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85K views 981 replies 42 participants last post by  ProCycle 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Just picked up a new to me jalopy of a short wheelbase S10. 252,000 miles on it.



I built this Turbo Slant Six a couple of years ago but have been undecided where to plant it.



All details are up in the air at this point but I'm thinking of ending up with something similar to this one - which I have photochopped.

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#2 ·
Just picked up a new to me jalopy of a short wheelbase S10. 252,000 miles on it.



I built this Turbo Slant Six a couple of years ago but have been undecided where to plant it.



All details are up in the air at this point but I'm thinking of ending up with something similar to this one - which I have photochopped.

I'm intrigued, but the bed seems short (makes the proportions look odd), there was a guy on here who shortened his S-10 to a 5' bed (IIRC) and it looks great. Turbo slant 6 swap is interesting.

Jay
 
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#4 ·
That looks like a pretty nice clean old truck to me and personally if I was going to hack up a truck I would use a long bed that nobody wants and save that one for someone that likes that body style

There is not many of those trucks left
I've been shopping for a truck for weeks. A long bed would have been just fine but first gen regular cab S10s are not exactly plentiful around here. What's more important to me is that it's not all rusted out or crashed up.
 
#3 ·
I'm less concerned with looks or proportions and more concerned with getting a 'sports car' length wheelbase. My target is similar wheelbase, track and weight to a Mazda Miata. The image is just Photoshop work. There will certainly be limitations related to where things can be cut without making the fabrication too complicated.
 
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#12 ·
Getting the S10 to feel like a Miata would be a lot of work. The 24 hours of lemons truck is basically a Fiero. With a wheelbase that short and the high seating position it'll probably feel more like a RWD Smart car. Also, that engine is going to be terrible for weight distribution... would be really hard not to have it sticking way out in front of the front wheels.

I have similar dreams, but I know they will likely never happen.
 
#13 ·
Getting the S10 to feel like a Miata would be a lot of work. The 24 hours of lemons truck is basically a Fiero. With a wheelbase that short and the high seating position it'll probably feel more like a RWD Smart car. Also, that engine is going to be terrible for weight distribution... would be really hard not to have it sticking way out in front of the front wheels.
Oh yes, you aren't telling me anything I haven't already considered in depth. I do believe I can address all those potential pitfalls.
The S10 still seems to be the best choice of platform for what I want to do.
 
#14 ·
Well, do share, I'd like to see your solutions!

Fuel tank and rear suspension should be fun as well. Hope you plan on becoming a frame builder, lol.
 
#15 ·
Well, do share, I'd like to see your solutions!
Stay tuned!
Fuel tank and rear suspension should be fun as well. Hope you plan on becoming a frame builder, lol.
A fuel cell strapped into what will be left of the bed.
Most likely it will get a C4 Corvette rear suspension setup. Simple, light and will allow me to move the engine rearward a long way.
I'm confident I can handle all of the necessary fabrication. I'll post some pics of my shop.
 
#16 ·
In other news the first round of weight loss went well. I just picked the low hanging fruit - bumpers, spare tire, inner fenders, most of the interior, tailgate, etc. It shed 220 lbs. On the truck scales this afternoon it weighed in at 2340 with barely enough gas to get me back to the shop. I can see more weight loss available but not without some fabrication.
 
#17 ·
Is it already a manual steering and brake truck? 2.5L?
 
#20 ·
If you're going through all that work I would definitely ditch any kind of gearbox. I'm sure you have the skills to install a manual Miata rack.

My personal choice would be an Escort Mk1 rack. They make them in very quick ratios, thanks to that car's legendary racing status.
 
#22 ·
I'd love to go rack and pinion. I've searched for a thread where someone has successfully made the leap. But I haven't yet read anything that makes me confident about what to use and what mods need to be done. Seems like most folks who at first talk about doing a rack and pinion end up going with the ZQ8 steering box instead.
 
#23 ·
I've got the Unisteer rack. It's nice for a bolt-on job but really isn't the ideal placement, there's still bump steer. Still feels much better than any gearbox, if you value feedback and road feel. I wanted a rack, and don't have the skills or tools to fab one in, so it works for me.

 
#24 ·
I've got the Unisteer rack. It's nice for a bolt-on job but really isn't the ideal placement, there's still bump steer. Still feels much better than any gearbox, if you value feedback and road feel. I wanted a rack, and don't have the skills or tools to fab one in, so it works for me.
Nice.
The Diesel Corvette got a rack from Steeroids. It's better than the old played out gear box but has some issues that I'm disappointed with. Mostly the u-joints bind slightly at certain angles. I haven't been able to totally solve the binding. Admittedly the Vette has much less room for all the bits.The u-joints have to work at pretty large angles. The S10 has a ton of room.
 
#26 ·
You're not considering all factors here... look at the wheelbase you are aiming for, you don't need as much travel to get the same turning radius.
 
#27 ·
There probably are factors I haven't considered but that isn't one of them. I don't want to give up any steering angle angle if I don't have to. It will be better if it ends up with a tighter turning radius than stock - which I expect is what I will get depending on limitations imposed by wheel sizes.
 
#28 ·
I just read your diesel Corvette build and enjoyed it very much. Did you ever get the performance testing done? I would like to see what the car looks like when finished so a mini thread here would be nice in the off-topic section.
 
#35 ·
Yea... a lot of us still drive S10s daily. I don't think it's because we're rich, lol.
 
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