1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Well, I'll go ahead and say it. I messed up. I was on my way to work 10/31/19 and hit wet leaves that were blown across the road halfway through a blind turn, ended up on my lid. One small cut on my left elbow, no other injuries (until my big truck broke my finger a week later). Managed to crawl out the back glass hole then out from under the bed, and some low life stole stuff out of the wreck while I was walking to use the phone about a half mile away.... Some people.

Anyhow, it was a pretty nice, relatively rust free, all original 86 with 82k original miles. 2.5, 4 speed, ZERO options. I lowered it 2/3 and had done a lot of the requisite mods to free up all the HP the little 4 banger could give me. A perfect 27 mpg work truck. I scored an entire body off an 88 in really good shape for $200, I plan to swap it onto the good frame and scrap the crunched up body. Just couldn't see throwing away such a good frame and drivetrain that I know was perfect.

Started work on it 1/21/20 in the evenings with the assistance of the love of my life and my mechanic's helper, my girlfriend. The first two evenings have it front clip-less, with all of everything attached to the cab disconnected and the cab mount bolts out. Hopefully this evening or tomorrow evening will see the cab make liftoff. I'll post more progress as I make it.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

A few pictures of the old girl as she was before the rollover. Not only was it my work daily driver, it was also a workhorse too, the bed low to the ground is convenient for hauling heavy stuff that has to be loaded by hand

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Made more progress last evening. Steering shaft wouldn't collapse, so I cut it. I'll probably upgrade to a Jeep shaft since I have the opportunity now. While the cab is off I plan to throw in a 5 speed and a new clutch I have been keeping to put in, the addition of overdrive will be nice. Only doing one or two things an evening, but for 3 evenings of not working too hard I don't feel like this is bad progress. Also ordered body mounts and a weatherstripping and door seal kit for the new cab from RockAuto yesterday.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Happy Friday evening to everyone! There won't be any new updates on the truck this evening, I have a dinner date with my helper. :lol: Might stop by the parts store in town and see if they have an XJ steering shaft though.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Worked a few hours on it today, made a little headway. Got everything I'll need from the old cab stripped out and removed, getting the dash out took the longest. Also found a perfect non frozen steering shaft in with the parts that I got with the new cab. That was the most exciting part of my day, those XJ shafts are expensive!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

The new cab is in the shop! Last night saw some more progress, although it seems I'm going backwards having to strip the new cab.

PO at some point HACKED the harness to "perfeshunaly" install a crappy aftermarket stereo. The dash was also pretty much trash. Fortunately I have the parts to repair the harness from the other cab, and the old dash is in good enough condition to swap over.

Got everything pulled out and off the cab, this 88 cab was from a 2.5 automatic truck and the 86 it's going onto is a manual. So I'm not only doing a cab swap, but essentially an auto to manual swap too, at least on the cab. Going to transfer the pedal assy, the whole column, the clutch master cylinder, and my power brake booster all over to the new cab, then cut a hole in the floor for the shifter.

I had just put a new heater core in my truck, so I'm swapping that over too while it's easy to access. Don't want any surprises with a floor full of green stuff. Going to clean out the cowl drains and all the fresh air ducts plus blow out all the HVAC ductwork while I'm this deep too.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Accomplished some stuff tonight I'm pretty happy with!

Got the manual pedal assembly all bolted in, fit like a charm. The power brake booster and master cylinder also bolted right up in place of the manual brake setup that was there. I had to drill and cut the holes for the clutch master cylinder, but a quick template made from the old cab made the job a snap.

The biggest item was bolting in the manual column, as the mounting plate for the firewall and the shape of the hole plus the contour of the firewall itself is different between the two. With a small cut on the column's mounting flange to let it sit flush and some holes drilled through the firewall the marriage was complete! All the wires in the harness from the auto cab even plugged right into the column save two from what I assume was the Park/Neutral safety switch. Also, the auto harness has no provisions for a clutch switch. I can't see either one being an issue, at least not one a jumper wire isn't capable of fixing.

Next I'll cut the shifter hole in the hump, then give everything a good cleaning and then begin putting the dash in. This cab has dome and footwell lights! I'm excited about that, the old cab didn't and getting in at night or seeing anything inside after dark just plain sucked.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Got home from work a little early this afternoon and did a couple things. Measured the old shifter hole and laid it out on the new cab floor. Didn't turn out too bad. The screw hole behind it is from a console the PO had screwed into the hump.

Also blew out and swept out the cowl tray and drains, plus all the HVAC ductwork. Then swept the metal shavings and dust and remnants of 30 years worth of crap out of the cab floor. It's 100% swapped to a manual cab now, and as soon as I put the heater core in it's ready for a dash.

No more work this evening, my GF and I are going to an amateur boxing event, the WV Toughman Contest. Maybe more tomorrow.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Nice work, I'm glad you're fixing it!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Thanks! Was beginning to wonder if anyone was reading this thread :lol: In my situation with finding a new body so cheap, fixing it was the clear economical option for me to get back to having a work beater.





My wonderful girlfriend/mechanic's assistant and I got the heater core installed today and then we got the dash in and all bolted up and wired up! The only thing left as far as the dash goes is the under column panel, and I'm leaving that until I get the wiring for my aftermarket guages and electric fan all tidied up and connected.

I think my next move, after the guages, might be to move the cab aside and work on the transmission swap. I have to fix a spot on the drivers cab corner, and my girlfriend's dad is a pretty good body guy. I think while he's working the cab corner over I'll stick in the 5 speed, then it'll be cab on frame time!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

You're WAaaaayy ambitious bro, lol! I would have just clipped the cab at the A and B pillars. Nice that you're fixing it.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

You don't even know HOW MUCH that thought crossed my mind! :lol::lol: Only thing stopping me was weather, I rolled over on Halloween, so it was getting chilly here. If it would've been spring or summer, I'm about 99% sure I'd have rolled with it chopped for a while lol

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Got the 4 speed Isuzu transmission pulled this evening, all in all not a terrible job. Especially being able to do it from the top!

Flywheel needs resurfacing, I'll drop that off in the next day or so and hopefully the machine shop won't be too long. Have a nice clutch kit waiting to go on that I've had for a couple years. The looks of the flywheel probably tell you why.... This truck has had a crappy clutch since I've owned it.

Last pic shows the Isuzu and the T5 side by side. OAL is the same, I get to reuse my driveshaft! The mount is further back on the T5 though, so I'll need to move my crossmember back. Not too big a deal. Hopefully progress picks up as the week goes, I'm excited about finally having a good clutch and overdrive!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Local NAPA machine shop did a same day turnaround on the flywheel. The machinist said it was pretty rough as far as high and low spots go. I also picked up a loaner pilot bushing puller to save having to do the playdoh/grease/bar soap trick.

The stick from my 4 speed wont thread onto the T5. I used to have a really crappy 5 speed 92 Sonoma for a short time, and I always HATED the throw of the shifter. Fifth felt like you were reaching into the glove box. I ordered up a Hurst style short shifter, stick, and knob combo for a T5 in an S10. Lead time is up to two weeks, hopefully it's on the shorter end of the wait time. Until then I have plenty to do with the transmission swap and fixing the cab corner.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I'm watching........coming right along.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Slowly but surely :lol:





Started messing with the cab corner this evening after work. Only rot on the whole cab, kind of odd. I roughed in the replacement cab corner. It's a crappy $8 cab corner and the fitment shows, but for what I'm doing it's good enough. Just need it to pass WV inspection.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Looks like it might have been designed to fit on top of the original corner........which is what should NOT be done anyway.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

It seems to fit up top pretty well, it's the stamping down low and where it meets the rocker that isn't even close.

I'm kicking the idea around of gently cutting out the cab corner from the red cab. That cab has plugs where it was zeibarted back in the day, so I'm sure it's in near perfect condition. It's OEM metal, so it would fit better.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I'm just glad to see someone working on and posting about a first gen S10! They are such good little trucks, and you can't buy anything new like them today.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I love first gen S10s! I've owned several, they're economical, handy, and pretty simple to work on. And parts are cheap.




I changed gears today and worked on the transmission swap. (See what I did there? :lol: ) Moved the crossmember back 2.5 inches, the hole was already on the drivers side to do it and I just had to drill the ones on the passenger side. Put on the resurfaced flywheel, and new pilot bushing, clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing. Then I stuck the transmission on and bolted everything up, even the reverse light wiring plugged right in. The driveshaft went right back in too with plenty of room on the slip yoke, thankfully.

Only difference is that this is a newer T5 with an electronic speedometer output, and my truck is cable drive. I have a speedometer app on my phone, so I'll work around it for a while.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

That looks like the type of VSS that is gear driven, you should be able to take it out and install a cable drive unit. Worth a look anyways if you haven't already.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

That is very interesting..... I was under the impression that all the VSS tailshafts had a reluctor. I'll be pulling the VSS and checking for a gear on the tailshaft very soon.

Thanks for the info!!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

If it is the reluctor type, then you could get a DRAC/VSSB box from an early 90's full size truck, modify it and then wire it up to a stock S10 electric speedo cluster. Bonus points if you get one of those Blazer digital clusters. :metal:

https://www.tradecraftspecialties.com/DRACmodule
https://harristuning.com/Tbi/vssb-drac-calibration/

https://www.joost.net.au/wp-content/...ts10_dash2.jpg

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Pulled the VSS today, looks like a reluctor setup. I've always wanted one of those digital dashes, but for this truck I think I'll probably stick to the cable speedo and just roll with my phone app for a while.

I won't need a speedometer once I figure out cruising RPMs anyway. My whole intent has been to spend as little as possible and use as much of what I have for this project as I can. The shifter is so far the one thing I've spent big on, but it's a necessity and an upgrade all in one.

I do, however, have a 93 S10 RCSB Tahoe, 4.3 auto. My first vehicle, it hibernates most of the time. It's been screaming for a digital dash and some other things for a while, might just have to do that when the smoke from this project clears

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I have an 85 S15, 2.5 Duke with 700 trans and factory air. I bought a bunch of parts from Rock Auto and put it back on the road. It runs pretty good, but the engine has a rattle at low RPM. May be a bad piston, but I guess I'll run it till it dies.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

The 2.5 is not a quiet motor. It's got a lot of things that make it noisy, mainly the valvetrain due to the fiber timing gear wearing and causing noise. Mines fairly quiet, but I had to have the head shaved to true it up when I did the head gasket and bolts a good while back. Under load the valves will chatter on low grade gasoline, if I use midgrade I never hear them.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Switched back to the body work for this evening, I drilled the spot welds and cut the good cab corner out of the old cab. After a little trimming, this one snapped right into place and fit 100% better than the other one.

I bought a Harbor Freight air flange/punch tool on sale for $25, I used that to flange the top of the red cab corner to fit up under the cab metal on the new cab. I picked up a 3M panel bond glue cartridge and applicator gun combo on Amazon for almost what the glue alone costs locally. I'm no welder, so the glue is the only way to go for me.

I have it glued and clamped in place to cure now. This is my first attempt at any sort of body repair whatsoever, so I'm learning as I go here. If I don't get perfect results I'm not too worried, it's a work beater and in my opinion, not too bad a place to practice a little bodywork.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I heard that timing gear could be a problem, so I ordered a steel gear set, then took the cover off. Guess what, the fiber gear was perfect! So I took the cam out to change it anyway, hoping that might help with something. I found the roller lifters had worn grooves in the the cam, so ordered another cam. Finally got everything put back together, and it still rattles. After going through the entire valve train, it must be something piston related.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I love these Drive a 97 EC every day. Good work! Any link to the panel bond/gun combo?

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Thanks! They're definitely good little trucks.

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Adhesive-M...26468864&psc=1

I could get the glue locally for around $80 and the gun for $150. Definitely a better deal on Amazon. The gun is sturdy and very well built. It will probably last me for the rest of my life at my hobby level of vehicle repair.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

I filled the transmission with fluid this evening and changed the fuel filter while it's easy to reach. I did those things while waiting for the body filler on the cab corner to dry so I could sand.

I KNOW it isn't a great job, or even a good job. But it's my first time doing it, and I'm happy with the results. I used some seam sealer in the gap between the rocker and the cab corner, just like factory. I worried most about the side where it will be seen. The back isn't bad, but it isn't perfect either. The bed will always cover it there. At least it's better than if I'd just stuffed rags in the rust hole and bondo'd it up like most do to these trucks. A few coats of primer and some sanding, then some paint, and the cab will be completed.

I have high hopes my shifter will arrive tomorrow. Once it's on and my cab corner is painted I'm pretty much ready to set the cab on. I'm getting excited about that. :lol:

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Big progress yesterday!

My shifter came in the mail, got that bolted up and it seems to work nicely, I think I like it!

Got home from work early and threw on a few coats of primer and a few coats of blue paint that is SO much darker than the color on the lid. Oh well, at least it's not rust. :lol:

I also finished up some little things and got the new cab mounts on the frame, then fired up the tractor and rolled the frame outside to set the cab on. Once I got it on and back inside I hooked a few things up enough to see if I have power on everything that is different in this cab from the old one. I do, but there are some ground issues I think. It'll crank over but I get no fuel pump, but the relay is clicking. Also I have a whole slew of dash lights on, looks like a Christmas tree. Being that I don't have the cab bolts in yet and that there's not much grounding anything, I'm pretty sure it'll heal itself as I keep putting it together.

I didn't get a picture of it as it sits until I was about to walk out of the shop, I can see it looking like a truck again!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Sucks how it 'started' but it's shaping up to be a nice resurrection of a cool little truck.

Nicely done patch repair for your first attempt. I'd just rock a rattle-can re-spray in a color that matches better. Use some finer grade Scotch-Brite or steel wool to help w/the blend.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Thanks! Appreciate the comments, I didn't think it was horrible for a first try, I can definitely see getting better at it if it was something I did more often.

I've been considering either a spray bomb or buying a cheap Harbor Freight gun and spraying it myself. Either way I'm definitely going to drive it first and work the kinks out, getting it back to daily driver status is a priority :lol:




As far as progress goes, I worked on it this weekend some and got the clutch and brakes bled, plus fixed several electrical issues that were mainly due to grounding. It starts and runs now! Won't stay running very long and I have no rear lights whatsoever, but I'm closing the gap on the electrical gremlins.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Good progress. I think the repair looks fine. An autobody supply house can mix up your exact paint code in a spraycan for you. Runs about $15.

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Thanks! I might get serious with the paint sometime after I get it roadworthy again, if I go the spraybomb route I'll have to remember that.



Haven't made any progress this week due to work, but this evening I came home and kinda just sat and looked at it. I had my battery sitting in the passenger floorboard and jumper cables run up front to hook things up. My issue had been everything out the back wasn't working and my fuel pump sounded funny. It hit me that all that stuff grounds to the frame, and I hadn't hooked up the wire that usually runs from B- down to the frame. A simple quick connection and now everything works!

Of course, this was the time the battery decided to give up and fill the floor with acid from a mystery leak on the case. Thank God I had a box of baking soda in the shop fridge, it came in handy :lol:

I think tomorrow I'll work on the front clip and maybe the interior. This evening I'll pick up a battery that actually fits the tray, my old one was too big and had a bungee for a hold down that was rollover tested and held up like a champ :lol:

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

"Mystery leak" would suggest otherwise ;)

:lol::lol::lol:

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

:lol:

Odd thing was the leak is from the bottom of the case, I think where the battery was too wide and vibrated for a long time over the edge of the battery tray. Have a proper group 78 unit in there now with 800 CCA. :metal:




Worked on it for several hours today (Saturday) and got lots done. Reverse lights work now, had to wire my transmission reverse switch to the wiring that was inside the cab that used to go to the auto column. Switched over the brake light switch from the old auto pedal assembly to the manual one to make the brake lights work. Rewired all my aftermarket guages and my electric fan setup too. Hooked up and adjusted the parking brakes, and set on the front clip.

The new front clip was in really good shape, except the passenger inner fender and the battery tray were rotted. My old front end had a good inner and tray, so I did the old swaperoo and now the whole front clip on the truck is solid. Fenders need a shim on the top bolts, but I didn't have any so I'll have to adjust that later.

There were lots of wires and plumbing and cables to route, and they're all tucked away nicely now, I just have to bolt on the hood and stick in my LED headlights from before, then the bezels. Inside I need to pick the best floor mat and put that in and then bolt in my red seat because it's far more comfortable. Then it's door and window seals. As it sits now it moves on its own power. I need to bleed the brakes again, they're a tad soft, but otherwise everything works!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Lots of work on display!

Re: 1986 S10 Daily Driver Rollover Rebuild
 

Wow! It almost looks like a truck again!