53 ~ S-10 project (yup, another one)

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Well, since I'm getting started now (slowly) I guess I better start posting what I'm doing.
Here's the 53 I picked up for $400 last year....




Here's my (running) S-10 standard cab longbed I got for $300....


And the 4x4 S-10 (for the rearend) I got for $100....

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Then, a '92 dually I bought off eBay that was just right up the road from me about 50 miles. I got it for $700. It has a center-bolt TBI 350 with a 4L80E trans. It had a bad fuel pump, but it ran if you poured gas down the throttle body. Plus, I wanted the wheels/tires for my 69 one-ton dump truck....


I took off the front clip and advertised it on Craigslist. I haven't sold it yet, but I'm sure it will sell as soon as the weather gets better....


Got the motor/trans/ECM/harness all out....




I plan on sending the harness out to get it re-worked.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Got the rearend out of the 4x4....

And, I took the steering column, brake/clutch pedals, master cylinder and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of right now, then off to the crusher it went.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Got the body off the 2wd frame....

Sold the 2.8 engine and 4spd and the front clip off Craigslist....

And the 2wd frame is all stripped and ready to go into the garage.
Hope this isn't too many pics. I know I like lots of pics, so I always assume everyone else does too.

[mikes1950chevy]

Looks like a good start. Glad to see another s-10 swap.

[britnjc]

very nice, I cant wait to see more.

[PaDan]

Keep the pics comming

[xJoey Dubsx]

excited for more progress!

[MrTucker]

4 trucks for $1500 - thats awesome....

Looks like you literally tossed the S10 cab off the frame

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by MrTucker

Looks like you literally tossed the S10 cab off the frame

Looks like it, huh? Actually I used the front end loader on my tractor, but it kinda swung back and hit the uprights. Oh well.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

I'm in the process of taking the cab off. Started today. I'm gonna try to take the cab off with the doors on and the hood on too. If I can leave the hood on, I think it will make it a lot easier to line up the fenders when I put it back together since these things are so finicky about lining up.

Also, I had the idea to take measurements on the truck, hoping that will give me a better start on sitting it down on the new frame. They're not exact because some of them are from the ground up and some are measured from the door handle. Just wanted to pick something that wasn't gonna move.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

I'm in the process of taking the cab off. Started today. I'm gonna try to take the cab off with the doors on and the hood on too. If I can leave the hood on, I think it will make it a lot easier to line up the fenders when I put it back together since these things are so finicky about lining up.

]

That is a good idea, and it should definitely help you in lining it up. Knowing you'll have to cut the radiator support to fit the steering box, you might also weld something between both sides of it proactively before you cut it. If you had a good way to let it straight down onto the s10, that would be the easiest, so you could trim the inner fenders as you let it down...and not have to cut too much.

My front clip still isn't mounted on mine, it's just sitting there. Still scratching my head as to how I want to mount it...I'd like to build legs on both sides and use bushings...but also need to be able to fit the 19x22 radiator...

[britnjc]

Oh yeah I just noticed the 2+2 in the background. Nice

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

That is a good idea, and it should definitely help you in lining it up. Knowing you'll have to cut the radiator support to fit the steering box, you might also weld something between both sides of it proactively before you cut it. If you had a good way to let it straight down onto the s10, that would be the easiest, so you could trim the inner fenders as you let it down...and not have to cut too much.

My front clip still isn't mounted on mine, it's just sitting there. Still scratching my head as to how I want to mount it...I'd like to build legs on both sides and use bushings...but also need to be able to fit the 19x22 radiator...

Yea, I haven't even thought about the radiator yet. And, thanks for the tip on the rad support. I could tack a piece about half way up should work. Whadda ya think?

I tried lifting the cab with the hood on today. But, holy crap is that thing front heavy with the hood on. The hoods aren't that heavy, but I guess it's because it's got that 4 foot leverage. I'm not sure if that plan's gonna work. It keeps wanting to roll forward.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by britnjc

Oh yeah I just noticed the 2+2 in the background. Nice

Thanks, it's one we sold last year. My brother and I restore Stangs.
That way I have money to spend on these old trucks.

[chevy49]

great start the 53 looks nice.keep the pix coming.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Yea, I haven't even thought about the radiator yet. And, thanks for the tip on the rad support. I could tack a piece about half way up should work. Whadda ya think?

I tried lifting the cab with the hood on today. But, holy crap is that thing front heavy with the hood on. The hoods aren't that heavy, but I guess it's because it's got that 4 foot leverage. I'm not sure if that plan's gonna work. It keeps wanting to roll forward.

Yep, half way up should do the trick. I do think it would be worth the time and effort if you could leave it bolted together....

[Dan Bowles]

For the front heavy thing, try by running chains or straps from the front body mounts up rather than trying to lift from the roof. That way you can run short ones in the front and longer in the back so the front is lifted more.

Does that make any sense? I've never tried it, actually. I usually lift with my end loader from the front and set it on that way. Never had one with a hood still bolted on!!

I started a short box swap this weekend. I guess I better start a thread myself!

[Dan Bowles]

I've never done a "modern" motor but found a running 350 in a 89 WT for $300. What do you guys do for wiring ECM etc?

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by Dan Bowles

I've never done a "modern" motor but found a running 350 in a 89 WT for $300. What do you guys do for wiring ECM etc?

TBI is simple. Most of the wires you'll see run from a sensor to the ECM. You'll end up with a couple hot all the time wires (orange) and a couple of hot with ignition wires (pink/black stripe) and a few grounds. I really like s10 harnesses, mainly because they have a really cool grommet that passes through the firewall with a 2.375" hole very cleanly behind the PS head. Truck harnesses are fine too but they're quite a bit longer, which often times isn't needed.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by Dan Bowles

For the front heavy thing, try by running chains or straps from the front body mounts up rather than trying to lift from the roof. That way you can run short ones in the front and longer in the back so the front is lifted more.

Does that make any sense? I've never tried it, actually. I usually lift with my end loader from the front and set it on that way. Never had one with a hood still bolted on!!

I started a short box swap this weekend. I guess I better start a thread myself!

Dan, I tried that.
First attempt was with the wood cab-lift. I even had a ratchet strap (red strap in the pic below) that ran from the hoist to the hole in the floor where the starter button came thru.

That didn't work, so I took the trans crossmember from the dually and used it as a spanner. I had a couple "I" bolts, so I drilled holes near the ends of the crossmember and attached them, then got three bolts and welded one chain link in each. One for the center of the crossmember, and one for each front body mount. Then another ratchet strap thru a hole behind the seat perch.

I forgot to take pics, but it was basically leaning about the same. So, as much as I hate to do it, I think I'm gonna have to take the hood off.
Leaving the hood on seemed like a good idea at the time, but I don't think it's gonna work.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

TBI is simple.

Maybe for you
I'm strictly a 1st gen kinda guy. This electronic stuff is way over my head. Plus the fact that I've got an electronic transmission, that's why I'm gonna send it out to get reworked. There's several places that will send it back to you with a new fuse panel and instructions where to hook your ign, start, fan, etc plus hook up your diagnostic plug and a wire for a check-engine light.
Hey, I'm 62 years old. I have trouble hooking up a VCR !!
What was that you said? What's a VCR? Oh, that's those things that were around back before DVD and Blue Ray.

[MrTucker]

So how sturdy is that cab lift set up when you are rolling the stand away from the frame? Seems like an iffy set up, but so many guys are using it (I obviously haven't yet)

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Maybe for you
I'm strictly a 1st gen kinda guy. This electronic stuff is way over my head. Plus the fact that I've got an electronic transmission, that's why I'm gonna send it out to get reworked. There's several places that will send it back to you with a new fuse panel and instructions where to hook your ign, start, fan, etc plus hook up your diagnostic plug and a wire for a check-engine light.

That's fine, it's much better to know your limits and get a project going than to not know your limits and have the wiring be the only thing that keeps a project in the garage for 4 years longer than it should be in there. You'll want to talk to your harness people and see if they are doing the stand-alone fuel injection harness or the whole shebang. Inside your stock harness are wires for the same stuff as your 1st gen: purple wire that goes to the starter solenoid, wires to the alternator, and both the ignition hot and the tach lead to the distributor. If he pulls these out and throws them away, you may want to pull them out first and re-use them...that's what I like to do to make it cleaner....and you'll need these wires anyway. My s10 swap is using an s10 TBI 4.3 and 4L60E, so more or less the same setup from a wiring perspective.

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by MrTucker

So how sturdy is that cab lift set up when you are rolling the stand away from the frame? Seems like an iffy set up, but so many guys are using it (I obviously haven't yet)

It's more sturdy than what I did....2 2x6's balanced on the top of the cherry picker....