Decision time: Do I bight the bullet and get an S10?

[gigamanx]

I had a good bit of time to work on the 49' 3100 this weekend only to uncover some big problems. The fuel tank is done for and so is everything associated with it. The brake lines need to be replaced and I need another front wheel cylinder. Finally, the new radiator doesn't fit because the 235ci I have doesn't have the short shaft water pump installed.

All in all I'm looking at $500-$600 in parts to get past these hurdles and onto whatever is next. I am realizing any money I put into mechanical stuff is getting wasted because I want to do an S10 frame swap in a year or so.

So do I bight the bullet now? If so, should I be searching for a rolling chassis or a complete S10 long bed truck? I've also read a blazer frame might be a better choice because it is boxed already.

[dwcsr]

One of the prime reasons build budgets get out of hand is starting with no plan or not sticking to the plan. Start a plan that will cover a year and your answers will become very clear on how to proceed. A calculator will confirm your answers I see no reason to put 800 into something your changing soon.

start your plan on a general note and then fill in the details

example....
I want a 1950 3100 on an S10 chassis lowered ac auto trans ls motor disc x4 and then fill in the details

fill in the cost of each major section as best you can with a reasonable time frame to complete.

[gigamanx]

The end goal:

1949 Chevy 3100 on S10 bagged. 350 manual floor shift. disc brakes. Able to tow a small boat

What I've been attempting to this point is having a drivable car in between major projects. As I dig in I'm realizing that both time and money are wasted on trying to make an intermediate step drivable. If I give myself 2017. I'd like to have a running driving car by the end of it. Just the necessary stuff...body work, interior, new bed can all come afterward.

If I am right, I just need to know how to progress....am I best off getting another donor vehicle or doing a chassis up build? I already seem to be collecting rusty metal outside my garage that needs to be thrown out

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

One of the prime reasons build budgets get out of hand is starting with no plan or not sticking to the plan.

exactly.

a driveable truck never gets torn back down, so I wouldnt focus on that. if your plan is an s10 swap then my advice is:

find a complete donor and take it apart yourself. just the action of taking things apart yourself is invaluable when you start putting things back together.
leave the brakes connected and sealed, it is a working system already and all you will need to do is mount the pedal and booster.
leave the fuel lines and gas tank installed, although draining the tank and blowing out the lines is a good idea before welding.
save the harnesses and label the connections. if you are using an 82-93 donor the harness doesnt have a lot of extraneous connections and is already set up to be a single headlight with turn signals and combination taillight. its already set up to work with your column. I will never understand the need to install a new harness and fusebox when you threw away an almost duplicate system that is already terminated.
consider getting the s10 engine and trans going first, then swapping in your motor of choice. the worst thing to do is install a bunch of new parts that will rely on each other (fuel system, electrical system, engine harness, engine and trans) to work. with a running and driving donor, you know it already works and have only made the geographical changes of fitting the new body (engine relocated, booster relocated, wiring pass through relocated etc)

I bought a complete truck for the last one and the frame was bent, so I switched everything over to a new frame. I will never make that mistake again. just the action of cracking the brake lines to move them over cost me days of work. Nickel and dime parts that I either didnt save from the first donor or misplaced between disassembly and reassembly equaled hundreds of dollars in part and travel/shipping costs.

picture driving the finished truck, then picture the last thing you would do before driving the finished truck, even if its hanging an air freshener. then the thing before that. work backward until the truck is how you have it now.

good luck!

[gigamanx]

that's just the kind of advice I need to hear. Thanks as always JoeDoh. I don't feel like the last few months were wasted. I got to know the truck and where things are positioned and how some of the mechanical stuff works. I didn't think to consider swapping the engine at a later date only because I thought things would have to move again for a v8. I'm sure the air ride suspension is the same. I can put it in later.

Should I keep the steering column from the 1949 truck? My column doesn't have the turn signal conversion yet. Just column shift.

Off to craigsland...

[joedoh]

A 82-93 s10 has a column suitable for the swap and the harness plugs in. it would be a lot of work to use the 49 column, you will need to cut it and weld in a bearing at the bottom, but I have seen guys do it.

get a running driving truck then bag it. bagging it while in process is just another thing that will compete for resources. its ok to collect parts, but get it running and driving first.

[MARTINSR]

Have you driven this truck before as it is? I know it's a surprise to hear but before S-10 frames existed, before Chevy trucks were even sold with IRS, when Corvettes didn't even have disc brakes these trucks were towing boats!





They towed them all over the country, I am one of them driving my dad's F100 towing a boat hundreds of miles up into the Sierras to camp. All with drum brakes and an I beam, OH THE HORRORS!

I went through the brakes in my Rambler in no time, a few days, all new lines and hoses, wheel cyl and master drums turned all done. And I drive it every single day.

The frame swap is a huge project that will have it down for a long time, often people get overwhelmed and a project like that never gets done.

My truck is going to have IRS though vintage IRS from a 49-54 passenger car (that is what fits the theme of the truck so that is what I am using) so I am not against up grading at all. I just like it to be NEEDED, people are so crazy convinced that a car HAS TO HAVE disc brakes (nope) or IRS (nope) to drive it on "modern roads" (I want to puke when I hear that term) its YOU who drives your truck and YOU can drive it stone stock every day if you want, as I do.

I just hate to see how often people think these things MUST be done, when it's not. How often will you be towing a boat? Is it on flat lands, or is it over the mountains? Really windy roads? Are you going to drive it regularly down big highways where the traffic is going 70? There are lots of questions that need to answered more than just driving on your typical city streets and all that "most" of us use our cars and trucks for. If you are commuting 60 miles a day to work, nope that's not for you, modernize it. If you are towing a boat, a motor boat, over mountains through windy roads, disc brakes at the very least are for you. One of the biggest misconceptions is how disc brakes work over drums, drums will stop the car very close to as good (my Rambler blows me away at how well it stops!) the big difference is how they work after a number of hard stops or braking like on a windy mountain road down hill, they FADE BIG TIME! That is where you wish you had discs, holy crap can they fade. But my daily driver this isn't problem not in the least, would it be with you?

Think about it, I don't know about that $600 to make your brakes work, I don't see anywhere near that much but I have a great source right on my way to work for parts. I can stop there and buy the master cyl for my Rambler and they have it in stock, did the same for my son's 63 Falcon when we put discs on that, the 68 Mustang master was right there in stock, the 78 Granada calipers were right there in stock, the tie rod ends, everthing was right there in stock and reasonably priced, we all don't have it this good. The brake lines, OMG it's so easy to change them it's funny. These days in a good parts store they have a row of lines, all different lengths from a few inches to three feet. On my son's Falcon and my Rambler I only really had to cut one line and flare it at one end, done deal. The rest of them were all right off the rack at the parts store. They have a new tubing that has sort of a black look, they bend real easy and you don't even need a tubing bender to do it. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/se...0833/C0066.oap Outside of wrapping it around a pipe or something for a nice tight bend you don't even need a tool! You need a 5' long line you put a 3' and a 2' simple fitting to tie them together, it's so easy it's crazy.

All I suggest is you think about it, do you REALLY need the IRS and Discs or just the discs maybe?

Brian

[mr48chev]

I'm the one who is not a fan of S-10 swaps simply because to me it screams "I wanna throw a cheap truck real quick" every time I see the want to throw my good frame away and stick a worn out S-10 frame under the truck so I can fight with all of the fitment problems or spend 1500 for a kit and spend another thousand to rebuild the S-10 chassis because it has 200K miles on it and then swap the rear axle because it is far too narrow.

You can shorten the shaft on the water pump real easy and the only cost is a gasket and a new hack saw or cut off wheel. A V8 pulley is usually short enough to get the clearance you need once you move the hub back on the shaft the difference between the height of the pulleys. The correct 54 water pump is easier though. a new pump with the pulley is about 50 bucks at O'Reilly's.

At any rate don't just jump on the S-10 band wagon because you think that is what all the cool guys are doing this week. Think it out and compare it out. Take a look at the options.
An industrial Chassis crossmember with Dodge Dakota suspension and steering will bolt under that truck in a long Saturday from rolling the truck into the shop with the I beam under it and setting it on the floor with the independent and bags under it. Same with a bolt on Speedway crossmember and suspension pieces. No screwing around trying to build brackets to fit the front bumper or front sheet metal or cab or getting the bed at the right height.

At any rate weight all of the options, price out what it will take in both $$ cost and time cost and what you can or can't do yourself, then decide what route you want to take.

[MARTINSR]

I do have to agree, when I say I am not against "modernizing" I mean putting IRS or discs, I do NOT mean a frame swap, that make me want to scream. It is NOT the cheapest way to go, it is NOT the best way to go, it is NOT needed to upgrade!

I like to call it a "money and time swap" more than anything. Because that is really all you are doing, "swapping" what you spend your time and money on. In the end, you have the same thing, an IRS and disc brakes. Doing that on your stock frame is WAY easier and no more money than forcing an S10 frame to sort of fit.

Brian

[gigamanx]

I'll take all opinions so thanks mr48Chev and MARTINSR. The primary reason for S10 chassis is that all of the builds I see that I really like the stance and lowered, the description inevitably calls for a chassis swap with either lower spindles and/or airbags. Not saying people don't use the stock frame, but it seems to me that is not the best path to take. I have read the ride is smoother too with IFR. A mustang II front end for the frame I have seems a bit pricey.

As for towing and braking, I hear ya. I would like to drive it often to work which is a highway trip, so I know the current 235ci and rear end won't help me there.

For the responses further up it sounds like my order of major projects would be:

Strip down the '49 and sell the frame and engine/trans
Purchase S10 donor
Strip down S10 donor and sell the body parts
Set mount positions and fabrication work
Put '49 body on and get it running.
Air bags and sbc 350.

Finally, Drive it like I stole it.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

It is NOT the cheapest way to go, it is NOT the best way to go, it is NOT needed to upgrade!

no more money than forcing an S10 frame to sort of fit.

Brian

Not to discount what you're saying as I'm at the very beginning of a journey that many on here have already finished. If it is not easier, cheaper, or the best, then why do people even do an S10 swap? I had read an article recently that talked about all the components needed to upgrade your current frame for IFS, disc brakes, power steering, moving the fuel tank, and lowering the rear end. They added up the cost and it was quite a bit more than finding a donor truck like an S10 that already had all of these components stock. Add to that the newer truck has harmonized components, so to speak. They are designed to work together whereas my attempt at modernizing a 67 yr old frame may not get the same result.

For nostalgic purposes, I'd love to keep the stock frame. The engine and drivetrain were already upgraded by a previous owner to a 1960's 235ci so I don't care to keep that trend going. The rear end is Frankenstein welded to the leaf springs too! I guess it worked for them.

P.S. I am trying to do my research (aka google)
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/new-...ns-191731.html

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Set mount positions and fabrication work
Put '49 body on and get it running.

Finally, Drive it like I stole it.

In my opinion this is where the extra time for the s10 swap is going to exceed using the stock chassis, in my opinion. AD body fitment is a challenge on a stock frame, and getting the mounts just a little off on the s10 can cause headaches.

In my world I try to limit the number of variable when doing any task because each one adds mutiple levels of out comes. 2x2=4, 3x3=9. 4x4=16... Using stock frame limits it to getting the front and rear axle center lines right, assuming ride height is the same, 4 outcomes. S10 frame adds in radiator core support x 2, cab support x 3, 25 outcomes. If you want a v8 both stock and s10 require motor mount fab, figuring out trans mount, etc. so that is a push.

Sounds like you are set on the s10, like mr48 says make sure you add in the cost of rebuilding the s10 suspension, brakes, maybe steering, the person selling it has already figured out it is past its useful life.

[joedoh]

getting the body mounted is literally one of the easiest parts. I dont mean figuratively either, I am not using literally as an exaggeration, I mean literally. Check out 84blaze thread in the project section, he bought a bolt on kit and had the body on in a weekend.

The guys who focus on mounting the body as the main reason not to swap to an S10 a) have never done it and b) would REALLY be overwhelmed when it came time to put the harness in, the column in, the fuel system in, mounting the engine and tranny and a thousand other things. And ALL of those thousand other things still have to be done with a stock framed truck.

eyes wide open, focusing on what is under the truck for suspension is pretty short sighted. It takes determination and commitment to finish a project, otherwise it just sits around until you sell it half done 10 years later.

I like to call it a "money and time swap" more than anything. Because that is really all you are doing, "swapping" what you spend your time and money on. In the end, you have the same thing, an IRS and disc brakes. Doing that on your stock frame is WAY easier and no more money than forcing an S10 frame to sort of fit.

brother, I know your heart is in the old stuff and you love driving stock vehicles, but not everyone can put up with it. Its not the more expensive alternative, it just isnt. it doesnt just sort of fit, it fits, and drives smooth and well. your personal indignity is clouding your judgement, and that is ok. The oldest thread I was able to find on S10 swapping was 11 years old, there are undoubtedly older. if it were a fad or fraught with peril or had glaring faults like you are suggesting, it would have manifested. I have built two in two years and the last one I wanted to keep, it rode so smooth and quiet and steered perfectly. the wheels were centered in the wheel openings, the shocks were not overdamped, the ride height was exactly what I wanted. anybody can install anything incorrectly, and I would rather screw up a weld on an entire body mount than even an inch on a front suspension.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Not to discount what you're saying as I'm at the very beginning of a journey that many on here have already finished. If it is not easier, cheaper, or the best, then why do people even do an S10 swap? I had read an article recently that talked about all the components needed to upgrade your current frame for IFS, disc brakes, power steering, moving the fuel tank, and lowering the rear end. They added up the cost and it was quite a bit more than finding a donor truck like an S10 that already had all of these components stock. Add to that the newer truck has harmonized components, so to speak. They are designed to work together whereas my attempt at modernizing a 67 yr old frame may not get the same result.

For nostalgic purposes, I'd love to keep the stock frame. The engine and drivetrain were already upgraded by a previous owner to a 1960's 235ci so I don't care to keep that trend going. The rear end is Frankenstein welded to the leaf springs too! I guess it worked for them.

P.S. I am trying to do my research (aka google)
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/new-...ns-191731.html

Don't believe what someone else says! What you can do and buy is not the same as what someone else does. Forget the "Harmonizing" components! The ONLY thing that matters in this regard is the geometry in the front suspension. Putting a crossmember that has components designed together is all that matters. There is not one single thing that works with any other that matter. The rear end on the S10 is virtually identical to a 10 bolt rear stuck on your stock springs. The engine you choose, all that, means nothing, you could put a Honda engine in there and it would do the exact same thing. The brakes, that takes about 10 minutes on the net to figure out what master to use with your disc front and late model rear end you choose.

People do it because it's a fad, pure and simple. The job of making that S10 sort of work is NOT simple though. Sure it can be done, but it's not easy. I have seen them everywhere from impressive to a hacked mess.

Just think about it, that's all I am saying. My brother now has my dad's 55 F100. It has a Buick Nailhead (he is a well known supplier for parts to these motors) and a Chrysler IFS, it has discs, it has AC, he drives it all over pulling a trailer with this 22 Buick Roadster on it. He lives way out in the sierras long away from any city and hops out on the interstate and drives it hours to events.

Don't think you are going to get an S10 frame and not have to spend a bunch on it, rebuilding the front end and what not, if you are honest with yourself and add up the numbers it isn't a savings.

Brian

[gigamanx]

I found another thread that covers a fair bit of this just to add to the conversation. Great information by the way...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=614784&page=1

I am still having difficulty, time-to-build aside, thinking that an S10 chassis swap is equally costly in $$$ than all the parts I would need for my AD to be mechanically current.

A short list from researching today:
Mustang II or similar IFS front end: $3000
Power steering $800
Steering Column $700
Rear end conversion to disc $600 add a brake master to that $100
Bed mount fuel tank $400 (I currently don't have a working fuel tank)

An S10 in good condition is going to be the price of that front end. Am I missing something here?

I understand both will take a lot of time and both have their complications with fabrication.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

In my opinion this is where the extra time for the s10 swap is going to exceed using the stock chassis, in my opinion. AD body fitment is a challenge on a stock frame, and getting the mounts just a little off on the s10 can cause headaches.

In my world I try to limit the number of variable when doing any task because each one adds mutiple levels of out comes. 2x2=4, 3x3=9. 4x4=16... Using stock frame limits it to getting the front and rear axle center lines right, assuming ride height is the same, 4 outcomes. S10 frame adds in radiator core support x 2, cab support x 3, 25 outcomes. If you want a v8 both stock and s10 require motor mount fab, figuring out trans mount, etc. so that is a push.

Sounds like you are set on the s10, like mr48 says make sure you add in the cost of rebuilding the s10 suspension, brakes, maybe steering, the person selling it has already figured out it is past its useful life.

Not at all set on any one direction. The great thing about forums and conversations is my bank balance is the same at the end of it I'd rather set a plan that makes sense to me now than be half way and 2K down the wrong path.

[Dan in Pasadena]

You don't need to hear most of the same things over again. Just put me down as another board member telling you to stick with the stock frame unless it is SEVERELY rusted through in multiple places.

Putting a vintage body on a modern frame does NOT make you a classic truck owner/driver. It just makes you look like one. You could do the mods to put that body on say, a used Camry or Accord, would you then be a classic truck owner/driver? End of opinion.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by joedoh

getting the body mounted is literally one of the easiest parts. I dont mean figuratively either, I am not using literally as an exaggeration, I mean literally. Check out 84blaze thread in the project section, he bought a bolt on kit and had the body on in a weekend.

The guys who focus on mounting the body as the main reason not to swap to an S10 a) have never done it and b) would REALLY be overwhelmed when it came time to put the harness in, the column in, the fuel system in, mounting the engine and tranny and a thousand other things. And ALL of those thousand other things still have to be done with a stock framed truck.

eyes wide open, focusing on what is under the truck for suspension is pretty short sighted. It takes determination and commitment to finish a project, otherwise it just sits around until you sell it half done 10 years later.



brother, I know your heart is in the old stuff and you love driving stock vehicles, but not everyone can put up with it. Its not the more expensive alternative, it just isnt. it doesnt just sort of fit, it fits, and drives smooth and well. your personal indignity is clouding your judgement, and that is ok. The oldest thread I was able to find on S10 swapping was 11 years old, there are undoubtedly older. if it were a fad or fraught with peril or had glaring faults like you are suggesting, it would have manifested. I have built two in two years and the last one I wanted to keep, it rode so smooth and quiet and steered perfectly. the wheels were centered in the wheel openings, the shocks were not overdamped, the ride height was exactly what I wanted. anybody can install anything incorrectly, and I would rather screw up a weld on an entire body mount than even an inch on a front suspension.

Mods are not out of my playbook, my truck will have about every single thing modified that can be, body sectioned, chopped, steering, complete hand made wire harness, etc etc. I am not against mods, nor am I a stock freak.

I think stuffing my Buick Nailhead between the seats pretty much throws the thought that I am a old fuddy duddy to mods out the window.
That's the oil pan you can see under the cab, I drove this truck all over the state like this (but with the fenders on.) And yes it's drivable as you see it.





It is each of our choices what to do with our truck. A frame off restoration or a rat rod with blown big block with two 6-71's stacked on the motor with the carbs above the roof, it's all our own preference.

All I am saying is that often we run in the wrong direction without looking at the whole picture. Hell, when I put that motor mid engine, it wasn't the best idea! LOL I went to install the motor and the steering box as in the way, oh, I know! Instead of moving the steering box, I'll move the motor! LOL I am glad I did it now, I had fun. But the point is, we need to think about things a little further.

It's like my wife's mini van, I was buying a "new" one and was looking for the same long wheelbase as I had with rear air and all and then it hit me, I only NEED the rear air while out on a road trip in Texas, I don't really need it. I don't need the long wheelbase, I have a little trailer, I don't need that but for a few days in a year or less. So I bought one for use the other 99.9% of the time and we were very happy we did.

There are kits that you can bolt an S-10 frame in, and you get the same exact thing as you do with any other IFS bolt in kit on the stock frame! It's not like you are bolting a C6 Vette chassis under it, it's a damn truck frame with parallel leafs out back for goodness sakes! Just update the stock frame and it's the same!

And it doesn't save any money! The old "loaner car" idea where you are using everything from the loaner car, often stuff that doesn't fit it at all are used just because you have it or "it's the thing to do." Where as if you had no "loaner car" and you were just buying stuff you would buy the part you really want.

All I am saying is to think about it, I really enjoy driving a stone stock car every day. But the biggest reason I mention it isn't because I am a stock nut it's because if I can drive this stone stock 1959 Rambler with a flathead six in it with drum brakes and a single reservoir master cyl without even self adjusters on the brakes (that was an option) that may make one think that it isn't REALLY necessary to have a "modern" frame, maybe just a few mods would be good enough.

I know I had a Camaro sub framed frame sitting out in my yard waiting for me when I drove a co-workers truck. I took this 50 AD for a drive with a 235 in it and a 3 speed with a dropped front axle and a 55 Chevy rear end it in it. I drove this truck after not driving mine for 20 years and I was blown away at how nice it drove! Mine DID NOT drive as nice as this little truck. I remember saying then that I felt like I was driving a 20 year old S-10. I came home and found a new home for my frame and got a stock one and that was it, I didn't need to cut up the rad support whooo hoooo! I had already cut the inner fenders damn it, I'll have to fix them being those were the ones on my truck when I bought it in 73.

But honestly, often these decisions are made in haste and with a little more thought maybe a better decision will be made for THEM. Not always for me or you, but for THEM.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Not at all set on any one direction. The great thing about forums and conversations is my bank balance is the same at the end of it I'd rather set a plan that makes sense to me now than be half way and 2K down the wrong path.

Exactly, just use all the info, that is the awesome thing about these forums!

Brian

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

You don't need to hear most of the same things over again. Just put me down as another board member telling you to stick with the stock frame unless it is SEVERELY rusted through in multiple places.

Putting a vintage body on a modern frame does NOT make you a classic truck owner/driver. It just makes you look like one. You could do the mods to put that body on say, a used Camry or Accord, would you then be a classic truck owner/driver? End of opinion.

Can't argue with that. The frame is solid. It's a desert truck from OK. I have a title for it and would love to keep the title as a 1949 Chevy. Budget dictates the final decision though.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

I found another thread that covers a fair bit of this just to add to the conversation. Great information by the way...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=614784&page=1

I am still having difficulty, time-to-build aside, thinking that an S10 chassis swap is equally costly in $$$ than all the parts I would need for my AD to be mechanically current.

A short list from researching today:
Mustang II or similar IFS front end: $3000
Power steering $800
Steering Column $700
Rear end conversion to disc $600 add a brake master to that $100
Bed mount fuel tank $400 (I currently don't have a working fuel tank)

An S10 in good condition is going to be the price of that front end. Am I missing something here?

I understand both will take a lot of time and both have their complications with fabrication.

Well first off, forget about the power steering costing that much and the column, omg if you plan on that, you plan on it with the S-10 too! A column out of a pile of cars in the wrecking yard will the same thing. The fuel tank, same thing, if you are willing to have an S-10 tank then put one, a $50 tank from the wrecking yard. How about that rear end, put an S-10 rear end, $50 at the wrecking yard. See the whole picture here? You don't need a Billit Steering column if you are planning on living with a stock S-10 out of your donor truck, then just get one at the wrecking yard for $50!

Then look at rebuilding that S-10 front, add up all the numbers for tie rod ends and ball joints and new springs because those aren't the right ones, and all that, how about all the stuff, like replacing the brake master cyl when you find it leaks, and then the rotors that have been damaged by the worn brake pad, the hoses, and the few lines that are damaged you didn't notice and on and on and on.

There is a LOT of stuff you will need to buy!


Think about it with an open mind.

Brian

[Clay54]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

I had a good bit of time to work on the 49' 3100 this weekend only to uncover some big problems. The fuel tank is done for and so is everything associated with it. The brake lines need to be replaced and I need another front wheel cylinder. Finally, the new radiator doesn't fit because the 235ci I have doesn't have the short shaft water pump installed.

All in all I'm looking at $500-$600 in parts to get past these hurdles and onto whatever is next. I am realizing any money I put into mechanical stuff is getting wasted because I want to do an S10 frame swap in a year or so.

So do I bight the bullet now? If so, should I be searching for a rolling chassis or a complete S10 long bed truck? I've also read a blazer frame might be a better choice because it is boxed already.

gigamanx, its your truck. If you want to do a s10 swap, do it. The only reason you need is "because I want to do it." Once you make your decision, then you can ask questions and you will get all the help you need from this forum. Clay

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Well first off, forget about the power steering costing that much and the column, omg if you plan on that, you plan on it with the S-10 too! A column out of a pile of cars in the wrecking yard will the same thing. The fuel tank, same thing, if you are willing to have an S-10 tank then put one, a $50 tank from the wrecking yard. How about that rear end, put an S-10 rear end, $50 at the wrecking yard. See the whole picture here? You don't need a Billit Steering column if you are planning on living with a stock S-10 out of your donor truck, then just get one at the wrecking yard for $50!

Then look at rebuilding that S-10 front, add up all the numbers for tie rod ends and ball joints and new springs because those aren't the right ones, and all that, how about all the stuff, like replacing the brake master cyl when you find it leaks, and then the rotors that have been damaged by the worn brake pad, the hoses, and the few lines that are damaged you didn't notice and on and on and on.

There is a LOT of stuff you will need to buy!


Think about it with an open mind.

Brian

you only seem interested in scare tactics, not actual open mind reasoning. why would hard brake lines be damaged again? I only see the need for replacement on the stock frame, and only because the crossmember comes with disc brakes but none of the supporting hardware like booster or master.

I have done three s10 swaps, two of them ADs. I havent had any of the problems or gigantic hidden costs that you are talking about? Replacing the entire front end components including new brakes was under $600, and if I need parts for a breakdown in podunk idaho I can get them off the shelf for an 82-03 S10. what does the mustang II use? chevelle rotors? grenada calipers? whose bearings? custom stainless lines, bushings from the kit manufacturer, balljoints... better carry a notebook for interchange when trying to order 50 year old parts over the counter, if they even stock them.

I dont have a preference, if I had a reason to use a crossmember kit I would, I have the tools and ability. but I use complete S10 donors for the benefit of all the extra parts that dont come with the crossmember kit, already installed, at a significant savings. Its nice to think about what you would do if money were no object but rarely is it no object. in fact its usually THE object.

the mid engine truck looks great, have you done anything more recently? how about either of the options in this thread, crossmember or S10?

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by Clay54

gigamanx, its your truck. If you want to do a s10 swap, do it. The only reason you need is "because I want to do it." Once you make your decision, then you can ask questions and you will get all the help you need from this forum. Clay

I don't actually have an opinion on want. My only want is the end result at a reasonable price with the least amount of downtime for the truck. the stock chassis is apealling for sentimental reasons and i have limited space to work. Having two disassembled cars means a storage unit for a while. I have to factor that cost in too. It still seems like a far more expensive option.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Clay54

... The only reason you need is "because I want to do it."

After all my b!tching, ^^^^^ this is EXACTLY correct! When we write the checks, we can tell you what to do. Until then we all have opinions and you know what opinions are like, right?