big storms today so I wont get my brake lines, needed to put the motor back in for the last time. so I worked on the pedal mount.
a bit of poetic wax: I use the 98-03 s10 almost exclusively. some guys see it as harder, but I like the bused electrical system, anti theft key security, high pressure fuel system, efi, cruise, there is a hundred reasons for me. If you like putting in a painless wiring kit and using the earlier column and a carburetor, I wont bother convincing you my way is better. My personal opinion is that I think mixing and matching of parts and tribal knowledge is what keeps a lot of these swaps from being successful, and why even some (not all) guys who finish them complain about all the little fab needs. I use the whole donor, then worry about engine upgrades, or suspension upgrades, etc. keeping the scope and scale small and making sure to use parts that were already designed to work together is a good way to be successful. /wax
the 98-03 steering column mounts to the pedal assembly. the pedal assembly mounts to the sheetmetal brackets and boxing on the firewall. the booster mounts to the firewall and does not share a connection to the pedal assembly or the brackets or boxing. this is a real conundrum, because it needs a precise relationship to the booster to make sure the pedal stroke is correct. seen below is the top of the aluminum pedal assembly
and the bottom, you can see the upper and lower column mounts
I need to duplicate the relationship between the pedal mount and the booster hole on the firewall to build my interface bracket. luckily I never throw anything away. I have a whole firewall section from a blazer I parted a few pages back. Its heavy and awkward, but luckily my wife and daughter were home so I went ahead and moved it myself. (ba dum bum tsss)
here is the boxing and mounting and booster hole in all its glory
This is how I will make my jig for the interface bracket. I like using coat hangers, for bolt holes I wrap one around a screwdriver then cut it into rings that slip over bolts. I made two sizes small and large
then I just start building.
I use a lot of triangulation to maintain the relationship and make the jig strong. a while later I have a nice jig. notice I even picked up the stud at a 45 degree angle with a ring
now that I have captured all the clearances, I am ready to start building my bracket, I trial fit it on the firewall of the 49 and it will work out swimmingly. not bad for about 2 hours of work.
I came in to make dinner, I may get back out there this evening to build the bracket.