Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List

I haven't been around for a while because I have been buildin' an S-10 based 47 I/H K-1. Used a 93 chassis that had a 350/700r4 already installed. I used a TBI fuel system out of a 89 C-1500 and mounted the throttle body on a 2 to 4 carb adaptor. Used the stock I/H radiator and support. If I were computer literate I could have some pics but this old dog aint learned that trick yet. Oh, and the install was very, very easy.

 

i havent seen anyone say anything about if it would fit under a 52 chevy deluxe 4 door, is it possible?? i really dont have the tools to do all the cutting and shortning and i was looking for something right on the money. i thought about a S10 but no good response on if it'll work or if i need to look for something different???

 

I have a friend who used a S-10 Blazer chassis under a Henry J. Worked out well for him. Had to remove one rear crossmember, fab mounts of course. I will try to get some pics when I see him next.

 

man, i still don't think you know what your doing

 

I know what he's talking about, and I respect that. Once, not too long ago, even I shared some of his sentiments. Nowadays, after being on the HAMB for a couple of years, my mind has changed about several things.

I guess I've been "seasoned" by the HAMB. LOL!

~Jason

 

Dirty Petcock, I understand this is a sore subject with a lot of HAMBERS, & this thread offends a lot of the traditional rodders, I can respect that, but if you don't like it, don't read it, that said here's some more pic's of the 40, and the rear frame clip:





Later,
Billy

 

Yep, real traditional rodders... put stuff like '27 roadsters on newer '32 frames. And given the chance to use an s-10 frame in 1955... I'll bet some one would have done it.

I like this post. S-10 stuff is cheap (nearly free sometimes!) and it works! I always want to ask the guys who bitch about stuff like this how well their Lokar shifter, GM alternator on a Flathead, or 8 inch rear end is working for 'em! That said, how many whiners who drive traditional rides are sitting on a Mini Van seat in their Model A??? People should lighten up...LOL!!!!

 

My truck SO wants to be like your truck when it grows up...

~Jason

 

I has a 49 coupe that that was almost a perfect fit for a 80's olds 88 or buick lesbre chassis. I'm talkin' the BIG cars not the fwd's. About 10 years ago I read an article about actually cutting the floor out of one of these donor cars and welding it into the rod and being able to use the factory mounts on the chassis. I think the guy mounted a 51 merc that way. I believe the S-10 chassis would be too narrow for the 52.

 

I have used the front clips from S10`s on a few projects. My 49 Hillman had one under it but i didn`t like how the wheels sat in the front,wheels were too wide on the front of the body,That says something about a Hillman. Put a clip in a 37 Chevy car worked great,keep the stock frame and added the S10 clip. Going to use a clip in the front of my 52 fleetline and build the rest of the frame myself.Would like to keep the factory frame but it is shot.Here is the Hillman on a S10 frame.

 

Stop murdering all the 2wd s10s please...

 

a gay car ,thats somethin new to me,id second the thought of confronting one of these owners and tell em whats on your mind, you ass

 

Here's yer Twinkmobile:



And a Top Ten list:
http://gaylife.about.com/od/gayproductreviews/tp/gaycars.htm

Now, back to our nice little on-topic S-10 thread. LOL!

Personally, I think it's funny as hell, but seriously folks - too much more and someone's gonna close it...

~Jason

 

Abomination,

I think the resistance you are getting is not necessarily because of what you are doing but what those that are more die hard traditional have had to fix or have found ruined by similar frame swapping ideas by people without the same skills to finish the project. We look at this and see more road side orphans on the edge of no return.
Its a good thread because many will find it useful reference as you said. Otherwise most of these are street rod style builds, the "GoodGuys" look is more out of place than the concept of using the frame. Just the same there is some nice fabrication posted here that may lend ideas to any build so there is no reason for someone to have a fit about it. Anyone who has built cars for any length of time has taken part in installing or repairing frame swaps and clip jobs whether they liked it or not.

Billy,

Nice truck man, I'm curious as to why you choose the S-10 clip for it after fabricating so much of the rest of the chassis?

 

What thirty7slammed is building is verry nice. To say that is built on a s-10 chassis I feel is an insult. To me that is a scratch built chassis that uses a s-10 clip. It is a clean thought out build. Nice work. It's the rat rod junk slapped on top of a rusted s-10 frame that sucks ass.

 

This is that 37 Chebby coupe sitting (literally) on a late model S-10 frame. I bought it like this where you see it for $150 with the frame. It still has the decklid, all of the window garnish moldings and a nice roof with workable quarters plus the fresh frame with a lowering block kit and new front brakes so I don't think I did too bad. Body has no floors in it so I think the original builder was going to channem it.

I have not hung any sheetmetal over it to see if it is placed well on the frame, but here are three pics that may or may not help you guys planning an a-10 swap on a late 30's chebby.

 

Dude! We can ALL totally agree there!

~Jason

 

That's a big part of it.

One of the reasons I started this thread was because there's lots of little bits and pieces about S-10 chassis swaps out there, but there really wasn't one place online that told the whole story, and centered on all kinds of swaps, all around said chassis. What I'm trying to accomplish here is to dispel any of the mystique surrounding this swap, and hopefully to help others avoid the pitfalls of ones crappily done by (at the very least) allowing people to "try on" an S-10 swap beforehand (albeit by reading the advice here and checking out the pictures) to decide for themselves if they like it or not, and whether or not it's for them.

Besides, the order that stuff comes up in Google search results is based on the amount of hits each page gets - not only will this thread come up if anybody does a search on S-10 frame swaps, but it'll very likely be at or near the top of the list. This will further get the word out there about these swaps (and how to do 'em right), but will also likely result in a few more people joining the HAMB with questions about it so they don't screw their own swap up. And who knows - maybe one of the newbies will contribute something awesome to the HAMB someday.

So I'm just spreading the word, much like the HAMB already does... just about S-10 swaps.

Besides, at 40 MPH on a full-fendered daily driver, who even LOOKS under your car? Seriously, does a real hot rod show have cars jacked up in the air with mirrors underneath? LOL!

~Jason

 

"Traditional" rods started out with the "tradition" of using whatever you could find that would work best and often be the cheapest. With the exception of a few really high dollar cars built back in the day, most of them were cobbled up from whatever the builder had available to them. Some guys learned from others regarding the best/easiest/cheapest way to get juice brakes or a good tranny to mount up to their chosen (found) mill. Having owned a 32 that was built in the very early 60's I can say that many of these guys did not use the best of the best and some of the work done to these cars was questionable at best and often downright unsafe.

So, keeping with that same traditional theme...... Build what you have with what you've got and go cruisng. In a perfect world we'd all go down to the local scrap yard and pick the nicest 32 frame from the pile of them. Short of living that dream, many guys have to find a inexpensive way to make their car safe and roadworthy, just like back in the day. So, cut the s-10 guys some slack.

 

Just about says it all. Good post.

 

what kind of problems wil i get if i used a normal s10 and no long or Ext. cab???

 

Dirty Petcock,

If you are referring to my question as to his choice in using the S-10 front end, it was not intended as an insult. Not my style by all means but with the amount of custom work on the chassis it is obvious that he could of built most anything he wanted and yet he still choose to use the S-10 clip. In such a case I was interested in his insight on the subject where with most you could chalk it up to using what you have, cost/time savings, or lack of experience in chassis fabrication.


Jason,

Cool thread man, with $4.00 a gallon gas many of us may be considering things they would not have before. The newest driver I've owned up until the last few years was a 68 400 Firebird. With a forty five minute plus drive to work I might have to run a VW with its OE powerplant or stuff a little EFI motor in a Willys Jeep.

 

Thanks for the input skipstitch, dirty petcock, thanks man, Im glad you get it, Abomination, thank's for this thread, Iv'e been involved on some HAMB S10 thread's that have been pretty nasty, and last but not least, to answer Algon's question, I bought this truck a couple yr's ago at the nats in Louisville, had all intention's of building a fenderless truck, gave the original chassis to a buddy of mine (free), then decided to build a slammed fendered truck & it had to be on the cheap, I got a buddy that's got a local junk yard, the rest is history, and yea if I had it to do again I would build the whole chassis, but the S10 front clip is good because of the track width, it work's well with an on the ground chassis. Thank's guys for this thread's inspiration, this truck has sat for over a year, I yanked the cab off the chassis today, and will start working on it tomorrow, will post in the future as money permits.
Thank's,
Billy

 

Same frame, just shorter, man.

~Jason

 

Exactly!

ALL of us can afford a FREE S-10. Not everybody can just go out and buy new chassis, or even have the time or skills to build one. I'm picking the one that gets me on the road faster, within my means!

I have money to spend on my motor, etc too... you know?



~Jason

 

Dude, don't do that!

Not to get too far off topic, but in your spare time, check THIS out:
http://www.4btswaps.com/

Kinda cool!

~Jason

 

Why stop at the Ford motor ? I have a 52 sitting on a Ford Explorer chassis (same as some year Rangers, and Mercury Mountaineers) and the fit is uncanny. As a side benefit the Expo's from 1995 - 2001 also came with 5.0 motors, simpler that squeezing a 350 onto an S10 (also easy I know). They also have a 8.8 rear with discs and an lsd if you pick the right one.

Mine is a 2000 All Wheel Drive 5.0 with a AODE. It's not done yet, but the cab and sheet metal sits on there very well and just requires some mounts to be fabbed. The AWD's have a full time 30/70 torque split 3.73 gears, the same 8.8 lsd in the back and a Dana 35 up the front. The rear suspension also has upper bars much like the upper bars on a four link to help stop leaf wrap. Torsion bars suspension in the front makes it easy to raise and lower the front..

With gas the way it is right now and explorers having a rep as being pigs for mileage, they are very cheap and a good starting point.

Not trying to hijack a very good thread, but thought it wass worth a mention.

 

Anybody every do a 49 to 54 Chevy shoebox?

 

Ah, and THAT, my friend, is a whole NEW post I've been cooking up.

Stay tuned!

~Jason

 

Hey Abomination great thread, I will make sure I stay tuned. I have a 52 Chevy wagon and would sure like to know if someone here has put an S-10 frame under one of them. Thanks........