[Two Dogs F..king]

I am contemplating the possibility of an s10 front clip, and cab, with a flat bed on my truck after I finish the d60 swap. I did the search, but found didly squat. anybody know any problems I will face in putting a new style s10 body on it? Will my big block create problems? I am suspecting that the wiring would be the worst part of it.

Would a Toyota cab/clip be a better idea?

P.S. - I figure, while it is body-less, I'd repaint the frame, and get the rust and stuff off.

 

[FYRMAN]

www.whiteknight.ca

 

[mepr]

definetly check out whiteknight.ca
they i think used a k-5 frame.

 

[Two Dogs F..king]

I am familiar with the white knight. But I am talking about a newer style s10 body. And I don't want a big gap like that. I want it to be flush with the frame. As "stock" looking and clean as possible. If I do it.

 

[mepr]

well your best bet will still be to use that as a "template". From there you will have some info on something you know works, then you can refine it to your specs.

 

[FYRMAN]

Big blocks don't like to be cramped into the stock engine bay of an S10. That's not to say that it hasn't been done with good results, just saying that they are hard to cool.

 

[white knight]

The frame is from a 3+3 one ton crew cab cut back about 5 feet.
The lift was done for several reasons - one being we were rushing to get the truck ready for TTC 2001 - we didn't have enough time to play with the firewall. The front clip had to be extended 10" to accomodate the big block.
This years mods include lowering to body to about a 3" lift, moving the rad and batteries to the back and putting hydro steer so we can go back to stock fenders and hood. Here's the latest pic of what has been done so far

 

[Jeff_Super_S]

White knight-Wow you guys just love a project don't you. As I've seen, everytime you guys tear into that truck its pretty drasic. I liked the streched front fenders, even considered it. The thing is I'm so hard on the body I would be so mad when I bent up one of those custom fenders.
Aquaman-I think its totally doable. It will probably require some reworking of the firewall. Your waterpump will propaply be at the grill too. I don't have a newer style body on mine (got the older style) but the bottom side of them is vertually the same as they never changed the frame. The only other problem I think you could have is, if your able to get the body right down on the frame you could have problems with the hood clearing the aircleaner. I guess a hole or maybe a cowl hood could fix that though.

 

[FYRMAN]

I liked the streched front fenders, even considered it. The thing is I'm so hard on the body I would be so mad when I bent up one of those custom fenders.

What if you did a tube frame fender? Or a serious exo around the front clip to keep the damage down?

 

[mepr]

a big block in an s-10 is perty doable. I know a a guy who has weasled a 400 into a luv and the luvs motor compartment is the same size to just a tad bigger. You just have to get your firewall back out of the way, especially if you run hei.

 

[Two Dogs F..king]

Fawk it... I am not going to do anything about cosmetics. I am just going to do the things that I need first (D60, winch, etc.). Thanks anyway though guys. THe swap might happen later.

 

[FYRMAN]

I know a a guy who has weasled a 400 into a luv and the luvs motor compartment is the same size to just a tad bigger.

I thought a 400 was a small block? You know something I don't?

And yes, it will fit, but there isn't much room for airflow around the motor. That's why they heat up. Anything will fit if you clearnace the firewall. That is why 4.3 swaps are becoming more popular for small engine compartments. More room around the motor to let them breath a little.

 

[Two Dogs F..king]

400 is a SB

 

[rcurrier44]

I chose a toy cab because I got the truck free, but it is all the same. I simply cut the rear and front fenders/radiator support out and ploped the cab on ware the HEI didn't get into the firewall to bad (a little masashing with a BFH gives you a couple of inches). The cab sits a little over 5" off the flat part of the K5 frame and the the of the hood of the toy just touches the upper rear edge of the radiator when the rad in its stock position.

I am running aprox 2.5" chevey lift in the front and even with the masive fender cuting and moving the headlights forward 3" I get into everything when I flex out. (I acualy riped a headlight off when it was in its stock position).

One thing that worked out very well was I built the body mounts into the exo cage, It was much simpler than a seperate set of brackets for the cab.

The wiring of both the chevey and toy were simple enough that I was able to combine them fairly easly. You should be able to do it with the newer s10 but it will be more dificult.

Just got through with cutting the front clip off of the toy and building a front cage off of the exo. It mounts/protects everything up front. Sorry no pics of the new front end.

http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album72/Dscf0011_sized.jpg

http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album37/rob_on_the_rocks.sized.jpg

 

[Mr. Infinity]

At the bottom of this link is an orange custom s-10 here in GA, I can get you in touch with the guy if you are still interested in doing the project. He is running a 383 instead of a big block, he also dropped the engine down into the frame a little. I can't remember which frame he used, but I think he had to cut about 8 inches off the back.
http://www.shakerbuilt.com/Customers-Friends.html

 

[4GUNZ4X4Z]

What's the scoop of the S10 on the u-haul trailer on your link?

 

[Mr. Infinity]

4GUNZ4X4Z, I don't know anything about that one, you would have to ask Shaker about it (it's his website).

 

[Jim Johnson]

One problem you may run into is your steering...

My friend has a S-10 hybrid on a chevy LWB frame with a 454.
when he flexes the truck, the steering shaft gets into his valve
cover on the drivers side.

It would be an easy fix, but thought you might like to know about it.

 

[higbee]

I built mine several years ago but it wasn't all that hard.
the biggest secret was the steering but I used the universal joints from an astro van to get it over and use the fullsize box and the S-10 columhttp://home.shianet.org/~higbee/index.htmln.
check it out! the pics will take a little while but should give you an idea.