frame swap Q

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This is for my '49 1/2 ton Chevy...
i know the right s10 to look for but do any of you know if the GMC S15 frames are any different?
the reason i ask is searching CL, i've found some decent donors that are the GMC S15/sonomas that may be good deals.
let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Chris

[MrTucker]

I dont know for sure, but I would think they are the same...as long as it's not 4x4, I know those are different from the 4x2

[Dan Bowles]

Same truck, different badges.

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Thanks guys. I figured as much but never hurts to double check.
Posted via Mobile Device

[sweet70beast]

My 54 Suburban is sitting on an 89 S15 GMC 4x4 chassis.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Dan Bowles

Same truck, different badges.

I want to believe that they go down the same assembly line and get the designated trim making them a Chevy or GMC along the way.

[Dan Bowles]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I want to believe that they go down the same assembly line and get the designated trim making them a Chevy or GMC along the way.

Yep. I've been to the Oshawa Truck plant and watched GMC and Chevy one right after the other. Same with the Equinox/Terrain in Ingersoll. Heck, it used to be Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, and Impala were all mixed up on the same line in Oshawa as well.

[TheDude]

While we're on the subject of s10 swaps, I have a few questions:

How do the gauges all hook up? It seems like a mess to be sorted out. I know I need brand new replacement gauges, but I don't know where to begin getting them to work.

I used to figure the same with the wiring loom, and how to adapt the s10 wires, but later I decided the S10 frame is irrelevant to the wiring, its mostly the original AD truck and new engine combination that determine the wiring system, can anyone confirm?

[49ZR2]

Chris I think the S15 frame is the same as the S10 ZR2 frame. Take a look at my build to see how I used a complete rolling chassis and drivetrain.

Gary

[Dan Bowles]

Our truck has an S10 frame and an EZ Wire knock off harness. Gauges are Autometer. I saw a friend's truck tonight at a local cruise and he's running rebuilt stock gauges in his truck. You can do what you want, you just need to make A connect to B!

I started trying to salvage an S10 harness and found it wasn't worth the hassle to me. By the time you remove what you don't need, it looks like yuck. In the end, I saved the connectors and got new wire ends at NAPA. Using a Rebel Wire kit on the 1 ton panel project I'm working on now.

ZR2 has some modifications over the stock S10/S15. I don't know what they all are but there are lifts and widths to take into consideration. 4x4 frames differ from 4x2 frames as well (obviously the front suspension...)

[mr48chev]

I think that most guys now do as Dan said he did and buy an aftermarket harness. I've tried to use doner car harnesses in the past and on these trucks it is usually more hassles than a guy usually wants to fight with.

Even if you don't end up buying their product it doesn't hurt to get your hands on a Ron Francis and Painless wiring catalog. Both show a lot of options and specialty harnesses and other pieces. Rebel Wire has an excellent reputation with rodders. It helps to be able to look in the catalog and see a simple solution to a wiring issue you are having.
I found out the hard way that one of the knockoff harnesses sold on Ebay comes with only the basic circuit wiring and one has to add his own wire for the headlight and taillight circuits along with a dash wiring circuit. I didn't pay a lot for it and it will most likely end up in a roadster I am building but the great deal on a wiring harness ended up not being such a great deal when all was said and done.