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Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List

Discussion in 'Off Topic Hot Rods & Customs' started by Abomination, Jun 25, 2008.

  1. 41Plymouth4dr
    Joined: Jun 13, 2006
    Posts: 80

    41Plymouth4dr
    Member
    from Tioga, PA

    Well I'm a Mopar guy & I thought about a Dakota frame for under my '41, but thats as far as I got........a thought! But then I wanted to keep it "ALL MOPAR"!
    And I'm sorry, but I don't like to see cheby powered Fords or Mopars, I know I know that cheby motors are always said to be more abundent & cheaper & no matter what I say or think a lot of people will still do it.
    So JUST MY OWN OPINION!!
     
  2. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,774

    Abomination
    Member

    True, but I'm barely scraping by as it is... just like everybody else!

    The trick is to get someone that makes this stuff for a living to add another product to their inventory...

    ~Jason

     
  3. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,774

    Abomination
    Member

    Just because you're running a Chevy chassis, it doesn't mean you need to run a Chevy motor!

    The first post in this thread has this link you may find interesting:

    Definitive Dakota frame swap list
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=307020

    Hell, I'm a Mopar guy... I have Hemi parts in a box on my stove!

    ~Jason

     
  4. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

    41Plymouth, I like the all make approach as I have the same mindset, I would head toward the thread that Jason listed.
     
  5. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

    I tried this approach. not enough volume. I can get vendors to make small runs for me though. I have a good friend that does tube bending. Currently I can get 3 x 3 tubing bent on a CNC bender. 2 x 4 coming soon.

    Scott
     
  6. flatblackindustries
    Joined: Oct 7, 2006
    Posts: 645

    flatblackindustries
    Member
    from Ogden, UT

    ahh...Man...We in no way were making fun of you lil budy.
    We were actually applauding your inginuity....You were just drunker than us...:D
     
  7. bigtumtum
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 655

    bigtumtum
    Member

    i was just looking at the scarebird website we are al talking about s10 swaps.. but hell.. why not doing the rear discs at the same time!!

    scarebirds is asking 105$ for a set...
    FYI:


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]!. Crack lug nuts loose, jack up rear end and place jackstands under rear axle. Drain differential. While this is going on, remove wheels and brake drums.

    2. Remove center pin from differential. This is done by removing that small bolt- tap the case lightly to jar it loose as they are prone to beakage. Shake and rotate axles back and forth to loosen C-clips.

    3.With parking brake in relaxed postion, measure amount of cable exposed from cable housing forward to the ferrule, and write these measurements down. Disconnect secondary e-brake cables at forward position, disconnect hardlines to slave cylinders, remove attaching bolts and remove drum backing plate as an assembly. Save small bolts. Clean axle housing flange and stuff a rag in partially to keep debris out.


    [​IMG]4. Take axle shafts and rotors down to a competent machinist, and have the flanges turned down to fit inside the rotor. You may want to have longer wheel studs added also.

    5. Install brackets temporarily with small bolts, then attach calipers without rotors. S Series trucks and G bodys brackets face rearward, while the F bodys driver's side faces forward, the passenger's to the rear. Using a section of rope, test fit the best route to run the e-brake cables. Write down each side's length. That is the housing length. Now add the forward exposed cable lengths previously measured, and the distance between lever and bracket on the caliper, along with the housing length, and you have the cable length.

    7. Inspect axle bearings, install new seal and insert axles, retaining clips along with center pin and bolt. Replace cover with new gasket and refill diffential with fresh lube.


    [​IMG]8. Wash hands. Place rotor on axle, and use a pair of lugnuts to temporarily secure. Lightly lube rub points on caliper brackets with antiseize. Assemble hardware and pads into calipers, then place assembly onto rotor and secure with pin bolts, torque to 35 ft-lbs.

    9. Factory hardlines have different ends than inverted flare at the drum brake end. You have three choices; carefully cut off bubble end and install flare nut and reflare, buy a section of tubing of the same or greater length, and rebend to fit onto the axle, or NAPA has a brass adapter that supposedly screws on to the the bubble end and converts it to an inverse flare. Either way, rebend slightly to match the new tab on disc bracket. Install soft flex hose, retain with slide clip and attach hardline. Attach other end of flex line to caliper with banjo bolt and new copper crush washers.

    10. Install e-brake levers and brackets. Install e-brake cables and return springs. Adjust cable so e-brake caliper lever just touchs stop on caliper. IMPORTANT: cycle e-brake several times to set mechanism. Do this BEFORE bleeding the brakes!

    11. Crack nuts on front wheels, and raise front end, usie jackstands to support. Remove front wheels. Bench bleed and Install disc/disc master cylinder and combination valve. Bleed rear brakes first, then fronts. Reinstall wheels, lower cars and correctly torque lugnuts. Carefully test. No panic stops for the first 50 miles to allow the pads to bed in. We suggest the 30-30-30 rule: 30 stops at 30 mph with 30 seconds cooling between stops.


    [​IMG]



















    Parts required:

    Rotors: 1982-97 Cadillac Eldorado rear
    Calipers: 1979-85 Cadillac Eldorado rear
    (2 RH units for Firebirds and Camaros)
    (RH and LH unit for Montes, Elkys and S10's)
    Hoses: 1979 Caprice front
     
  8. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

  9. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,774

    Abomination
    Member

    You know, I've always liked scarebird's stuff. :)

    ~Jason
     
  10. bigtumtum
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 655

    bigtumtum
    Member

    a Friend of my is asking if he can make it also for a fiat cinqocento rear axle LOL :D

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

  12. bigtumtum
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 655

    bigtumtum
    Member

  13. jim72051
    Joined: Jan 7, 2007
    Posts: 1

    jim72051
    Member

    thanks for thinking of this thread. My son and I are considering this swap right now. I have several 40's Chevy PU and sedan bodies that I could use so any info will be helpful. I also have a mid 80's S 15 GMC that I salvaged from the crusher.

    Jim

    http://jim72051.googlepages.com/ozarkklunkers
     
  14. bigtumtum
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 655

    bigtumtum
    Member

    Jim,

    you have some nice cars and trucks on your site...

    are they all for you or are you also selling them?
     
  15. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

    That VW would be sweet with an Audi V8 and 6-speed transaxle.
     
  16. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,774

    Abomination
    Member

    No prob!

    I love that V-Dub Truck! My ex's dad lives in the Houston/Cabool MO area!

    ~Jason

     
  17. Frosty21
    Joined: Jan 25, 2007
    Posts: 960

    Frosty21
    Member
    from KY

    My friend's S-10 clip into '51 Dodge Business coupe. 350 and 5 speed.

    This was taken in early june 2008, saw him driving it in September 2008. I think its sold now.

    [​IMG]
     
  18. triumphtony
    Joined: Jul 14, 2007
    Posts: 226

    triumphtony
    Member

    I would take one of them back halfs it sure would beat that big kickup and i sure don't want a six inch deep bed it is a truck i would like to put stuff in it. i think i will put the back half of my stock studebaker frame or what is left of it on the s10 frame
     
  19. nickpayton
    Joined: Mar 14, 2008
    Posts: 126

    nickpayton
    Member
    from a

    ok so i spent about an hour looking and my kid just woke up from his nap so now i have to ask. how much of a backspace to you need to have on the wheels for an AD on an s10 frame? or what size of a spacer do i need? or a combo of both?
     
  20. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

    2" wheel spacer is needed, or 2" less backspace.
     
  21. nickpayton
    Joined: Mar 14, 2008
    Posts: 126

    nickpayton
    Member
    from a

    that would be front and back?
     
  22. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

    yes, unless you get a rear axle from a 4x4 S-10 which is about 4" wider.
     
  23. JonDodge
    Joined: Apr 10, 2008
    Posts: 34

    JonDodge
    Member

    Hello Jason what can you tell me about 38dodgecoupe the frame is too narrow helps s-10 i like too use plase call 8103463467 after 6p.m. Jon anyday
     
  24. mmorg1
    Joined: Feb 14, 2007
    Posts: 14

    mmorg1
    Member

    here is my 46 plymouth mounted on a ext cab s-10 frame. It is channeled five inches with a two and a half inch drop on the front and three on the back. Still cutting out rust though.
     

    Attached Files:

  25. '40PlyCoupe
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 250

    '40PlyCoupe
    Member

    Question for those building an AD truck on a S-10 frame. Are you using the stock S-10 steering column? When I went to trial fit mine it seems like it is too short and only 2-3 inches away from the dash. I have some other columns (one from a '78 Camaro and one from a '72 El Camino) and started compairing those. It looks like they are longer, but these require the installtion of the rag joint from the original (Camaro or El Camino) steering box. I still have the '78 Camaro steering box so I took the rag joint off and this looks like it will work. It looks like steering shaft that can extend out is longer on the Camaro and El Camino columns. However they can't be switched to to the S-10 column because of different attachement - the S-10 is "D" style attachment and the others are splined.

    Maybe I missed the comments on this from other builders? Everything else has gone pretty well...

    My swap:
    '49 Chevy 5 window truck
    '89 S-10 extended cab chassis cutdown to 118" WB
    GM Goodwrench 350 replacement engine
    Turbo 350 with cheetah shift kit
    '98 Blazer disc brake rearend
    '78 Camaro tilt steering column
     
  26. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,774

    Abomination
    Member

    I've seen a lot of guys using Astro Van steering column parts to make up the difference.

    ~Jason

     
  27. Hip
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 848

    Hip
    Member

    I considered the S-10 as a platform for my '49 Hudson before i swapped it for a '29 , but the width was just right, and like mentioned earlier the frame could have been extended to exactly the right wheel base.
     
  28. What is the benefit (over the stock frames) Front end? Why wouldn't you just subframe it? Seems you could hack off the front end and weld it to your stock frames. Is the S-10 frame any beefier than the heavy,stock Ford or Chevy truck frames? I seem to remember that the Chevy people built this truck as a light duty,economy vehicle.
    IS it me, or am I not getting the reasoning behind this? Looks to be a lot of work without getting the benefits. I realize you get front brakes and independent suspension, but I dont see much else.
    Are these swaps more or less common than subframing?I'm confused.. My eyes are still burning from last night... Mikey
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2009
  29. Abomination
    Joined: Oct 5, 2006
    Posts: 6,774

    Abomination
    Member

    I'll bottom line it for you.

    The appeal of pulling a body off your old car, and ploping it onto modern suspension, brakes, etc and only having to make a couple of brackets to bolt it on and you're done is the essence of it's attractiveness, not to mention that you can buy a dead S-10 that has all the stuff you're gonna use it for for $100 or less and recoup some of that scrapping the rest.

    But you're right - you're probably better off just subframing it rather than dealing with the bullshit around that rear kickup on the frame. If someone would make an aftermarket rear S-10 frame half that didn't have that kickup, it would be even more popular than it is!

    ~Jason



     
  30. Scott Danforth
    Joined: Dec 13, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Scott Danforth
    Member

    Technically your better off with a well designed cross member than a sub-frame. I have both used the S-10 chassis, and designed a simple weld-in cross member. The problem with sub framing is that if you are not precise with your graft, you end up with a pile of crap and the only way to eat a crap sandwich is with a lot of bread. With the S-10 chassis swap, even folks without a welder can do it, as there are even bolt-in kits available. Is is the best route, no, is it the best compromised route, in many cases, yes.

    Regarding strength, the boxed front half of the S-10 frame is many times stronger than the open c-channel shape of an original AD truck.
     
    ffr1222k likes this.

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