Project "Sweet 16"

[danheit]

Gotcha. I am actually running a bench seat as well, but have been toying with a few different console ideas going from the bench forward. I have contemplated going with a floor shift auto trans, as well as putting the stereo and gauges down low. I will be also mounting my police radio and siren/light controls in the truck for fun at shows. I was thinking about running the hoses up through the center and then up the firewall and into the back of the dash. Only thing that will be missing will be a defrost option. This really is a great idea! I would also suggest to get the duct work from the roof vents in the Tahoe, as it is usually nearly flat and can be pretty easily hidden. Certain cars use flat plastic duct work under the seats for the rear passengers too. Just an idea.

Oh, and I finally got around to cutting out the pieces for those body mounts tonight. That was a pain staking process with a single cutoff wheel on the 4.5" angle grinder! After I cut them out I had to go back with my bench grinder and hold the two pieces together to make them the exact same dimensions so that the pieces would all fit together properly. Sadly, had I not have seen yours, I never would have taken the initiative to do mine! Still haven't welded them together though, that's a project for after work/gym tomorrow night. Gotta go buy some more angle magnets. I ended up doing mine in 4 pieces instead of 5. Not really happy with how tall they had to be, but oh well.

[skymangs]

Very nice Danheit, My body mount brackets are 3.5" off the frame on the rears and 3.25" off the frame in the front. Total height for the brackets is around 7" rear and 6.5" front. With the S10 body mounts, it sits the cab about 4" off the frame, nice and level. I used a 3" air cutoff for all my cutting. Took FOREVER. I made poster board templates for all the pieces, so they were the same left to right.

Good thinking on the ducting from the Tahoe. I will definately take a look at it and pull it if it'll work. I think his whole reason for the bench seat is so the future girlfriend will be able to ride center... He doesn't want a console at all...

On defrost, I think I can make a small plenum under the dash, re-using the stock temp control knob and cable to move a door and allow the heat to be used as defrost as well. Plenums are not that difficult to design or build.

[skymangs]

Got back from camping about noon today, so we decided to spend some time in the shop. Cleaned up the firewall, and prepped all the un-wanted holes for welding. Michael and I welded 32 small holes today, with 10 larger ones to go (need to pick up some 18ga. sheet tomorrow). That's Michael in the pic welding. At least I don't have 58 holes, like I've seen on some other's build threads!

I pick up my brake pedal assembly tomorrow, at which point we'll put the cab back on, trim and place the inner fenders, and decide where the pedal assy/brake booster should sit on the firewall. I want to recess the booster, but the placement of the pedal assembly will dictate if we have the room to recess it or not.

[skymangs]

Only got a few hours to work on the truck tonight. Stopped and picked up a brake pedal assembly from a 70 C10 (saw on another thread that was what someone else had used) for $10 bucks. Also picked up a pretty mangled 74 chevy hood for free. That's about 50 or 60 dollars worth of 18ga sheetmetal I can cut out. Should be all I need to finish the truck!

Finished welding and smoothing up most of the holes tonight. Still have to deal with the pedal holes and the old wiring harness hole tomorrow. Heres some pics.

The C10 pedal assembly is going to be a little more work to use than I thought, but I've gone this far... And I can't beat the price.

[99 to Life]

I used an s-10 brake assembly and a c-10 clutch, I had to cut the c-10 clutch pedal down. they are pretty tall, sure the brake prolly is too. coming along good

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by skymangs

Only got a few hours to work on the truck tonight. Stopped and picked up a brake pedal assembly from a 70 C10 (saw on another thread that was what someone else had used) for $10 bucks. Also picked up a pretty mangled 74 chevy hood for free. That's about 50 or 60 dollars worth of 18ga sheetmetal I can cut out. Should be all I need to finish the truck!

Finished welding and smoothing up most of the holes tonight. Still have to deal with the pedal holes and the old wiring harness hole tomorrow. Heres some pics.

The C10 pedal assembly is going to be a little more work to use than I thought, but I've gone this far... And I can't beat the price.

I started with the assy. from a70 buick skylark then made it into a lot of work. I widend it leinghtened it then added to the front and thats just part of it.

[skymangs]

Yeah, I think I'm gonna get an S10 pedal assembly and figure out which one will be easier to work with. I think the C10 one will work, but it'll need a LOT of modification. Will need to have a new mounting surface for the booster, the current tie in for the dash needs to be removed, and a new one fabricated. Going to play with it tonight and see what I can come up with before I commit to another pedal assembly.

[skymangs]

Today we put the cab back on the chassis, and started working on the Steering column. I figured I had better have the column in before making any final decisions on the brake pedal assembly (drilling any holes). Michael decided that He wanted the steering column more centered between the gauges. To do that, we filled the current column cutout, and are building a drop down bracket. here's some pics.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by skymangs

Today we put the cab back on the chassis, and started working on the Steering column. I figured I had better have the column in before making any final decisions on the brake pedal assembly (drilling any holes). Michael decided that He wanted the steering column more centered between the gauges. To do that, we filled the current column cutout, and are building a drop down bracket. here's some pics.

I couldn't stand that either.Great minds think alike!
I also resesed where i mounted my drop so it dosen't look line an after thought.

[skymangs]

Mknittle, I'm pretty sure it was your build I copied then! Thanks for the great Idea. We didn't recess the mount, I made my own drop bracket and I think it came out pretty good.

Today was Boy Scout night, so didn't get too much done. got the steering column in, and bracketry made. Drop down is made out of 14 gauge. Re-used the lower firewall bracket from the 66 Chevy, worked out pretty nice. We will be using a different steering wheel (Smaller with less dish).

[mknittle]

Looks good. Are you going to add some metal to the sides to hide the bolts?

The deciding factor on the recess was the dash was cracked pretty bad and there were pieces that fell on the floor when I took it apart.The brace was the same.
I picture a real big guy that dosen't know what a grease gun is driving it for a long time.

[danheit]

Wow, I kinda feel like we are dating now. I felt the need to check your build while I was in bed, right before going to sleep last night. I think I need help. Very impressed though, coming along VERY well, and extremely fast! I swear you must not work!

[99 to Life]

came out nice, I like how the column isn't too bulky and flashy. I like the wheel actually too. I rarely like non original wheels and column, but this came out nice.

[48ChevBagged]

Like your project. It looks like its coming along good. I am in the process of doing my second s10 chassis swap. If you have any questions let me know I may be able to answer a few things for you. I started a thread on mine the other day on here. This one is a project I bought off someone that had already started the chassis swap. So far things are going ok for taking over someone elses work. Good luck on your build.

[JRANGER]

cool project!

[skymangs]

Mknittle, I am planning on reversing the bolts and welding the nuts inside the dash so the Bolts won't show, just using what I had lying around to mock everything up.

Danheit... I do work, just not too much. I'm on my final duty assignment before retirement, Hours for an Army guy on an Air Force Base are SWEET!

99, Thanks, I saw this steering column in "49 no bucks" build. Liked the look of it. Don't care for all the square boxes and there are too many levers and such on the newer columns.

48Chevbagged... I'm sure I will have questions, Soon as I get stumped I'll PM you! Please send the link to your project, I am always looking at other projects. Gets the creative juices going!

Thank you JRanger. It isn't anything new, or hi-tech. I just wanted to make a tasteful old truck for my kid. Something he can aprechiate later.

You are all too kind. My fab looks like a $hit sandwich compared to some of the work I see on this board. There are some VERY talented folks building some wicked trucks here. GM should be looking for design ideas and hiring upper management at places like this!

[mknittle]

"Mknittle, I am planning on reversing the bolts and welding the nuts inside the dash so the Bolts won't show, just using what I had lying around to mock everything up"

I do a lot of that. lucky for me i am getting down to the smaller stuff.

[skymangs]

We got a lot done on the truck this weekend. Steering wheel actually turns the wheels now, Brake booster/master/pedal assembly is complete and in the truck (It'll all come out again, but all the fabrication is done). Inner fenders are cut down and installed, core support is modified and fits pretty well. We did run into a "re-do" though. I need to cut the front framehorns down more, as it is now, the grill won't fit

We plan on working on that tomorrow.

Here's pics of the steering shaft. Wound up using a section from a mid 80's GM car. Worked out perfectly to mate the 66 Chevy column to the 91 S10 shaft.

[skymangs]

The C10 pedal assembly was a lot of work, but in the end I think I'd choose it for my next project. Wound up cutting off the firewall plate and making a new one. Then cutting off all the bracket that bolts to the C10 dash and making a 14 gauge bracket that bolts to the bottom of my dash. I also had to cut the actuator rod (it was too short) and splice a piece of the C10 rod in. The C10 rod is adjustable which is kind of nice. Then noticed that the S10 rod was considerably higher than the C10 was. Had to diss-assemble the pedal assembly to drill a new hole above the stock one.

Here's some pics.

[skymangs]

And here's where we ended the evening. Front clip bolted on, core support mounted, inner fenders mounted, Grill that wouldn't fit. I've already worked out the solution, just not enough hours in the day!

[xpickup]

skymangs, Looks great. It is always nice when it starts coming together as a whole truck again. Your son and you are doing a great job.

Shannon

[mknittle]

Wow going together fast. or I am really slow

[99 to Life]

you have an ariel view of the engine and rad support? I have a little angle on my rad, not as much as yours. I'm running an aftermarket rad with Efan on the engine side of the rad. I have about .75" tops between the back of the fan and my pulley.

[skymangs]

99, I can take a pic tomorrow of the engine and rad support. I didn't want to angle it that much, but the Steering box is RIGHT behind the rad support now. I can't physically make it any more vertical. If Humvees can run the rad at a 45* angle, I'm sure I can run this one at 20*.

I think it has to do with where I mounted the cab, it seems to be slightly farther forward than most. I only had to move the engine back 2.5" while it sounds like the common figure is 5 inches. Most conversions I've seen have the front wheel closer to the forward edge of the wheelwell opening. Michael was determined to have the wheels exactly where they are.

Also, thanks Shannon and Mknittle, as always for the compliments. Hopefully this thing will run and drive straight down the highway... Stopping would be a bonus as well...

[skymangs]

Didn't get too much done today. Cut the front framehorns down, 3 times, to get the grill to fit properly. Bolted it in, and threw the hood on to see where we were at.

Here's some pics

Obviously the grill could use some help. Any one have a straight chrome grill for sale or know someone in the midwest that can straighten this one? Don't want a re-production, too shiny.