Nikwho's build: '53 GMC 4-linked S-10 frame on air bags

[nikwho]

Hello everyone!
I thought that it was time to start a build thread on my '53 GMC for a place to track progress, keep motivation levels up, ask questions and share how I tackled some things.

As far as plans for the truck, I have many! My plan is to build a pretty capable street truck that I can enjoy maybe taking to a couple of Autocross events per year and cruise around on the weekends. It is going to go together in a series of a stages. Maybe more milestones more than stages, but trying to tackle one major part of the build at a time, while being able to drive the truck a little between the big parts of the build.

Stage I: Swap body to S-10 frame, get it on the road and build a bed for it.

Stage II: Build either a triangulated 4-link or a Satchel Link (inverted, reversed triangulated 4-link) and put truck on air bags on all four corners.

Stage III: body work and paint - still lots of thoughts on paint color, so in the mean time it will remain in patina with all of the panels mismatched.

Stage IV: powerplant. I am not 100% on the engine/tranny/differential aspect just yet. Right now I am leaning toward a healthy 468/TH400/Nodular 9" that I have, but I have been keeping an eye out for the right LS engine deal to show up and I could go the 5.3/6.0/LS-X route. Don't know. As for now, I've got the freshly rebuilt 2.2L four banger and new 4L60-E that came with the S-10 and ready to allow me to tool around town at 20+(?) MPG While I figure out the final combo for the truck. I put a SBC/700R4/10 bolt combo in my '59 that works well, but this one will be getting something different. I may save the BBC/TH400 combo for my next project ('64-'65 Chevelle).

I brought home this '53 GMC on Dec. 18th. It was thought to be a '48 Chevy by a buddy that owned it. After a little decoding and looking at some details I am now into the Bonded Title process to get a title. The truck came as a bare cab with 5 doors, two inner fenders, one rear fender, a Chevy hood and grill and a few boxes of useful parts. The allure to me was that the cab was pretty straight and pretty rust free, along with the fact that my buddy owned it. He needed a chain saw and I jokingly told him that I would trade him my saw for his truck parts. I had been working on getting the truck off of him since he bought it. He originally bought the parts to build for his daughter, who lost interest. So, he and I dragged the cab up onto a trailer and I brought it home. From the day I got it through Christmas I collected a few parts, made some build plans and started sand blasting and organizing the boxes of parts that I had.

Here it is the day I brought it home. What a mess! Haha!




Shortly after Christmas, I spoke to another co-worker that had another project bought for a teenager that lost interest. This one is a '94 S-10 of the extra cab, short bed variety. It had a blown head gasket and a light rod knock in the little 2.2L four banger, but a new, factory replacement 4L60-E. They bought the truck and started prepping it for new paint when the engine was sent off to be rebuilt (by the same engine builder/machine shop that I personally use). So, this truck was also aquired by the good ol' barter system. I traded a rifle that I owned for the S-10. My thoughts were that I could sell the parts that I don't need for enough money to replace the traded rifle making the driving S-10 effectively free! I'm not there yet, but doing well parting it out.

here are some pictures of the S-10 frame donor:




Got it all pulled apart and cleaned it up:


here is the frame after I wire wheeled it and neutralized any remaining rust with phosphoric acid. Got it nice and clean and sprayed with a couple coats of epoxy primer then three coats of Chassis Black.


Same treatment to the bottom of the cab. Wire wheeled, neutralized with acid, epoxy primer, Chassis Black and finally a rubberized under-coating.


More to follow...

Nik

[nikwho]

Used the plasma cutter to cut all of the S-10 body mounts off. Built all of my new cab mounts and got them painted as well. I hung the front fenders and installed some big 275/55-20 tires to set the wheel base/cab location on frame. I would center the cab on the frame and make small forward or rearward adjustments. After about four hours of adjusting and staring at it, i was finally able to pull the trigger. cut blocks of wood that held the cab off of the frame my desired amount. I went with 2.5" in the front and 2.75" in the rear. When the cab sits level, the rear mounts are 1/4" higher than the fronts. So, I didn't want a solid mounted cab so I used Energy Suspension Poly mount kits part #9-4102G. The bushings set the cab up off of the frame by 1 1/2". So, I set my new cab mounts that I built 1" off of the frame in the front and 1.25" in the rear. No drive shaft tunnel needed. I will be building a little bit of a transmission hump. I installed a set of Chassis Tech 2" drop spindles on the S-10 and cut the factory coils to get to my desired height to mock everything up. Its a little lower than my ride height, but not quite on the ground.






I have also cut the frame horns off and capped the ends of the frame:



I got a bunch of parts from a member of the forum that is local. i think that his name here is low54panel. I got the 4x4" tubing, poly body mounts, both front fenders and my radiator support from him. I'm also picking up a LR fender and a weld in C-notch from him this week. Thanks Chris!

Nik

[nikwho]

For the time being, I am going to run the S-10 60/40 split bench. I built a frame that mounts to the '53 cab floor with provisions for the S-10 seats and seat belts. I also have an electric sliding bench out of an old Cadillac that I will have re-upholstered later and install. it will make for a more period correct look inside the cab.

[nikwho]

Here is how it sits as of today. Got the front clip mounted up, ready for the hood, grill and radiator. I also found a correct GMC hood, but have not picked it up yet. I will probably put it together with the Chevy hood and grill for the time being while I am tracking down the correct GMC grill.







I've been putting off mounting the running boards because once the running boards are on I am going to have a much more difficult time putting it on the lift to work on it. As it sits now, Its quite the chore getting it on and off of the trailer! Its been quite the show.

[nikwho]

I have shortened the factory steering column, sand blasted, primed, painted and installed the Classic Industries bearing to shorten these columns. However, I think that I am going to give it a shot with the S-10 Column. I saved all of the wiring from the S-10 so this column will go in easily and two or three plugs will provide for a wired steering column with horn, speed control, blinker switch, hazards, ignition switch as well as windshield wiper controls. That's hard to beat, but I am not crazy about the look of the S-10 column. Its a non-tilt, so its pretty basic. I am thinking that I may be able to turn an adapter on the lathe to mount the factory wheel on the S-10 column. We'll see. My goals this week are to get the steering column, brake booster/MC and brake pedal installed. Once the column is installed I will mount the brake pedal/booster/MC and then I will be able to mount the throttle cable. Once that is all done, I can mount and hook up the battery and then it will be drive-able again. Once the air bags are on i should then be able to easily drive it up on to the trailer easily and get it on the lift easily. That will make for more time spent working on it instead of fighting with getting it on and off of the trailer.

Nik

[nikwho]

I had originally found this idea for cab mounts here on the forum.



Thank you GRIMSS and jeffs51chevy for this drawing!

Nik

[nikwho]

I didn't want my cab sitting quite that high, so my cab mounts are basically the same thing, but only sit 1" off of the frame so i didn't feel like they needed the feet that extend over the top, horizontal part of the frame. They are welded around all four sides along with a couple of 1/2" plug welds in the middle of the mounts.

[low54panel]

Lookin good man, now I need to get to work on my panel

[nikwho]

Originally Posted by nikwho

I went with 2.5" in the front and 2.75" in the rear.

Wanted to make a correction. I mounted my cab 2.25" in the front and 2.5" in the rear. Probably does not matter, but wanted the information I provided to be correct!

Nik

[Groyd]

Any updates?

[nikwho]

I've made lots of progress! I'm currently building my 496 BBC, got my TH400 ready to install and narrowed my 9" down to 58". I've sorted through all of the wiring (using the S10 harness), bought my new radiator and built a nice shroud with a big electric puller fan on it. I'll post pictures as soon as I can.