Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

its true, I replace the uppers and lowers complete, meaning new uppers and lowers that come with balljoints bushings and crosshafts installed, on every project s10 I work on. I only use moog (with the gusher bushings) or ac delco and they are about 70 ea shipped. You can buy the bushings and balljoints for less but replacing the bushings is a bear of a job, usually I end up burning the bushings out and cutting the shell to free the cross shaft.

the uppers have a rough life, if the shaft is crooked in the bushing at all you will have a terrible head shake under braking and the truck will wander around while driving.

There is a smileys racing here in town and they stock those same racing arms, might check close to you. anything listed for "g-body" or "g-body metric" will fit the S10.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

thanks for the info 99 and joedoh. im gonna order my uppers from speedway this afternoon after I get off work then ill see what the lowers look like then make a decision to replace or re-use them with new balljoints and bushings and get the s10 cup kit for the bags to run up front. this weekend im gonna work on stripping the s10 frame of all the crap I don't need.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

well not to much to much to update so far this week. over the weekend I started cutting off the body mounts off the s10 frame and my sawzall crapped out on me so went and bought another one from hf. got the mounts off then I kinda lost all motivation to do anything else. so sunday my dad brother and a friend of mine and myself loaded up our four wheelers and hit the mud park. I did get my speedway uppers ordered last night (thanks 99 for the link on that) the should be here next week and I got free shipping since my order was over 99 dollars. only by .98 lol

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Looks like you had some fun!!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

well haven't worked on the truck yet this week put planning on it tonight but I did receive my speedway uppers in the mail yesterday and I got moog ball joints ordered. tonight when I get my check in the bank im going to order my bushing kit for the lowers and my cup kit for the front.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

always fun piecing together the build. From here on out the money starts flying outta the pockets!! its nice to get a bagged roller though

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

definetly 99 that's my goal to have a bagged roller by feb to try and take it to lone star throwdown. just a bagged roller with the cab and front end mounted. and a huge thanks again man on helping me with the questions ive had over our emails so far lol Im sure there will be more to come. as of right now im waiting on my ball joints to come in and still hunting for a rear axle. I did however get the 51 pressure washed out and got about 15 years of leafs and dirt from sitting outta the bed cab etc. got a little cleaning done in my shop also gonna try and bring her in this week hopefully

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

whats up guys. hope everyone enjoyed the holiday with their family we did for sure. I got a little time in the shop over the weekend after coming in from east texas. I got the stock s10 engine mounts that the p.o welded on cut off and also cut off the rest of the rear cab mounts. my roommate borrowed his works torch for the 4 day weekend so I took advantage of it while we had it. the only thing I have left to pull off the s10 frame is the lower control arms and the coil springs in the front.
I finally got the motor sold outta the s10 so that put me at about 1050 on parting it out. hopefully this week im gonna prop the s10 chassis up against the wall and pull the 51 in so I can start tearing it down.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

hmmm sounds like we are right at the same spot on our builds haha i just installed my speedway uppers and drop spindles on my roller over the weekend and about to order stock lowers and wilwood calipers today hopefully.
For the rear axle check out car-part.com I picked up a 4wd blazer rear axle with 3:73 gears, locker, and disc brakes local for $200 bucks it pulls inventory for all the junk yards by you.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

right on man thanks for the lead on that ill for sure have to check it out. gotta get my money right first with the holidays and all right here money is tight. do you have a thread started on your build yet man?

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Yea it helped alot for stuff like that everyone wanted twice as much for axles on craigslist. And no official thread yet i just update my introduction thread every now and then for anyone who cares. Just waiting to get some more done to start an actual thread

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

right on

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

whats up everyone. didn't get anything done this weekend build wise but I did get my shop cleaned up and things moved around and got the truck pulled in. now the party can start

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Awesome start. Looks like we are at about the same point on our builds. Subscribed to watch the progress and maybe use some of your ideas :)

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

morning everybody happy new year and good luck on the first day off work back from the holidays. I haven't got much to update I kinda slacked off during Christmas and new years. I did however get all the front end sheet metal ( fenders, hood, grill bumper) pulled off the truck and the plan for this week is to get the running boards off and get the cab ready to pull this weekend. is there anything special I need to do or look out for pulling the cab???

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

only thing I can add is, the steering column is a biatch to remove from the steering box. Its just tricky and honestly if you're going to reuse the stock column (I think looks best) you'll have to cut it anyway. So that being said, I'd leave about 6" up or more off our box and just cut the column, there will be the outter tube and the steel shaft inside. Once you get your cab moched up on new frame, you'll have plenty of length on your steering column to play with. I like to push the wheel down from its stock location, but depending on your seat depth, you won't know where you exactly will place your column.

If you don't plan on removing the column because your going with an aftermarket column, you could pull the steering wheel off and lift the cab over that steering column (I'v done that when I couldn't figure out how to remove the column from the steering box) I'v figured out how to remove the column before, but normally I just have to cut them anyway cause I reuse them.

It helps to have a hand removing cab, two guys can lift it but more the better. easiest is to remove doors first. Just unbolt them from door and leave the hinges in cab. To take doors off spray some lube in the hinge area and when you pull the door toward you to slide off the hinge, sometimes they bind, so you got to wiggle them up and down and pull pretty hard sometimes.

you got two bolts up front on cab mount, and the shackle bolts in the back, pretty easy to remove even if you have to cut them. Don't forget to remove the ebrake stuff or atleast unhook the cable.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

I agree I ended up chopping the steering column after a hour of trying to take it apart and chopped the shifter so my cab wouldn't be 6 feet in the air. I couldn't get the bolts loose on the e brake stuff so i ended up cutting that also. I got impatient i guess plus it started raining half way thru and i was doing everything on my driveway.

I pulled the cab myself and I left the doors and hood on. Use 4 eye bolts thru the cab mount holes use a jack to lift the cab to get clearance to put the eye bolts in, then run 2 chains in a x pattern and use your engine hoist thru the window. It wasn't all that hard. Make sure to use decent quality eye bolts I snapped 2 cheap ones at first and then just roll the s10 frame under and drop it on. Prob not the best way but it worked fine and got the job done for me so that's all that matters.

Make sure to unbolt the clutch bracket off the block there's 4 bolts total 2 on the pass side and 2 on the drivers side of the block. I didn't notice the drivers side and couldn't figure out why the driver side of the cab wouldn't lift then found the bolts under 2 inches of gunk haha

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

What's up guys long time no post. Since my last post I've got the 51 completely tore down and actually got the stock frame motor and trans sold for 200 bucks. Haven't made much progress other than that kinda got in a funk and lost motivation for a minute.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

someone got a good deal on that. Your not posting on here cause your mind is on your BETTY! gotta have a balance, heck get her involved! I got a girl, daughter and three step kids. So its alot of balancing, but can be done. One of the biggest things I tell folks on these trucks is Motivation. Takes time, money, knowledge, skill, space, tools and motivation. but you'll be a proud man when its done and you say "I built that".

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Like 99 said it will be a great feeling to have built it and drive it. They take time just go one piece at a time.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Just like Lower50's and 99toLife said. Just set goals and try to meet them. Right now my goal is to get the frame bagged by the end of the month. Make them small and obtainable that way you don't get discouraged. I have 2 boys a 3 year old and a 7 month old. So anytime i get in the garage is always interrupted by the wife.
Hopefully you get some updates on here.

Good luck

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

What's up guys it's been a while for sure and the 3 of you are all correct. I changed jobs and now I'm finally making better money and now my girlfriend is about to take on a project of her own that I will be helping with of course so now we can both get out there and turn wrenches together. We are picking up her 59 apache this weekend she picked it up for 500 bucks

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

dang 59' for 500 that is a good deal. even out your way its prolly still 10xs better than what I deal with. Congrats on everything.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Thanks 99 I posted it on my instagram account for some reason I can load photo on here off my phone. But we are gonna be swapping it to a short bed, air ride, ls swap ,and paint should be fun building them together

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

i'll hit you up on IG. good luck thats a lot of work, not to mention two whips.