S10 Swap how to

[joedoh]

guys guys, settle down. as a new guy he didnt get his quote right, he was quoting a MOD on the first or second page, who had deleted a couple of mr48s posts in this thread about what a stupid idea s10 swaps are.

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Good idea.

mr48chev, anyone who's been on this forum for any length of time is well aware of your opinions of lowered or frame-swapped trucks. You don't need to seek out these types of threads to keep reminding everyone.
Just a suggestion; when you see a thread titled "bagged" or "lowered" or "slammed" or "S10 swap" DON'T CLICK ON IT.

it was a long time ago, everyones moved on since.

[HUSSEY]

Originally Posted by joedoh

guys guys, settle down. as a new guy he didnt get his quote right, he was quoting a MOD on the first or second page, who had deleted a couple of mr48s posts in this thread about what a stupid idea s10 swaps are.

it was a long time ago, everyones moved on since.

Ahh...it looked like he wrote it. Well, in that case I retract my rant, somewhat, not sure why it was brought up though.

I will agree that there are a lot of different styles and builds on here and you don't have to like them all but should be respectful of other peoples work, unless they're doing something really stupid like a Toyota Prius swap, actually, I might tune into that.

[mel knippson]

it looked like he was putting down the bagged , slammed ect, i really didnt mean anything by it , and i also did not realize how many people were a part of this group and how many questions are asked every day , and how it takes very Special people , to answer people questions for free and give a crap .. i do apologize i have been searching thru these threads and having a little bit of a hard time . and didnt realize i was calling anyone out or especially someone that has contributed so much to this AWESOME group ..

[joedoh]

well he was, and he hasnt changed his opinions much in the 3 years past. but if everyone had the same opinion the world (and this forum) would be pretty boring.

lets keep this thread on topic, skymangs did everyone a favor starting it for the details of the swap, you can find posts from me asking the same questions as others when he started it.

[skymangs]

well spoken joe doe, now lets get back to the business of building kick-*ss trucks!

[Doranged]

Following this thread very useful thank you!

I'm building a 1950 GMC 100 it's going on a 92 s10 SBRC with a shortened bed. No running boards, going to run side pipes instead. I want to use a stock 74 truck 454 and I'm trying to sorce a 5 speed manual. I didn't see any reference to BBC's. My truck had no floor left so I had to weld in new steel. I want it fairly low so I may have to tunnel the floor and set back some of the firewall. I used to be on this forum a long time ago guess I'll have to figure out how to add pics and stuff again.

Skymangs thank you for your effort, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles but glad you are on the road to recovery!

[skymangs]

Originally Posted by Doranged

Following this thread very useful thank you!

I'm building a 1950 GMC 100 it's going on a 92 s10 SBRC with a shortened bed. No running boards, going to run side pipes instead. I want to use a stock 74 truck 454 and I'm trying to sorce a 5 speed manual. I didn't see any reference to BBC's. My truck had no floor left so I had to weld in new steel. I want it fairly low so I may have to tunnel the floor and set back some of the firewall. I used to be on this forum a long time ago guess I'll have to figure out how to add pics and stuff again.

Skymangs thank you for your effort, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles but glad you are on the road to recovery!

I didn't post anything on big blocks because I've never done one. I try to appeal to the majority, and all of my customers have wanted either a v6, SBC, or LS. the build should be the same though,save the motor mount placement. recovery is slowly progressing.

[Doranged]

Where is the extra 2 inches in the gmc? I assume in the engine bay? Is the cab 2 inches farther back or the radiator farther forward? Everything says a gmc is 2 inches longer but I don't see where that extra length is on the actual trucks

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Doranged

Where is the extra 2 inches in the gmc? I assume in the engine bay? Is the cab 2 inches farther back or the radiator farther forward? Everything says a gmc is 2 inches longer but I don't see where that extra length is on the actual trucks

its the engine. the GMC engine is 2 inches longer, and the radiator was mounted inside the core support, instead of behind it like a chevy, to allow for this extra length. the difference can be seen in the front engine crossmember, you cant put a chevy engine on a gmc crossmember.

otherwise the sheetmetal is the same, you can use GMC sheetmetal on a chevy and vice versa, as long as you have ALL the front end parts.

a big block uses the same mounts and mount distance as a sbc, so ideally if you set the mounts up for one it should clear the other.

[Doranged]

Originally Posted by joedoh

its the engine. the GMC engine is 2 inches longer, and the radiator was mounted inside the core support, instead of behind it like a chevy, to allow for this extra length. the difference can be seen in the front engine crossmember, you cant put a chevy engine on a gmc crossmember.

otherwise the sheetmetal is the same, you can use GMC sheetmetal on a chevy and vice versa, as long as you have ALL the front end parts.

a big block uses the same mounts and mount distance as a sbc, so ideally if you set the mounts up for one it should clear the other.

Thank you very much that clears things up for me. I have always been a SBC guy so I never really done anything with a big block. But I have this 454 that runs good and figured old junk hot rod truck + old junk big block 454 = win

[Doranged]

Would it be of any benefit to cut s10 firewall out where pedals and master/booster mounts and weld it into the AD truck? As a note I personally want a manual trans so I'm going to need the clutch as well. Has anyone else went with a manual trans?

[Black93GT]

Yea I swapped a manual in mine.

I used a 327 from my '67 camaro, ditched the powerglide and found a T-5 from an '85 camaro for cheap. I fabricated linkage to keep the original shifter and repurposed a hydraulic master cylinder/ throw out bearing from a different project that didn't happen.

I used the s10 brake booster and pedal bracket. I just drilled the firewall and didn't reinforce the it. Although I attached the pedal bracket to the steering column bracket for support.

I guess I should update my build thread.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Doranged

Would it be of any benefit to cut s10 firewall out where pedals and master/booster mounts and weld it into the AD truck? As a note I personally want a manual trans so I'm going to need the clutch as well. Has anyone else went with a manual trans?

I do that in all of mine, I like welding in the "complex" holes that would be hard to duplicate, like the harness pass throughs.

IMG_6198 by Joe Doh, on Flickr


I am doing a 5 spd 41 this time and I think sometime next week I will build the pedal system.

[Speedysdad]

Couple quick questions:. ( Remember, my first build. Appreciate all input.)

With the engine hanging in the truck, the pan is about 2.25" above the front crossmember. It really can't be lower, my v8 s10 conversion headers will hit the a arm on the pass side. The carb mounting surface is about 1* high in front, again, to clear the header. I can't raise the tranny anymore without raising the cab, it's pretty close to the floor at the tranny rear(1.5") and I have cut out all of the firewall that I want. I don't want to tunnel the whole cab. I could tunnel the middle where it dishes down under the seat, but that looks like the driveshaft won't have a lot of clearance at the back of the cab under weight. I would consider installing another 1/2" spacer on top of the cab mounts, if necessary. So, does this sound like I am in the ballpark of where I should be.

Second question:. I am about 4.25" off of the frame to the bottom of the floor, not mounting surface, the floor. Will I have problems lining up the fenders and hood with my radiator support with the 19"x22" radiator in it if I leave it here. I am working on the radiator support now. I know rasing the cab would fix all of this, but my dad is in a wheelchair and I need it to be low. Will not use airbags.

[Speedysdad]

Building my radiator support, I noticed my 19x22" radiator is tight against the nuts welded on the inside of the uprights. The nuts have to stay to bolt to the fenders, right? I can spread tthe bottom a little to gain some room, but I may need to bend in the tanks a little to get it to fit without rubbing. Any other suggestions?

[Black93GT]

Yes the nuts are to mount the fenders. Just use shorter bolts so they don't extend past the nuts. I may be lucky to have 1/8" between the bolts and radiator end caps. I had to center my radiator and triple check the spacing before welding my brackets to the end caps.... But it just fits.

As far as motor placement... Mine is set as low and as far forward as possible. My oil pan has about 1/2" clearance from the crossmember. I used the lower version of Sarge's cab mounts and had to adjust the rear position/height of the transmission to get it under the tunnel without modification.

[Speedysdad]

Thanks 93blackgt for the response. That does help with engine height, apparently my headers are going to have to govern that. My radiator is just a little wider. I will find a way to make it work.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by Speedysdad

Couple quick questions:. ( Remember, my first build. Appreciate all input.)

With the engine hanging in the truck, the pan is about 2.25" above the front crossmember. It really can't be lower, my v8 s10 conversion headers will hit the a arm on the pass side. The carb mounting surface is about 1* high in front, again, to clear the header. I can't raise the tranny anymore without raising the cab, it's pretty close to the floor at the tranny rear(1.5") and I have cut out all of the firewall that I want. I don't want to tunnel the whole cab. I could tunnel the middle where it dishes down under the seat, but that looks like the driveshaft won't have a lot of clearance at the back of the cab under weight. I would consider installing another 1/2" spacer on top of the cab mounts, if necessary. So, does this sound like I am in the ballpark of where I should be.

Second question:. I am about 4.25" off of the frame to the bottom of the floor, not mounting surface, the floor. Will I have problems lining up the fenders and hood with my radiator support with the 19"x22" radiator in it if I leave it here. I am working on the radiator support now. I know rasing the cab would fix all of this, but my dad is in a wheelchair and I need it to be low. Will not use airbags.

Sounds like the cab is set a little too low if you're having issues with header clearance. 4.25" is about as short as they come for clearance. I had a couple of pages in my build where I tried different heights and ended up settling on something like 5" from the top of the frame to the rail that supports the mount. Its a lot easier to change your mounts than it is to try and shift everything around to fit a lower cab.

If you're trying to get a low ride height, that is easier done with drop spindles than trying to lower all that sheet metal around the engine and trans. The S10 swap motor mounts are pretty much going to set the engine in place without much leeway on height or placement. Some of the builders on the forum do custom motor mounts to have more options.

On the bolts for the radiator, I just chopped mine off after seeing the same problem with a 19x22" radiator. There are so many other bolts holding the radiator and sheet metal on, I figure those ones are optional. I may go back and just install a couple short carriage bolt style ones from the radiator side with the flat head and tack weld them so they don't spin.

[Speedysdad]

That is good info. I am making Skymangs custom engine mounts. It gives me a lot of options. Good to know on the radiator surround. Thanks

[skymangs]

Originally Posted by Speedysdad

That is good info. I am making Skymangs custom engine mounts. It gives me a lot of options. Good to know on the radiator surround. Thanks

speedysdad, throw away those headers and get some camaro rear dump manifolds. and if you must have headers, get some block huggers. try mocking your motor up with a chunk of 2x4 laying flat in the center of the crossmember, then put the oilpan on that. 13/4. now use a jackstand on the tailshaft, now make sure everything clears and wala! i've built them down to 2.5 inches off the frame (thats mount heigth not floor). and on the rad, just use a cutoff wheel to shave the bolts down.

[Speedysdad]

2x4 in place, headers will clear, raised the cab 5/8". Back on track. Welding in mounts tomorrow. Building Skymangs engine mounts and Hussy's trans mount.

[skymangs]

Originally Posted by Speedysdad

2x4 in place, headers will clear, raised the cab 5/8". Back on track. Welding in mounts tomorrow. Building Skymangs engine mounts and Hussy's trans mount.

glad to hear it all worked out, i used those headers on my first build, swore i'd never use them again, just to many clearance issues

[KRFitz]

Help needed with a few general questions in swapping '51 chassis with a 2001 S10. Can I use the S10 radiator, or will it be way to wide to fit? How about using the air conditioning? Can the S10 condenser and evaporator by fit into a '51? Thanks,

[joedoh]

I did this on my 49. the rad is too wide to fit without modification but you can get it in exactly the right position to clear the power steering hoses and the hood. I used the s10 condenser too , but the evaporator and blower do not fit under the hood, its about 2 inches wide from fitting between the engine and the hood. instead I used a blower box from a 98 tahoe, it barely fit between the dash and the firewall and the vent distribution had to be removed (too wide) but the s10 controls controlled the fan and the blend door.

here is a couple pictures of the mods for the radiator. the s10 radiator mounts to some rings with a rubber grommet on the bottom and a simple clamp on top, you can see the rings in a couple pictures.
IMG_3555 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_3556 by Joe Doh, on Flickr
IMG_3767 by Joe Doh, on Flickr

make sure you rebuild the lower air director to funnel the air ONLY through the condenser/rad, otherwise it will just take the path of least resistance UNDER the condenser/rad. I used a plastic material called kydex, its very flexible but also very strong, its like a thinner, stronger ABS. Its not available everywhere, we have a surplus store that always has a couple sheets.

[KRFitz]

Thanks for the reply and photos. Much appreciated. I will also explore what may be available to purchasing new to get into a smaller rad/condenser, but I now know this is an option. I'm sure I will have a million more questions. How about fitting the drive shaft...if the motor has to be moved back 8", does the front shaft get a section cut out? Not sure why they went with a 2 piece drive shaft on these trucks? Thanks