Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Thanks 99, will measure the seats. I'm at a point now where I have read so many S10 swap threads that I know I've seen certain things and can't find where I read or saw them. It certainly helps to see that parts are making their way to the 3100 cab and renewing a sense of progress. I'm mentally trying to check off the list of todo's for next steps and realized; with all these build threads there are gaps missing that I can't seem to fill.

For example, most people start with mounting the cab, but there seems to be a need to mount the front clip first since that really is the area that sets the stance and cab height. From there, the cab height can be adjusted.

One issue I'm having is JoeDoe's mention that I need to move the V6 engine back about 9.5 inches. I'm wondering if that is a requirement, or just a nice thing to do to fill in the 8 or so inches in front of the firewall. Knowing a V8 will someday live in that engine bay, I'd hate to fabricate all the mounting plates, driveline, exhaust, etc just to turn around a year later and do it all again. I'm hoping the V6 move can be avoided by possibly getting a low profile electric fan and radiator to fit the front end. I have had a hard time finding examples of engine bays with the V6 still in it. Everyone goes to sbc or LS

Everything else is coming along well. I'm working on sourcing good patterns for the cab mounts but I think it will come down to just throwing the body parts on and taking some measurements. I'm trying to get fairly low without losing too much of my bed depth and many patterns seem to ignore the desire for bed depth. The airbags can then take care of the rest sometime in the future.

Oh I'm also not sure if I should go and buy the wheels I need so I can figure out stance now or if that doesn't matter until later. Going with the Detroit steelies 20". My cousin's truck has then and they are sweet!

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Here you go with stock v6 location. I hated it and now have LS in it. Mike

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

There is no step by step how to on building these. I mean there can be but I feel there shouldn't be. alot of this is simple and just takes some common sense. For example. you need the cab placement equally as much as front clip. For 1. you need your desire height off frame 2-4" from top of frame to top of your bushing is your wheel house. The front clip is needed to center your front wheels and.... to make sure your radiator will fit. with s10 drop spindles and blocks and about 3.5" off frame you are going to have a nice ride height. I have 26" tall tires and my running boards are about 5" off ground.

Get your wheels asap if you can, much more critical for bag set up but it is nice to see where you will be at with your actual wheels, or cut them out of plywood for moch up.

Don't think too far ahead. Don't stress bags now or you are only going to overload your mind. Just static drop it, put your v6 in there and if you go v8 you can make the minor changes, if you go bags, its not that difficult to change.

You'll have plenty of bed height with the numbers I gave you for s10 mounting. there are going to be sacrifices in building these trucks, esp on s10 frames. Pros and cons to any route you take.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

I think I'm at the pivotal moment where I can actually take the bed and cab from the 3100 and at least place them on the frame for fitment tomorrow. Oh boy!

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4197/3...e477c67eb0.jpg

I was also checking the suspension needs front and back. The suggestion was to do a static drop before bagging. Found a kit that has the front spindles, blocks, and new rear struts. I'm thinking that's a good way to go since all this stuff underneath looks a bit rough.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4220/3...fd43476a6c.jpg

Summit Racing: DJM Suspension Lowering Kits KS2031-4-4
https://static.summitracing.com/glob...1-4-4_w_ml.jpg

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

the bed floor will need trimmed back, if I remember right it gets trimmed right behind the first boxed reinforcement underneath. you dont use the very first bed mount, only the next one back. I leave the length poking out and trim when I am done tacking it in.

DJM makes some good stuff, there is a local spring shop I take my stock leafs to and have dearched but blocks work well too!

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

More great progress today. You were right JoeDoh, had to cut further back behind the first cross member of the bed. Still not sitting right but for now I can move the bed back and forth to center it over the wheel well and allow me time to get the cab and front fender mounted. I figure the bed will end up being last since everything hinges on where the radiator support sits.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4230/3...627ebc59af.jpg

Both the bed and cab came off this morning. Ready for the next major step. I believe I have to cut off all the existing cab mounts and fab up some new ones. Anything else I should do to that area before putting the cab down? I'm sure it'll be up and down a few times.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4253/3...a11486d64a.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4282/3...1dd4defe6c.jpg

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

you will want to move the engine back before mounting the cab solid, its much easier to work on the trans crossmember with the cab off.

you have a truck that the fuel lines run through the frame to the front crossmember, so you will need to be careful cutting grinding welding in that area especially if you move the motor back and leave the lines disconnected till you get some longer fuel line (like I did)

if you pull the driveshaft out of the trans it will dump all the fluid on the ground.

if you move the motor back 8.5 inches you can get a one piece driveshaft from a reg cab shortbed truck and it works out perfect in length, so you can cut the existing driveshaft right behind the yoke in the trans and remove it. MAKE SURE you have the wheels chocked when you do this, cutting the driveshaft makes the truck freewheel, so park position in the trans doesnt mean park until you hook the driveshaft back up.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

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Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

It was suggested I take out some sections of the S10 firewall to use as templates when I install into the 1949 cab for the brake booster and fuse box. I also cut out the transmission tunnel just incase I need one for the 49 cab. May aswell use something that is already the right shape.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4238/3...4c7d6552_z.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4227/3...889f3d6b_z.jpg

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Hi
I used a blazer frame on my truck and don't move the v6 motor , elec fan in front of rad
drove it for a couple years like that until I extended the frame 10" last year and put on the box then I used a rear blazer driveshaft and the front half of 1989 s10 ext cab cut down to size 54" to 55" but looking at a one pcs drive shaft from a 2000-2006 suburban
4x4 54 1/4 may have worked

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Doing the dirty jobs today. This was cool to watch the S10 cab get crushed at the recycler. Also grabbed some muriatic acid at Skymangs suggestion to take the wax off the frame before I start cutting and welding.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4258/3...2bdf6017_z.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4240/3...11c01a29_z.jpg

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

well just think, 50 yrs from now someone will be wanting them square body s10's real bad.
my first ever vehicle was an 89' s10, still have it but needs redone. will be doing it up for my daughter someday so she can have it when she gets a license.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Well it won't be the one I just handed over. That got crushed right before my eyes into a little box. :devil:

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

The best feeling today was buying my first lot of stainless and grade 8 bolts. They will attach all this sheet metal back on. Doing some alignment and fitment. This looks pretty spot on to me.

I did this by putting a 4x4 and 2x4 between the frame and cab mount cross bar, then a 4x4 between the rear of the frame and cross member. That way I could mock up both ride height and the front fender across the wheel well. A little jimmying got it all setup right. I'll also now know how high I need to make my cab mounts. Win, win!

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4205/3...6f83b09b_z.jpg

with flash to try more light

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4217/3...55b6a4e4_z.jpg

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Wheel center looks great..now needs a 4-6" drop..haha

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Agreed! I'm looking at the one in post #54. At first I thought it would be way too much to drop 4", but with the intended 30" tire sitting under it, I'll gain about 2" of extra height on the body. So a 4" drop will technically only drop the body 2" from where it stands with the right tires. I think that will be perfect!

Now to figure out if there is enough clearance not to move the 4.6L back at all. I don't want to screw with that until I switch the engine out at a later date.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

How did you get the radiator mounted? I have about 3" to play with between the accessory belt and the core support from the 3100. I'm thinking I need a fan inside the core support since the radiator won't fit with an electric fan on it.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

be careful how low you mount the body on the frame, you will need a trans tunnel and maybe a driveshaft tunnel and your bed floor will only be a couple inches deep.

also, the lower you mount the body the harder it is to mount the radiator, and if you plan on not moving the engine/trans back (not my suggested way but also not my project) you will need every inch.

if you put a 4/5 drop suspension on the s10 frame (2" spindles, 2" coils, 3" leafs, and 2" blocks) and use body mounts that are 3.5" tall, you will have a crazy earthworm.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

I'm with you JoeD. Here is my current height measurement. It's about 5" I think with a 4x4 and 2x4 stacked. I'm pretty happy with it, but I did notice the bed is going to lose an inch and a half of depth, so I may jack the cab up another inch. I think it was skymangs plans that called for 6" between the top of the frame rail and the cross member of the cab. At first I thought that was crazy high, but now that everything is sitting on the frame, 6" sounds about right.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4209/3...aa5ef7a3_z.jpg

Oh, this height also gives me about 1/4" clearance with the trans. I'd have to do a trans tunnel if I move the engine back like you've suggested.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Joedoh is right, my front mount is 3.5 off of the frame plus 1 1/4 or so for the S10 body mount. If I would have given just one more inch higher my motor would have moved further back and the floor board would have cleared the trans. Just somethings to keep in mind.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

its a double edged sword! if you set the body too low, you have a big tunnel and no room up front at the core support. but if you set it too high, you have a flat floor and lots of room at the core but need really expensive parts to bag the truck. dont forget about the thickness of the body mount bushing too!

so if you set the bottom of the running boards even with the bottom of the frame, when you go to bag it you will need control arms and tie rod kits and have wacky camber and toe when the suspension is all the way out. you will need what is called a "monster notch" in the rear frame and your 4 link bars (if thats what you use) would either need raised mounts (the factory leaf perches are the lowest part of the frame) or will work at really big angles, which isnt great for pinion angles.

if you use shorter body mounts its like getting drop for free, and you can use stock spindles and control arms and tie rods and it will lay the rockers easily.

so its like a "little of column a, little of column b" when setting up the body, keeping the end goal in mind and picking your battles. I used 3.5" tall mounts and had a very very small trans tunnel, and the bed floor was raised 1.5 inches. for lowering I used 3" drop coils in front and 2" leafs with 2" blocks in the rear, and my running boards were 5" off the ground, which was a great look, and any basic bag kit would have laid the truck out with even a little bitty c notch.

sorry for the book, but its really a matter of thinking about what you want to do and picking your battles. I would at least buy V8 swap mounts and flip them backwards to get the 5.5" rear move of the engine, thats a lot of space and the core support/radiator mount is where you need the space the most, but even if you choose to not move it an inch, at least you will have the experience and advice to give others when you are done!:metal:

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Books are good! If I'm not in the garage, I'm reading about what to do next in the garage. I have the mount bushings in front of me so I've factored that in to the height. I think it works out to be the same as what you've already done. 3.5" + 3/4" for the bushing. I'm at 5" right now with the blocks, so I can come down a few fractions and I'll be right at your measurements. I only want to have to do this once :)

As for the engine. Yeah its way tight up there. I don't feel confident I can find a radiator/fan combo that will squeeze into that space. I didn't even think of just getting the v8 mounts. I just didn't want to weld new mounts to the frame only to have to cut them off down the road for a V8. Bolt on sounds much better. Any suggestions on part numbers for the v8 mounts that work on the V6 4.3L?

Maybe these?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EMXU82..._t1_B000QDO5WU

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

those arent the right ones, they will work but you will need new mounts. transdapt makes specific v8 s10 mounts for a 4.3, on the 4.3 you have to take the lower clamshell mount off the frame and bolt it to the transdapt mount so that the mount goes rearward, on a v8 s10 application it would typically move the engine FORWARD.

it is important to get the 4.3 bellhousing in the right spot if you are planning to do a V8 swap, the 4.3 is a 350 with two less cylinders, so the exhaust manifolds will occupy the same basic space between the two engines and that is important for steering shaft clearance. you dont want to make your life easy with the 4.3 just to have to redo it with a 350.

getting the mount off the frame can be tricky, on early s10s the nuts are not captured and will just spin and spin if you try to remove the bolt from the topside. if you are replacing control arms it is much easier but still tricky to get up in the frame with swivels and get the nuts off. you will need to do this when reinstalling too, to mount the transdapt adapter. two ways I have heard to make life easier, one is to cut a window in the frame with a plasma cutter right where you can put in an open end wrench to hold the nut, the second is to drill a hole diagonally so that it just catches the edge of the nut and use your welder to dot a weld on the nuts in two places, welding only the nut and the frame but missing the mount and the bolt!

but your column a/column b choice here is, the mounts arent free (100 bucks last I looked) and 5.5 inches is just barely enough for some breathing room on a 4.3. it will be great with a 350 though, the 350 engine mounts are further rearward than the 4.3 so you will end up in the right spot, except that you will need that larger trans tunnel and will have to touch the trans crossmember and driveshaft a second time. column a/column b.

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

Answered my question this morning. No, even with the fan off on the 4.3L there is no room to fit a radiator.

Now to blow the truck back apart and set the drivetrain back :waah:

I did check the motor mounts and the conversion kit. I'm assuming these plates get mounted to the frame and then I use whatever existing mount is on the engine. One thing I noticed on both sides: The passenger side has the water pump housing in the way of it being able to move backward and the drivers side has the oil pump I think. Either way, I think the idea of using V8 mounts swapped might not work out. Today is quickly becoming a "I told you so" for JoeD

Re: 1949 Chevy with S10 swap. Beginner build with ambition!
 

I think it would work, the plates are only about an inch tall and you will move that tall part of the mount back with it.

I have the same 4.3 engine in my 41 moved back 10 inches, albeit without the relocation plates, but that part of the mount that is sticking up gets removed and moved back on the plate. I wish I could show you a picture but photobucket, which was made specifically for 3rd party image hosting, just put the kybosh on 3rd party hosting unless you pay them. so I am shopping image hosts, and I suspect there will be a lot of people doing the same.