Time to start this project thread and get everyone updated on what I have been slowly working on for the past 4 years. Plans where originally to do a V8 swap, but a series of events allowed me to get a little carried away.
Bought my first S10, a standard cab 2.5 with 168,000 miles, for $950 in 1997.
Removed trim and got Camaro Rally wheels at Carlisle swap meet for $150 and eventually lowered it 2" front 3" rear. Removed the rear bumper after some lady bent it up ata stop sign.
Rust started showing up at the usual spots, bed above the wheels, cab corners, and rocker panels.
I bought new GM bed sides and a roll pan and planned on fixing this thing up to get ready for the 1964 283 V8 I got for $50. I took the block to a local machine shop and had the bottom end rebuilt and had new valve seals put in the heads.
A couple months before the end of college I found a 1993 standard cab S10 with a dieing 2.5 for $200. The frame was a rusty mess but the body was in good shape. I decide to do the V8 swap on this truck while I drive the 88. A week after I graduated and on my way to my first day at my new job, the 88 let me sit 100 yards from home. I bought a 96 Beretta Z26 for my daily and decided to swap bodies on the S10s.
Since I was going to swapping bodies I decided to clean up the frame and install some AirRide Technology goodies.
88 frame
Airbar, Shockwaves, upper and lower control arms
all together
Got the 93 cab on and started "adjusting" the firewall, and test fit the body to make sure wheels and tires would clear, but mostly so I could see how this thing was going to look.
Since I got the 93 with the good body I was going to sell the bed sides, but the paint on the blue bed started to change to that rust color. I drilled out all the spot welds on both bed sides and took the body to get ready for some color. They welded the new sides on along with the rear cross piece. I got some rust fixed (cab corners and rockers), holes on the firewall that were no longer needed got filled, and the roof seams smoothed. The passenger door had to be fixed because my dad's motorcycle fell against it, my fault. Motorcycle was ok. Also got rhino liner sprayed in the bed.
While the body was at the shop I continued to work on the rest of the truck. I got the engine all bolted up and got some new wheels.
My color ideas start coming to life. 2006 Covette Velocity Yellow and 2006 Graystone two tone with cobalt blue in body line and something a little extra.
Bed was finished and dropped off at home. Put it on along with a wheel and taillight.
Cab and the insides of the doors and fenders were then sprayed
Cab was brought home and I started wiring and hooking up everything I could. I am using a Painless wiring kit that I added some factory circuits to. I also made the wires run through the factory bulkhead connector. New gas tank with early fuel pickup with out pump and new master cylinder for the brakes. I rebent all the brake lines and made a new steering shaft. I like how the optima battery matches
I also had blazer bucket seats recovered in some nice vinyl, and made a custom dash. The dash is going to get redone because I just wanted to see if I could do it and the thing has about a gallon of bondo on it. I did it before I saw Nick's fiberglass thread and I know I can make this thing better
moved E-brake to floor with Lokar kit
removed computer
TH350 with Lokar shifter
It might be a little while before I do any work to the truck. I had hernia surgery on Thursday and can't lift more than 15 pounds for 6 weeks. Sucks but needed to be done.
If anyone has question, ask away. I'll try to answer them as best as i can. Remember this has been a 4 year project. I would love to have this thing at Carlisle, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen. If it does it might be with out an interior.
Thanks guys. I'm planning on getting some friends over to put the bed on for me since I can't do any heavy lifting for 6 weeks. I'll be taking pictures and supervising. After 4 years I'm ready to drive this thing. I just need to hook up the transmission cooling lines, fill up the transmission with fluid, and tweak the shift linkage and throttle cable and it should move around under its own power.
Long ago I decided I didn't like the under dash, foot operated E-brake. I always would forget it was on even when the idiot light was on. So with having a floor shifter I thought it would be nice to have a hand brake. Not for drifting or other childish reasons. Purely to clean up the dash and my personal preference.
I saw Lokar's unit and decided to go that direction instead of trying to make some factory unit fit.
Yes, It might seem a little pricey, but I like Lokar products and didn't mind spending the money.
No before or during pictures. Sorry.
For the Hand Brake I cut a 5 1/2" x 3/4" slot in the floor between the seats, offset to the drivers side. I set the unit in from top and marked the spots for the four mounting holes. Drilled the holes and fastened the unit underneath the floor. That is about it for the hand brake other than the boot and trim ring, but I haven't installed that yet.
The cables aren't hard to install either. There is a bracket that needs to be installed directly behind the hand brake underneath the cab. There is a bulge that I flattened just enough for this bracket to sit flush on. I drilled the two holes required and tightened the bracket. I took the cables out of the housings (Don't lose the springs) so they could be installed on the rear brake dust shield, and for when I cut the housing I'm not cutting the cable. They fasten by poking threw the original hole and installing the nut on the inside of the dust shield. Yes you will need to take your wheels and brake drums off. I didn't have to take any other brake components off, but some might have to. Don't put any brake stuff back on yet. Next I ran the cable housing close to the stock locations up to the bracket that I just put on. The driver side was easy. Passenger side took a little more thinking because it had to cross the driveshaft. What I found with the first gen standard cab is that there is a space on the floor that allowed me to run the cable without having to do any crazy brackets. Ran the cable housing through this and up to the bracket. I marked the housing and cut it a little long just in case. The cable was then slid back into the housing with the springs and I hooked the ball end into the E-brake lever of the rear brakes. The other ends went through the bracket and into the adjuster for the hand brake. All that was left was to put the brakes and wheels back on and adjust the cables.
Wow! Coming along very nicely! I'm really liking it all! Any reason you didn't shave up the tailgate? Really loving everything about it! Keep up the good work! And keep us posted!
I didn't do any shaving other than the antenna because I still want to use this as a truck. That is why I only went with the AirBar too. Plus everybody shaves and I wanted something a little different. A mini truck with some classic street rod if you can see it.
I'm not sure on the horse power of the V8. It is a 283 bored .030 over with stock heads. Not sure what cc they are but they have the single ^ on the front. Cam was picked by the guy that did the bottom end. Edelbrock Performer intake and 600 CFM carb. The electronics are all Mallory, Unilite distributor, HyFire 6-A ignition box, and plug wires. This thing runs awesome and has some serious throttle response. Gas mileage? probably not the best. TCI TH350 sizzler transmission and the stock rear with stock 3.73 gears which will get upgraded later when or if I upgrade to rear disk brakes.
I didn't do any shaving other than the antenna because I still want to use this as a truck. That is why I only went with the AirBar too. Plus everybody shaves and I wanted something a little different. A mini truck with some classic street rod if you can see it.
I'm not sure on the horse power of the V8. It is a 283 bored .030 over with stock heads. Not sure what cc they are but they have the single ^ on the front. Cam was picked by the guy that did the bottom end. Edelbrock Performer intake and 600 CFM carb. The electronics are all Mallory, Unilite distributor, HyFire 6-A ignition box, and plug wires. This thing runs awesome and has some serious throttle response. Gas mileage? probably not the best. TCI TH350 sizzler transmission and the stock rear with stock 3.73 gears which will get upgraded later when or if I upgrade to rear disk brakes.
Did some work this weekend. Got the bed back on the frame, back glass installed, and fixed the o ring in the water separator that was causing a slow leak down. Body lines lined up pretty good for not having shims installed.
Oh, I like yellow.
Nose bleed
Started installing Second Skin Damplifier. This stuff works great. I could already tell a difference by just tapping on it before and after. A small roller really helps install this stuff.
Hope to have it running this weekend. Once I have it moving I'm going to call the body shop and get the rest of the painting done. Exhaust will then be the next thing on the list. I'm also working on my patterns for the dash, and planning out my sound setup.
The gauge panel is from Billet Specialties and the gauges are Autometer Arctic White series. The dash is getting redone. I'm not happy with the way it fits, but it will look the same.
Excellent. You do good work. That Lokar stuff isn't expensive at all when you consider the work you didn't have to do to make a factory unit made for a different vehicle work. On the Second Skin, was just looking that over today, gotta get some soundproofing down so I can get the interior built.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
S-10 Forum
8.8M posts
182.7K members
Since 2001
S10forum is the community to discuss the S-Series, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Join to discuss rebuilds, modifications, tech articles and more!