Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List

This would take someone with a tape measure and a V8 in an S-10 frame to answer. That, or you can set your cab on the frame and go from there, on-the-fly...

Ever been to http://www.s10v8.com/ ? They can help you out a LOT as well!

~Jason

 

Ya I have the car and the S10 now...I built a 48 Chev 4 door turned Elcamino years ago but used a ranger chassis (free!) then put a SBC in it. I am currently fixing the structural rot in the 47's body, and plan to strip the S10 in the next month or so, and hopefully have it on the chassis before the end of the summer, dont worry I am and will be takin lotsa pics!!



Heres the old 48 Chevy x 4 door on the ranger chassis



Heres the 47 Ford (project year round beater)



And here is the $200 chassis donor victim 97 longbox with lottsa miles and a cooked 4.3

Cant wait to get started ripping apart the S10 gonna try and get it off the trailer tomorrow

 

In researching the Stude I found that the cab and fenders are the same, just a 2 inch spacer on the big trucks between the fenders and body.. Sweet - I'm in.... Now looking for a donor suspect...

 

Good hunting!

~Jason

 

Thanks for the site link ... not to bad a price either. Right into the links collection

 

I probably get my head blown off for this question, but here it goes...
Has anyone done an early 90's Toyota truck frame? Adjustable torsion front end, Ford 5 lug bolt pattern....
Don't shoot me....

 

Close but no cigar, still a very cool swap with torsion bar. Heres the link:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348374

 

I have thought about it...but all the cheap parts trucks around here are cheap cause the frames rot really bad on them...much easier to find the S10!

 

when you guys say mount the cab 3 inches off the top of the frame on the AD chevy pickups is that measurment from frame to cab floor or from frame to the body mount braces?

 

PLenty of parts... power steering...

Hmmmmm... I do believe that the Toyota merits further scrutiny, especially in the area of the rear kickup of the frame - a major point of contention with folks that use the S-10 frame...

~Jason

 

Jason,
I agree the toyota is probably another good choice, but as far as the kickup on the S10, although I did build a new rear clip, which is another alternative to stock I feel like I have ample bed room, not late model bed room, but plenty for my coolers and chairs. I'll be posting more pic's later but here's one:



Later,
Billy

 

Here's a 36 Plymouth 2dr sedan on a 1997 Chevy S-10 reg cab short box frame. It only worked with the fenders on the car, the front part of the frame right behind the wheel comes out at about a 90 deg. if you wanna run fenderless the frame would have to be cut. Too big a job for the welder i was working with at that time, This was 3 years ago now, i wonder where this car is now. The S-10 frame I used had a custom 4-link and ran air ride when it was under the truck, I stuck VW Golf coil springs in.

 

but why would you run fenderless with an S-10 suspnesion, I new there was a reason I did it that way

 

Nice!

~Jason

 

On a S10 Pickup frame they are deep.. on a Blazer S10 Frame there about 3 inches shallower.. in the middle..

 

I know a guy who put a 36/37 dodge on an s-10 frame without fenders, was making a rat rod out of it. Nobody had to tell him he was stupid, he could see it on our faces when opened the garage door. Needless to say he sold the whole dam car about two weeks later. lol

 

Picking this up tomorrow - let the games begin.....

 

Nice of you to join us! ;D

~Jason

 

Well I guess its time I join this thread. I am working on a 49-53 Stude PU on a '96 S10 Blazer chassis (4dr). The wheel base is approx 5" short of the Stude but that will be made up by using a 2 link moved back to fit the rear fenders. The frame is actually higher farther back than the axle centerline so the C notch might not have to be as deep.

I'll take some pics of the body mounts when I take the cab back off to move the mounts back. (tacked them in a little to far forward.) The stock mounts are welded to 4x4x1/4 square tube. The tube was split into channel and trimmed to fit the chassis. The actual rubber mounts are from the Blazer so replacements are easily available.

Only have a couple old (been on 2yr hiatis after tornado tore house and barn down.) pics I took while step Dad and a buddy hold the fender in place. The only thing I can see as a possible drawback to this build is the track width is a bit narrow as you can see in the other pic. I have been considering taking a vertical section out of the front fenders to narrow them but I want to get all the sheetmetal hung before a final decision is made. Wheel spacers have also been considered but I don't want to add stress to the ball joints ,spindles, and wheel bearings. I could probably get away with an inch spacer before anything really gets to outta whack.

Eric

 

Err, with a full body car wouldn't you line it up so the wheels are centered in the wheel openings and move the motor mounts or cut the firewall as needed?

 

Yep.

~Jason

 

Uh, been here - what you talking about.

Doing a 46 Stude truck. I think I'll be fabbing a rear clip with a 4 bar. We'll see what comes along as this will be on the major budget.... I have enough parts for 2 trucks with parts left over... This one in the pic will get a redo on the existing frame and the parts left over will be the S10 driver...

 

Jason;
I am a little confused, from what I have read on this site I was brought to <style></style>believe that a S-10 was a good fit, it a '67-'72 F250 is better.
Could you send me a few photos of a swap like that:
My Email is (jimr1963@gmail.com.
Thanks for the help...

olyrailman

 

Its extraordinarily off topic and I wouldn't have believed it with my own eyes but if you cut 23" out of the center and 15" off the rear of the frame a '78 VW Rabbit body (sans OEM firewall and floor) fits over the S10 chassis like a glove. My son just picked up said project cheap and is going to try and finish it up this summer. YIKES!

-Bigchief.

 

Although I have no pics, the frame width is spot-on, and the length is almost prefect.

Proof?

The rear end out of one of those trucks BOLTS IN to your F2...

~Jason

 

I have only read about a 1/3 of the posts. But a fellow hamber Rusticdozer has a hot looking 53 Dodge on an s-10 frame. He has this posted in his hamb photo album. He is a terrific guy and convinced me to use an s-10 on my 54 dodge. We are building it now and I will try and get some pics up next week.

 

Rock on!

Any build pics are much appreciated, especially the details!

It's pretty cool to see how different folks solve the same problems.

~Jason

 

donnymopar,
You car ROCKS, how does it ride? Im doing the same thing to a 40 pickup. Im assuming you have air ride, what are you using? This is a very in depth thread, plenty of good info, thanks for posting. Like Bo Didley said, you can't judge a book by looking at it's cover .
Later,
Billy

 

I second that. From the dimensions I have came across, it appears it could work, but is anybody who has done it willing to share? Problems to expect?

I went through the thread and could only find a mention of a Ranger frame used on a 48 Chevy, but not an S10 frame. I am considering an S10 chassis for my 48 Fleetmaster 2 dr sedan.

 

Off topic or not, I want to see pics!!!!