I'm liking the mob steel but really any choice is cool by me. Nice color choice on the seat.

[lower50's]

Nice color. I'd go with Mobsteel 20" I like them.

[99 to Life]

nice color choice. Id' do smoothies. Im personally sick of the mob trend. I honesty don't like the tiny caps on them either. I think they look good don't get me wrong, just not my preference.

[joedoh]

I think I am going with artillery, they use the same smoothie caps, whitewalls OF COURSE.

I needed to shorten the exhaust, it was from an extended cab and I moved the motor back, so its about 10-12" too long in the middle. Started the cut.



I started laying in the fuel lines and wiring harness and brake lines. I cant find my complete brake line setup so I called a buddy who is parting a blazer and will pick those up tomorrow. I also cant find my gas tank strap so I guess his blazer will donate those too.

I did notice that the motor mount on the drivers side looked a little crooked, I checked it and sure enough it was off almost 3/8. I sliced it and will weld it before I stab the motor.


then I decided to tackle the pedals. I needed to clear off the firewall and get the gauges out anyway to convert them. what a real beyotch, everything fought me all the way, but I think tomorrow I can mock up the pedals and maybe even paint the dash



gauge rings might clean up with some steel wool but I will need to print new gauge faces



that F26 set up like flexible concrete, I love that stuff. the floor feels so strong now, glad I did both floor halves.

I got a call from the seat guy yesterday too, he was working the weekend to meet his promise. What a guy, hope it comes out gorgeous!

[joedoh]

big storms today so I wont get my brake lines, needed to put the motor back in for the last time. so I worked on the pedal mount.

a bit of poetic wax: I use the 98-03 s10 almost exclusively. some guys see it as harder, but I like the bused electrical system, anti theft key security, high pressure fuel system, efi, cruise, there is a hundred reasons for me. If you like putting in a painless wiring kit and using the earlier column and a carburetor, I wont bother convincing you my way is better. My personal opinion is that I think mixing and matching of parts and tribal knowledge is what keeps a lot of these swaps from being successful, and why even some (not all) guys who finish them complain about all the little fab needs. I use the whole donor, then worry about engine upgrades, or suspension upgrades, etc. keeping the scope and scale small and making sure to use parts that were already designed to work together is a good way to be successful. /wax

the 98-03 steering column mounts to the pedal assembly. the pedal assembly mounts to the sheetmetal brackets and boxing on the firewall. the booster mounts to the firewall and does not share a connection to the pedal assembly or the brackets or boxing. this is a real conundrum, because it needs a precise relationship to the booster to make sure the pedal stroke is correct. seen below is the top of the aluminum pedal assembly

and the bottom, you can see the upper and lower column mounts


I need to duplicate the relationship between the pedal mount and the booster hole on the firewall to build my interface bracket. luckily I never throw anything away. I have a whole firewall section from a blazer I parted a few pages back. Its heavy and awkward, but luckily my wife and daughter were home so I went ahead and moved it myself. (ba dum bum tsss)



here is the boxing and mounting and booster hole in all its glory



This is how I will make my jig for the interface bracket. I like using coat hangers, for bolt holes I wrap one around a screwdriver then cut it into rings that slip over bolts. I made two sizes small and large




then I just start building.




I use a lot of triangulation to maintain the relationship and make the jig strong. a while later I have a nice jig. notice I even picked up the stud at a 45 degree angle with a ring





now that I have captured all the clearances, I am ready to start building my bracket, I trial fit it on the firewall of the 49 and it will work out swimmingly. not bad for about 2 hours of work.




I came in to make dinner, I may get back out there this evening to build the bracket.

[Advanced Design]

Luckily my wife and daughter were home so I went ahead and moved it myself...good one!

Ok, I am fascinated with the jig and looking forward to the next steps.

[99 to Life]

good god you have more patience than me. Im more of a buy most stuff new kinda guy. I know some guys can really keep a low buck swap cheap. My biggest example is wiring harness, I could never use a used one. I just buy new clean units and start from scratch. To each their own I guess. One thing is for sure, you are a good recycler!

[joedoh]

yeah AD, I dont count on help very often haha.

99 I buy new stuff! but its when you try to take a new part or system and make it work with the old part or system, I like keeping things that work together, together. I am using the booster, and the column, so why not use the pedal and column mount?

I didnt get back on the jig, I ate dinner and got a ding from my email. I have been looking for a replacement bed for my 46 (it came with a 47 bed a couple pages ago). 46 for parts. KC number, but pictures showed a bed.


called. guy was in KC but bed was in south haven with his dad, so about an hour. I always say be the first to call... but....



I am at the 1, south haven is somewhere down in the red haha. he said he wouldnt sell the fenders or bed separate, I had to buy the whole truck. Then he quoted a price that made me forget the rain and hail and jump in the truck. I hid under some underpasses, eventually it cleared up enough to drive more than 25mph on the highway. for those that have never seen green hail clouds,



I got there and we loaded in his truck to go to the pasture, good fenders, and a cowl tag! sold!





then he says its a GMC tailgate!



well all I can think is too bad I dont have a chevy tailgate because the GMC is hard to find. he says "thats a long bed, you can see they moved the fenders up". I think it looks kind of neat and will keep it that way. "I have a shortbed too if you would rather make a shortbed". wait what?




ok, sold again! "I have another 47-55 shortbed too". okaaaaay, sold again? (I forgot pictures of this one, but its clean and no real rust). then as we are driving around he says, "that one is a phone company utility bed" and waves at a 48 ford shortbed with some utility boxes on it. no way! I have never seen anything like it, I'll take it! sold again!




honestly, I could have kept buying till I was in the poorhouse, but I had to rein it in. He showed me his projects, a 53 chevy 1/2 in perfect shape, a 49 ford 1/2 in perfect shape, a 27 T converted to a pickup. Here he is next to the ford





anyone ever seen a hood ornament like this?



so tomorrow I have to arrange pickup of my pickup, and 3 extra beds. sheesh!

[mongocanfly]

I've seen quite a few of those hood ornaments on ad trucks...they are plentiful in the repop mags to. Most sell for about $100 and up...Good score on parts..

[lower50's]

Well that snow balled quickly. Good score tho. The clouds look real scary.

[joedoh]

went back today to pay what I owed (I didnt bring enough last night) and he was at the pasture working on dumping the stuff out of the extra beds. I snapped a shot of the short 47-55 I bought


he is lousy with AD, there were at least 6 there, most big trucks but a few 1/2 or 3/4


while I was there we decided to get the 41 to the lower yard, I stood on the running board and worked the steering wheel, the truck rolled easy and the engine/trans was not stuck, a rarity for me. we got it lined up where the wrecker could grab it.



visited the utility bed, it is a powers, but it doesnt have a ball hitch, it is a simple clevis for tractors. I hope I can get it on the wrecker with the 41, I can pick the other two up with my flatbed

[lower50's]

Such a cool utility bed. Any plans for it yet?

[Advanced Design]

Wow, major find. Glad you are saving some before they were recycled.

[99 to Life]

just awesome to find a guy like this. Glad to see the parts moving on. You atleast are getting use of the stuff and not hoarding (like me!!) I have projects that would take me 20 yrs to complete at my rate, but.... atleast they aren't scrapped which is where most of them would have went.

[joedoh]

the utility bed will be a hotrod 48-49 once I am done with the 49 and 46.

I should put together an album of what I DIDNT buy. I took about 100 pictures, there is everything from a model t to a 73 IH flatbed to a 78 200sx to a 58 biscayne to everything in between. studebakers, valiant signet, a gorgeous 71 GMC shortbed 4x4, 60s go kart with solid front axle and magnesium wheels, if it was a 1.5 ton made between 1941 and 1973, he probably has two.


edit: shop called! seat is done!




looks great in the sun, really the color I was looking for in the first place I think. the back is carpet, and I will get 2yds of the same for the floor. they said no problem to stitch the edges once I cut it to shape.

[rusty76]

Great score.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

Nasty weather there we had some hail come through twice this year already the four seasons in the Midwest consists of Winter Wasteland, Hail, Humidity and Fall

I could see myself driving through that for a haul like that myself though nice finds for sure!

[joedoh]

yeah I checked my sanity a couple times but it cleared up by the time I got there and I had a nice visit for sure.

back on the jig, measuring the height of the first part


its a rather crooked attachment, but some 50% cuts in the strap and lining it up on the jig made it perfect. Alternatively I could have made this from several pieces, next time I think I might.



my daughter is addicted to watercolor, so I have a few books with nice stiff covers for pattern making. 12 pack pop or barley pop boxes work great but I rarely drink either.
This is the importance of the jig, it gives reference to what direction to make the cuts, and especially how long it needs to be.


first use of the welding table, I like it, and I missed using the plasma, with a standoff it makes great cuts and doesnt burn up my t shirts like the grinder.




baby went to bed, I was getting in a groove. her bedroom is above the back corner of the garage, so no grinding or air compressor past 9:30