"The Distraction" Why I haven't updated the stereo in my car...

J

JayinMI

Noob
So earlier this year I decided I wanted to try my hand at building a project "car."
My last one didn't go as well as I would have liked and ended up with me losing my ass on it.

So, a month or so ago I bought a 1986 S-10 Standard Cab base model with about 58k on it.



It had been cut for a convertible conversion, and someone took the convertible parts.





Luckily, it came with a second cab, extra (power windows/locks) doors, several door panels, the tailgate, headlight parts, clutch, pressure plate, brake parts, etc.



So, I'm currently trying to get the roof swapped over (and reattached) before the weather gets too cold to use body filler/primer/etc.













Top is currently tacked on with sheetmetal screws, since I need to adjust a little bit (about 1/16-1/8 on the a-pillars) and then I could work on welding it. Once the top is on and in one piece and I cut up all the extra sheet metal I can move on to part 2...
 
Part 2 starts with this:



THAT is my donor vehicle. Pulling the motor (6.0L LS engine) and trans (4L80E) and putting it in the S-10. It's a 2003 Silverado 2500HD extended cab long bed.
I was originally looking at a 6.0L out of a roll over Denali with a 4l65E AWD trans, but after not hearing from the guy for a few days, I found this whole RUNNING/DRIVING truck for about the same price. I'm pulling the harness, PCM, engine, trans, gas pedal, hydroboost, cluster, wiring, etc for my swap. Then I'm going to pull some other parts and junk it and the scrap for them S-10 cab. That should free up some space in the driveway (because the gold Sierra can go back home.)

I'm going for something VERY similar to this:

http://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=27998&d=1232947592

I plan to run either Argent C5 Z06 wheels, or C6 Grand Sport chrome 5 spokes (depending on the final color...tho I'm leaning toward keeping the stock green.)

Here's the over all plan so far:

6.0L engine/4L80E trans
4th Gen Camaro front brakes (12")
8.8" Explorer rear end with posi and 3.55 or 3.73 gears (unless I find an 8.5" 10 bolt) both should come with disc brakes.
Push to start with proximity locking
Vette wheels (rears something like a 295)
Caltracs
ZQ8 rear sway bar/chassis brace
ZQ8 front sway bar (the 33mm one)
ZQ8 (or equivalent) steering box (12.7 or 12.8:1 depending on who you ask)

That's most of it. I plan to use Current Performance mounts, make my own harness, and move the battery under the bed. Probably passenger side so I don't have to move the gas tank.

But lately, I've been trying to get ready for my trip to Finals next week, so nothing much is happening until I get back.

Jay
 
littlemissGTO said:
You forgot to add a turbo and me tuning the truck to that list of stuff.
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I wasn't really planning on a turbo. I plan to run the motor as is for a while, then do a rebuild. Shooting for 400-450ish hp. Should be PLENTY in a small truck. But I'll take you up on the tuning. lol
 
cadaver said:
love me some s10s
Click to expand...

Me too, I had my other one from 93-97. I got a Colorado in 05, but it wasn't the same.

Notloudenuf said:
Wow. You are not scared of a sawzall.
I'm tuned in.
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As people have said on many car sites "It's only metal, and I have a welder." lol

gckless said:
So no 8 12" blowthrough? :(
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Not for 8 12's. I will most likely do a blow through tho. I'm thinking 3 12's, maybe ported.
The whole point of building this is to build something fun. I may do a custom dash/door panels/etc. as well.

Jay
 
JayinMI said:
Me too, I had my other one from 93-97. I got a Colorado in 05, but it wasn't the same.



As people have said on many car sites "It's only metal, and I have a welder." lol



Not for 8 12's. I will most likely do a blow through tho. I'm thinking 3 12's, maybe ported.
The whole point of building this is to build something fun. I may do a custom dash/door panels/etc. as well.

Jay
Click to expand...

do eet, do eet aaaaaaaaaaallllllllllll
 
JayinMI said:
I wasn't really planning on a turbo. I plan to run the motor as is for a while, then do a rebuild. Shooting for 400-450ish hp. Should be PLENTY in a small truck. But I'll take you up on the tuning. lol
Click to expand...

You can get 400-450ish with a stroker build. If you're going to do a blowthrough build, you should do a turbo set up to help move the truck around. :)
 
littlemissGTO said:

You can get 400-450ish with a stroker build. If you're going to do a blowthrough build, you should do a turbo set up to help move the truck around. :)
Click to expand...

I had a great time at finals. Came home and when I went to work on the truck, I just kept thinking "Should I just do a system in it, and sell the 6.0?"

It's tough. But I think I still want to do both.

Jay
 
Cab swap definitely would have been easier. I am sure you had your reasons though.

My first truck was an 87 standard cab. Black( purple pin stripes ) with gray interior. I had it all 80's mini truck with all of the removable dash pieces done in fleck stone paint. 14" Cragar SS wheels, a pair of Savard Rap 12's behind the seat, and a lowly 2.5 liter "Iron Duke" for power. Haha

I miss that truck sometimes...well all the time.
 
Kornnut said:
Why didn't you just do a cab swap?
Click to expand...

crux131 said:
Cab swap definitely would have been easier. I am sure you had your reasons though.
Click to expand...

Because the donor cab needed cab corners, driver's floor pan, and all the body mounts were rusted and crushed as well as some other minor damage sustained while they moved it around before I bought it. Trust me, this will be a faster way to a solid cab...the green cab with the roof cut out is solid everywhere and only has 55k miles on it.

I'm building this because my last project car never got to get finished and I really miss my old S-10 I had from 94-97.
 
So, a couple weeks ago I was scouring Craigslist to see if I could find a solid cab to replace the topless green one. If I found a good deal, I'd pick it up and save myself the frustration of trying to weld the roof back on and get it all right. Not expecting to find anything, I was surprised when I found an '89 (listed as a '91) red S-10, no engine/trans/bed for sale about 20 minutes from work. I went and looked at it after work, and decided I wanted it. He was asking $500, I talked him down to $400....but I couldn't borrow a truck last weekend. I was amazed to find he still had it and went and picked it up today.

It has it's good and bad points, but I really only needed the cab, if nothing else.
It's pretty solid (floors are rusty, but I'll cut the near perfect floors out of the green truck for it. So, I'm going to swap the green bed over on to the '89 frame, and the left front fender as well. I have the bumper as well.













Dash is in pretty good shape, only a couple minor cracks, no bowing. Not planning on using it, so it might go up for sale.



Those were the good points, here's the bad.



Pretty happy with it. If I can get a few bucks out of the remainder of the green truck (it has a running Iron Duke in it...well, until I let it sit for 8 months. I think the fuel filter needs changed and new gas....but I have video of it running before, and it will kick over on starting fluid.)

Jay
 
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