1948 gmc s10 swap or ifs

[1948GMC]

Hi guys I am lost for words and don't know what to do with my truck. I have a 3/4 ton highly optioned gmc and I want to do either a s10 chassis swap or a heidts ifs package and not sure what to do. I have a s10 chassis already with v8 motor mounts and trans supports and I need to have v8 mounts. I have seen so many people struggle with this topic and I am only 15 with little experience and can't weld but my dad can. He doesn't have a lot of time and I would like to make this my daily driver for highschool. I am so torn on what to do thanks for your help.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by 1948GMC

Hi guys I am lost for words and don't know what to do with my truck. I have a 3/4 ton highly optioned gmc and I want to do either a s10 chassis swap or a heidts ifs package and not sure what to do. I have a s10 chassis already with v8 motor mounts and trans supports and I need to have v8 mounts. I have seen so many people struggle with this topic and I am only 15 with little experience and can't weld but my dad can. He doesn't have a lot of time and I would like to make this my daily driver for highschool. I am so torn on what to do thanks for your help.

You want my opinion? DRIVE IT NOW, leave the I beam and DRIVE IT! You don't need IRS, you don't need disc brakes, you don't need anything! DRIVE IT!

I bought my '48 at 15 too, I chopped the top, another huge project, it took me two years to do it, I ended up being able to drive it the last semester of my senior year, don't do what I did. DRIVE IT! I can't stress enough, I am glad I chopped it back then, I had a ball driving the truck around chopped, but I would have been driving it two years sooner if I had left it alone. Now, at 55 years old I am glad I did what I did, so it depends more on what you want RIGHT NOW at this point. Doing that frame mod or swap isn't like the top chop, you truck will look exactly the same, it will just take a long time before you can actually drive it. You can get wheel adapters, you can put passenger car hubs on (with some work) for five lug. Have you changed the rear end in it?

Rebuilding the stock I beam axle front end isn't a big deal and a LOT less work than any IRS and for sure a frame "swap". (All it really does is swap time, money and work from one frame to another)

I drove mine with that I beam axle thousands of miles, at the drags, I went thru a few sets of tires on that I Beam and drum brakes, it's all you need, go DRIVE IT and have fun!



Here it is in the school parking lot 1977.



Go have fun! If you did anything, do the IFS but really, for a first timer this can take a long time, you get burnt out, you leave it for a while, you come back and get stopped by some other road block and get discouraged, I am just talking reality!

You may be completely different and get it done in no time, but the chances of that happening is slim in my experience with the first projects I have been involved with, it's REAL easy to get overwhelmed.

GO DRIVE IT!

Brian

[NEWFISHER]

I drive a straight axle Suburban (lowered) every day 75 miles round trip. Drum brakes, stock steering box ( updated tie rods) and it works great.

When I was 15 I wish I would have stayed away from V8's, Vag!@&$ and Alcohol. A buddy of mine put $20 a week in a savings account from when he was 16 and watched me spend mine as fast as I could. He's retired now waaaay before me, house paid off etc. but my stories are waaaaaay better than his

[1948GMC]

My problem is that the front suspension is messed up and the truck leans to one side in the front because the previous owner had run over a tree stump and messed that up. I also want my truck to be semi sporty and would be compfortable going cross country in it. I would like to keep the stock chassis and go with a ifs and a 10 bolt rear and thanks again for your help. I have been steering away from the s10 more and more lately thank god.

[1948GMC]

This isn't my first project either I have done 2 other cars

[NEWFISHER]

Sounds like IFS it is. Cut the damaged rail(s) and build new, Z the front with a Heidts kit while you are at it, hang your mounts and hit the gas.

[1948GMC]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

I drive a straight axle Suburban (lowered) every day 75 miles round trip. Drum brakes, stock steering box ( updated tie rods) and it works great.

When I was 15 I wish I would have stayed away from V8's, Vag!@&$ and Alcohol. A buddy of mine put $20 a week in a savings account from when he was 16 and watched me spend mine as fast as I could. He's retired now waaaay before me, house paid off etc. but my stories are waaaaaay better than his

What do you get formpg in the burb.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Sounds like IFS it is. Cut the damaged rail(s) and build new, Z the front with a Heidts kit while you are at it, hang your mounts and hit the gas.

Doesn't sound like there is anything wrong with the frame, he didn't mention that. It sounds like the spring is broken on one side, God knows you can't bend that axle very easy!

But yeah, remove that front axle and put in an AM IFS.

Brian

[Bone$]

Either Fix the spring and drive it or go ifs.


If you do a s10 it will be a while before you drive it.

[1948GMC]

I have decided to do the ifs I don't have the time to screw around with lengthening the s10 chassis and having it look horrible with front wheel spacers so the s10 is up for sale now

[NEWFISHER]

Originally Posted by 1948GMC

What do you get formpg in the burb.

19mpg ==700r4 3:73 and a warmed over 250 with a fairly big cam,lump ports and a 390 4bbl, langdons cast headers and 2 1/2 all the way out.

[1948GMC]

I have settled on the ifs. How is your steering everyone is it tough where I may need to have power steering or is ok?

[trucktech]

Daily driver.... Power steering!

[1948GMC]

I have the ifs installed and would have it done before summer hopefully Right now I am working on steering columns and my rear end and how I will mount them on the leaf springs.