I have a chance to get ahold of an s10 body for pretty cheap so i was thinking i could make a cab truck. What is the best frame to mount it on withou having to do a lot of work to the frame. I was thinking maybe a 3/4 truck or sub and then bobbing the back of the frame to the spring hangers then running the D44 till I could get a D60. i would prob do a shakle flip in back and put some 52 inch springs up front do a good amount of hacking and put some 36-38's on. so is there anything I should know before getting all excited about this or is it all pretty straight forward?

There has been a lot talked about hybrid s10's recently so doing a quick search will answer most of your questions...its all pretty streight forward.

I think the best frame to use would be the one that gives you the wheelbase you want and allows you to use the parts you want. I used a 75 K5 frame because I already had it and the drivetrain that would bolt in it. I also tend to do more tight technical stuff ware trucks seem to have to much wheelbase.

withou having to do a lot of work to the frame

You are going to have to do a lot of work regardless.....there will be mods to the brakes, wiring, fabricating etc.....this will not be a simple bolt a body to a fullsize frame and go wheeling type thing......

I would suggest moving back the motor/trans etc - gives you better weight dist and gets all the weight off the front axle...

You could save yourself a lot of troble and just buy my truck - it is for sale

http://www.texasoffroad.net/albums/members/albun21/14jjfrontnarrowside2.jpg


This truck is for sale - 5,500.00

Sorry to see your's for sale Jim. I saw it in the For Sale section now for the second time. Maybe if you had made it to Cass with all of us for the Midwest S-10 Gathering, I would have bought it. Good Luck.

Search for S-10 Hybrids the link is like 3 or 4 pages back from where we are right now. Also look at the Midwest S-10 gathering thread a few pages back and the Cass Picks thread in General 4x4. There are a lot of guys that have built Hybrid S-10 cab trucks. You'll have no problem finding info.

As for my take. It's so much easier to build your own frame rails outta 2x4 tubing. Move your front axle forward of its current position and move your rear axle forward as well. Thus distributing the weight a bit more evenly. with you own frame it is so much easier to link and coil or coilover it.

Just my opinion, but hit up some of the guys like Miller XC, Blacksheep10, JeffSuperS, Pdaddy, Jim Johnson, etc....they have all built pretty sweet S-ton hybrids

Mine wasnt a hybrid....seems like to much work to me. Id rather go with the 10 frame and keep it simple...as easy as it is to swap tranny and engines into them all ya gotta deal with is the straight axle swapping. The fullsize chebby frames are flexy wimpy things anyway... 10 frames are boxed pretty well from the general. Mo rigid.

I have thrashed mine and the part that is still S-10 is holding up beautifully. Use the 10 frame, they are more than adequate if you brace the back half, and I assume you will have a cage, so just tie into it. If you want to use leaves, weld on some perches and go! Easy as hell. The fullsize chevy frames are weak crap. they stiffen up with an integrated cage or exo, but why not just start from scratch if you ever plan on going that far. Use as much S-10 as is humanly possible.

Well I know there's going to be a ton of work but I'm not looking to use a 4 link suspension or anything. this is my first actual 4wheeling rig project. my goal is to have a small body with a tough drivetrain that will be durable and won't break everytime I go wheeling and that also fits down the tight skid trails of Idaho.

I would Use the S10 frame but thats how I'm getting the body...the guy is using the frame to put a '53 chev truck body on so he has 4wd and a good drivetrain. It'll have a 350 and some other good stuff but it'll still be a show truck :(

i'll do some more searching, i tried before i posted the thread but the search won't let me use s10 or cab.

jim johnson - id love to buy your truck but your pretty far away and im looking to build my own rig not just buy somebody else's

Did you find the S-10 hybrid thread?
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212100&highlight=S-10+hybrid

there is nothing wrong with the Fullsize frame :D - keep us posted

I am in the process on a deal for an extra cab two wheel drive frame and cab.
Would this be an eaiser frame than say a 4x4 frame to live axle the front.

I am in the process on a deal for an extra cab two wheel drive frame and cab.
Would this be an eaiser frame than say a 4x4 frame to live axle the front.

Definantly. Almost all of us on here that have s-10's with the original frames are using 2wd frames. I think Pdaddy is the only one I know that started life as a 4wd....and he sold that truck anyways. The crossmember in the 2wd is in a lot better (usable) spot.

if i started mine over, i'd use the S10 chassis, box the rest of the frame, and go from there.

my truck in progress is a 86 S10, 78 K5 chassis, 350/ hydro clutch 465/twin sticked 205, D44/14BFF 38.5" SXs. it has a 108" wheelbase, an estimated 80 degree approach, 70 degree departure, 22" under the stock tranny crossmember. it's a low slung, short, and wide, should work great when it finally runs.

the only advice i can really give, build it however you want it, but it'll cost you at least twice as much as you anticipate!

Im still in the process of building my S-TON - that's a patented trademark name of mine by the way! :flipoff2:

I started with a 78 Shortbed Chevy 4wd frame, bought a '95 S-10 Extended Cab and am currently swapping over the 1 Ton drivetrain from my K5 to the frame. I will probably set the body this weekend.

I completely stripped this frame - removed all the brackets I knew I would not use. To mount the body, I bought spring hanger brackets and fab bushing kits from ORD. I am plating the bottom of the cab at the original mount areas, then welding the bracket to this plate. I'll install the bushings, then weld tubing to my outriggers for the rock sliders. Inside the cab, I will also plate the floor with a larger piece than what is below the floor. This is where the Cage will weld in.

Planning on building a sweet cage in this rig. I bought PRP seats which will also mount to the cage.

I have a triple sticked Doubler (WMS) which has the NP203 upside down and NP205 rotated up to where the front output is level with the input. My shifter levers will now be at easy reach. I'm changing out my TH350 to a 700R4 with TCI reverse valve body and Art Carr shifter.

I have a Jasper 355 Crate Motor with Holley Pro Jection, 88 Corvette headers into 3" single exhaust. Im using 6" front springs and removing 2 leaves from them and using 56" rear springs flipped backwards to get a 122" wheelbase. I'm setting the cab back quite a bit. This rig will have a flat belly pan, so with this I can lower it a little and not loose much useable breakover angle. My frame will end just past the spring hangers on both ends.

I will build removable bedsides similar to those on Walker and Dustin's comp rigs.

I'll be running a set of 42" IROK's mounted on beadlocks.

Should be pretty wicked.