91 1st gen 5.3 resto rod

[NCRides]

I started this project back in 06, the truck was going to be a winter bomb but the deeper I dug the worse it got so I tore it down to the frame and started a full restoration with a 5.3 4L60E upgrade and a 8.5 rear out of a blazer..I have no pictures before I tore it apart so I'll start with the build... since this was back before the H3 oil pan became available I did the usual frame notch I cut down the truck oil pan for clearence being an a/c truck I also cut the frame rail for the compressor

[90blueS10]

nice work

[NCRides]

a/c notch welded up the motor was mint when I got it with only ten miles on it so all I did was install ARP rod bolts and left it stock for now...but the tranny was rough looking so I tore it down had the cases blasted and painted them with POR15 I didn't like the stock crossmember so I bought a universal on from Jegs

[NCRides]

I'm running Sanderson shorties a V8 S10 radiator from Supperior Radiator and Current Performance harness

I sandblasted the underside of the cab and it got the Por15 treatment

I bought an 03 plastic tank then bought the tooling and made my own fuel lines

[NCRides]

Vette fuel filter

The rearend was in good shape but the axles showed corrosion at the seal and bearing area so I installed Moser axles and a TrueTrac posi...I had all the disc brake components powder coated and installed new seals I didn't want to deal with wheel hop so a set of SlideAlink traction bars went on it as well

[90blueS10]

looks really good dude. you have any pics of the exterior of the truck?

[BarelyGettinBy]

Looks like its coming along nice. Keep it up

[NCRides]

I painted the entire truck last summer everthing is ready to go on as soon as I finish the little details


the interior has been insulated with Dynamat and Dynaliner



the seats are out of a 93 Blazer with a 99 center console w/shifter

with a set of C4 rims and a static drop to finish off the look

[90blueS10]

how much did the dynamat dynaliner cost you? i want to do something similar to my truck

[Petro]

I like....nice 1st Gen...And doing it right the first time...Good job on the resto...

[NCRides]

Thanks guys I,m really excited to see it coming together now after looking at it like this for so long

next week I hope to have the radiator back from getting a threaded bung intalled for the throttle body steam line
It should look like this when reinstalled...

I also have a new radiator support after finding out the one that came in the truck was for a 82-90,this truck was so hacked when I got it
then I'll concentrate on getting the nose together useing the stainless hardware I got from Totally Stainless, they really hooked me up, their hardware sets come bagged and tagged "Very nice stuff"
and this is the battery setup I'm going with, a red top battery in a Summit Racing Billet mount tucked in the passenger side of the bed for better weight distribution

[SweetS10V8]

Quote: Originally Posted by 90blueS10

how much did the dynamat dynaliner cost you? i want to do something similar to my truck

A lot, I wanted to do it to mine too, but their kits are about $700.

[NCRides]

Quote: Originally Posted by 90blueS10

how much did the dynamat dynaliner cost you? i want to do something similar to my truck

It was under $400, the Dynamat is heavy material and alot of work to install on uneven surface's were as the Dynaliner is light weight foam and easy to work with it will be worth it

[NCRides]

Quote: Originally Posted by Petro

I like....nice 1st Gen...And doing it right the first time...Good job on the resto...

Thanks bro I like to do things right

[slowfox89]

Dayum it man!!! That is real attn to detail. Great work.

[platour22]

nice

[s10-den]

Yea, Im diggin' it as well.Nice !

I think I see what looks like a frame and motor in this pic...ha ha

[chaospartners]

Looks awesome man! and good color choice

[rellik_jre]

Great Work!

[BLAZIN1990]

nice welds

[NCRides]

just a few updates where do I start: interior is almost done the seats, console& shifter are done the doors have windows tinted and installed new pins & bushings,weathers strips locks cylinders w/keys drivers door has new latch mechanism and latch handles inside & out

the pasenger door is waiting on new plastic tabs for the interior panel and I need to get trim moldings for the headliner since I can't seem to find them ,they must have got lost in the move

[NCRides]

under the hood: the radiator is back and reinstalled, the top hose sat too high and would interfere with the intake tube so I cut the neck down by 1.5" and used a 90 degree hose to gain more clearence. And I got the coolant res. and ECM mounted on the right side inner fender.

I pulled the intake and removed all the tabs that were unessasary, leaving the cross pattern on top to retain somewhat of a factory look


speaking of Hood ,with all the sheetmetal back on I was finally able to see what kind of clearence I had with the hood and motor. The alternator, throttle body and parts of the intake hit so I cut out the center of the hood and one rib, so now it close's

[NCRides]

I'm working on the exhaust and e-brake cables now, the front cable I had made by Inline Tube came out real nice so all I need now is to weld a tab on the frame to hold the front cable

I want to get truck running so it doesn't have to be towed to the muffler shop, so I picked up some dryer vent and shaped it how I wanted the front pipes to fit, then had Skips Muffler in Plaistow NH bend up a couple down pipes

the pipes are 2.25" same as the collectors.I'll cut the pipes then have Skip open them up to 2.5" for the rest of the system. Then I'll install two Magna flow converters and the 02 sensors get it running then Skip will finish it. The drivers side pipe will cross over and run paralell into an X-pipe through a 2 in-2 out muffler and exit behind the rear tire with slash cut tips

[KJF95S-10]

Excellent work man. Everything looks beautiful. Almost too nice to drive I liek!

[s10-den]

VERY NICE!! I just love the 1st generations over the 2nd and I dont know why..

[NCRides]

Thanks.....ya I have always liked the 1st gens, I think it's the square boxy style of them which probably goes way back to my "first car" it was the cardboard box my parents first color tv came in I cut out square windows drew wheels on the sides then drove that thing around the living room for days...lol..

[NCRides]

It is coming together finally

I buttoned up some things under the hood today, new wires (OMG #8 spark plug) bolted down the intake manifold etc. installed the intake parts that did show up

[RazorS10]

I'm going to be paint my 1st gen soon.

[AmericanMuscle]

looks awsome!!

[RazorS10]

i like the way you have it setup.

[NCRides]

I wired up the battery today, but I have no power anywhere but the starter...I will dive into it tomorrow when I'm not so tired

[NCRides]

Come to find out I had some serious wiring problems, it turned out to be reversed wires at the junction block so I sent the engine harness and dash harness back to Jared (it seems the GM schematic was backwards) it's all straightened out and the wiring is now back in the truck....

Before I drop the cab back down I want to finish the exhaust, the passenger side collector is a PITA to get at so I bought a set of Stage 8 locking bolts but they don't quite work for me so I'm trying to get them to make a different kit..

on a positive note the exhaust pipes came out great I'll get pics up soon as the camera battery is charged

[90blueS10]

Great progress, def DEF one of my fav builds

[Jonce007]

Very clean build, keep the progress reports coming.

I also like the fact that you painted underneath the cab - looks very clean.

[NCRides]

after wrestling with the collector bolts for 3 hours I managed to get all of them in so here is what they look like

[NCRides]

might as well post more pics of the exhaust

[AmericanMuscle]

looks good, is that one of those x flow mufflers? or is it chambered?

[NCRides]

it's straight through, x-flow's produce a terrible resonence at mid range

[AmericanMuscle]

hey does the piping hag below the frame under the drive shaft? I'm planning on fitting an x pipe where yours goes under the shaft.

[caviness]

nice build keep us updated with plenty more pics and video when done.

[NCRides]

where the pipe cross's under the shaft it is maybe an inch below the frame and has plenty of clearence for the drveshaft, I was going to run an x pipe but the guy who bent my pipes said it doesn't really give any gains on the street and where I have a stepped system it will have good low end power

[v8sten]

great work, i saw you used a 03 fuel tank, i could use some help with the fuel system.

- parts
- cost (aprox)
- tips

[SoLowXtreme]

wow, i am in love with your truck man...GREAAATTTTT fab work

[NCRides]

Quote: Originally Posted by v8sten

great work, i saw you used a 03 fuel tank, i could use some help with the fuel system.

- parts
- cost (aprox)
- tips

the cost of the fuel system was not cheep after you factor in the tools ($300+) to make all new fuel lines, the original lines were corroded so I discarded them, the actual system parts were $100 for the used tank,$100 for the used pump,$45 for the vette reg, $35 charcol canister plus steel tubing , clamps , fuel tank fill tube, it adds up...if I were to do it again probably do it the same since paying someone to make everything would cost double

[NCRides]

Quote: Originally Posted by SoLowXtreme

wow, i am in love with your truck man...GREAAATTTTT fab work

Thanks man....I love it too... some times I just lay on my creeper and stare at how clean and new it is... almost don't want to take it out on the road but that day is coming..soon I hope

[NCRides]

I'm so close...getting ready to fire it and no fuel pump ?? I pulled the bed today and the 2nd junkyard pump I got is "junk" the 1st one was from an 03 2.2 flex fuel and I couldn't get a pigtail for it so I picked up this one from an 03 4.3, that was last October so no warrenty on that one ! pump #3 coming up...thats ok cause niether of the two pumps I have are compatable with my 91 fuel gauge so I guess I'll try one out of a 94 what the hell

[Xtremechubs]

You do very nice work very clean and simple looking

[mr spree]

Have you fixed your fuel problem yet?

[NCRides]

Yes I have fuel pressure..I bought the correct fuel sender for the truck and a high flow pump from racetronix but now the sender does not fit the larger opening of the 2003 tank so I made an adapter ring for the sender, but the tank's locking ring is too big for the smaller diameter sender, so I took the smaller lock ring that came with the sender and machined it down to fit inside the bigger ring..somehow it all fits except the lines that I had made with quick connects...I had to make new lines with compression ends to connect to the steel lines on the older style pump......and it works I have 58 psi at the fuel rail

[S10SittnonDUBS]

Wow very very nice man, great attention to every detail. I just really need some space like you do so I can do this swap to my truck.