1951 3100 Patina Build

[99 to Life]

Step kids are a huge handful, having your own kid will change your life, its great but also more stress too. Going static drop on first build is a good idea. Bags add a lot more knowledge and money to the equation.

[73kay]

Hey man, I'm a bit north of Austin, but if you ever need to use any tools, I got a sandblaster, welder, big ass compressor. I have 2 53s that I am working on. I'm keeping mine stock, but I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. It is motivating me to update my build thread, haha

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by 73kay

Hey man, I'm a bit north of Austin, but if you ever need to use any tools, I got a sandblaster, welder, big ass compressor. I have 2 53s that I am working on. I'm keeping mine stock, but I'm looking forward to seeing your progress. It is motivating me to update my build thread, haha

Awesome! Thanks for that offer! I've been slowly gathering the tools I think I'll need. Been working on it but don't have enough progress for any kind of visual pleasure. HA Good luck with yours!

[51Chevy3100]

I just had 7 weeks off work to welcome my first child into the world....of course it didn't take long to get stir crazy so I took the opportunity to get quite some things done on the project.

Finished getting the frame stripped of unnecessary hardware, removed front and rear suspension.



I don't have funds to buy new suspension so I brought the bed in from the backyard and started metal work on it. All 4 corners were cracked (failed to take before pictures) going to the stake pockets. Made repairs as shown below as well as a few minor tailgate repairs and then patina'd everything to make it match.
Also took the leaf springs off and slid the rear axle back under so I can temporarily mount the bed and mark my rear axle centerline. Looks like I will need to notch the frame and have a raised bed floor to get the ride height I'm looking for. I'm not real sure how much clearance is necessary between the axle tube and the frame.

Filled the stake pocket holes and fabbed bed rail end caps:







Finished driver side rear fender damage repair:







Cut out the bottom rusted section of the front bed panel and replaced:



Some general pictures...I probably want it even lower than it's sitting here:

[Flysocal]

Congrats on your new family member!

Project looks good man I wish I had that much space in my garage

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by Flysocal

Congrats on your new family member!

Project looks good man I wish I had that much space in my garage

Thank you! I pull my car out every day that I plan on working but yes it's nice. Hoping to have a bigger garage by the end of next year.

[big_moss]

Hey 51 welcome to the the forumn man. I'm on Pasadena my parents live in lc. I've got 51 Im building but been on hold cuz we all know life happens man. Lmk of you ever need a hand maybe we can bounce some ideas off each other. Definitely following the progress man good luck

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by big_moss

Hey 51 welcome to the the forumn man. I'm on Pasadena my parents live in lc. I've got 51 Im building but been on hold cuz we all know life happens man. Lmk of you ever need a hand maybe we can bounce some ideas off each other. Definitely following the progress man good luck

Thanks!

[99 to Life]

nice patina and patches. I'v done alot of patch work when money was low. So its a win win there. Just keep chipping away. You can buy IFS kits in pieces. Get the xmember and a arms, then spindles and rotors and boom you can have a roller. Make some moch up shocks (you can see on my geronimo thread). You can get the xmembers and hats for under $300 all over the place, speedway, ebay, cpp etc. arms are affordable too. as for your rear, again, on my geronimo thread I did a leaf spring conversion. much cheaper than getting the TCI leaf spring conversion kit. Get yourself a blazer 4x4 rearend 1-200 bucks, snag the springs if you can. You just gotta chip away, but getting a roller is a big step.

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

nice patina and patches. I'v done alot of patch work when money was low. So its a win win there. Just keep chipping away. You can buy IFS kits in pieces. Get the xmember and a arms, then spindles and rotors and boom you can have a roller. Make some moch up shocks (you can see on my geronimo thread). You can get the xmembers and hats for under $300 all over the place, speedway, ebay, cpp etc. arms are affordable too. as for your rear, again, on my geronimo thread I did a leaf spring conversion. much cheaper than getting the TCI leaf spring conversion kit. Get yourself a blazer 4x4 rearend 1-200 bucks, snag the springs if you can. You just gotta chip away, but getting a roller is a big step.

You're right, there are plenty of things I can do without forking out hardly any money. Lots of metal work to do on the cab too. I was thinking about getting a xmember since some kits you have to buy them separately anyways.
I was thinking of coilovers only because I'm afraid I won't get the ride height I really want and coilovers would give me at least a little adjustment...but if I can do leaf springs and still get it sitting right I would definitely like to save the money and do that. I've been trying to research what parts I can use to get that because I have no clue really.
Is the blazer 4x4 rearend an 8.5? Is that stout enough for a slightly modded (cam, tune) 5.3 ls? I don't have a drivetrain yet but I'm thinking I'll pull a 5.3/4L60E from a junkyard when the time comes.
I need to figure out how to determine what rear end was on the truck when I bought it because it may work....Thanks for your words of wisdom, always appreciated!

[99 to Life]

the rear end would be plenty for your combo. as for the rear, here are some codes
just make sure to get 4x4 because they are wider. zr2 rears are wider even and hard to come by. I like the 3.42 gears. but 3.73 would be good too, posi are nice to find but you can live without it.
RPO codes:
GT4-3.73 gear ratio
GT5-4.10 gear ratio
GU4-3.08 gear ratio
GU6-3.42 gear ratio
G80- Positraction, Limited Slip
LB4- 4.3 V6 TBI
LN2- 2.2l 4cyl MFI
LU3- 4.3 V6
L35- 4.3 V6 CPI
M30- Auto 4 SPD trans
M50- Man 5 SPD trans


S10 Pickups
1995 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (LB4,L35,M30,GU6)
1995-1997 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (LN2,M30,GT5)
1996-1999 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU4,G80)
2000-2002 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (M50,GU4,G80)
2003 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (LU3,M50,GU4,G80)

S10 Blazers
1995-1997 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU6,G80)
1998-1999 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU6,G80)
2000-2001 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU6,G80)
2001-2004 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (M50,GU6,G80)
2003-2005 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (M50,GU6)

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

the rear end would be plenty for your combo. as for the rear, here are some codes
just make sure to get 4x4 because they are wider. zr2 rears are wider even and hard to come by. I like the 3.42 gears. but 3.73 would be good too, posi are nice to find but you can live without it.
RPO codes:
GT4-3.73 gear ratio
GT5-4.10 gear ratio
GU4-3.08 gear ratio
GU6-3.42 gear ratio
G80- Positraction, Limited Slip
LB4- 4.3 V6 TBI
LN2- 2.2l 4cyl MFI
LU3- 4.3 V6
L35- 4.3 V6 CPI
M30- Auto 4 SPD trans
M50- Man 5 SPD trans


S10 Pickups
1995 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (LB4,L35,M30,GU6)
1995-1997 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (LN2,M30,GT5)
1996-1999 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU4,G80)
2000-2002 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (M50,GU4,G80)
2003 s10 2wd 8.5 rear, (LU3,M50,GU4,G80)

S10 Blazers
1995-1997 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU6,G80)
1998-1999 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU6,G80)
2000-2001 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (L35,M50,GU6,G80)
2001-2004 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (M50,GU6,G80)
2003-2005 s10 blazer 2wd 8.5 rear, (M50,GU6)

Thanks for all the codes, that will be useful if I have to go out and search for one!

[joedoh]

just a note on your list 99, the 8.5 rears only came on V6 5 spd trucks and blazers from 1994 to 03, all s10 ss, and all zr2. otherwise its a 7.625 10 bolt.

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by joedoh

just a note on your list 99, the 8.5 rears only came on V6 5 spd trucks and blazers from 1994 to 03, all s10 ss, and all zr2. otherwise its a 7.625 10 bolt.

Is it true that the 7.625 10 bolt housing essentially looks the same as the 8.5 housing? I want to determine which ring gear size I have without opening it up if possible. I'll use it if it's an 8.5 but not if it's a 7.625. Thanks.

[joedoh]

no, the 7.625 cover is squared off and the 8.5 is round. you can also tell the 8.5 on an s10 because the axle tubes have a step-down next to the cast center. there are so few 8.5 s10 rears that the likelihood you have one is pretty small, only came on very specific models.

here is a picture of the cover differences I found online



you shouldnt be scared to use a 7.625, you likely wont ever have the traction and the hp to break it. they came in fullsize trucks and even v8 camaros. I bet for every 100 stories you hear of them breaking there is one guy who did it (usually being stupid like doing a burnout and then catching traction) and 99 who tell the story.

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by joedoh

no, the 7.625 cover is squared off and the 8.5 is round. you can also tell the 8.5 on an s10 because the axle tubes have a step-down next to the cast center. there are so few 8.5 s10 rears that the likelihood you have one is pretty small, only came on very specific models.

here is a picture of the cover differences I found online



you shouldnt be scared to use a 7.625, you likely wont ever have the traction and the hp to break it. they came in fullsize trucks and even v8 camaros. I bet for every 100 stories you hear of them breaking there is one guy who did it (usually being stupid like doing a burnout and then catching traction) and 99 who tell the story.

I'll have to check it out when I get home to identify it once and for all. I would definitely like to use the rear end I already have so thanks for your help!

[99 to Life]

I agree, I wouldn't look too much into the rear end "holding up" it most definitely will. I'd shoot for disc brake blazer 4x4 rears. Grab anything you see cause when you really need it, yah know it won't be around for months. I always buy ahead of time, trust me don't depend on used parts when you actual "need them".

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

I agree, I wouldn't look too much into the rear end "holding up" it most definitely will. I'd shoot for disc brake blazer 4x4 rears. Grab anything you see cause when you really need it, yah know it won't be around for months. I always buy ahead of time, trust me don't depend on used parts when you actual "need them".

Good point, thanks

[51Chevy3100]

Not much progress but at least it's something. Got this patch piece cut out of a new stake pocket and welded in so now I can mount my tail gate with the new hinges.

[99 to Life]

been there done that, harder than it looks to line up the hinge and get it bolted in. If I remember correctly one of the bolts for the hinge is extremely hard to get to. I ended up just drilling a hole in the front of the stake pocket, so I could get a socket in there on the backside of the bolt.

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

been there done that, harder than it looks to line up the hinge and get it bolted in. If I remember correctly one of the bolts for the hinge is extremely hard to get to. I ended up just drilling a hole in the front of the stake pocket, so I could get a socket in there on the backside of the bolt.

I was afraid of that. I may weld one side on and only bolt one side so it's not as difficult and that way I can still get the tail gate on and off if needed.

[kameltoes2015]

Looks like your heading in the right direction

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sorry I missed your thread until now. Looks like you're making great progress.

I used a Mustang 8.8 rearend (but had the axles re-drilled to the 5x4.75 Chevy pattern) in my 55.2 TF because i wanted four wheel discs, even though I won't really NEED them. Plus I gained limited slip. My truck had a 10 bolt in it which would have held up fine because i don't intend to pound the truck hard but even if i did they're so light in the rear you're probably never gonna hook up hard enough to break one. I think your S-10 rear will work fine.

Enjoying watching your progress, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! - Dan

[51Chevy3100]

Originally Posted by kameltoes2015

Looks like your heading in the right direction

Thanks for lookin!

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Sorry I missed your thread until now. Looks like you're making great progress.

I used a Mustang 8.8 rearend (but had the axles re-drilled to the 5x4.75 Chevy pattern) in my 55.2 TF because i wanted four wheel discs, even though I won't really NEED them. Plus I gained limited slip. My truck had a 10 bolt in it which would have held up fine because i don't intend to pound the truck hard but even if i did they're so light in the rear you're probably never gonna hook up hard enough to break one. I think your S-10 rear will work fine.

Enjoying watching your progress, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! - Dan

Happy Holidays to you too Dan! Thanks for the input on the rear diff, I plan to keep it so we'll see how it goes.