Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List

Sick. That's awesome, two months! Makes me wish I went this route. love the Dodge, it's different. Like my Binder, very rare to see one on the road. All the cool old trucks i see around town are all, well you know. Love them just as much but it's sure cool to see something different. A Willys truck is sure a site as well.
Good job on your sway. Any paint plans or you keeping it vintage?

 

I put a S10 frame under my 40 pickup. started it about 10 years ago, but haven't done much with it in the last 5 years. Had the same problem with the front of the frame being too wide, but the truck was so rusted there anyway I cut out the rust and dropped down over the frame.
I saw on the web somewhere a guy welded some 'C' channel on the inside where it bumps out. After it was welded solid he cut the bump out off then boxed the outside to the 'C' channel. It looked factory made and simple to do. I may try that if I ever get time to work on it again.
I just picked up a '99 Ranger frame for $50 for my grandsons 54 Ford Pickup, Mazda uses the same frame. It has the typical rear spring shackles and frame rusted away, but an easy fix for a hot rod, and it has IFS, R&P steering and the frame is straight front to back. I may look for another one for the '40 instead of the S10.

http://oldshortyforty.home.comcast.net/~oldshortyforty/

 

Thanks! It still needs some mechanical love, total front end rebuild, tuneup, etc. At some point it will have nice paint, but I like the way this thing looks as is for now.

 

The donor S10 Has been bought for the 47 SD it runs so good that I'm going to use it for a parts getter untill the 40 Chevy is done.

 

I am lucky to have a son who is a great welder, he cut the wide part off, and is in the process of welding some 1/8" plate where it was cut off on the outside of the frame, and he is going to fab the plate to fix the inside as if it were channel. see some pics here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=514965&highlight=46&page=3

 

this is the welded version..

 

????????????? ok bigtumtum, did you forget to post a pic?
what is the welded version,, ?

 

yep i just found out

 

heh heh heh,,

 

:d :d :d

 

here is mine . 84 s10 frame , 2.8 and a 5 speed i put on 200 to 500 miles every 2 weeks on her

 

Lucky bastard! ...It looks great!

 

thanks man . i waited a long time for her i used to see this truck when i was a kid . and then it sat infront of a roadhouse for 5 years . people never new it ran .. the place went under and i ran to the guy and scooped her up .. changed the plugs and wires and put a fuel filter in it . drive her everyday whats funny is the guy that owned it told me it was a camaro front end lol i never told him the dif . i knew all along

 

Ditto, Looks Great,
so a carbureted 2.8?

 

great thread have 47 tudor 87 s10 frame not as hard as I thought it would be but ended with air ps pb front disk and this aftrenoom will start looking for 8.8 explorer rear with disk also THANKS for great info

 

yes a carb 2.8 with 120,000 on her lol it has smithy mufflers on her and it sound like a old split 6

 

SWAMPDONKEY,
got a recording of it, you could post on youtube,, ?

 

Here's my version: 27 TT--2.8--S-10 rear clip mated to TT front half. Also running Smithy mufflers. Thanks, Joe.

 

Looks really good Joe Tx, Awesome, nice job

 

Thanks for the compliment. Don't usually get one for my stuff on the HAMB. Here's another I'm just starting and need some help. '37 Chevy PU on a '91 extended S-10. Got a problem up front with the steering box, and will need to shorten the frame at the "fish mouth". I've shortened full size chevy pu's before, so that's no problem. 1500 pu frames are built same as the S-10 in that respect.

However, the body and fenders need to go back 2-3 inches and I'm now hitting at the steering box. I have a friend that has installed a '95 mustang rack and pinion on a fendered '36 ford four door with an S-10 front clip and it looks and drives great. He also tells me that the '84-'88 cougar R&P is same and will work. I'm going to have to do the same. Thanks, Joe.

 

"need some help. '37 Chevy PU on a '91 extended S-10. Got a problem up front with the steering box, and will need to shorten the frame at the "fish mouth". I've shortened full size chevy pu's before, so that's no problem. 1500 pu frames are built same as the S-10 in that respect. However, the body and fenders need to go back 2-3 inches and I'm now hitting at the steering box"

I am not sure what the fish mouth is, but I am in the middle of a 41 chevy truck goin onto a 88 s10 frame as well, havent got to the steering yet and so I may run into the same problem. I'm guessin you're saying that by having to move body/fenders back, the steering box is in the way of where you're havin to mount the fenders? hmm, not sure I can help but I was wonderin about rack n pinion myself, have a old astro van as a parts donor. Maybe theres a way to forego having to move the body back, that way the stock steering can be utilized?? I know that we're gonna have to extend the frame behind the cab before the rr suspension so the tires will align in the fenders, since I used a short wheelbase s10. Let me know what you come up with,, I'll be waitin to hear back, good luck,,

 

The S-10 is a good frame and all, but you guys looking to bag the vehicles should look at Lincoln Town Car chassis'. The are already basically set up for bags in the back and notch, cheap as hell and plentiful.

They will work better for larger trucks and sedan as well.

 

thanks for the tip BEAU,,

 

Fish mouth is where the front and rear parts of the frame meet. You can take it apart there and cut off some of the straight part of the frame, than join it again. Think I saw some pictures of this on this thread. Must be prior to page 17, because thats as far as I'm gotten. Takes a lot of reading to get up to last page.

Anyway, the front of my fender is up against the gear box and I still need 2-3 back to center the tire in the front wheel well. Also, the outside of the frame will have to be trimmed to allow the front of the cab to settle down flat on the frame. The back of my body is wide enough. See: Gator's '40 build page 17 of this thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313666

 

I can solve the part where the front of the body sits,,
draw a line with a straight edge on the top and bottom of the rail
which would be your outside diameter of the front of the cab ,
slice that off of both sides, cap it, then add channel to the inside of the frame
opposite where the cut was,,
look here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=514965&highlight=41&page=3
your link took me to the '40 Its Alive' Thread, and it only has 4 pages,, so , dont know what he did.. and I would need more time to study it before giving a definite answer.
I'll keep ya posted,, maybe someone else can chime in.

 

I found the thread right here,,
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5488559&highlight=gator#post5488559
he did the exact same thing to his frame for body fit,,
and he mentions mounting the steering box as far back as possible and then even trimming the grille a little,, I'll have to get out to the shop and do some measuring and see what I find,, will let you know in a day or so,, if i dont forget,,lol

 

Does anyone have pics of an AD truck sittin on a 78-87 GM metric car frame like el camino malibu ect

i have a 1984 el camino and the track width is close enuff for me and the wheel base is 115 like stock AD trucks are

 

Wow, this thread is intense. I am considering putting an S10 frame under my 54 Willys Aero sedan. It is a unibody so it would be quite a bit of work to get it under there. I am confident that it will fit and the wheelbase is good. My only concern is that the S10 frame is so tall, around 5.5-6" that it would stick out under my rockers and look funny.

Has anyone confronted this problem or are there any ideal other than channeling?

Thanks,
-T

 

I dont have any pics but I saw a pilot house Dodge (50ish) p/u mounted on one about 10 years ago, sat low and looked great.