Ok... ive read few comments about doing the s10 swaps... some Hates it and some say go for it.... so ill throw out what im doing and see what peeps think... i have a 48ford Coupe pulled out of the weeds.... basicly just body..... i have an old customer 95 s10 frame and a 1978 ford 460 motor and tranny sitting in my shop too.... sooooo..... i want a fun street car... just for driving but customized... i really dont want to build a frame.. i want to focus my work on the sheetmetal..... planed to chop the top down , section body , and few misc work... then throw the s10 frame under it and link it with air-bags..... granted i know i got to do few frame mods..... i run a small sheetmetal shop .. and it kills me not having anything custom to drive .. been in business for over 5 years and never have time for me.... so what time i do have , i would like to throw something together(haha.. well i know it will take time) and drive..... just want to use parts i got laying at my shop... for now.... granted... once i get the body mounted and fixed ... i might build a new frame.... but for now.. i would like to sit it on the s10 frame so i focus on the body , and maybe drive it some , before i rip it apart again.. lol is it really a bad "outlaw" thing to use a s10 frame , for what im wanting to do? im gonna build it anyways... i just wonder about peoples input .... thanks mat
Before you go and just try to drop the 48 Ford onto a chev frame you need to take measurements to see how it will or will not work for your application . Why not use what it came with ? You can a suspension swap MADE for that 48 so why not do it that way ? I think it will be easier than trying to make a 48 Ford fit a Chev S-10 frame . then you have to change the front end anyway to hold the weight of a 460 . I just think you are making more work for yourself than needed . Just my 2 cents .
Your gonna catch hell!!! I have a friend who bought a 42 ford panel truck that had a cobbled up original frame with a nova sub...he replaced it with an S10 Unit Worked well, but it was as much work in the end to make the frame correct as it would have taken to build a new frame!
thanks for the input.... i 48ford coupe i have dont have a frame.. its just a body... and the floors are rusted all up .. but body is solid at most.... so i will have to make new floor pans... so i can stick the bodymounts anywhere.... all and all... i will prob build a frame later .. or just worse case worse.. just use the front a-arm crossmembers... im just mainly wanting to use the stuff i got laying around my shop.... granted im gonna have to spend money sooner or later.... and yeah.... i did measure and measure and got all the frame specs and etc , before i made this post.. lol.... it seems close enough to fit... then little adjustments.... again .. this just gonna be a street car to drive to my shop ... maybe burn some rubber ... not gonna be a show car or anything.....
This one sits on a modified Metric Chevelle chassis 78/81 or so. I've never seen the car although it belongs to a coworker if he hasn't sold it. I'm on record everywhere as not being a fan of the S-10 swaps but in this case I'd say if it will fit right and the wheels fit the fenders and wheels right use it.
Go for it. Its a DRIVER. It makes sense to have everything the same under the covers... when ya break down its easier to get parts. The big S-10 post lists most of the issues folks have run into doing this swap. The coolest it ain't, but it IS practical.
OK that's a little clearer now . I would set the shell on a flat floor and make sure the doors line up and everything opens and closes good . Then weld up some braces inside real well . It's easier that way than dropping the shell on the frame and trying to make it fit like that . Keep us posted on your project !
oh yeah... thats my biggest concern is missalignment.. i know im prob leaving alot of details out... due to , i dont like type'n . hahah.. it wont sit flat on the ground.. so im gonna aling it up best as possible and tack weld the doors shut... and tack up all the parts that needs to stay aligned... then lift it from the roof .. set the frame under it .. drop it .. fig out what needs be done , then lift the body again .. and back and forth.. lol... its gonna take me awhile to do .... we have about 10 rides in our shop getting restored or misc suspension work... so my shit seems to sit untill i get time. haha... pretty much , i do alot of sheetmetal work , and suspension work... but havnt got to do much frame swaping.... i know i/we can do it... just i always try to get as much info as i can before jumping in something... matter of fact , ill get some pics her in a few to post up of this rust machine.. lol
Normally I'd say a frame swap is a bad idea, but in this case it's going to be just as much work to fix it to original as to make a new floor, so do what you gotta do. The S10 frame is easy enough to adjust for wheelbase if you need to. I don't know if it's worth the trouble to fit a 460 in it, but cross that bridge when you get to it. I'd just take some pictures of it now and display them on a sign if I showed the car or anything. Not sure what you mean by a kick-up aft of the rearend; it doesn't come back down as low as a car frame, but if you're making a whole new floor anyways you can channel it over or trim it off or whatever you want.
There is a Rod Action from the early 80's or 90's that deals with the S10 frame swap under a 46/48 Ford coupe or sedan. I have it somewhere.
My 47 sits on the original frame, from the firewall back and on an S10 frame forward of that. It lines right up.
the back of the car floors are higher... and like mention before.. ill be throwing a new floor in ... so no biggie... thanks man... its gonna be something to get me by till i get a 48 mercury !! hahahah..... im dreaming.... if the 460 runs like it suppose to .. ill throw it in .. if not... F it... ill find something else .... but like other things... i might get half way into this.. and end up taking longer and change my mind 1000 times and end up going all out ... lol... but im just itching to have something custom to drive other then my stock 92 chevy 1500 ... hahah....
im using a 80's monte chassis for my plymouth i made a project page you can see how i did certain stuff if you do this project take lots of pics i like looking at other peoples work its how i learn
ill try to take pics... same with me on looking at other peoples work... ive been doing sheetmetal / bodywork for 20 years, run a small custom shop, and i still seem to learn and love watching other people and shops build things.... i try to keep an open mind to new and better things..
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