new AD s10 swap member intro

[rtinniste]

Hey guys been lurking on this forum for the past month. Just figured i would do a quick intro.
Just finished up 2 builds, my infiniti g35 lays frame tucking 19x10.5 -20 offset and 19x11.5 -15 offset lots of rare and discontinued parts from japan boring. And full resto 1978 datsun 280z (same body as 240z,260z) for my younger brothers graduation gift. This bit me and got me pushed over to older all steel no CA smog cars.

Just picked up a 51 chevy 3100 about 3 weeks ago. Truck is all original minus 12v conversion from what i was told. Some rust small spot in the bottom cab corner and the driver cowl is rotted out and someone decided bondo was a sutable repair and decided front fenders wuld be cool bondoed to the cab.
Plan was simple 4 link, mustang ii clip, bags, truespoke supremes wide whites, keep the straight 6 and 4 speed until funds allowed for a mild built 350/700r4. Just to get the truck drivable and lay running boards.

Truck was parked 8 years ago ran and drove when parked. After changing all the fluids and some issues with napa not having the right oil filter. threw a battery in hit the starter... Starter just spins doesn't engage simple couple wacks with my trusted multi tool aka hammer. Try again motor spins but doesn't turn over. So start checking the ignition switch then that's when i smelt the burning wire smell. Great disconnect the battery. This is where my original plan goes out the window.

That's when i noticed the motor was swapped to a 235, the worst wiring job I've ever come across. I do alot of trouble shooting on air ride installs stereo installs and suspension installs, I've seen my fair share of sketch. This hands down was top 3. Wires ran thru the fire wall with no grommets, solid strand home depot wires, wires snaked thru any hole they can find wires doubling back and snaking thru holes, no fuses electric fan, tape deck, lights under the dash. Mechanical fan with a electric pusher fan, radiator that had the drain valve jb welded on holes that were patched with jb weld. But got the motor turned over and running after jumping the positive wire from the coil pack to the battery.

That's when i started researching for a better budget ifs swap. The mustang ii was over priced and seemed weak and I don't even want to waste the time and money getting the 235 up and running. I'd rather just sell it to fund the 350 swap.

That's when i came across this website and first and foremost like to give a huge thank you to 99 to life, bartman, and skymangs for there detailed threads. You guys are the reason why I ended up going the s10 route.

Well spent 2 weeks looking for a decent frame or complete truck. Well come to find out its hard to find a first gen s10 single cab longbed the market has dried up or they want top dollar here in so cal $900 for a rolling chassis $2k-$5K for a running truck. I was dead set on buying this guys 92 s10 with a 350/th350 swap and 6" drop he was asking 2 grand but funds were low.

So i kept looking in the mean time had a air ride setup to trouble shoot ended up having to reline the car and rewire it quick $300 bucks. Then seems everything lined up perfect found a 1986 s10 longbed roller chassis 2 hours from my house. Didn't even haggle with the guy and picked it up for $300 on Saturday.

That's where i am as of now sorry for the long winded intro and again thanks to the guys that document their s10 swaps and go out of their way to help spread info on these swaps.

[rtinniste]

[joedoh]

thats a great looking donor, interior looks great already dont change a thing except maybe hire a mohel for the shift boot.

welcome!

[rtinniste]

Originally Posted by joedoh

thats a great looking donor, interior looks great already dont change a thing except maybe hire a mohel for the shift boot.

welcome!

Thanks and yea that's what pushed me into buying it everything is complete and not repops. And that's the plan i didnt like the white interior but its grown on me with the color i plan on spraying it after i knock the patch panels out. Bahaha that shift boot and the million 8 ball knobs went to the trash the day the truck got dropped off. I swear every knob or bolt had a 8 ball on it

[oldman3]

rtinniste, great intro, nice clean looking truck. You are correct the three guys you mentioned are great with info. Look forward to the build, and welcome to the group...Jim

[rtinniste]

Originally Posted by oldman3

rtinniste, great intro, nice clean looking truck. You are correct the three guys you mentioned are great with info. Look forward to the build, and welcome to the group...Jim

Thank you! There are others with good info as well just forgot who i'm pretty sure i can say I've read every s10 swap thread, theirs stood out the most especially skymag with his detail and willingness to answer anyone's questions and Bartman with his youtube videos. So much good info when you look in the right spots.
Should have the old s10 mounts chopped off this week and drop spindles, ball joints,bushings should ordered by the end of the week. Then little shop mfg no toe steering kit and lowrider depot 4 link by December if Christmas shopping doesn't drain the account happy wife = happy life.

[joedoh]

oh man I see all the 8 balls now! maybe call the truck 8-ball? and dont put a single one in it haha.


you probably got the lessons down but the cardinal rules bear repeating:

title the truck in your name before you swap it.

get a bill of sale with the VIN or title for the s10 donor and check it out at the DMV before swapping.

[rtinniste]

Originally Posted by joedoh

oh man I see all the 8 balls now! maybe call the truck 8-ball? and dont put a single one in it haha.


you probably got the lessons down but the cardinal rules bear repeating:

title the truck in your name before you swap it.

get a bill of sale with the VIN or title for the s10 donor and check it out at the DMV before swapping.

Yea trust me they keep popping up every time i look inside the cab either there is just that many in there, or somebody is playing a joke on me by adding more when I'm not around.
And that's already the joke we got that whoever wired and did the body work had a slight addiction to 8 balls *sniff sniff*

The truck is already registered in my name non opted for now, the frame i didn't get a title for it i can always have a bill of sale written up by the guy no problem, but i cant find a vin on the frame i read online it should be on the frame where the passenger door lines up i didn't see anything but ill look again today.

[Old Crow]

My truck came with an 8 ball shift knob on the 4 speed. After owning the truck for 11 years, now it's been on 2 different automatic shifters. I don't think I'd have kept more than just the shift knob if it'd had them.

My Jeep has a pair of antique glass door knobs on it's shifters. You can tell they're old, starting to turn violet.

[rtinniste]

Little update nothing major ordered 2" drop spindles and speedway tubular circle track arms should be here Monday.

Chopped off the body mounts not as bad as everyone made it out to be total maybe 2 hours tops and that's with a beer and smoke breaks.


Been kicking the idea of selling my pitbike for awhile i haven't rode it in about two years and I'm tired of paying registration on it.
Came across a 350/th350 on instagram for $700 20 minutes from my house, well trading the pitbike for the motor and trans this weekend. Motor ran and drove before it was pulled for a turbo ls. Motor has all the front accessories also so i'll do a quick compression test before i finalize the deal and pull the pan check if its a 4 bolt main, he says it should be a 4 bolt.


I've been searching for a 8.5 out of a blazer this whole week and haven't found anything just all 7.5's sadly. But found a decent deal on a 7.5 complete with disk brakes for $180 so i might grab that. I figure that i only plan on running 15x8 supreme's and not running meats i might beable to get away with the 7.5 axle not like I'm going to be launching or driving the wheels off the truck just a low decent cruiser.

Waiting to get a invoice back from thorbros for their s10 4 link get that ordered today hopefully, just going to order the 7.5 mount its only $150 for the 8.5 mount later down the road if i can ever find a 8.5.

[52ratrod]

Whatever happened to your build

[rtinniste]

Originally Posted by 52ratrod

Whatever happened to your build

i have a build thread for it. But its been slow right now my dodge snapped a rod ended up having to find another cab so funds are tight

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=692319