51' 3100 build in PA New to Site

[99 to Life]

55.1 cab is MINE! lol it needs a lot of work though.

Ok, question for all of you. I am going to be mocking up this weekend. I have a cab and front clip, rad support etc, but I will not have my bed and rear fenders with me. So does anyone have a good idea on how far back or forward they mounted their motor mounts if they used a 350? I have an engine block I am using for moch up purposes. From there I feel like I can place the cab, but I don't want to do all that work and realize the rear wheels won't center up with the fenders. I am using the s-10 long bed frame 118" Basically I want to get the front all lined up, but feel like I can't unless I have the bed and or specs of the rear wheel well on the bed. p.s I will be using a manual transmission, has anyone done this? If so are there any pre planning to do with that with moching up? cross member and drive shaft I assume. thanks

[99 to Life]

I just checked out some specs on the original frame and chassis blueprints
it looks like from the back of the cab to the center of the wheels is 39" But
the wheelbase is 2" shorter than the s-10, so the s-10 rear wheels will actually
set back 2" or 1" forward for the front axle and 1" in the rear? anyway I don't think the original specs will justify this, but it is good to know. The bed is about 78" long, inside.

[OrrieG]

If you take a look at some of the other AD S-10 build threads you will see how they adjusted the wheel base so things fit and center up. Everything starts at the front, get the front wheels centered which sets up the cab-hood-rad support. Then set the bed and adjust the rear. I think most relocate the rearend on the springs to center it in the rear fenders.

[99 to Life]

Does anyone know the length of the running boards for the 3100? I am not with mine right now. and the ones I do have with me are cut short. If I know the length, I can set all the front and cab then cut a piece of wood to length of the running boards and I'll bring my rear fenders with me for moch ups. I'll put the wood in between the front and rear fenders so that way I can see where the back fenders would align.

The only thing I can't find on the specs are the running boards length.

any help would be great. if not I can have my friend measure them, because the 51' is in his garage.

thanks

[99 to Life]

Well, I didn't get a chance to do any moch ups yet. Still working on frame. Got new bushings and moog ball joints, shocks etc. Still striping and painting frame. Going with chassis saver and then tractor paint over that. Will work on rear and opposite side of frame next week. I am having some stuff sandblasted.

So next week I am hoping to have all that done, drop spindles and blocks on.

[99 to Life]

Got some more frame progress done. Took 2 quarts of chassis saver already, one more should finish it up. The chassis is so cold this is a PIA to spread out, even when heating it up. Next time I am for sure having the frame sandblasted and powder coated and or just sandblasted. Wire wheeling sucks.

Got a T-5 out of a 94' mustang I believe. Apparently it has a longer input shaft. Moched it up with a 350 block. Mounts right up. Won't be using that shifter though.

My question is.... The speedo is electronic, but my gauges are mechanical, is there ANY way to get the speedo to work with the mechanical gauges?

[nickp51chevy]

The only way that I know to make the speedo work is a $300 device that converts the electronic signal to a mechanical output. I don't remember where they are. I would just search on the net. I'm sure you'll find something. Good luck

[hotrodrookie]

Or you can make your own, i saw this thread on the HAMB
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...t=cheap+wheels

[southbounddee]

lmc trucks says the shortbed running board is 66'' long on the out side edge, hope this helps.

[99 to Life]

Yes, 66" will help

As for the tranny conversion, I have to look more into what I really
have, because it seems as if this is an s-10 T-5 not a mustang one.
This is a newer one though, because the bell housing is connected
and I am pretty sure the input shaft is longer. But is is 14 spline
not the usual 26 as used for v8's. But the guy I got it from used
it in a 355 with no problems.

Also the tail shaft will dictate if you can just swap speedo controls,
if not, it seems like I will need a converter. elec to mech

thanks and yeah there is alot of stuff about the T-5 on the HAMB

[Dan Bowles]

That isn't a T5. It is an NV3500 or NV4500 5 speed from a full size truck, not an S10 at all. It bolts right onto the 350 bolt pattern. Do you have the internal or external clutch linkage? If you have the internal, don't loose the throw out bearing! They are NOT cheap. You can tell by the fact it will have 2 hydraulic fittings on the passenger side. The mechanical linkage will look like a standard throw out arm but make sure you have a slave cylinder for it.

We used one of the mechanical types on my son's truck. It took a bit to get the linkage right but we did use S10 pedals under the dash, just had to drill a different mounting hole for the shoulder bolt.

If you look at my HAMB thread, you can see some of what we did with motor measurements and stuff. There are a few pictures that I posted on another thread here if you search my posts.

[99 to Life]

Some more progress April 5th got front end buttoned up for now. Put new rotors, breaks, drop spindles, ball joints etc. on. Couldn't get a spring compressor to work for this, stock springs. So with the help of a header, beam and jack, somehow got these on. PIA.

Weekend before this, I took the rear end out of my FIRST ever vehicle. Yes this 89' s10 4x4 was the first vehicle I ever bought. I was 17 yrs old so that was 9 years ago. I thought it would be cool to have something from my first ever truck on my first ever build. I also got the drive shaft to work as well. As of right now everything we had on for moch up purposes looked perfect and even this 2 piece drive shaft fit with the NV3500 tranny.

I have a lot more finalization to do to the frame and front end, but wanted to get something posted. I work on this every weekend. I will eventually have specs for everything I did, and hopefully make some blue prints to.

[Dan Bowles]

Don't count on your 4x4 rear end being wide enough. It will depend on your wheels but with my son's '54 we put the 4x4 rear end in to save the $200 I'd have to spend on brakes for the El Camino rear we had. I spent $200 on the rear end and then dropped to bed on only to have it hit the insides of the tires. I ended up spending another $100 on 4 2" spacers on CL (good thing since they were like $100 a pair if I ordered them!)

It may have been my tires but I wonder if I shouldn't have just gone with my Elky rear!!

Looks like you are getting there. Keep the posts coming!

[Dan Bowles]

And congrats on keeping parts from your first car alive. My son has the grill and bed from my mom's '54 that she bought when I was 8 years old. I've got the frame and dash.

[99 to Life]

Dan,

Yeah I also got 1.5" aluminum spacers, picked up for $50 on craigslist.

That is cool you got some parts from your moms vehicle from so long
ago.

[Dan Bowles]

Hey, LONG ago? It was only 33 years ago...I remember thinking I was going to die from the fumes in that thing!!!

[99 to Life]

Ok last weekend, first I came across this 64' that is just about to go to the scrap yard. So with title I am most likely picking this up and saving it's life. It needs a lot of work, but it will be worth it.

Now for my 51' more chassis work, I know it is prolly boring for all you to see what has been done before. But I finally got the moch up engine ( I love having one of these for moch ups) and got the motor mounts in. What we did was copy the mount pattern to a piece of steel and drilled the top holes and bolted it to the engine. Then we lined up the engine with the tranny and drive shaft. We used the drive shaft as a good reference because initially we had the cab and be on there for alignment, along with tranny and engine.

So once we centered the engine and made sure the drive shaft was centered, we welded the plate to the crossmember for extra support. then drilled the bottom holes for the mount.

Next mission is to make the tranny member and bolt it all up. Soon I am getting everything put back on for a last button up, but have to do exhaust and break lines still.

[Dan Bowles]

Good job. I had a block and heads and a spare intake and dizzy that I used for mock up on mine. Since it was gutted, I could pick the block up and move it around by hand. I'd love to come across one of those plastic mock up motors. I know a guy who scored one at a pawn shop for like $25!!

I'd get the block where I wanted it, set the heads and intake on it with the dizzy (or no heads after a while!) and roll with it!

[99 to Life]

Got the actual motor in an mounted, got tranny in. still need to make crossmember for it. Got the cab and front clip off of the original frame. Got the cab, bed, temp front fender on for moch up purposes.

We are about 4" off the frame so far. We have to cut out a hump for the tranny (nv3500) and the drive shaft knuckle is giving us s#@t as well, so we
will have to make a small hump for that. But I don't think it will be bad. It seems the tranny is giving us problems because the motor is mounted a little high, which is actually a good thing. Because it will set higher up in the compartment and will be easier to work on. Although, we just have to re work some floor boards, that is about the biggest issue we have had.

Now I think I might run a short water pump because it is cutting close when we get that radiator on there. I have maybe 2" to the dist and fire wall I think.

Door question, I haven't looked into it too much, but for a 51' which has the pull down handles, they only lock on one side. When you buy a new lock kit, it is for one door only, so is there such thing as a drivers side door lock? Any help would be great. I wanna lock both doors and keep the OG pull down handles.

P.S I posted an inquiry about the section of the dash under the speaker. I guess my cab has that. I thought the dash was different. Nevermind me

all this is still moch up. There is lots of final adjustments to make and cosmetics.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Lookin' good. It's all comin' together nicely. What did you do for motor mounts?

[Dan Bowles]

Is your motor in the "stock" location? 2" clearance is ALOT but yep, you'll want the short motor mount. What are your radiator plans?

[54 jimmy]

take look at my build. i used a89 1500 2wd crossmember just cut to fit and made the mounting tabs. mine cost me 5 bucks a the local pick a part. hope this helps. looking good.

[99 to Life]

The motor is not in the stock location. It is moved forward a little. We copied the mount pattern to a piece of steel and drilled the top two holes first. Did that to each mount. Then lined up motor, centered it and leveled it. Had tranny and drive shaft on there. Then we welded the steel plate (still connected to the mount) to the member. Then we drilled the lower holes through the plate and into the member.

I am not sure if they make shorter or higher motor mounts, it seems as if they do. However if I used lower mounts, my fuel pump will be hitting the frame, I thought about notching it out at that point. It is tight indeed.

The dist is prolly closer than 2" come to think of it. It is "just" enough room to get it in and out.

Radiator, I am doing an aluminum one off of ebay Original size http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...53146449404767

I have not got that in and fiddled with it, but if just looks like I might run a short water pump.

[99 to Life]

54 Jimmy. Can you send me your link so I can subscribe to it?

As for the tranny member, I was just doing tubed steel, I bought a nice
poly urethane mount and will mount it to a piece of raised steel and then
weld that to the member. Since everything is sitting a little higher, the
tranny mount needs to come up to be level.

Again, this is prolly cause I am using taller motor mounts but I am happy with it. The floor needs humped anyway and I got some cool ideas for it.

[54 jimmy]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=314628 here you go. my motor mounts site high too. my trans sits level with the frame.