The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop My S-10 frame swap saga

Dan, plan is to weld a plate across the front and rear of the 4" tubes, I fiqured closing them off would also look better , thanks..

Sounds like a good plan. It wouldn't be much fun taking a fast turn and rolling them over!!

When you mounted your front end, was there any issue with the front clip not being centered on the S10 rails? I'm off by an inch against the radiator mount but dead on by the tires!

i myself am tossed up to either build my own, or cough up the cash for the kit from ad-eng. Seems to me like alot less headache and faster to buy the kit. Cab mounting takes percision and is probably the easiest. but now you have to also match the profile of the running boards, bed and rad support to where you need it and you need to have skills with a tape measure every cm to get the best final result.
To me time is almost more valuebul than the money itself. Just my 2 cents

Dan, I didn't have any trouble with the front end , I had to 'tweek' it some but it went together pretty good. I remind myself that chevy didn't have everything aligned perfect from the factory, they had problems with the right side closing the small gap between the fender and the hood. if you need too move the front clip some that shouldn't hurt any,

Tony, I like too see if I can build things, I don't like to buy something if I can make it myself but thats me, so far the s-10 frame has worked out quite well, but then again I have all the tools needed to do it myself. I guess if someone has the extra cash then buying the kit would work. ( maybe I'm just a tightwad} lol

I've seen the kit on another guy's truck. He was looking for a much lower stance and ended up using about 1/2 of the kit. He gave me some of the mounts for the running boards and the radiator but I doubt I'll use them either. I'm with 51Dan79. Make it if you can.

I've got $104 in the steel I bought and I used 18" or so of the 6' of 4x4 and about 1/2 of the 20' I bought of 1 x 2". I've replaced the blade on the chop saw and used less than a roll of weld wire including that on the frame from changing the X cab wheel base.

Have any of you guys ventured into the radiator issue on the s-10 conversion? if so what did you come up with and what are you useing? I have a 65 mustang rad. that will fit in but was wondering if anyone has done another rad?

I'm hearing a lot of positives about the 64/5 Stang. Especially if you have the body sitting about 4" off of the frame like I do. Have just cut the rad mount last weekend and hope to mount it this weekend if the weather doesn't SUCK (70 on Monday, 20 this morning!)

wind chill THURSDAY WAS -2 DEGREES, plan is too go turkey hunting Sat. and later we can unthaw and maybe get some work done on the 51.

Saturday was nice IN the garage. Got the steering all hooked up and worked on the front sheet metal alignment. Sunday was cold no matter where we were so we didn't hang out too long. Did get the brakes mounted and the pedals all situated. Not too bad, overall.

I did my conversion using the stock AD radiator. Before I did the swap I bought a new one and was hell bent on using it. It fits nicely. You just have to kick the bottom of the radiator out a bit to clear the steering box.

I'm looking at that aspect right now on mine. Looks like I may have to trim the bottom of the grill apron to make the radiator fit but I've got 3 grills so I'll use the worst for practice. The 54 trucks are considerably different in this area from the 51 front clip I have.

How do you attach the running boards to the S-10 frame. Can you use the original brackets or does a modification have to take place. Pictures would be great.

thanks,

The AD engineering kit uses square tubing cut and welded on an angle and then welded to an upright to bolt to the frame. Kind of a bent L shape ordeal.

I'm just getting to this point on ours and plan to use some 1 x 2 tube stock with a plate on top to make up the angle of the board. This will be welded onto some flat stock with gussets to bolt to the frame. that way I can bolt the running board to the plate, bolt the tube stock to the frame rail, and then put a tack on it for alignment and then on to finish weld. I hope to have this in the next week or so.

I made my own using angle iron, and flat stock

After mocking up the passenger board tonight, it is really easily done. I'm going to use the extra 1 x 2 square tubing I bought for the bed mount and add some flat stock for the frame side mount and gussets. Only one that looks like I'll have to use the plate idea is the very rear because it comes right out at the spring perch location.

Hope to cut them up and get them tacked together tomorrow after work.

Help,is there an easy way to center the wheels in the fenders,when doing this swap, have tryed several methods and when i back off from the truck and look at a distance it dont look right.

Side to side or front to back? All of my reading says the wheels should line up correctly front to back. Side to side was a different matter though.

Has anyone used the 4 x 4 chassis and running gear to do this sort of swap? I have an 84 short wheel base S-10 4 x 4 and was thinking it might be a fun swap down the road. But still use a Stovebolt type engine in it with the five speed.

first you'll have to stretch the frame, if it's a standard cab short bed, second no reason it shouldn't work, if u use an S10/camaro 5 speed, should have a couple options for a transfer case. Get working on it and show us what you come up with

http://www.commerce.usask.ca/staff/hipkin/burb/frameswap.html

This guy used a 4x4 with a Burb.

Centering front to back I used a clip to hold a plumb bob at the peak of the wheel well and lined up the front first, then the rear. There is enough forgiveness in the bed to adjust fore/aft a bit if you've got the wheel base right to start with.

Width wise you'll need to get the spacers to get the front right and the 4x4 axle is the way to make the rear come out right or you'll rub tires on the bed side's lip.

I'm bbbbbbbaaaaaaccccccccckkkkk!!!

Well, this is a typical project. Work like the dickens on it for a while, then come to a screeching halt for months. Speaking of which, my S-10 frame had the single-piston front brakes. But I have procured the slightly larger, dual piston caliper front disk brakes.

The new "Whoa!"

Caliper Closeup

And to match the improved "WHOA", I've come up with some pretty good "GO!"

Yes, that's an LS1 and T56 six speed

Am I crazy or what?

I like it, any more done on the project?

Bump for a great project - even if you're making it for a 'Zoomie'

Hey guys, thanks for the good words. Had a few career bumps lately that have consumed HUGE amounts of my time. Hope to get back to the project soon.

Wow I hope you can send up more info on the frame sizing as I just picked up my doner 91 chev s15 ext cab it came with a 305 auto mounted & will need extensive work on correcting motor & tranny mounts & yes Im after the AD kit & change over rear axle for my 55 1st series truck so in canada its blast & work on the metal thanks to the winters(salt is a way to melt snow) as you wont have to much of in Texas so here I go with any info available out there appreciated thanks for listening dartin jack

Hey,
i also was wondering about using a 4x4 s10 frame and running gear? has anybody done or heard about someone doing it.What would have to be done diffrently then the 2wd setup?

Hey i was wondering what parts you keep original when using the ad-engineering product. do you keep the steering wheel,and do you have to change anything with the gauges or will it all work out, and does the instructions adress all these things or stop after the bodys bolted to the new frame?
Thanks