Need help with 51 box on s-10

[Larry Daehler]

Can anyone help me with installing a 1951 box on a s-10 frame?

[99 to Life]

hey larry,

here is a pic of the back of the bed, I cut 5" off the frame. Setting the bed is not as easy as it seems, it is but you need to prep for this. It is wise to do a full moch up. Meaning put your cab on, front fenders, bed and rear fenders and get your running boards out. Reason is. You want your wheels to be as centered as you can, that will dictate where everything falls into place. With the s-10 reg cab lonbed 2x4, it works out pretty good.

Once you do that, you need to then set your height. So if you are doing a 350 with a trans, you might need to make a tranny tunnel in the cab, depending on how high you want your body. I lowered my truck with blocks and drop spindles, so I kept my cab about 4" total off the frame, I still had to make a tranny tunnel and driveshaft tunnel in the cab. Setting the overall height is critical. Also moching up your running boards will help with overall height, you don't want those sloping too much.

That being said, I moched up everything, then made sure the bed was level, side to side and longways. Then I measured how high off the frame it was in it's set location. I then made mounts for the front (see pic) nothing special. I bolted those mounts to the frame. I then had a xmember on the front of the bed, set on these mounts. For the rear, I was fortunate for the bed to rest on my tow hitch, so I didn't have to make any new mounts. But I did put a bolt through the frame and the bed, so it wouldn't move side to side.

[Larry Daehler]

Thanks for the pictures, they are just what I was looking for. I was wondering if the box height was so the floor would clear the cross member on the hump of the s-10 frame. You say your cab is about 4" above the frame top, I will have to go mock this up again because at first try it looked like I would be about 5" plus body mount. I also plan on dropping the front 3" and the rear 4" by changing the springs. I will try to figure out how to send pictures and show you what I have. Thanks again.

[99 to Life]

larry,

I can pm you my email.

Yeah I am 4" with mounts ( I used poly mounts) Id think 5" plus mounts would be a little high.

I used 2" drop spindles and 3" blocks in back (actually just put in 6deg pinion shims).

The hump of the s-10 frame I actually used as an xmember so to speak. I set my bed up to kinda slope down on the inside (it is all level, but the wood part has a slope to the rear)

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by Larry Daehler

Thanks for the pictures, they are just what I was looking for. I was wondering if the box height was so the floor would clear the cross member on the hump of the s-10 frame. You say your cab is about 4" above the frame top, I will have to go mock this up again because at first try it looked like I would be about 5" plus body mount. I also plan on dropping the front 3" and the rear 4" by changing the springs. I will try to figure out how to send pictures and show you what I have. Thanks again.

You're on the right track, if you intend to leave the bed the stock depth it will dictate how high you mount the cab. Most of us here have mounted the cab lower and raised the bed floor. I personally used the stock s10 steel bed floor in mine, which is about 2" higher than the stock floor would have been with the cab 3.5" off the frame.

[Larry Daehler]

Thanks for the reply BlueJeep. I should have the complete front end rebuilt to new in another week if all goes well. I will be able to see how the 2" dropped spindles look then. At that point I will fit the box so I can use the wood floor and original inside box height,then doing some more measuring to see how the cab height will be. I'm working alone so I go a little slow !!!!!

[Thadious]

I dropped my cab on 3 1/2" mounts and aligned the box to sit about 1/2" off the hump on the frame without raising the floor level. This allowed the cab to not look quite so high above the box like they usually do. I lowered the rear fenders about 2" and ended up having to make up new panels from the running boards to the box sides (2" higher). This also gave me additional space to mount the filler neck for using the stock S10 tank in it's stock location and the fill neck right out the side... basically opposite sides of what a 47' fill neck normally is.

Cheers,
Ted.

[Larry Daehler]

Thadious, I never gave a thought to lower the fenders. You guys are the greatest. Thanks for all the ideas.

[Larry Daehler]

I went ahead and put the 2" dropped spindles in the front and lowered the frame 3" in the rear and the running boards set 12.5 inches off the ground without motor,cab, trans, etc. I think I am going to like it.

[99 to Life]

Larry, I am running 2/3 drop set up like you but my running boards are about 6-7 inches off the ground. My cab is about 4" off frame. So I'm wondering how you are so high off of ground. If I remember, stock height boards are 13" off ground. But tires will have some effect.

[Larry Daehler]

Do you have your bed so the floor just clears the hump in the s-10 frame? It looks like my cab mounts are going to be 4 3/4 " above the frame. Like I said I don't have anything on the frame right now but a box without a floor. My running board height is calculated from the rear fender where the boards bolt on. I am trying to work around the weather so I can get the cab mounted and see how much it goes down, I think with the cab,motor,trans,fenders,hood,etc. it will come down close to where you are. Thanks for sharing what I should see based on your project.

[99 to Life]

yeah if you are 4.75 off frame you'll be somewhat close to my height. As for my bed. The hump in the frame, my wood actually sits right on it, so I kinda used it as a cross member, as I put a piece of angle iron in the middle of the hump. I then used that xmember to mount my tank to and fuel lines to etc. worked out well, so all in all my wood is touching the frame at the hump. I again, sloped the bed slightly inside, very hard to tell if you're not looking for it.

[Larry Daehler]

Everything you gave me is good information. I am going to set the engine in the frame to see where it goes, do you happen to remember how much you moved the motor mounts back? I am going to try to get the cab moved over so I can get my body mounts fastened to the frame where they belong.

[99 to Life]

Larry, honestly I don't have the exact measurement. what I'd do is put the bed on, set the cab on and put your front clip on, line up the wheels centers to the fender centers and see where everything falls into place. That is the most critical thing. It will dictate where everything falls. There will be enough room for a sbc with hei distributor but probably not for a mechanical fan. I ran an electric fan and kicked the rad out slightly, so that is the crunch spot on dealin with the s-10, but I have enough room from my cab to hei and my hei is big, so I'm pretty happy with my placement. Once you have your cab in its location, you can set the engine in and moch up where it can go. I was fortunate to just make a new trans xmember and use a 2 piece driveshaft from a 4x4 ext cab s-10, but you could just buy a one piece driveshaft, depends on the trans you use too. All I did was bold my engine mount to a steel plate and bolt the mounts to the engine, get it in place and weld the steel plate to the frame. so the bottom motor mount and plate will stay on frame, you can unbolt the engine and finalize securing the steel plate to the frame. Then I bolted it to the frame with my motor mounts.

[Larry Daehler]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

Larry, honestly I don't have the exact measurement. what I'd do is put the bed on, set the cab on and put your front clip on, line up the wheels centers to the fender centers and see where everything falls into place. That is the most critical thing. It will dictate where everything falls. There will be enough room for a sbc with hei distributor but probably not for a mechanical fan. I ran an electric fan and kicked the rad out slightly, so that is the crunch spot on dealin with the s-10, but I have enough room from my cab to hei and my hei is big, so I'm pretty happy with my placement. Once you have your cab in its location, you can set the engine in and moch up where it can go. I was fortunate to just make a new trans xmember and use a 2 piece driveshaft from a 4x4 ext cab s-10, but you could just buy a one piece driveshaft, depends on the trans you use too. All I did was bold my engine mount to a steel plate and bolt the mounts to the engine, get it in place and weld the steel plate to the frame. so the bottom motor mount and plate will stay on frame, you can unbolt the engine and finalize securing the steel plate to the frame. Then I bolted it to the frame with my motor mounts.

It sounds like I am sorta on the right track even if it is but accident. I have a 335 in sbc with HEI so that will be the same, I set it in the frame on some mocked up mounts on a temp. plate and did a lot of fancy measuring. I am lucky because I have the entire 51 sitting here to measure original diminutions. I'm glad to here the electric fan because It looked like I would run close up front. I can't thank you enough for all the help and answers to what must seem like stupid questions. My next week (weather permitting) will be devoted to removing the cab from the original frame and sitting it on the new frame and mounts and measuring everything many times. Thanks again.

[99 to Life]

larry,

not dumb questions at all. this is a swap that has no rules or right or wrong way. To each their own. You are on the right track for sure. When you get your cab on there to work with, it makes everything sooo much easier and you will see it all come together. You might have some issues getting your cab off of the OG frame if your steering column is still connected. It took me a while to figure out how to get the column out of the actual steering box. But they do separate. Other than that get your cab on, block it up off the frame about 4" good starting point, make sure it is on there square, square up the bed, level it, make mounts for the bed, then cab etc. Front fenders and grill will sag if there is nothing holding them up, so block them up level them and you should have a good idea where you are at. You should cut about 5" off the back of the frame and the front, you will cut off the radiator mounts. also mount your running boards too, that will give you a good idea on how everything will look. have fun

[av8tr33337]

Originally Posted by Larry Daehler

Can anyone help me with installing a 1951 box on a s-10 frame?

Mine wasn't too bad. I'll try to post a couple pics here that might help.

My rule of thumb was this...

Set the cab height where you want it. Then mock up the running boards with the fillers installed that go between the bed and running boards. Then set the bed off of that, keeping your lines all looking straight and good. My front bed mounts are made from 2X2 suare tubing. The rear mounts consisted of a 2X2 square tubing cut on an angle and welded to the frame. There should be a couple metal blocks on the bed that would rest on these brackets. A lot depends on how high you want your bed to sit.

There are more pics at the links at the bottom showing my truck in mock up with all the body parts in place. All of my brackets wer just tacked in place at this point. I then blew it all apart and finish welded everything and started painting the chassis.

[Larry Daehler]

Thanks for the info and pictures. I feel pretty good because my mounts look exactly like those in the photo, they are even in the same location. I will have to take the steering column out of the old truck so I will look forward to that little task. I will be glad when I get all the brackets made and welded on in the proper place so I can paint it, that frame looks real nice. Thanks again,later.

[av8tr33337]

Originally Posted by Larry Daehler

Thanks for the info and pictures. I feel pretty good because my mounts look exactly like those in the photo, they are even in the same location. I will have to take the steering column out of the old truck so I will look forward to that little task. I will be glad when I get all the brackets made and welded on in the proper place so I can paint it, that frame looks real nice. Thanks again,later.

Glad I could help.

[Larry Daehler]

Hey Bartman, just a quick worthless note, I picked my truck up from Derby, Kansas last fall.

[av8tr33337]

Wow that's interesting. I didin't know there was another one around. Mine is pretty hidden from the public to though so hardly anyone knows it exists. Now that I think about it, there is another guy a few blocks away who has an AD truck sitting in his yard that looks restored painted navy Blue. I never see it out of his yard though. There was another guy by the name of ChevyII that I met on Killbillet who had one too, but he was from Wichita. I guess he sold his about a year ago. I think he uses this forum as well.

[Larry Daehler]

This truck set out on the north west side in the country in a 10 acre field. The guy,where the truck sat, did paintless dent repair, don't remember a name. It was in excellent shape and all parts were on the truck. (White)

[62ChevyII]

Originally Posted by av8tr33337

Wow that's interesting. I didin't know there was another one around. Mine is pretty hidden from the public to though so hardly anyone knows it exists. Now that I think about it, there is another guy a few blocks away who has an AD truck sitting in his yard that looks restored painted navy Blue. I never see it out of his yard though. There was another guy by the name of ChevyII that I met on Killbillet who had one too, but he was from Wichita. I guess he sold his about a year ago. I think he uses this forum as well.

Hey Bartman, that was me. I started on another one, a 49 on an s10 chassis. I actually just tacked that build onto the end of my 48 build thread. I have most of the major fab work done but life has gotten in the way lately and it has been sitting for a few months. Hoping to get some stuff done before too long.

[av8tr33337]

Originally Posted by 62ChevyII

Hey Bartman, that was me. I started on another one, a 49 on an s10 chassis. I actually just tacked that build onto the end of my 48 build thread. I have most of the major fab work done but life has gotten in the way lately and it has been sitting for a few months. Hoping to get some stuff done before too long.

I was hoping you would chime in and I kinda figured you would get another truck. It's kinda like leaving the house without your wallet. Just makes you feel kinda uneasy. Now you can enjoy life again! LOL looking forward to following your build and stealing your ideas!

[gregw98]

Guys, the information that you are posting is invaluable. I am building my first S10 framed early Chevy truck. I have been following several builds and I am at about the same stage of progress. Mine is a 54 half ton 5 window going on a 84 single cab, long bed. Kind of doing this as it fits and see that it is basically open as to how you mount your cab and fenders. My cab is mount 24 1/2 inch from the bottom floor seam to the front shock upper post. Chugging along.