The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 52-3100 on S-10

Help please! I have 3 1/4" between bed & cab, 6 3/4" from firewall to distributer of V6. The cab is 6" up off of the frame. I don't have the running boards yet to tie in the cab & bed. This is a S-10 standard cab long bed. Can someone tell me all the right measurements I need? My digital camera stopped working.Can't send pic's yet.

You're the second one to ask a question like this this month.

My first question is always have you centered the fenders over the wheels?

Your S-10 wheelbase is slightly longer than the stock 3100. But most people feel a stock 3100 has the rear wheels about two inches too far forward, and when lowered the front wheels should be moved forward to look right.

With the cab floor six inches above the frame you are mounting your body parts higher than most these swaps I'm familiar with. Most are more like 3-1/2 inches that I've seen. I mention it because the height affects where in the wheel well the tire is going to look best.

'Best' is somewhat subjective and is dependent on what you want your truck to look like. However since the fit over the wheels is one of the more important issues in determining the rest of the measurements, you need to figure out what best is for you before the other questions can really be answered.

Regarding the motor, its typical to have quite a distance between the firewall and distributor when using a V-6 mounted in the stock location. If you have room enough for the radiator you can ignore that issue. If it bothers you simply moving the motor back to get the distance you prefer is the fix. But it really isn't that simple...

And if it were me I'd solve the wheelbase fit issues first.

Borrow a camera and show us how you've mounted the cab and bed. It will help support this dialog.

I think I found some of my answers. I went to the gallery and I see the rear wheel is way forward in the finder. And my main problem is that I don't have the running boards to space the cab & bed. As for the hight from the frame I will probably go a lot lower. But I agree with finding the right place for the wheels. My wife said I could buy a through away digital camera so I can send pic's.

Another thought is that its not real hard to change the length of the bed, and/or to relocate the rear fenders. You have lots of options, its just making sure you deal with the issues in order so you don't paint yourself into an unhappy corner.

The AD-Engineering mount stands are above the top of the frame by at least 6" plus they use the S10 mount cushion which must be nearly 1 1/4 inches thick and the rear cab mounts have a 2" spacer on top of the S10 cushion. We use an old 50 chevy 3 window "mule" that has all the sheet metal welded in place---the fenders to cab, cab to bed (with spacer), and a working properly gapped hood and doors. This whole "end to end" truck is then lowered down over the S10 (or other) chassis and as suggested the front wheels are centered in the fender openings and the rear end is mounted so it's also centered. With all the sheet metal in the right place any gap between the body and mount is fitted with the proper shim. The slightly longer S10 wheel base puts the rear wheels dead on. Are you sure your frame is from a regular cab long bed? Here are some pics of an S10 set up: first shows finished 5W truck, second shows S10 frame with AD-Engineering mounts in place, third shows sheet metal all together but not on frame (hadn't welded bed assembly to cab yet), and fourth shows "mule" mounted to S10 frame. http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d41/coilover/

The fourth pic is just what I needed to see. The mule mounted on the S-10. I hope to get mine looking like that. I need to fine a pair of running boards next for the bed & cab spacing. Thanks to all!