Yet Another s10 swap

[Daniel U]

Very nice work!

[BigSix302]

As others have already stated...nice work!! I have a friend using a kit another guy made up. It seems to be going ok. I think I like yours better from what I have seen so far. Plus the cost value is much better. I may attempt one of these some day myself. Keep up the great work!!

[jeffs51chevy]

Thanks guys for all the kind words. It does mean a lot to me that you like what you see. This is my first really envolved project like this, and I can see the light at the end, atleast for the mock up stage. This project made a lot of sense for me due to the availiblity of the donor s10. My father and I had completed the v8 swap over ten years ago, so it was free. As for all the mounts and bracket pieces, I believe there is not more than $235 in it all. Obviously, you must know how to weld and have a machine shop handy, but it is fairly easy. I started this thread to show off the progress, but I truly hope that it will make someone else's built a little easier. Believe me, there has been a lot of head scratching. The funny thing is, I have no idea how this beast will drive. Thanks again

[weldvair@embarqmail.]

You have helped a lot of people....Don Meyer

[54 jimmy]

any progress lately. got some done on my swap. found a cheap junkyard swap for the trans crossmember. a fullsize 1500 2wd crossmember works great with a little trimming and some mounting plates welded to the bottom of the frame. best of all $12.95 at a local yard, beats $50.00 for a universal nightmare to mount one. i'll try to get some pics to post. well hers a pic of the progress so far.

[jeffs51chevy]

Sorry for the lack of updates. Life has gotten busy around here. I haven't had a chance to work on the truck in all of August. Lets hope September brings more time to work on it. I know you guys like pics, so here are a few of the last bit of work I got done.
Here is the rear track width. The plan is to use Cragars with a 2 1/2" backspacing.

Driver's side.


Passenger side.


total bed view

Thanks for looking.

[Daniel U]

Thanks for the pics!

[jeffs51chevy]

Thanks Daniel U - I'm iching to get back to work.

54 Jimmy - your build looks great. Would you happen to have a few pics of that tranny crosmember? I would love to see it. I've been meaning to start that project for about a month.

Thanks,
Jeff

[54 jimmy]

i'll post some pic of the crossmember tomorrow night. i'll be going down the garage to work on some rust repair on my 91 s15 jimmy (yeah) inspection time.

[nova bill]

how did you figure where to mount the cab i started mock up on mine last week. does the box go alll the way to the rear of the frame. sorry first pickup ive done. i have a 83 ht nova and a 62 chevyII wagon. thank you for all your help saved me alot of headache and time.

[nickp51chevy]

thanks for your pictures. they will really help me with my build. i'm just starting to put my 51 back together.

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Looks great About how much lower than stock is it? I would like to do one of these someday soon.
Thank you
Shane

[nova bill]

here is progress so far. cab shortened 5 inches (bought ext cab frame) and a 3" rear drop. just gotta get cab mount measurement and build cab mounts.

[jeffs51chevy]

Nova Bill - You asked "how did you figure where to mount the cab". The answer is specific to how you build your cab mounts. If they are exactly like mine, the front mounts go 2" forward the oblong frame hole on the frame (about a foot aft the stock s10 front cab mount). You just measure from there to find the rear locations. If your mounts are different, just mock up the cab on the frame and bolt on a fender. Move it forward and back to position the front wheel where you like it in the fender-well.

Chevrolet4x4s - I'm not sure how much lower it will be than stock because my truck was in pieces when I got it. I'm trying to calculate all brackety level with the bottom of the s10 frame. I don't necessarily want a "in the weeds" type truck, but I do want options down the road. I think the way I have it figured, even with a static drop using bags, I could get i pretty low.

Keep the questions coming. I'm no expert, just a guy having fun.

[nova bill]

thank you jeff, i nam going to use your cab mounts. did you just use 1/8 inch steel?. i have the frame ready and mocked up the cab and box. thank you again for your help. bill

[jeffs51chevy]

All the structural pieces (cab mounts and front core support brackets) were built with 1/4" steel plate. Running board gussets, core support gussets, and bed bracket tops were done with 3/16" plate. I'm sure I over-built, but I'd rather error on the side of strength and durability.

This is my first build of this nature and I consider myself a novice at best. I know there are some hardened fabricators out there who might see a better way of doing things, or they just see something I could do differently to better the project. Please chime in. I want the feedback. Positive or negative, it will save me headaches down the road.

[54 jimmy]

here are those pics of the 88to9? full size 2wd trans crossmember. sorry it took so long was out of town on work then had school. not much trimming to do just fab up some support brakets off the frame fits like a glove and it's a factory gm part what more could you ask for.

[55dude]

nice x-member on the cheap!

[casey1]

yes could you tell me what thickness metal you used for your mounts and maybe post some pictures of the mounts to the cab

[casey1]

i actually just had some mounts put together and was wondering exactly how you mounted your cab to the mounts did you just drill a hole and run a bolt through it or weld a plate on or what

[jeffs51chevy]

Casey1 - look at the pictures on the 6-5-08 post. It shows a 2" hole cut in the top of the 1/4" plate. That hole recieves the stock s10 cab bushing. You then use the stock bolt holes in the cab to bolt it to the cab mounts. If it is still unclear, PM me and I will try to help you out.

[nova bill]

if haveing steel plate bent is a problem i used the cab mount plans provided but used 4"square steel tubing 1/4" thick. just went to local steel recycling center. hope that helps somebody.

[nickp51chevy]

jeff, how is your build coming? i don't see any new pix up or updates. i'm still kinda in the same spot i was since we last talked. but i'm fixing the floors befor i mount the cab. i just put up my build thread if you havn't already checked out my pix there is a link in my post.

[jeffs51chevy]

The build is slow, but thank you for your interest. I've spent what little time I have re-working the ride height of the truck. I was all ready to install the drop spindels and cut an inch from the coils, but I just couldn't do it. The truck was just too high. So now I'm going back through and re-doing it all. For those of you who have followed my measurements to build the cab mounts, I need to tell they will work, but you will have to rely on suspenion mods to get it down to an acceptible range. Here are a few pics of the progress.

The core support was cut off just below the bottom channel after install. The radiator is a 22 x 19 crossflow from summit. Here it is installed.

This pic shows the new bracket that will be welded to the frame. Just 1/4" angle. Notice the inner fender skirt and how much lower it is than in previous posts.

This is the current ride height minus the engine, and still with my goofy 14" tires.

I'm still working out all the kinks. I know many of you have made this swap, and I am probably making it much more difficult than it needs to be, but I want it right. I will post new/updated measurements of everything once I get it all figured out.
Thanks,
Jeff

[nova bill]

jeff i went through the same thing. i used your setup and considered cutting a coil. i decided to drop the mounts to 3 1/2 inches plus extra inch in rear of cab( above frame )plus the s10 mounts. no need to cut a coil now. but thank you again for thr cab mount plans.