The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk In search of its creator...

This truck was for sale on the web from a car auction place in St. Louis. I made a deal on it but someone beat me to it. Loosing out on the deal inspired me to build my own. I go back to these pictures every time I hit a snag. I sure would like to pick the brain of the guy that built this one though. Do you think he is out there in Stovebolt land?
John 40 Chevy that got away

The only thing I don't like about it is the grill top chrome is painted over where the Chevrolet script is. Otherwise a real nice truck.

I would just like to know if they had to move the engine location backwards. I really didn't want to do that if I could help it.

Looks like that's sitting on a late 80's 4x4 s10 or blazer frame judging from the dash they used, and the stock 4wd/2wd lever in the floor.

Yep Fumblin its a 88 with a 2.8 V6. Mine is a 2000 with a 4.3 V6. My clutch fan sticks way out there. Maybe if a do away with it and put an electric fan in front...

Nice looking truck, and it appears to be put together pretty well... i wonder why they didnt spend a bit more time on the inside of the bed?

I don't see how a v6, no matter how long the fan clutch, could be longer than the original I6.

Might not be longer, but may be positioned farther forward in the modern frame. Should be easy to move though. move existing mount work, then shorten the driveline..

The condition of the bed makes it look like its just a "camouflage" job.

Can't vote for the paint job.

The color isn't putting any starch in my shorts either, but I have to approve of the project as a whole.

They for the most part kept a pretty much bone stock look to the truck.. and the condition of the bed wood suggests they built it not just to be flashy and cool, but also as a driver and working truck.

It's something i'd like to do with a '41 thru '46 or a '47 thru '50 truck.. keep it as bone stock looking as possible, but have modern conveniences like power brakes and steering, more modern drivetrain, and 4wd.

Not sure i'd bother with the 2.8 V6 tho.. but that 4.3V6 is one heck of a engine.. and darn near bulletproof.

Sure would have been nice if the person who built that truck had provided a 'blow by blow' of the build for us guys who'd like to travel down that path.

They did refer to the truck as a "work truck" with good gas milage and not a street rod or antique. I can only move the engine back about two inches before the transfer case hits the cross member for the torsion bars.

How are you fixed on width? I'd like to do a simular project with a '41 thru '46, and it was my understanding the only difference between '41 thru '46 and the '39 and '40 trucks was the cabs on the '39 and '40 trucks are a bit shorter.

There are likely to be a whole lot of differences between an '88 s10 and a 2000.. hell, i've owned a '91 and a '98 and they ain't even the same truck.

So your only obstacle at the moment is your clutch fan sticks out too far? I don't have a 2000 4.3 sitting around to look at, but couldn't you just replace it with one that doesn't stick out that far? Maybe one from an earlier year engine?

You might measure how far yours sticks out, and determine how much shorter you need it to be and then go peek at the engines of earlier s10's at the u-pick-it bone yard.

The late 47 thru 54 would be a better fit with their wider cab and fat fenders. The 40 cab makes a nice fit on the back corners but gets tight at the front. I have about two inches of the S10 frame peaking out on each side at the front corners. The fenders will cover that up though. The bigger issue is the hugh amount of space left between the back of the engine and the front of the cab. The clutch fan extends about five inches forward of the radiator core support. I got a 16 inch wide radiator made that I can stick way out behind the grille but it's gona look like Frankenstine under the hood if I leave it like this.