1983 S-10 Rebuild Project here.... ALMOST COMPLETE!

[DTMAce]

Now, to start with I posted this in the OFF TOPIC section, as this is a rebuild of a vehicle OTHER than a Beretta, however the mods can move it to an appropriate forum if needed. I just didn't want to tick anyone off. lol

Anyway.

This project involves a 1983 Chevrolet S-10. Equipped with the 2.5l CARBed v6 engine (yes I had to look, its NOT fuel injected), 4wheel drive/auto transmission, standard cab/bed. Some of you may have seen it after it was totaled when it slammed into a Chevy Blazer at about 45. If you didn't, well you are in luck. I have pics from that accident:













For those that don't know, this happened the spring after I had painted the beretta (09). My folks were on the way to work, guy turned right into their path, never saw them. Not sure how you can miss a powder blue truck coming at you but anyway. Mom had to go in the hospital and was treated for shock, as well as having severe bruising from the seat belt. But if she hadn't of been wearing it, she would have went through the windshield for sure. I had to backboard her, as I was with the ambulance..

Anyways, after nearly 2 years, dad has decided to tear it down and rebuild it. Currently its in the shop and torn clear apart. I have had yet to take any take apart pics, but plan to do several, now that the parts are here. Here is what is being done:

Remove the bent frame. Too bad to fix. Strip two other trucks of parts, one for its frame, one for its 5 speed stuff.

Strip all the A/C stuff. Yes it still had it and before the accident it even worked properly.

Swap the transmission over to 5 speed manual/4wheel drive.

Repaint entire truck inside and out. Only glass not being removed is the windshield. And we are going black. lol

Rebuild and reassemble. Fully treat all lower exposed areas as best we can to keep the winters from killing it 3 years from now. As it sits the rust is not too bad, this truck originally was from Georgia.

I will be going and taking pics of its current status hopefully tomorrow or Friday at some point so you can all see. Going to be cool. I will be helping with some of the body work, and stuff, since he helped me with the Z. heheh

Updates to come, stay tuned...

[3X00-Modified]

You did as you should it's off topic. no need to think we'll get pissed. Now if you had started this in the member rides section oh god the ban stick would have come out... lol

[ErichZ26]

Thats a mess. Why are you fixing that? It seems totally not worth it. The frame is shot, the front end is gone and it has no options nor upgrades. Those electronic emmission Rochester carbs are garbage. Also, you mention 2.5 v6. There was a 2.5 Iron Duke or a 2.8l V6. If its the 2.8 do those have the crappy bottom ends like the Vin x engine used in the X and A body's which were upgraded to larger bearings in 1985.

Well anyhow, break out the PB Blaster and enjoy a insane project.

[DTMAce]

Trust me, its not my idea. I guess he liked this truck. I will be putting up current status pics tonight. You will probably crap your pants just how far it has gone already in the last 3 weeks.

PB? Oh yeah. We usually buy that by the case, but then what that can't fix the torch or cutoff wheel most certainly will. heheh

[DTMAce]

OK, let the insanity begin... LMAO

As promised, here are where this project is right now, just took these this morning:

Donor truck for the manual transmission and 4WD stuff to go with it: Yeah, it was clobbered the SAME WAY, but they hit a tree....





Second donor, or what's left of it. This will be the new frame. Once we strip it down, etc.



Bed and cap. Actually just need a little work and they will be good to go. Some rust but not bad.



Whats left of the front doghouse.



Interior parts from the cab





Engine, transmission and frame separated from the body.





We half already stripped the cab down and straightened the damage on the pass corner, it was only tweaked a little, but its still a nice cab really.





Rear axle. Meh.



The doors.



Rear shot of frame and cab on its crib.



Yes, that is a LOT of work that has been done already in 3 weeks. I have yet to lift a wrench, but I know I will be helping. We will pulling the manual tranny donor in next, to rob it of what we need. Then yank all the rest out then pull the old frame out, bring the new frame in, make it LOOK like a decent frame and start going back together.

He has the best luck. So far I don't think he really has anything into this, even with the donor parts. There is a guy we know that has like 10 or 15 S-10 bodies laying in his yard. So we have a good pickings for parts at least. lol

Anyways, that is what we have, where we are at and will update as things go when I have time. Comments are welcome, but as anyone here knows, everyone does their project their own way. Would I do this? Probably a big hell no, unless I was converting over to a more modern engine or something.

One thing I do know:

This engine was bought from Napa by the guy that restored it before dad bought it. This thing was an almost finished project when dad bought it, he had to finish a few things. The wiring harness is a complete hack though we have to work on it. And there are tons of vacuum tubes and crap. Personally I would have just converted it over a small block V8 and be done with it. lol

[ErichZ26]

If your going through the bother swap over a MPFI setup and newer harness. That Rochester is garbage...complete garbage. The electronic Rochester is only for emmisions. I don't see an emmisions air pump...which is a good thing. My VIN X engine had that crap. It broke the steel tube to the cat..and added one more stupid thing to fix.

Find a cheap donor harness and top end from an F body, Jeep, Fiero, A body and swap it on the block and iron heads. If you could find a cheap 3.4 F body setup...thats even better. I believe you would also want a newer fuel tank with a drop in pump.

If he likes carbs, there is/was a Holley kit for that manifold. You can eliminate many of the lines and wires.

Most of those trucks were junked for rust or from engines running like poop...or death of lower end.

[DTMAce]

Well I can tell you now that although I know what you are saying, and I hear ya clear, it won't be happening. The sad truth? This thing ran really well when it was running before the accident. I had already mentioned upgrading the engine and got a big fat NO. So meh.

Not my truck, so I don't care. But yeah IF I was even going to go through what he is in redoing it, even if I got the parts for practically nothing, I still would have upgraded the engine to something better, even if it was to eliminate the vacuum and shitty engine design of that period. Anyways.

His thing is that because it ran well and didn't give him any issues, why change it. I can see his point.. Still... And keep in mind, this is going to be a rebuild, more than a restore. Yeah we are repainting it but I have also been made clear that he isn't going to do more than he has to, although I pointed out that the more of the rust and crap he cleans off of it means the thing will last longer after its done.


Told him, take the time to protect this one, so it will go more than 3 years before developing rust holes.

[DTMAce]

Ok, so we have more updates already!

Manual Transmission donor truck being tore down:





Shot of the cab we are going to use from the original truck



More shots of the donor truck... It was hit a lot harder than ours...



All the scrap thrown in the bed... lol





Anyways, that is where we are at with this one. In the process. Already have hauled out the junk frame, and getting the replacement ready outside, then it will be brought in, and then cleaning/painting/reassembling will start. Yay.

Anyways, there ya have it as it is.

[whiteretta]

Ace, that is nuts. You have more patience than I ever will. Nice sig by the way.

[DTMAce]

Yeah I know. This is not all, here a few more, after I helped get the cab removed:

Cab moved to the bed. That was fun!



So much easier pulling this apart when its like this...





Nother' shot of the cab sitting on the bed.



After removing the transmission. Now just have to finish removing a few things.



I do have a correction to make. The engine we have is the 2.8 v6 with the electronic carb. This truck here has the iron duke 4 banger complete with a computer! LMAO

Yeah, we are not going to use it. Still staying with the 2.8, as it was a good engine for him. Guess we will see how well it mates with the manual.

This truck even had aluminum skids plates installed over the engine, transmission and fuel tank. We are so robbing those! LOL It was like I told dad, it only takes ONE rock to put a hole in the oil pan... Har har...

[DTMAce]

More updates!

We have finished stripping down donor #2 and have proceeded with repairing the cab metal that needs replaced/patched/etc prior to new paint. Pics!

New Rockers going in:











Still have more to go, but that is where we are at the moment. Crazy but it works! Using some special zinc primer to help prevent rust on the interior surfaces that we are working on.....

Will put up more as it goes.

[beretta]

thats alot of work, but its looking good, i did a similar project last winter on my 85 full size 4x4, love the older chevy trucks. but mine wasnt hit LOL just rotted out, lots of new metal and bought a used box with no rust as mine was literally falling apart.

Those 2.8's i never trust them, long as you dont ever hammer on it.. my 84 firebird had a 2.8 carb 5 speed. dad blew the first 1 up doing donuts on our ice rink before i bought the car. replaced with another 2.8. it lasted about 4 months of my abuse and blew a rod out of it. 3rd was a 2.8 fuel injected swaped the intake and stuff over to make it carb. it lasted about 2 months and had a vibration from my flywheel, it was out of a 5 speed s10 but had to use my flywheel to make it work and vibrated bad from the start. cracked the bell housing and blew my brand new clutch to pieces.

Never will i put a 2.8 back in it lol. 350 that bish.. i got a 4 bolt main bare block thinking on building a 383 stoker. or spend the money on a 95 supra twin turbo 6 speed manual engine/trany.

You could easily swap in a 305/350 into that while its still apart. 305's have weak cams throw in a 350 cam. prob pick up a running engine for 300 bucks or less. that truck would kick some butt.

[DTMAce]

Well if you knew my father, you would understand. He won't listen to me unless it actually backfires on him. So if he wants to reuse the V6, he will reuse the V6 and no amount of talking on my end is going to change that.

I already told him to go with a small block V8 when he started. lol I got told otherwise. Ah well. He wants it to not be a gas hog and that. That's when I said go ahead and move that Iron Duke 4 into it along with the computer and updated harness that you have right there, and it will all go together. But no, that was shot down too. So meh.

Truthfully, he has had this truck before the wreck about 2.5 years and it has always ran pretty good, had issues with vacuum a time or two but it never ran bad. So as long as he has that in his mind, that is the way it will be. Keep in mind this isn't an original engine, this was a rebuild/assembly from like Autozone. (so I was told, I thought it was from NAPA). Probably has less than 10k on it, it was a new install right before he bought the truck.

Anyways, guess we will see how it goes.

[Money pit Beretta]

Oh no! Not a Mexico reman! Or is that just Advance Auto engines?

[scd88ga]

Oh no! Not a Mexico reman! Or is that just Advance Auto engines?

This says USA, where did you get Mexico from?

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