Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List

All the folks I talked to have the magic number of 3.5" as the start of needing to add a driveshaft tunnel. The trans tunnel is a given. You can try looking at lowering the motor, however I doubt if you could use drop spindles and lower the motor without making a steel plate oil pan to be able to withstand high-centering. I had pan to ground issues on an S-10 project a while ago with the motor in the correct location using dropped spindles and springs.

 

dude!!! dont do a motor lowering thats not good you would get problems with the exaust maybe airbags are the solution for you!

 

I agree. Air bags are cheap and easy on a S10 chassis.

 

Looks great, do you have any pics of how bad the car was before you started, or more shots from your build??

 

I used a 91 shortbed s-10 frame and drivetrain under my 49 ford. I stretched the frame 5.1 inches and made all the frame to body mounts. Fun stuff but I would just do a subframe next time I think. Im just a Broke @ss and liked not haveing to replace brakes, brake lines, rear end, all that crap that I would have to if I kept the old ford stuff.

 

any pics of what you had to do? I'm thinking about doing the same to my 50 shoebox..

 

hi All, new guy from Pa. putting together a 57 chebby truck on an s-10 4x frame without the 4x stuff,hey it was real cheap. i mjust about done with shortening the frame 9" and rear cab mounts, but i did have it all but mocked up. im running a 250/auto, van tilt wiring and heater out of a 64 chevy truck. its no show truck just qwhat i call a resurection to make a daily driver

 

also i molded a dash out of a 54 dodge royal into part of the stock dash

 

I used a s10 frame baged didnt have to notch the rear and used the stock front spindles drives great used 2600 bages in front and rear three link rear suspension no tunnel in the floor had to cut firewall for for the tranny bell housing.

 

We totally need more Tri-Five guys in this thread! Sell it to me that it's not that big of a hassle to put one of those on an S-10!

You guys have any chassis/build pics?

~Jason

 

i about hve my mounts done now so iwill get pics and post them later

 

Here are couple of more pics will try and dig up some more. It was very easy to do. new body mounts, custom radiator mount, cut firewall for tranny, new trans tunnel, front wheel spacers for correct width, engine and tranny mounts,

 

How wide are your wheel spacers?

 

front spacers are 2.5 wide no spacers in the rear.

 

I was just going to ask that... I mean, are they "scary" wide?

~Jason

 

By any chance, do you have any pics without the spacers?

 

whats up ,I just started a 49 chevy truck build today.I found the best company to deal with on swaps,it e-z chassie swaps.For 1600.oo you get all the brackets[about 26]no frame cutting,it uses the coloum,brakes,booster,pedal assemble,49'radiator,it uses a 116 wheel base[i bought a 85' s-10 not running,for 500.00 ,You can buy s-10 suspenion parts any where for nothing,so for around 3000.00 you can ly low,ride good ,steer good,and buy parts at any store,to me thats a deal.call or e-mail ed at e-z chassie swaps .com,here some pics of what I started with today,,,later dave

 

I have used spacers on a few cars never a problem I red locktight the lug nuts to 90 lbs. I check them evey 6 months when i go over the car. The spacers I have seen problems with are the 5 or 6 lug to 8 or 10 with 17 inch and bigger wheels. I run 15x5 and skinny white walls dont weigh much. You could fab a set of A arms and custom tie rod ends. I wanted to see how much of the stock pickup I could use.

 

heres some pics of my frame, i used the rad support mounts for my front cab mounts, and for the rear i cut an opening for a piece of 2x2 square tubing for the rear mounts, reason for that is on the account that the bolts are right onthe edge of the frame this way i have a way to put the bolt down thu and have acess to be able to tighten down the nut

 

You know, THAT would be outstanding to have for reference!

~Jason

 

You know, Ed's a hell of a guy. He'll even take the time to answer about any question you have, too.

~Jason

 

i believe Jason had mentioned a few post back about bolting up an inline 6 on the s-10 frame. Im installing a 250/auto in my 57, and its basically a bolt in. now i did use mounts for a 66-67 chevelle and i modify the original frame plate(which bolts to the frame( now i am also using a 4x frame on the account i got it cheap(free). now i had to move them back alittle for the way i set my truck up, alittle over 1", you seel on my setup it hangs ove the edge but i do have have plates made up to be able to put 3 bolts onthe lower part of the mount, but if just drill one hole i really only need to have 2 bolts to kee it in place its a stock inliner so m really not to worried. look at pics let me know if any ?'s need to be answered

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check in kit cars mag. they had a company thet did 40 ford trucks on s-10/ranger frames

 

Dude, THAT answer, and THOSE pics are the holy grail for a LOT of people - THANKS! Seriously - there are people every day out there searching for pics and/or a description of how to put a straight six in an S-10 frame... and coming up short.

This may well be a web exclusive! pugs... you just made history by posting those, my friend.

~Jason

 

If it's a later side mount 6 it's no harder than a v8, it's the early ones that are a pain. the front mounts have to be fabbed.

 

the 4x frames all have the lower plate mount. on the block side stock 4.3 mounts will bolt to a V8 but the are fairly thick compared to a standard V8 mount, in which case will work to raise the motor up for more clearence in most swaps. for the earlier inline 6 mount wouldnt be to hard to make, depending on which engine if i remember the trucks went off to the side and cars were under the crank, but i think you would have to go to a bell housing mount for a manual trans, or some kind of rear mount plates to use with a later model auto trans along with the trans mount. eiher way it wouldnt be all that hard to do

 

Still, any pics are always appreciated... they're worth 1k words, you know.

~Jason

 

hey i'm looking into putting a tri five chevy body or a 58/59 chevy truck body on my extended cab 4X4 s10 frame...anyone got any pics of something like that?

 

Um, pugs, a few posts above yours... and a few on earlier pages.

A helpful feature is the "search this thread" pulldown menu.

~Jason