High School Hot rodders

[stewdecky]

OK Guys. I've been hanging around for a couple of years and finally got the nerve to post what we have been up to. I teach an Automotive/Small Engine class at a small Kansas high school. Last year our kids wanted to build a hot rod. I have been wanting to attempt a s10 swap on a AD truck and have been collecting parts. What a better way to get kids excited about our hobby and teach them some fab skills, engine placement, rebuild, tune, suspension, you get the picture.

We have researched the topic and have used this site almost exclusively. Many thanks to Atomik, Bartman, 99to life, BlueJeep and all the others on this site. We have followed your builds and got many ideas for ours. This is an awesome site.

We started last Nov. after small engines and had it running by the end of school in may. This summer I have completed many things and drove it to
Salina KKOA 3 hours one-way without a hitch. I must say I do love the ride and handling of the s10 frame. We used a 350-350 combo, 4 wheel drive rear, spacers in the front, and fabbed all our mounts. We used 2 in dropped spindles and 3 in lowering blocks in the rear. The body is 3.5 inches off the frame and a tranny tunnel was built for clearance. Radiator is the Speedway GM aluminum universal that cost $115.

[stewdecky]

More pics

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Very nice. Got any pics of your trans hump?

[stewdecky]

More

[stewdecky]

Tranny hump

[dubie]

you and your students have made one hell of a cool truck. Thank you for being THAT teacher that those kids will always remember. I wish we had teachers and programs like this when I was in high school

[hopped up]

that is very cool. wish i had something like this in hight school.
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[stewdecky]

The kids really got a lot out of this build. I hope to try another this year if I can get the parts collected. They had a lot of fun driving around the parking lot after we got it started and a couple have came over to the house this summer and I let them take it for a spin. I hope one of them will take up the hobby. It gets pretty expensive for a high school kid even if the cost is around 3-4 k for truck and parts.

Here it is at Salina KKOA in July.

[_Ogre]

Very nice

[stewdecky]

Pic of the wheel tubs we made out of s10 wheel housing.

[stewdecky]

Interior

[stewdecky]

Another view. S10 steering column and brake pedal hanger. Speedway wiring harness. 2003 Trailblazer bucket seat. Speedometer and fuel gauge are retrofit from '76 chevy truck. After market gauges are mounted in the radio speaker grill. Radio is in the glove box.

[dubie]

this is one cool truck. What was the final total on the parts if you don't mind me asking

[Bearmeat]

Very Cool! Great build and the overall look of the truck is awesome.

[stewdecky]

Thanks for the complements. As for the cost it totaled up to around $3200-3500 counting $200 for the AD truck body, $100 for the s10 frame, $700 for the engine and tranny, $400 junk yard parts, $600 tires wheels and caps, $230 exhaust, $150 drive shaft cut and balanced, $450 brake parts and front suspension parts , bed wood, fab metal, gauges, paint, bolts, wiring, etc......

Fun for everyone involved...Priceless!

[dubie]

Priceless indeed!

The reason I asked is because this is a perfect example of how you can built a cool truck with massive amounts of character and its not going to cost you a ton of money. You showed a great deal of resourcefulness in this project. That's about the best skill one could teach our kids of today.
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[Atommik]

The truck looks great!
I am honored that you found my build site helpful!! The talent, knowledge and resourcefulness of others on this forum is amazing. I learn new things all the time!

Congratulations on a great project and many lessons learned for your students!

[Bubba54]

Truck looks great !
Something the kids will always remember working on.

Shawn

[xpickup]

stewdecky, Great job. Your students and you did a great job. Why couldn't my school have done something like this when I was there. I would have liked school a whole lot better! You guys have something to be proud of.

Shannon

[av8tr33337]

Hey Stewdecky,

That looks Cool. Glad that your were able to glean something from my build to use on yours. Seeing your truck inspires me to do more on mine. Keep up the good work.

[dalbers]

Cool truck! Looking forward to seeing you do another one!

[OrrieG]

Good looking truck and fun project for the kids. We had to work on our own cars or take apart old donors. A neighbor was the local HS auto shop teacher for years. The last couple of years there were some "questions" from people that thought he was using free student labor to build hotrods for his own profit. He always sold them for the parts cost plus any expenses and some of his time the following summer to finish them up or make changes. Every Tuesday he has shop night at his house and about a dozen former students, now adults i 30+ years old show up to work on projects together or just bench race. He still teaches at another school but the kids work on their own projects.