The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop swapping parts from one chevy to two others

I may have a line on an '86 or '87 Chevy G20 van for pretty cheap. I'm not really that excited about the van but more so the parts that I can use on a couple other vehicles that I own. I currently have a '62 Dubl-Duti (package delivery) and a '90 S10 that are both projects at the moment.

The '62 is in pretty decent shape compared to most that I've seen. I read somewhere that the full size van front crossmember will bolt up to the front end on the Dubl-Duti just like the crossmembers from the fullsize trucks. Can anyone confirm this? I'd like to do this swap if it is pretty straight forward. Also, I'll have the rear end from the G20 van so I could replace the factory 5:14 gear rearend set up that is still installed. The plan is to keep the 235 in the '62 (not sure if anyone has reinstalled their original inline six after doing a x-member swap. if so, let me know!).

my S10 is a wicked little ride but is in need of some more power so I figured I'd throw in the injected 350 and auto trans from the g20 van in there to help it get out of its own way. What's the great thing about ditching the 2.5L four cylinder motor that is currently in the S10? That means I have a spare 5 speed trans to bolt up behind the 235.

So this leaves me with my '62 having the original 235 mounted (hopefully rather "easily") to the '86/'87 crossmember from the g20 van. The 5 speed trans from my s10 mated with the factory rear end from the g20 van. This makes it road ready and using parts that are readily available. Any perceived problems here anyone?

My s10 will finally have the motor and trans it has been waiting for.. I'll be left with the solid axle and 6 spring front leaf set up along with the 5:14 rear axle and 8 spring rear leaf as well. I'll also have a fullsize chevy van body and frame laying around to weld that stuff onto too

hopefully it'll work out, nothing a few sawzall blades can't fix right?? LOL I can hopefully pick up that van for a couple hundred, I think its worth it.

Sounds good, but you've described a lot of work and made a lot of assumptions...

The original 235 in the '62 is either front mounted or side mounted, I've no idea which, but those mounts should be completely independant of the leaf spring front suspension. Working on the truck may be easier with the motor out, but I don't believe your proposed suspension changes will directly affect the motor mounts.

The IFS swap you've read about has been tried on a number of different vehicles. Currently I'm trying to locate even one person who has both done the work and is driving the truck. My thread elsewhere has revealed some that have done it, but not one who has both completed the work and IS driving the truck.

I'm increasingly convinced this swap is not as easy as it looks. My bet is the challenge is mounting the crossmember , steering box and idler arm correctly and in correct relationship to each other and the ground. I may still try it myself, but the more I research the less optimistic I am.

The last G20 van I pulled apart was all five-lug stuff. Is that the case with the one you are working with? '86-'87 is early enough I'm wondering if it really does have EFI. I'm not sure, but I'd check to make sure there isn't a carburator lurking under the doghouse.

Carbed or not, it should still be a good swap in the S-10. Around here most the S-10's that are talked about are going under a '47 to '54, where the motor needs to be mounted further back than makes sense with an S-10 body in place.

And I'd say you need a good welder to go with that sawzall. Its easier to cut things apart than to put them back together in a safe and useful way.

this is my 62 halfton with a crossmember out of a 71 1/2 ton...it bolted right in, however i had to drill 2 extra holes on each side of the frame. my steering box and idler hooked right up.i am less sure about the cutoff year that you can use parts from newer trucks for this swap. there is a huge thread in this forum on that subject......Mark http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/applebag/Newpics025.jpg?t=1230932533

The G series vans have the wheels far apart. Take some measurements & I think you will find they will stick out of the fenders & the steering linkage is real weird. I think you will find the C series will fit better. I put a 305 with TH200 in a S10 for a friend. It turned out real good. All kinds of conversion parts are available. The only rub was the factory A/C comp. wouldn't fit.

If it's an '86, it will be carbureted, the efi came in '87. Also, virtually all G20s are actually 1/2 tons with extended wheelbase, rather than true 3/4 tons with the 8 lug wheels and full float rearends. If it's 5 lug, then it's all 1/2 ton running gear.

Hi, there. Nice '62! Your plans sound good, but you might want to modify a little. I think the T5 5spd from a 4cyl won't work. The bellhousing & trans body should be one piece (could be wrong?) & the bellhousing pattern is only for the 4. There should be an article in tech tips explaining everything in detail. As for the suspension, you might want to just swap out the A arms & spindles if yours will work. Van & pickup might be different. That way you don't have to raise & support the engine or mess with steering. New bushings & balljoints are a good idea.
The only things to think about with the S-10 is you might have to modify the trans tunnel (hammer time!) and the rear probably won't last long. I put a 4.3 w/T5 (one piece bell & body)in an '86 S-10 that came w/2.8 & T5(seperate bell & body). I used the T5 from the 4.3 truck because they are supposedly stronger & 2.8 T5 would have required modifying. I think it would have only meant cutting some length off the input shaft. Oh yeah, and finding a clutch disc for the pilot shaft splines. This truck is a blast to drive. So far the 2.8 rear has held up, but only due to excessive wheelspin.
Good luck.
Scott

A couple of things. There was 2 different 5 speeds used in S10s, the T5 and the Getrag. To my knowlege, the Getrag was only used with 4.3 trucks, and even then i think only on 4x4 models. That one is the one with the integral bellhousing.
On the frontend, the '62 uses a torsion bar setup, the control arms are not compatible like they are with the '63-'70s. Unfortunatly, that means an entire crossmemeber swap is necessary to change it over. However, you are 100% correct on doing an overhaul, as the G cans are noted for having exsessive balljoint and idler arm wear issues.

Longbox55,
I totally forgot about the torsion. In my head I was picturing my '66.
OK, you got me thinking I'm losing my mind. I know the trans we used was from an S-10, about '91-'92, 4.3, & rear whl drive. It had a pass. side hyd clutch & elec. speedo. I would swear that it was integral. Getrag? I'm gonna make my friend I sold the truck to crawl under & verify. I've pulled enough engines & trannies in the last year that I might be mixed up.
Scott

actually I don't even have the torsion set up. my truck was given the smaller of the two solid front axles available in '62. my shop manual supplement says that it was a new design for this year so I'm not sure much changed with this front end for a few years. From what I've read, I have the same frame as a half ton but with bigger leafs in the rear. Also, the front leafs are pretty large as well but it's a 125" wheelbase so that should be about right I think.

I guess I'll have to get out the tape measure and see the difference between the wheelbase widths. I take it I should be measuring the inside of the two tires and not the outside if I'm not able to get a hub to hub measurement?

I'll have to see which trans I have and if they had changed over a two year period. my truck is a '90 but the motor is from an '89 I guess. I'm not even sure if the trans is original to the truck or the other motor but I guess only so many transmissions will fit on the back end of that 2.5L four banger. anyone out there know the difference between the 4cyl trans and the one(s) used on the 2.8L or the 4.3L?? I'll buy one if I have to but it'd be a shame if I couldn't use the one I already have.

And I'm positive that g20 van has an efi badge on it... then again... badges are cheap and who knows if the original motor is in this van. I've got some research to do!

The 2.5 4cyl & 2.8 60deg V6 have a much smaller/narrower bellhousing bolt pattern. They also put out much less HP so they can make do with smaller trans compenents such as smaller input shaft. They can be modified to work with a 235. Well, I know the 2.8 T5 can. They also have different gear ratios. The T5 from a 4.3 90deg V6 (same bellhousing pattern as V8) is a stronger trans with the common input shaft.
My friend verified the 5spd I used in an S-10 was indeed integral. I should be out there tomorrow, so I will get numbers & pictures.

I just read a post by Caroline's Truck in Hipo forum. There was a link to Motive Gear's site identifying standard trannies. Turns out mine is a NV3500 which was used in S-10's '90 & up and 1/2tons '88 & up. So I was wrong, it's not a T5.

The NV 3500 has the intregal bell housing. It will not work on the 235. The step vans all had straight axles up through67. If you need body parts for the step van visit www.millsupply.com

I tried the on line catalog & couldn't vavigate it. Just order the Walk -in-van catalog. It has door hardware & wiper parts & stuff like that that is used on those trucks.

so if my s10 tranny is a three piece unit (separate bell housing, gear box, and tailshaft) it might or might not work but if it is a two piece unit (integral bell housing and tailshaft I presume?) it will for sure not work. I'll have look into what I have and once again take some more measurements.

hey wrenchbenter, any chance you can verify that the truck I have does indeed have a standard production frame but just with a solid axle insted of IFS?

If you have a T5 (separate bellhousing), you are good, other than having to do the same mods that everyone else does when using an S-10 T-5 such as cutting off the pilot section, extending the splines and shortening the input bearing retainer. There is NO difference between the 2.5 and 2.8 T5 other than gear ratios on some early years (82 & 83). The '90 T5 will have electronic speedo. If you have a S-10 with the Getrag transmission, then you have a 1-piece boat anchor. These are indeed light duty transmissions that only found their way behind 2.2 liter and some 2.5 liter engines.

The 4.3 V6 in the S-10 only got the New Venture transmission with the integral bellhousing.

You will find the van suspension a bit wider than truck suspensions. other than that, it sounds like you have a start of a plan. Good Luck

I believe it is a cary over frame from the 50's. It will take some adapting to put the IFS. under it.
Scott pretty well covered the transmissions. The 3500 wont fit the 235 engine but the T-5 will bolt to the 235 bell housing.

where should I make measurements on the frame to determine what year range it is from? anyone happen to have a book or a link with year/model of truck and measurements for the frames they used?