starting in 96, GM came out with the Vortec cylinder heads which on the V8 are good for an extra 40hp. The V6's went from 165 to 190hp. They are the best iron heads to ever come out of GM. They are better than the famed "double hump" or any earlier head in a street application.
Prior to trying to figure out the chassis, I would undeck the body, and fully asses what you have. Even a newer S-10 will require bushings and balljoints so keep that in mind. If you only need kingpins and tie-rod ends, then my recommendation would be to keep the stock chassis and suspension with a refresh vs a frame/chassis swap. I would invest in a disc brake setup though.
